KasSnippets - November 2013
FIVE YEARS AND A FAREWELL
Obviously the momentous news of the month is the departure of Sandy McDonald - after 5 years of unstinting work, guidance, and indeed, sacrifice, during the development of Knit-a-Square. The entire McDonald family - Sandy, Roger, Kalai, Cressida and Zanny - brought Ronda's blanket dream into reality.
If you have not read the story, please do! Sandy has written about the origins of Knit-a-Square, its development, evolvement and the future! Here is the final paragraph :
A Farewell...
What a five years it has been. But now, it's time for the McDonald team to say farewell.
In time, we'll take up the work again to introduce programs to school children, so that they can help children less fortunate than they. Knit-a-square is a wonderful program for school children, to learn both to knit and the power of making a difference.
For now, we will watch with delight as KasCare moves onto the next stage of its journey in the safe hands of Erica and her board.
Our grateful thanks for the journey, the opportunity to learn and grow from you all and now to teach others the remarkable benefits of community. I tell them, inspired by you:
What we can do together is yet to be imagined.
With love to you all
Sandy McDonald, co-founder.
Without Sandy's dynamic vision and energy KAS would not have the strength that it has in order to move forward, above is a bouquet to say thank you and farewell from all the knit-a-square members.
A wonderful donation of $500 for KasCare was received from the Catholic Women's League of Victoria and Wagga Wagga in Australia.
Noreen Elliot passed the cheque to Sandy when she was invited to speak at the CWL Conference. Noreen has known knit-a-square for many years as she used to work for Sir John Bushell (papal knight) who was our long term cherished client and has become something of a personal mentor to us. He is well versed with all matters KAS and has taken a deep interest in its development over the last five years.
REPORTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Reporting KAS in South Africa : This is why we do what we do......
Here is part of this report outlining two wonderful heart warming stories - Olwethu :
Another organization we have supported for a while now is Mama Ntombi’s Community Projects (MNCP), also based in KwaZulu Natal. Sandra Pillay, a Project Manager at MNCP and our contact there reports, “Just this morning we are intervening in the life of little 9-year old girl, Olwethu Shezi. We found her this past weekend at our Wayside Sunday School in such a state of neglect. We thank God that one of our Sunday school children invited her to come along for the first time.
To read the rest of the report please Click here
For other recent reports :
Taking time to remember.... A flood of new friends!
IN THE NEXT EDITION OF KASSNIPPETS WE WILL HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE NANCEFIELD GYM RESTORATION - THANKS TO A USA GROUP LEAD, INSPIRED FUND RAISING EVENT! TO READ THE FULL REPORT PLEASE GO TO
THE KNIT-A-SQUARE SHOP
Please go to the Knit-A-Square Shop today and purchase something special to support the day-to-day operations (KAS Ops) directly in South Africa. This month we are highlighting Snacks - an important element of the distributions.
During the Kido's Distribution in 2010, some children were watching the events rather forlornly through the fence - fortunately the team had some spare beanies, biscuits and apples to share with the children!
"KAS REACHES GREAT HEIGHTS FOR CHILDREN"
A JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD !
This challenge is going to take us around the planet whilst reaching great heights & piles of squares - 178,000 to be precise, in order to reach the top ofTable Mountain, Cape Town in South Africa!
We are going to need 50 squares for every foot climbed!
We have zoomed along quite nicely so far! We soon rang the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, topped The Little Mermaid (Copenhagen) and Greyfriars Bobby (Edinburgh). Members have covered Stonehenge, Daibutsu Buddha, The Hollywood Sign, a number of Lighthouses & Castles. Recently, we conquered The White House in Washington, National Monument for Remembrance for those who died in WWI & WWII in Amsterdam. We recently conquered an unusual bridge in Norway, Buckingham Palace and have recently arrived at the Brandeburg Gate, Berlin!
KAS has a surplus of hats & beanies, therefore please would those of you who make hats switch to squares as essentially, 1 hat = 3 squares and will help build the piles to reach our target just that bit quicker!
Here is the link to KAS Reaches Great Heights for Children
WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOUTH AFRICA?
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM KAS DISTRIBUTIONS
The major distribution period is over, but there will be more exciting photos to come - watch out for the installation of desks and other items purchased for Nancefield through the USA lead appeal!
Have recently added some photographs of previous distributions that have not been previously seen, so do take a look!
