Innocent Design Challenge

[Kersti]

Here in Ireland a drinks company called Innocent are doing a charity drive for next winter. All over the country people are knitting or crocheting thousands of little hats to go onto the smoothie bottle. In Autumn (Fall for our US friends) every bottle sold that has a hat on it will result in money going to the Aged Action charity.

For every behatted bottle sold in store, we - that's innocent - will give 25c to Age Action. We're aiming to knit 80,000 little hats this year, so we'd love you to get knitting.

It's a sad fact that every year in Ireland around 2000 people over the age of 65 die from cold related conditions. Which is where your knitted goods come in. All monies raised from the innocent Big Knit this year will go towards supporting Age Action to help keep older people in Ireland warm.

There's a homepage and also a hat of the week contest too - some of them are really quite amazing.

A few of my friends are madly knitting hats, one of them is employed professionally to help people to knit hats. All of them want me to tat hats! Of course, this then brings up the issue of designs... so I thought you might like to get in on the act and see if you can design a tatted hat for an Innocent Smoothie to help raise money for charity. Hat designs can use anything from wool to sewing cotton (thicker works up quicker tho) as long as they fit the dimensions of the bottle - diameter of about 5-7cm (2 - 2.5") along the bottom and at least 3cm (2.25") high.

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[carolivy]

What an interesting idea and a great marketing gimick! As far as me (in the US) making hats to dontate, the postage would far outweigh the benifit they would recieve. Is there any way that donations can be made to this cause without making the hats?

[tatknot]

I shall try to wrap my brain around this idea and see what I can come up with. I have never designed anything 3d before, but it sounds like fun.

Kersti, will the company honor hats that are not knitted or are you going to tat just for fun? The website only mentions knitted hats.

[Kersti]

What an interesting idea and a great marketing gimick! As far as me (in the US) making hats to dontate, the postage would far outweigh the benifit they would recieve. Is there any way that donations can be made to this cause without making the hats?

Designs would help! I'm trying to come up with some in size 10 cotton, but also to come up with some in a standard weight wool.

Kersti, will the company honor hats that are not knitted or are you going to tat just for fun? The website only mentions knitted hats.

Siobhan who's most excited at the idea of me tatting them is an official with them, so I'm thinking yes.

[tattrldy]

This sounds like fun, too. I'm wondering if a felt hat with tatting over it would work? As long as the hats look like winter hats they'll work?

[Antiquarian]

I instantly had the idea of making a basic doily, but then running a ribbon (or elastic) through it to gather it about the bottle top...like a mop cap. *shrug* this sounds fun, but I so have no time to do it...wedding dress, birthday party, back to school (husband's a teacher).

It's a fabulous idea!

[tatknot]

I instantly had the idea of making a basic doily, but then running a ribbon (or elastic) through it to gather it about the bottle top...like a mop cap. *shrug* this sounds fun, but I so have no time to do it...wedding dress, birthday party, back to school (husband's a teacher).

It's a fabulous idea!

Yes, I thought of this, too. I'm also thinking that needletatting it with yarn would be a good idea. Probably a pattern that is close together with very little negative space.

[stashtamer]

I've seen tatted teacups... so turn it over... a hat? That's off the top of my head ..... Tea cup patterns tend to flare out, but I imagine it would not be difficult to keep the sides more even instead of flaring. Need time to think on this, but I definitely have some ideas forming.

[Kersti]

OK, I got some old yarn and had a play around and I think I've got something that will work - will try to get a picture of it... Of course, not happy with just one will need to do a second and a third design, as many as I can work out :)

[soyloquesoy]

ooooohhhhh how fun! Do show what you make Kersti!

I have the same vision as Antiquarian, and imagined an old fashioned lacy cap - not particularly warm, but certainly fun!