- Handover For A Cause
On the 29th of May, The TOTS Blanket Challenge had its first Handover for 2026! Dozens of volunteers and charity partners descended onto The Creative…
Read more: Handover For A Cause
- The mystery of the missing phone
With our June Evening Sewing Bee now behind us, it’s time to officially welcome a new member into our close-knit community. Although Leonie has only…
Read more: The mystery of the missing phone
- TOTS Blanket Challenge – President’s Report
It is with immense pride and gratitude that I present the annual report for the TOTS Blanket Challenge, reflecting on an extraordinary year of growth, generosity, and community impact.
- Welcoming our newcomers!
Another sewing bee has been and gone, and with it, comes new faces sharing their love of the craft to help those in need! Karen…
Read more: Welcoming our newcomers!
- A Blanket, A Story, A Connection
Each and every blanket we share with the community carries more than just warmth. They carry time, care and a piece of someone’s life. Each…
Read more: A Blanket, A Story, A Connection
- There’s Something About Ryan
Who is this man who has joined the TOTS Blanket Challenge? Learn all about Ryan and share in his passion for crafting!
- Penrith Panthers Trees of Hope 2025
Our 2025 Penrith Panthers Trees of Hope has been another success in securing us funding for our charity. This year we created a giant gnome…
Read more: Penrith Panthers Trees of Hope 2025
- Knitflix 2025: A Morning of Stitches, Storytelling and Shared Purpose
Knitflix 2025 turned the traditional cinema experience on its head, inviting attendees to swap popcorn for purl stitches as they watched Downton Abbey – The…
Read more: Knitflix 2025: A Morning of Stitches, Storytelling and Shared Purpose
- Cinema, Craft and Community Collide
Movie lovers and makers are set to swap popcorn for purl stitches as Glenbrook Cinema transforms into a hub of creativity and community spirit this…
Read more: Cinema, Craft and Community Collide
- A school community comes together
This letter was sent to The TOTS Blanket Challenge by Sally Quan, Schools as Community Centres (SaCC) Facilitator and we wanted to share this with our wider community.
- Lyn’s Blind Nan Taught her to Knit and Crochet
Lyn has been knitting and crocheting for 70 years after her blind nan taught her.
- Meet Margaret & Ronald Kelly – A Creative Couple with Hearts of Gold
Meet Margaret & Ronald Kelly – A Creative Couple with Hearts of Gold
- Finding Purpose, one square at a time: Dawn and Jean’s story
When mother-and-daughter duo Dawn and Jean joined the TOTS Blanket Challenge this year, they didn’t just come to lend a hand—they found healing, connection, and a renewed sense of purpose.
- Meet your Committee
We had our AGM on Friday 30 May where we announced the new committee for 2023. Please join us in congratulating the following appointments…
- TOTS Blanket Challenge – Our Presidents Report
It is with immense pride and gratitude that we present the annual report for the TOTS Blanket Challenge, reflecting on an extraordinary 2024 and a remarkable start to 2025.
- A Legacy of Love and Yarn – Honouring Aunty Annette
Today we were deeply touched by a visit from Donna Rassack and her husband John Reily, who came bearing a beautiful and heartfelt donation to our TOTS Blanket Challenge.
- Meet Stephanie — and her incredible Nana, Yvonne.
Stephanie dropped by The Creative Fringe today with a truly heartwarming delivery: 17 beautifully crocheted blankets, each one handmade with love by her nana, Yvonne Back, who lives in Quakers Hill.
- A passionate crocheter joins the TOTs Blankets Challenge
What began as a way to pass the time during her recovery quickly turned into a full-blown mission—she started crocheting complete blankets one after another.
- TOTS has a “Tree of Hope” at Panthers Penrith
This festive season Panthers Penrith has invited eight wonderful charities to each decorate a tree in the foyer as part of their annual Trees of Hope event. This year the TOTS Blanket Challenge was chosen to have a “Tree of Hope” on display.
- Meet Linda: A Crocheting Dynamo in Our TOTS Community Challenge
Linda’s journey with crochet began when she was just six years old. In Year 1 at Whalan School, she watched a fellow student crochet a scarf during recess.
- A Heartwarming Contribution from Korowal School, Hazelbrook
We extend our deepest gratitude to the students, teachers, parents, and grandparents of the Korowal School community. Your hard work and generosity have made a significant impact.
- Meet Martina, a 4th year TOTS Volunteer
Martina’s passion for crochet is truly inspiring. She spends her evenings crocheting while cheering ( yelling) at her favourite Swannies team during the footy games.
- Crocheting isn’t just a hobby for Jan
Jan is certainly one busy and dedicated individual. In addition to her contributions to the TOTS Challenge, she also creates blankets for Mama Lana’s Community.
