Rebuilding Greensburg

If this spring has taught us anything, it's that knitters really want to help other people who have faced tragedy. A new mass-knitting project seeks to bring some comfort to the town of Greensburg, Kansas, which was wiped out by a tornado May 4.

Knitter Laura Spradlin in El Dorado, Kansas, is collecting bias knit garter stitch squares to be sewn into blankets by the members of her church and distributed to families in need.

She has a goal of just over 1,100 blocks and has thus far received about 30 as I write this. There's no deadline for sending the wool 8-inch squares (other nice yarn can be used as well), but the sooner the better.

Bias squares are quick to knit and more fun than a straight square. Crazy colors and stripes are encouraged, and squares that aren't exactly 8 inches are joyfully accepted as well.

Plans are to give blankets to those who lost family members, or to have them distributed through the American Red Cross. You can include a note sending good wishes to the blanket's recipient if you want. For more information, visit Laura's blog.