New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern inspired the world last week when the 37-year-old announced that she and her husband are expecting their first child in June. She is the first world leader to be pregnant in office since 1990.
New Zealanders around the world have been celebrating the good news, and ex-pat Heather McCracken found herself feeling very generous after Jacinda's announcement.
She wanted to knit something cute for the little pēpi - Maori for baby - but realised that Jacinda's little one will probably be overwhelmed with gifts.
Instead, Heather called on herself and others to #knitforJacinda, and donate the clothes to New Zealand's babies in need.
So I woke up this morning feeling like 'I want to knit for Jacinda's pēpi WHO'S WITH ME'
— Heather McCracken (@HeatherKMcC) 19 January 2018
But then I thought her baby will prob get loads of lovely things, and many other bubs are in need of warm clothes and hats and booties to go home from hospital.
The knitter and her fellow crafters have started making baby booties, woollen hats, and little blankets to donate to the Middlemore Foundation's wool programme.
And considering how many sheep there are in New Zealand, we're sure there's plenty of wool to go around!
People have started sharing their compassionate creations via Twitter.
The #knitforJacinda movement could not be more heartening. Hats off to these knitters!
A baby hat, with a tiny turban tie. Made with love for our babies, and Waikiwi wool: merino, possum and alpaca. More to be made, and donated to Waitakere Hospital. #KnitForJacinda @jacindaardern pic.twitter.com/gM2y7q1gii
— Deborah Russell MP (@BeeFaerie) 22 January 2018
Also I finished my first hat #knitforjacinda pic.twitter.com/Te9ZiABFNI
— Heather McCracken (@HeatherKMcC) 23 January 2018
"Anything anybody can do for our programme in the name of Jacinda's baby is marvellous," Diane McEntee, coordinator of the Middlemore Foundation's wool programme, told Radio New Zealand.
And as for Jacinda's little one, the PM is staying mum on her first child's gender just in case people do send her baby clothes.
"One of the things that’s a helpful by-product of not telling everyone is that we’re hoping not to land a whole lot of gender-specific clothes," the mum-to-be said to The Guardian.
"I remember when my sister first told me what she was having, I really deliberately didn’t want to send her a whole lot of pink stuff, and went out and bought really non-gender-specific stuff for her … but it was quite hard to find those things."
What do you think of the #knitforJacinda movement, mums?