- Guardian Angels school Brisbane does it again!
This is the second year that the Guardian Angels School ( Year 4 students) have participated in the blanket challenge – both times led by Julie-Anne.
- Seniors Group keeping busy for the TOTS Challenge
The Seniors groups meet up once a week at the Community Centre to come together for social engagement and to engage in craft activities and coffee catchups.
- The first thing I knitted was a holey scarf
t seems Karen has this craft in her genes. She has many fond memories of her childhood, watching her Pop creating beautiful delicate doilies and lace curtains.
- St Columba’s Catholic College joins the TOTS Challenge
Thank you to the teachers and students who have supported the challenge this year. We are so grateful for your care, time and attention you have all taken for this wonderful community initiative.
- Embodying the spirit of giving
As a bookkeeper for a business in Blacktown that supports the homeless, Amanda is no stranger to community service.
- A lifetime knitter joins the challenge
In the past, Kerrie-Lee set an impressive personal goal of knitting one jumper every fortnight. Now, she is excited to channel her energy and expertise into knitting for the TOTS Challenge this year.
- Welcoming a new TOTS volunteer and Crochet Teacher
Susanna joined our TOTS community this year and soon found herself jumping on board to teach and facilitate our Beginner Crochet classes here at The Creative Fringe.
- 2023 TOTS Blanket Challenge Results
Thank you, TOTS community, you always seem to step up the calls we put out on social media – calling for community to get involved, knit, crochet, sew or even help us sort the squares.
- A crash course in Crochet lessons..
Claire got a crash course in granny squares and we dived into our stash of wool left over from other projects. After 4 weeks of crocheting like mad, we’ve got enough squares for a blanket.
- A collective action and shared purpose to feel good
What if we told you that doing good for others not only benefits them but also brings so much joy and satisfaction to our own lives?
- Jennie is at it again helping out at the Creative Fringe for the TOTS blanket challenge
Jennie has become quite the prolific blanket sewer for our TOTS Blanket Challenge and we are so grateful for her support.
- Nicole joins the TOTS blanket challenge!
Nicole agreed that the process of crocheting and making the squares has been very therapeutic – something so many of our volunteers agree on.
- Cherry Pott sews through her Aussie holiday
This will undoubtedly bring comfort, colour and warmth to someone in our local community, reminding them that they are cared for and not alone.
- Special deliveries from a local community craft group
Carol always arrives armed with bags of completed blankets ready to hang in our space, and we are so please to have this team of talented crafters on board our challenge every year.
- Introducing a friend to the TOTS challenge
If only we had kept count of the countless squares she has meticulously sewn together, creating beautiful works of art with her needle and thread.
- Northwest Disability Service volunteers help out with the TOTS blanket challenge!
These people are amazing and have been doing our challenge for a few years now and love that they bring in a few of their volunteers to see all the blankets hanging
- TOTS sewing bee at the Creative Fringe!
Coffee, Tea and light refreshments will be on hand for you to enjoy whilst you sew away – we just ask that you register for catering purposes but the event is free of course!
- Debbie Ballard does it again!
Debbie Ballard, you are amazing and these are not only massive blankets, they are works of art.
- TOTS sewing bee mum and daughter dynamic duo!
Zoe says she often wonders who would be the recipient of her blanket – but she knows it will be going to someone in need.
- Spreading Love and Warmth: Join the TOTS Blanket Challenge Today!
This annual event invites volunteers to participate in a free monthly sewing bee, connecting with like-minded individuals and expressing gratitude to those who contribute.
- Cherie smashing the TOTS blanket challenge another year!
Thanks Cherie, we so appreciate you dedication and your time to do this for our community in need this winter.
- Wonderful volunteer donating gorgeous squares for the TOTS blanket challenge
A big shout out to Cassandra for dropping off these gorgeous squares for our TOTs Blanket challenge!
- Volunteers from Kingswood join the TOTS blanket challenge!
We love having new volunteers joining our Think Outside the Blanket Challenge and this morning we met 2 more lovely ladies – Vonda and Vicki, both from Kingswood.
- Elva’s Legacy Squares for our Blanket Challenge
Elva has been a part of our Think Outside The Square Challenge for a quite a few years and she was knitting these squares right up until her passing last week.
- Fabulous volunteer helps out again with the TOTS blanket challenge
We love our amazing volunteers who support our Think Outside The Square challenge. We can’t do this with them
- Welcoming new volunteers to our TOTS Challenge
Fay says she knits ( and crochets) mostly at night while keeping an eye of her favourite crime shows. At 80 years young, Fay says she has been knitting for “donkeys years”.
