DECEMBER 2013 CHALLENGE
WORLD AIDS DAY, DECEMBER 1st
A simple red ribbon is one of the most widely recognized symbols of HIV and AIDS and the people who live with these conditions. The symbol was presented by the Visual AIDS Artists Caucus in 1991. The individuals in this group wished to remain anonymous, keep the image copyright free and create a symbol to raise consciousness of HIV and AIDS. The red ribbon was originally intended to be worn as a badge, but is now used in a wide variety of ways.
Leader of Myanmar’s National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi spent almost 15 years under house arrest between 1989-2010 due to her opposition to the country’s military rulers. In 2012, the Burmese politician was named by the UN as a Global Advocate for Zero Discrimination in its continuing fight against discrimination and stigma of people living with HIV.
“Respect for the human rights of people living with HIV must be promoted,” Aung San Suu Kyi said earlier this year. “We also need to protect the people who live on the fringes of society who struggle every day to maintain their dignity and basic human rights. I believe that with true compassion—the invisible cord that binds us to other human beings regardless of race, personal status, religion and national borders—we can get results for all people.”
I’m sure you will all agree this last paragraph really hits home for what KAS stands for and is shown by all the beautiful work each and every one of you contributes.
So, how are we going to incorporate this into Decembers Challenge?
RED, RED AND MORE RED!!
Red squares, perfect for Plain Janes, fancy squares with red somewhere within the pattern, squares with a red ribbon (Pam has said this is OK, no stigma).
So, quite simply, RED is the aim of this challenge. I know you will come up with some brilliant ideas to get the colour red into a square, but don’t forget, Plain Jane red squares are also just as important so please don’t feel intimidated if you cannot do fancy patterns,
EVERY square really is equally important and desperately needed for the children
Remember; HAVE FUN
Here are some photos of landmarks that turned red for 2011 World Aids Day
Table Mountain, South Africa
Niagara Falls, NY
Sydney Opera House, Australia
The London Eye, UK
Empire State Building, New York, USA
So, lets make this RED challenge just as much fun,
but I bet we can make some masterpieces of our own!!!
Here is the album featuring all of the wonderful Red squares http://forum.knit-a-square.com/photo/albums/december-2013-challenge-its-a-red-month
Replies
Such beautiful squares! Everyone has been making the most beautiful squares with such a wonderful variety of reds! I won't clutter your inboxes with individual comments, but I hope each of you know how lovely your work is, and how much I enjoyed looking at them all, and imagining them in their blankets. Thank you to Laurie for the Pinterest page that helped me to enjoy them en masse, and to Carol for hosting this fun challenge. I've learned a lot from my friends here, just as I do every month!
Here are my final squares for this month ---- um! well, for December ... it is still December if I cheat just a little and use my US time zone, although it is already January 1 here in Australia.
You may notice that some of these squares were inspired by squares that you made during the month ... apologies if they are pale imitations.
And, I'm going to sneak one more little project into the mix, even though it doesn't contain red. Like Heather, my husband bought me crochet and knit patterns for Christmas, and this little owl was one of the first crochet patterns I saw in the new collections, so I had to make it right then! (and you know I will get birds into the mix however I can) ... so here's Whoobie the Owl.
May you all enjoy a happy and healthy New Year, and may KAS continue to grow and thrive in 2014. Keep Stitching!
I wish you all a healthy and happy 2014.
Half white and variegated and half red and variegated....should have made it all white...the variegated kinda got lost in the red half.
Realised I was not going to get another four squares made AND stitched, so 'borrowed' Robin's idea and put 'hope' into one square. :)) YAY! The last challenge of the year and I finished my squares before the month ended.....that's gotta be a first....lol.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!
Thank you so much for a fun end of year challenge, Carol. :))
One more thing for December, a red and black slip-over! Thick and warm; 30 inches around the chest :)
These 13 beautifully knitted plain janes were waiting for me in the KAS basket at church the other day - just in time for the December challenge - from my friend Millie Cyr who leaves me a stack every couple of weeks.
There is nothing remotely red about any of these squares, I'm afraid, but I just had to share them. My husband bought me a new crochet book from Christmas and I've been trying out some of the intermediate patterns.
I'm definitely pleased that my crochet skills are developing! Not quite ready for the more advanced patterns yet, though, I don't think!
I haven't had much spare time over the last week, but I did manage to mindlessly knit a few. This is where that variegated yarn comes in handy. I knit ... the yarn makes the pattern :)) Also, I did manage to steal a few minutes a couple of times to do a slip stitch pattern.
A couple last minute "entries" Carol, for this month's red theme! These are my "nautical look" squares!
Thank you so much for leading this challenge, especially at such a busy time of year!! A great theme and lot's of beautiful squares!
My contribution for this month. I'm using up small balls of red yarn and am starting to see the end of the bag ! I included the cardinals as they are the appropriate colour for this month. We have the 'real thing' at the feeders in our backyard most of the winter.
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