Take a look here at the latest update from Knit for life.
Charity knitting is back at St Katherines. We started back in August.
The Knit-a-Square barn was a hive of activity today. I heard two people say, in completely different contexts, “I’ve never seen it so full!” That’s because stock is piling up for the big distribution of 950 blankets in early April and everything has to be photographed, packed and stacked on the shelves before then.
I found Mabel beside a pile of laid-out blankets that reached to her hip and was told that, when she came in this morning, the pile was as high as her shoulder. Now, Mabel is the tallest of all the volunteers so that’s a pretty high pile of blankets! Ronda said she had to stand on a chair to take photographs! She called it a “cake”, which describes it well. Very pretty it must have been too, with all its layers of colourful blankets!
Estelle said the volunteers packed 260 blankets this morning, 26 bags of 10 blankets each. Meanwhile, Nani and Themba went out to fetch 73 completed blankets from one of the gogo groups. In addition, several completed blankets arrived in parcels from overseas. Among them were two which were knitted in gorgeous mohair-like yarn, resulting in a wonderful stretchy feel. There was a magnificent “slice of Africa” blanket with fabric appliqués attached, a real work of art. Also, an exquisite crocheted blanket in autumn shades, again with a lovely texture. Just some of the amazing winter warmers which our members have lovingly made for children living in desperate conditions in our country. May each one bring joy and comfort to the child who receives it.
At the long table down the centre of the barn, the sorting of squares, beanies, hand-warmers and toys was also a sight to see. Bongi opened an enormous box from Czechoslovakia that contained 440 squares. Liz worked on a heavy blanket that needed repairing. Athele and Estelle opened bags from the United States, Britain and South Africa containing some great corner-to-corner squares and “plain Janes”, ideal for offsetting patterned and themed squares. Lindi, Wandi, Lebo and Viv worked like a production line, building piles of squares in coordinating colours, tying them into bundles and packing them into bags ready for the gogo groups to sew up.
For my part, I paid attention to what the volunteers were saying with a view to passing on some tips:
Firstly, size does matter. We have a standard size for squares which we like to stick to because it makes sorting much easier. Sometimes, a package will arrive with beautifully-constructed squares in dazzling colours that would combine well into a blanket but they differ too much in size to be used together. This frustrates the volunteers who love nothing more than to pull together interesting colour schemes in swift, smooth strokes.
Secondly, there are certain colours we always seem to be looking for. With all the lovely themed squares featuring animals and nature, there is a need for more brown, green, orange, white and black squares to use between them. Also very useful is navy blue, as it doesn’t show the dirt and is great in nearly all colour schemes.
Workaid
As you can see Charity Knitters are not just about knitting, they make sheets for Sands, dresses for the dress a girl around the world charity, collect babygros to send around the world and their latest venture is collecting tools for Workaid. The have collected sewing machines, typewriters, tools and sewing kits.
Click HERE to Visit the Workaid Website
ITEMS KNITTED FOR CHARITY 2018
SANDS (JR Oxford)
Blankets 78
Teddies 49
Angel Pockets 26
Sheets (see later total)
TOTAL 153
Premature Baby Unit (JR Oxford)
Jackets 239
Hats and Bootees 661
Blankets 127
TOTAL 1027
SSNAP (JR Oxford)
Miscellaneous Toys 0
Hats and Bootees 224
Cardigans 93
Blankets 18
TOTAL 335
Link to Hope (Romania/Balkans)
Hats/Mittens/Scarfs 107
Operation Christmas Child (all over World)
Hand Puppets 55
Scarfs 4
TOTAL 59
AGE UK (Abingdon)
“Innocent “ Smoothie Bottle Tops 42
CANCER RESEARCH
Dolls Clothes 3
KNIT ONE 2 SAVE ONE (Africa)
Cot and Pram blankets 15
Fish and Chip Jumpers 98
Baby Hats and Bootees 38
Baby/ Children Jackets 15
TOTAL 166
KNIT FOR LIFE (all over World)
Blankets 68
Baby/Children’s Jumpers/Cardigans 103
Hats/Scarfs/Mittens 43
Toys 97
BabyGros (see later)
TOTAL 311
OFWI TWIDDLE MUFFS (Local Care Homes)
Muffs (includes 18 sent to Knit for Life) 23
Lindokuhle Nursery School Africa
School Jumpers 27
Dress a girl around the world
Dresses 31, which we now know went to Rwanda.
The total amount of knitted items in 2018 is 2253 is much greater than in 2017 because we have amalgamated our knitting for the John Radcliffe with The Grove Knitters.
Non Knitted Items supplied by our Group but not included in the 2018 total were:
SANDS —-650 Cotton Sheets
KNIT FOR LIFE —– 99 Cotton BabyGros
Wantage WI 