We've had another snowfall here overnight, though this time it's the kind of snow which quickly turns mushy and wet, rather than the lovely powdery kind that squeaks underfoot as you tromp through it for the first time. I suspect that it will be mostly melted before the end of the day. It's nothing like as bad as the heavy snowfall experienced over the weekend in the north eastern USA and Canada – I hope all of you affected are keeping well and warm.
Not that I need the excuse of snow, but I am using it nonetheless to justify spending the day in my pyjamas, knitting by the fire. So far this morning I have finished the 4 little bears that I am sending off to be companions to the Red Nose Day Dolls.
And I'm about to get stuck into a big old batch of bunny finishing. I had hoped to have this batch ready by the end of January, then was aiming at Valentine's day but now I am looking realistically at the end of February. I'll post some pictures when I have made a bit more progress.
Now on to the subject of the friend in need…
If you follow crafting blogs or are a reader of Mollie Makes magazine
you will no doubt have come across the awesome and enchanting work of
Gretel Parker. Gretel original worked in 2 dimensions as an illustrator but then
branched out into three dimensional needlefelted pieces. It is clear to anyone seeing her creations that her beautiful and unique style of working, amazing attention to detail and her mastery of needlefelting skills were just meant to come together and it's not surprising that her creations are much sought after and have been featured in publications around the world.
Gretel and her partner Andy lived for many years in the Cotswolds but a few months ago they moved to Shropshire and were just beginning to settle into the process of making a new home in what they called 'Bodge Cottage'. But on January 21st of this year, just a few short weeks ago, Gretel had to face the most heart breaking tragedy. I don't feel right in writing the details because it is not my story to share but Gretel has so bravely written about it here, please go and read her words and pop back here for details of how you can help if you wish to.
There are many people around the world who admire Gretel, not just for her creativity but also for her outlook on life and her appreciation of simple living and simple pleasures. Suzanne is one such person and she and Tara have set up a page in an attempt to raise funds to help support Gretel as she tries to come to terms with her grief and to try to help her keep her home in this awful time. Her long term friend Natasha has written a post here and I'm sure there are lots of others trying to spread the word as far and as wide as possible so that people can help if they would like to. If you feel able to spread the word on any social media then please do so.
Gretel herself would never be one to go cap in hand to anyone, she is a survivor of previous tragedy having lost both her parents as a child, but strength alone will not pay her bills. If you would like to help then you can do so here…
Thanks for reading x
little cotton rabbits 
That is a very sad and tragic story, my heart goes out to her.
Any dolly would be proud to have such cute bears.
V xxx
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How terribly sad and heart wrenching, poor poor Gretel, it’s just unimaginable x
love your itty bitty little teddies Julie
stay cosy
love jooles xxx
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Off to read. And I had to look up the red nose, as I had never heard of it before. We are just the same gray, reluctantly constant snowing that we have been, it seems, all our lives, and I’ve gotta go slogging out there to save the poor horses from both starvation and boredom. I keep wanting to post, but I don’t want sad things to happen to get me there. So I will look into this situation (at the moment, wondering if wonderful things can happen in the gray, and wishing they would happen to every single person I know, just for a while -) before I suit up.
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If I knew where she was, I’d send her a pony.
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the teddies are gorgeous, what a great contribution to the red nose project. such a tragic story about your friend xxx
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Oh this is heart breaking. Just so sad. She is so talented!! Her work is just darling!
Sigh…… so many hard things lately……….. thank goodness we all know that spring comes after a hard cold winter and with it new life and sunshine and warmth……..
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Gretel’s story is utterly heartbreaking. I couldn’t find the words to leave her a message – she doesn’t know me – but I could, and did support the project. And gladly.
The teddies are just as fab as I knew they would be. Lucky dollies!
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Sometimes life doesn’t feel fair… thanks for sharing and helping and being so generous!
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How sad. I’m so sorry for Gretel’s loss. She is in my thoughts and prayers.
Your little teddies are adorable but the curly one really reaches out to me. 🙂
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I have sent an email to Mollie Makes to try and get them to put a post about Gretel on their blog and twitter as they have so many followers that I feel would like to help support such a gifted artist. No luck yet but I only have a very general email address. If you are better connected do you think you could try to help get them on board? This is a time when the crafting world can show how strong and caring a community it is…..love Jo
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So so sad at Gretel’s heartbreaking loss. Like many others in the blogging community I am thinking of her and supporting the project that has been so thoughtfully set up.
I do love your tiny teddies, Julie. You are a marvel making such adorable knitted toys with all their different characters.
Helen x
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Thanks for sharing Julie, I really appreciate it. xxx
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Thanks for putting this out there Julie – with your readership it should help immensely. I ‘met’ Gretel through an artists’ forum many years ago and have watched her progress with her fantastic needlefelting with real pleasure. What has happened is heartbreaking, I’m still shocked – I do hope this campaign goes some way to helping her out.
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Hi Julie,
Gretels story is such a sad one. I hope the campaign manages to raise the 25K they are hoping for if not more.
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I did support the project.Gretel story is so sad. I’m so fond of your work,it’s like a contribution .As soon as i saw your Misty Blanket i made one with Drops Wool.It was too fast finished and now i’ve started a Tile Blanket with Cascade Heathers ,bought some in UK and the rest in USA.You have such a feel for colors.I tried to resist as we don’t need another blanket but could’nt.i’m a french granma.Y.S
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Hi Julie,
Gretel’s story tugged at the heart strings. Hoping to help – we have a knit and natter group based in Tipperary with a small following on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bookwormcrafters and have put a post up.
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The little elephant is wonderful … you do such good things my bloggy friend 🙂
I was due to meet Gretel sometime soon as she now lives not so far from me. How I wish the fates had been kinder and not derailed her life and her heart so violently. She has been in my thoughts.
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Julie, thank you so much for sharing about Gretel. I really do appreciate how you are such a part of a community and bring us along as well so we can share in the good and the sorrows as well. I will definitely send some help and warm thoughts her way.
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