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From a small idea of knitting blankets made up of 71,000 squares to represent each person in Scotland with dementia, evolved the idea of achieving a world record for the guiness book of records, which stood at 57,000.

Offers to help started to flood in from all around the world - from Canada, USA, Europe and right across Great Britain. Young and old knitted together, families sent in blankets, community groups linked in with primary schools to teach children the art of knitting, and people with dementia revisited old skills.

People were motivated by being able to contribute in memory of a loved one or a belief in the need to raise more awareness of this devastating illness and the impact on individuals and families.

Dementia is a journey of incremental loss that leads to an inevitable end. And what you and the other knitters are doing is knitting - by increments - awareness, and support, and a tribute to those affected. A giant, poignant, blanket of a hug. Beautiful. (Knitting contributor)

We smashed the record at Inveraray Castle on the 23 June with a blanket made up of an amazing 91,400 squares. To see pictures from the day please use this link #mce_temp_url#

Now we are offering people a unique opportunity to contribute to this world record achievement by buying a ‘virtual’ square of the blanket for £2 to represent all hard work, fond memories, family feelings, and dedication from the 1000’s of those who made this new world record.

This money alongside that achieved through auctioning blankets & donations will go towards helping to ensure No One Goes Through Dementia Alone by providing the Information, Advice & Support needed to Live Positively with Dementia.

Please help us to reach enough people to achieve our donation target of £91,400.

By 2020 almost every family will be, in some way, affected by dementia, so please send this link to your families, friends and colleagues and anyone you think would be interested – help us to reach the target, raise awareness and provide support to people with dementia and their families and friends.

Alternatively Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Resource Centres across Scotland will have collection boxes where you can pledge £1 towards a square that will show your support.

Thanks must be given to all of these lovely volunteers from all over the world who knitted, sewed and transported the squares and blankets which achieved this stunning world record. If you want to give a larger donation for a blanket please contact our Helensburgh Dementia Resource Centre on 01436 678050 or our Oban Dementia Resource Centre on 01631 570614

From The Barefoot Crofter ~

I have also been knitting squares - 10cm (4 inch) squares using odd ends of DK yarn. I read in the local paper at the weekend about an awareness raising project in aid of Alzheimer Scotland. Some of you will know that I lost my Mother to dementia in 2010. For years we watched, despairing, as she slowly unravelled before us. All her skills, talents, humour, personality, gentleness, abilities and faculties just came undone- stitch by stitch at first, then part of a row - and then, suddenly - the woman we loved had been ripped away.
Almost as soon as she died, however, she came right back to us - knitted up again in the glorious patchwork that was her self. The bad memories of her illness - the difficult behaviours, the incapacity, the frustration and the decline during her final months and days - all miraculously vanished. We spoke about how she had been before this sickness took her from us - we laughed, we recalled, we shared, and we re-membered her.
Since then, I have shied away from anything to do with dementia - the very idea of it has been pushed away - no need to deal with this now. I had my mother back whole again, even if it was only in my memory. That first new year, a kind and loving friend sent a calender of the most beautiful landscape photography - printed on behalf of an Alzheimer charity. We could never bring ourselves to hang it on the wall - it would only serve as a reminder of what we had been through. I hated to hear about others who had been diagnosed - it brought back feelings of dread and despair. Even on the blog, I have a post label for Alzheimer's, from the occasions that I wrote about Mum and her illness. Sometimes I notice it, then quickly avert my eyes from that word. Indeed, it is a disease that strikes not only the victim, but their families too and we had all suffered in some way.
But then I read this tiny article - just a few lines and a phone number - Calling Knitters Young and Old. I phoned, and here I am knitting little squares to be joined up into a huge blanket of 71,000 squares - the number of people in Scotland diagnosed with dementia. All those different people, from all walks of life,who are slowly disappearing bit by bit. I like the idea of knitting for these, the unravelled; helping to create a collage of coloured yarn, each square representing the individuality of each person suffering from dementia. I think I feel ready to square up to this disease now.
The squares are needed by the beginning of May this year, so I have plenty time to run a few off as I go along. Many thanks to friends who are sending me squares too. I do know that there are some who read here whose lives have been touched by this disease, and one or two who are currently dealing with it right now. I send love, blessings and strength to you all.

W-S WanderingsFebruary 23, 2012 2:35 AM

Dementia is a journey of incremental loss that leads to an inevitable end. And what you and the other knitters are doing is knitting - by increments - awareness, and support, and a tribute to those affected. A giant, poignant, blanket of a hug. Beautiful.

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