- Lovely knitter helps out with the TOTS blanket challenge
She came for a visit today with her carer Sheryl to hand over approx 80+ beautifully knitted squares for our 2023 TOTS challenge!
- A QLD Primary School class learns to knit
You may have heard us mention that we receive blankets from all over Australia for our Think Outside the Sqaure Blanket challenge.
- Think Outside the Square 1st Blanket Handover
For all the volunteers who give so tirelessly to our challenge – many of you have been on this path with us for years.
- Living Choice Glenhaven Craft Group does it again..
I think there are about 53 blankets and I haven’t even counted the bags and bags of sorted knitted and crocheted squares that they have made.
- Bligh Park Community Centre knits for our challenge
We welcome all craft, sewing, social or knitting groups to our Think Outside the Square Blanket Challenge.
- Knitting her way through her own challenges
We get to meet some incredibly resilient humans through the community challenge and Robyn Cullen is one of them.
- Crochet queen conquers Cancer
Thank you Jo, for your incredible spirit and your resilience and all that you do for otherswho are struggling wth life challenges.
- Queenslander joins the challenge
Seriously? We would have been stoked to get 1 square, let alone 7! We were even more impressed that she’d taken the time to make and send them.
- Mum and daughter dynamo team
This amazing mother/daughter team have been volunteers in our Think Outside the Square Blanket Challenge since it’s inception in 2017.
- The kindness of a stranger leaves a past legacy
The stories of kindness and connection continue to abound during our Think Outside the Square Blanket Challenge.
- The Living Choice Ladies Knit up a Storm
With their intrepid lead Enid at the helm, these ladies participated in our 2020 and again in our 2021 challenges.
On the 29th of May, The TOTS Blanket Challenge had its first Handover for 2026! Dozens of volunteers and charity partners descended onto The Creative… Read more: Handover For A Cause
With our June Evening Sewing Bee now behind us, it’s time to officially welcome a new member into our close-knit community. Although Leonie has only… Read more: The mystery of the missing phone
It is with immense pride and gratitude that I present the annual report for the TOTS Blanket Challenge, reflecting on an extraordinary year of growth, generosity, and community impact.
Another sewing bee has been and gone, and with it, comes new faces sharing their love of the craft to help those in need! Karen… Read more: Welcoming our newcomers!
Each and every blanket we share with the community carries more than just warmth. They carry time, care and a piece of someone’s life. Each… Read more: A Blanket, A Story, A Connection
Who is this man who has joined the TOTS Blanket Challenge? Learn all about Ryan and share in his passion for crafting!
Our 2025 Penrith Panthers Trees of Hope has been another success in securing us funding for our charity. This year we created a giant gnome… Read more: Penrith Panthers Trees of Hope 2025
Knitflix 2025 turned the traditional cinema experience on its head, inviting attendees to swap popcorn for purl stitches as they watched Downton Abbey – The… Read more: Knitflix 2025: A Morning of Stitches, Storytelling and Shared Purpose
Movie lovers and makers are set to swap popcorn for purl stitches as Glenbrook Cinema transforms into a hub of creativity and community spirit this… Read more: Cinema, Craft and Community Collide
This letter was sent to The TOTS Blanket Challenge by Sally Quan, Schools as Community Centres (SaCC) Facilitator and we wanted to share this with our wider community.
Lyn has been knitting and crocheting for 70 years after her blind nan taught her.
Meet Margaret & Ronald Kelly – A Creative Couple with Hearts of Gold
When mother-and-daughter duo Dawn and Jean joined the TOTS Blanket Challenge this year, they didn’t just come to lend a hand—they found healing, connection, and a renewed sense of purpose.
We had our AGM on Friday 30 May where we announced the new committee for 2023. Please join us in congratulating the following appointments…
It is with immense pride and gratitude that we present the annual report for the TOTS Blanket Challenge, reflecting on an extraordinary 2024 and a remarkable start to 2025.
Today we were deeply touched by a visit from Donna Rassack and her husband John Reily, who came bearing a beautiful and heartfelt donation to our TOTS Blanket Challenge.
Stephanie dropped by The Creative Fringe today with a truly heartwarming delivery: 17 beautifully crocheted blankets, each one handmade with love by her nana, Yvonne Back, who lives in Quakers Hill.
What began as a way to pass the time during her recovery quickly turned into a full-blown mission—she started crocheting complete blankets one after another.
This festive season Panthers Penrith has invited eight wonderful charities to each decorate a tree in the foyer as part of their annual Trees of Hope event. This year the TOTS Blanket Challenge was chosen to have a “Tree of Hope” on display.
Linda’s journey with crochet began when she was just six years old. In Year 1 at Whalan School, she watched a fellow student crochet a scarf during recess.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the students, teachers, parents, and grandparents of the Korowal School community. Your hard work and generosity have made a significant impact.
