For 15 years the company of Innocent drinks has run The Big Knit campagne; in various countries for different charities, and is known in the Netherlands as De Goedgemutste Breicampagne where it was always dedicated to lonely elders. I participated in several years, but last time I did was 2017. This year however the campagne will come to an end, at least the Dutch version, so I felt like participating one last time.
The objective is to knit (or crochet) tiny hats, which are placed on top of the bottled smoothies that Innocent sells. Part of every sale is then donated to charity.
When I first found out about this campagne (in 2012) there were only two days left til the deadline, so I send in just two mini hats, and decided to make many more for the next year. Ordinary hats bored me quite quickly, despite being able to play with colours and use up leftover yarn I was gifted by several acquaintances. But boy, did I love coming up with various figures and objects that would fit the basic shape that was required.
In 2013 I made more than 50 of these tiny hats, some made in series with different items on top, many Halloween inspired images and even fan art. I also managed to get several people to contribute during a weekly knitting cafe in my town, and together we send in over 130!
The years after I worked on my own, and always made a mix of colourful series and recognisable figures; like pumpkins, mushrooms, several animals, the entire Barbapapa family, and mini knit-works made on toothpicks.
I posted some of my earlier favourites on Instagram, here and here. I only ever saw two of them back again; one of the sushi hats was found by a friend, and I myself saw one of the ordinary ones in a shop at the nearest railway-station. I like to think that whoever bought the smoothies with my hats on them had a chuckle upon seeing them, and even picked those bottles because of them.
I couldn't dedicate a whole lot of time to them this year, but I had a big bag of leftover yarn ends I tied together to make the colourful mixed hats, so made many of those. In that same bag I found a mini wig that I knotted for a purple Minion in 2017; apparently I always figured I'd make two, but never did. Made a one-eyed version this time.
And I also found out I did make one tiny hat somewhere in 2018-2021 that I never send in; the one of Marge Simpson. Was inspired to make her simply by the yarn itself, it reminded me of her hair.
Looking at the design now caused new inspiration, and I knitted one that resembles the shape but has different colours; a posh man by the name of Dandy, who can be found on Instagram (and TikTok) and in drag shows. This may be my favourite one I ever made (though I do believe I say that about anything new I make; 'tis the goal, haha), I may knit a complete doll of him after this.
The deadline to send them in was yesterday and I cut it close. I wanted to make a tiny lavender sprig to put in Dandy's hair, but simply ran out of time.
As always with these kind of things ending it makes me both sad that I can't send in any more wild inspirations, and relieved because it frees up my mind for tons of other projects that I want to do.
Enjoy the last few that I made!
The objective is to knit (or crochet) tiny hats, which are placed on top of the bottled smoothies that Innocent sells. Part of every sale is then donated to charity.
When I first found out about this campagne (in 2012) there were only two days left til the deadline, so I send in just two mini hats, and decided to make many more for the next year. Ordinary hats bored me quite quickly, despite being able to play with colours and use up leftover yarn I was gifted by several acquaintances. But boy, did I love coming up with various figures and objects that would fit the basic shape that was required.
In 2013 I made more than 50 of these tiny hats, some made in series with different items on top, many Halloween inspired images and even fan art. I also managed to get several people to contribute during a weekly knitting cafe in my town, and together we send in over 130!
The years after I worked on my own, and always made a mix of colourful series and recognisable figures; like pumpkins, mushrooms, several animals, the entire Barbapapa family, and mini knit-works made on toothpicks.
I posted some of my earlier favourites on Instagram, here and here. I only ever saw two of them back again; one of the sushi hats was found by a friend, and I myself saw one of the ordinary ones in a shop at the nearest railway-station. I like to think that whoever bought the smoothies with my hats on them had a chuckle upon seeing them, and even picked those bottles because of them.
I couldn't dedicate a whole lot of time to them this year, but I had a big bag of leftover yarn ends I tied together to make the colourful mixed hats, so made many of those. In that same bag I found a mini wig that I knotted for a purple Minion in 2017; apparently I always figured I'd make two, but never did. Made a one-eyed version this time.
And I also found out I did make one tiny hat somewhere in 2018-2021 that I never send in; the one of Marge Simpson. Was inspired to make her simply by the yarn itself, it reminded me of her hair.
Looking at the design now caused new inspiration, and I knitted one that resembles the shape but has different colours; a posh man by the name of Dandy, who can be found on Instagram (and TikTok) and in drag shows. This may be my favourite one I ever made (though I do believe I say that about anything new I make; 'tis the goal, haha), I may knit a complete doll of him after this.
The deadline to send them in was yesterday and I cut it close. I wanted to make a tiny lavender sprig to put in Dandy's hair, but simply ran out of time.
As always with these kind of things ending it makes me both sad that I can't send in any more wild inspirations, and relieved because it frees up my mind for tons of other projects that I want to do.
Enjoy the last few that I made!