Wilma's Story

Meet Wonky Wilma. She came into existence as a result of my middle girl asking me for a purple elephant for Christmas last year. Or, should I say, asking Father Christmas for one (for she still believes the Elves made this toy especially for her).

Almost a year on, the elephant is most definitely her favourite toy. Wilma has been much admired by other children, and much loved by her owner, too. The middle girl insists on taking her to bed, and, if she can get away with it, just about everywhere else she goes. As a result, she has already needed several `baths' and `swimming trips' (aka. the washing machine). Wilma has most definitely been one of the most gratifying bits of sewing I have ever done.

With the colder weather this last week or so, and the nights drawing in too, I couldn't help but start thinking ahead a bit, and wondering what this year's request(s) might be. And, then an idea popped into my head.

What if I refined my original pattern a bit, so that it was up to scratch for people reading this to try making their own versions of Wilma? What a lovely thought, to think of loads of different wonky elephants being unwrapped by little ones this Christmas.

Then I got to thinking, how about using it as a way to make money for a children's charity. Like this one. Without sounding all earnest, I am flipping lucky to have three healthy little girls that wake me up every morning with their singing/chatting/arguing/dashes to the loo.

So I got to thinking it would be just brilliant if some of my lovely readers decided to give, say, a fiver, make a Wilma, and spread the word whilst they were at it. I have started wondering how many people might be persuaded to make one by Christmas. And then, in a `Carpe Diem' kind of way, I thought to myself, `then do it, Janet'. Stop wondering, and get on with it.

So who is with me?

The plan is for the pattern to go live in the next couple of weeks - from which point people will be able to donate here to get their patterns and get making their own versions of Wilma. I'll be shouting about it plenty when the launch happens, so you'll all know about it.

In the meantime, if you have a blog, please, please, pretty please consider spreading the word. After much head scratching (and help from Google), I've made a button for you to help yourselves to - just on the right hand side of this page (fingers and toes crossed it actually works - please let me know if you experience any problems with it!).

And, if you don't have a blog, then please click the Facebook or Twitter buttons at the bottom of this, and help me get the word out this way. I just think it'd be lovely to join together and make a ton of cash to support the rather splendid work that goes on at Great Ormond Street Hospital, that's all.

Let's see how much we can raise, shall we?