CROCHETED
OR KNITTED TROPICAL SORE BANDAGES
"I
see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I
am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?"
Mother
Teresa
WHERE TO SEND
Tropical Sore BANDAGES
Please note that the LDS Church has not accepted bandages for several years now.
leprosybandages.blogspot.com
- They are supporting TOP
('Tours of Peace' ~ trips Vietnam Vets make) - They take these bandages
personally to Hansen's Disease Settlement in Vietnam. They also
take school
supplies, medical needs, and such.
*************************************************************************************************
PATTERNS
to use
Size: approximately 3" - 4" inches wide by
4 feet long.
Material
specifications: No. 10 knit
Cro-sheen, 100% mercerized cotton
in white,
cream or ecru.
(1 small ball
225 yds- should make 1 knitted bandage)
Knitting needles:
US 2 = 2.75 mm = UK size 12
US size 3 = 3.25 mm = UK size 10
Crochet hooks:
US size D = 3.00 mm = UK size 11
US size E = 3.50 mm = UK size 9
Do
not use dyes/colors.
*When
completed, roll bandages and secure with a large (2") safety
pin.
*Put
in plastic bag, remove air, and seal.
TO PRINT JUST THE
PATTERNS
If
you wish to print these patterns, left click on your mouse and hold the
button down, drag the curser over the words you wish to print to
highlight them, then let go of button. Hit ctrl-C to copy.
Then open
up WORD and paste (ctrl-V) it in there.
Hand
Knitted Bandage:
Use US size 2 = 2.75 mm = UK size 12 OR US size 3 = 3.25 mm = UK size 10
knitting
needles if you knit average or loosely, size 3 needles if you knit
tightly.
Cast
on 24
to 27
stitches so the bandage measures 3"- 4" across.
Knit
every
row until
bandage is desired length of about 4 feet long, then bind off, leaving
a 2-3" tail to weave in.
(The edge looks
neater if you slip the first stitch of each
row instead of knitting it.)
Secure
tail
by slipping thread through last stitch, tying a small knot, and
weaving
end back through stitches.
Crocheted Bandage:
Use US size D = 3.00 mm = UK size 11 or US size E = 3.50 mm = UK size 9
(looser tension desirable).
Chain
enough stitches (23-26)
to measure 3" - 4" in width.
(GAUGE:
23 chs and an E hook, and it
takes about 6 rows to equal one inch.)
Row
1: Single crochet into each chain. Chain 1 and turn.
Rows
2: Single
crochet into each sc across row. Ch 1 and turn.
Continue
to single
crochet to end, chain 1 and turn
Row
3 - ? (4 feet long) Repeat row 2 until bandage measures about 4'
long.
Finish off by pulling thread through last loop and secure with a
knot.
Weave end back through stitches. I use a sewing needle to do this.
Questions
How tight or loose should the bandages be?
It should be what I
call a 'medium-tight', not strangling, but fairly close, with
breathable holes. When they are washed they do shrink a little and make
it a little tighter but not a lot. If yours look Mesh-like you may want to
switch to a smaller hook (try the D) if it's looking really loose
and make a chain of about 26 sts or so. Use a size 2
knitting needle if your knitting is loose.
How long does a bandage take to make?
It takes me 1
hour to knit about 3" of
bandage that is 4" wide, so
about 16 hours to complete one 48" bandage.
Crochet might be faster, but I don't
do well crocheting them so I don't
know how long it takes to make one that way, it's been a while since
I've crocheted a bandage.)
My
bandage looks
terrible, will they still want it?
Please know that the bandages
do NOT have to 'perfect', so don't let
that stop you if you are afraid yours is not 'straight' enough or
whatever. Each one is cherished and gratefully accepted. I always
wash the bandages, but you do not have to, I have
heard that
LDS Humanitarian sterilizes them before they ship them where
needed. The bandages do tighten up and shrink a bit after washing.
Why
Handmade Bandages and not
Storebought?
I wrote to LDS Humanitarian for the
answer: "The leper
bandages
breathe better, and can be sterilized for reuse." Plus, I found
out recently that people with leprosy wear these
bandages on their stumps
as well as on sores, and the bandages become like their shoes as they
move on their stumps. Gauze would wear out so fast.
"One of the most
healing things we do with the leprosy-affected people of India is
simply to touch them: to give them "high-fives", hugs,
handshakes, and kisses. Greater than the suffering caused by
their disease, is the suffering caused by society's declaring them to
be untouchables. The bandages are one way we can begin to heal
their social wounds. That is the secret of the healing power of the
bandages that are so lovingly made by so many. The very fact that
they take dozens and dozens of hours, testifies of the love another
person has for the leprosy-affected. Instead of pushing the
leprosy patient aside, the bandage-makers make a personal sacrifice of
time to serve them. This is the greatest value of the bandages!"
Becky Douglas with Rising Star Outreach.
INFORMATION ABOUT
LEPROSY in the world...
Many
3rd world countries like India, Vietnam etc still have victims of
LEPROSY or as it is known today Hansons Disease.
They are
outcasts in society and life is not kind to them. You can help make
life
a little easier for them by making and donating these handmade bandages
to wrap their wounds. LDS Humanitarian Services ships these bandages
all
over the world-wherever they are needed, to people with leprosy or
other tropical diseases, and to those in
natural
disasters who made need them.
other LEPROSY LINKS
Leprosy info
http://www.indchurch.org/photos/leprosy-1.html
*Touching
article* about a bandage one of my readers sent, that
appeared in Jan 8, 2005 LDS Church
News.
* COPYRIGHT: All
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given on each page to Bev's Country Cottage. Publishing
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on other websites, blogs, in emails, mailing lists, in any print media,
OR the
selling of these patterns, or items made from them, is
FORBIDDEN!