Martina’s passion for crochet is truly inspiring. She spends her evenings crocheting while cheering ( yelling) at her favourite Swannies team during the footy games.
Jan is certainly one busy and dedicated individual. In addition to her contributions to the TOTS Challenge, she also creates blankets for Mama Lana’s Community.
This is the second year that the Guardian Angels School ( Year 4 students) have participated in the blanket challenge – both times led by Julie-Anne.
The Seniors groups meet up once a week at the Community Centre to come together for social engagement and to engage in craft activities and coffee catchups.
t seems Karen has this craft in her genes. She has many fond memories of her childhood, watching her Pop creating beautiful delicate doilies and lace curtains.
Thank you to the teachers and students who have supported the challenge this year. We are so grateful for your care, time and attention you have all taken for this wonderful community initiative.
As a bookkeeper for a business in Blacktown that supports the homeless, Amanda is no stranger to community service.
In the past, Kerrie-Lee set an impressive personal goal of knitting one jumper every fortnight. Now, she is excited to channel her energy and expertise into knitting for the TOTS Challenge this year.
Susanna joined our TOTS community this year and soon found herself jumping on board to teach and facilitate our Beginner Crochet classes here at The Creative Fringe.
Thank you, TOTS community, you always seem to step up the calls we put out on social media – calling for community to get involved, knit, crochet, sew or even help us sort the squares.
Claire got a crash course in granny squares and we dived into our stash of wool left over from other projects. After 4 weeks of crocheting like mad, we’ve got enough squares for a blanket.
What if we told you that doing good for others not only benefits them but also brings so much joy and satisfaction to our own lives?
Jennie has become quite the prolific blanket sewer for our TOTS Blanket Challenge and we are so grateful for her support.
Nicole agreed that the process of crocheting and making the squares has been very therapeutic – something so many of our volunteers agree on.
This will undoubtedly bring comfort, colour and warmth to someone in our local community, reminding them that they are cared for and not alone.
Carol always arrives armed with bags of completed blankets ready to hang in our space, and we are so please to have this team of talented crafters on board our challenge every year.
If only we had kept count of the countless squares she has meticulously sewn together, creating beautiful works of art with her needle and thread.
These people are amazing and have been doing our challenge for a few years now and love that they bring in a few of their volunteers to see all the blankets hanging
Coffee, Tea and light refreshments will be on hand for you to enjoy whilst you sew away – we just ask that you register for catering purposes but the event is free of course!
Debbie Ballard, you are amazing and these are not only massive blankets, they are works of art.
Zoe says she often wonders who would be the recipient of her blanket – but she knows it will be going to someone in need.
This annual event invites volunteers to participate in a free monthly sewing bee, connecting with like-minded individuals and expressing gratitude to those who contribute.
Thanks Cherie, we so appreciate you dedication and your time to do this for our community in need this winter.
A big shout out to Cassandra for dropping off these gorgeous squares for our TOTs Blanket challenge!
We love having new volunteers joining our Think Outside the Blanket Challenge and this morning we met 2 more lovely ladies – Vonda and Vicki, both from Kingswood.
Elva has been a part of our Think Outside The Square Challenge for a quite a few years and she was knitting these squares right up until her passing last week.
We love our amazing volunteers who support our Think Outside The Square challenge. We can’t do this with them
Fay says she knits ( and crochets) mostly at night while keeping an eye of her favourite crime shows. At 80 years young, Fay says she has been knitting for “donkeys years”.
She came for a visit today with her carer Sheryl to hand over approx 80+ beautifully knitted squares for our 2023 TOTS challenge!
You may have heard us mention that we receive blankets from all over Australia for our Think Outside the Sqaure Blanket challenge.
For all the volunteers who give so tirelessly to our challenge – many of you have been on this path with us for years.
I think there are about 53 blankets and I haven’t even counted the bags and bags of sorted knitted and crocheted squares that they have made.
We welcome all craft, sewing, social or knitting groups to our Think Outside the Square Blanket Challenge.
We get to meet some incredibly resilient humans through the community challenge and Robyn Cullen is one of them.
Thank you Jo, for your incredible spirit and your resilience and all that you do for otherswho are struggling wth life challenges.
Seriously? We would have been stoked to get 1 square, let alone 7! We were even more impressed that she’d taken the time to make and send them.
This amazing mother/daughter team have been volunteers in our Think Outside the Square Blanket Challenge since it’s inception in 2017.
The stories of kindness and connection continue to abound during our Think Outside the Square Blanket Challenge.
With their intrepid lead Enid at the helm, these ladies participated in our 2020 and again in our 2021 challenges.