Jacqui Grieve recently posted this message on the KAS Facebook page :
I want to thank all the wonderful people around the world who support this worthy charity. I am involved in a Catholic charity in Johannesburg and we support very poor families in a shanty town called Diepsloot. Because of your kindness I am going there today armed with loads of items. And when winter arrives, I will be able to give every single one of our families warm blankets and beanies.
Today, our Catholic charity group took one of your beautiful crocheted blankets to the knitting society we have started in Diepsloot, Johannesburg. With the wool kindly sent in by some of you, these ladies are going to copy the style of this blanket, and hopefully we will be able to help them sell them! After all, if you create work for a mother, you feed a whole family! Thanks again to all you wonderful people. God Bless you all.
You might also enjoy reading a report from Mama Ntombi Community Projects -
Sabelo goes from the first photo until he reaches the final thumbs up!
BLANKETS
The Knit-a-Square Blanket Album - continues to grow, you may even spot some of your squares!
The JBay Recycling Project & Stitch Witch News
These thoughtful youngsters used their tokens to purchase blankets created by the Stitch Witch Group for their grandmothers!
The Stitch Witch Group have been running a competition in order to get as many teddies as possible to give to the children as a Christmas gift!
ISSUES - WE NEED YOUR HELP WITH !
For sometime now Knit-a-Square has been trying to convey a message to our wonderful contributors about the teeny weeny garments we are receiving, and, thankfully, the flow has reduced as people have switched to the newly re-sized garments in the KAS Pattern Book.
We know that people love to knit for babies, and the garments are quick to do! However, although KAS has some connections with organisations that deal with babies, it is increasingly becoming difficult to distribute these loving made, but tiny garments. It is an issue that is increasingly affecting a number of charities who work in Africa.
This letter from the Greenfields Africa Charity addressed to all "Fish & Chip" knitters, asking them to switch to other items, or garments for 2-3-4 years of age. These were originally designed for babies born with AIDS. However, the good news is, that, more and more babies are being born in Africa without AIDS.
Essentially, the natural age group Knit-a-Square is dealing with is aged 3 - 9 years. Please help spread-the-word about the sizes of garments that KAS and other charities supporting children in Africa in 2014 need.
KAS SQUARE MEASURE
Lovingly created, but variable sizes !
Another issue we need help with, in spreading-the-word is the sizing of squares! As you can see from the above photograph of variable shapes and sizes that are being received, that we need help in ensuring that as many people as possible know that the squares KAS needs are to be 8x8inch (20x20cm) or as near as possible to those measurements.
Increasingly, the team are receiving rectangles which are very difficult to insert into a blanket. Sadly, all these well-meaning items are having to be frogged, and, the yarn is then re-used. But this is such a waste of time and energy, especially when one considers the cost of posting to South Africa. Ronda is loathe to upset anyone, but the situation has got rather out of hand. We are not sure why this is occurring, it may well be that the word has spread about squares, but not the actual sizes!
To help the situation we have created the The KAS Square Measure, which was one of the last tasks Sandy completed before leaving KAS. The measure acts as a jig which can be placed over the top of a square to ensure everyone knows when to stop!
Once printed, and, if possible laminated, they make an excellent flyer to give people as well as being the correct size, it contains all the vital information such as postal address, tail size and how to butterfly the tail.
SORTED IN AFRICA
Here is a special opening day photo - to see more open day photographs please go to Sorted in Africa
(and by all events, had a great time!)
Over the years Ronda has received lots of wonderful and charming letters from school children who want to help. We'll share them gradually that came from the 3M class, Ambleside, Tasmania Island (Australia) :
Nixon Street Primary - Tasmania Island, Australia
KAS GROUP NEWS &
SPREADING THE WORD
A great way to help spread-the-word about Knit-a-Square is to send lovely Christmas Cards! Anne Powell has added them to the
Resources category in time for the Christmas season, and, where Anne has made some suggestions about printing etc!
The beautiful cards are available as free download from
* * *
The new KasBlog - One Square at a Time
written by Laurie Fortier (Canada) can be found on the Forum menu bar KasBlog. We have added a new box on the right-hand side of the Forum front page which will alert you to when a new blog is available. Laurie regular updates the blog and there are several already to browse!
The Knit for Life Team
Pam Johnson & Elaine Jones are trying to win £300 ($450) to buy yarn for their teams of ladies to knit squares for KAS! You can help by voting for them every week (I do on a Monday). The competition started on 4th November and runs for 16 weeks. Although Knit for Life hasn't won yet, it is the 3rd most viewed profile - so they are in with a very good chance! To read more go to Knit for Life.
To vote, please go to the Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund
KAS MONTHLY CHALLENGES
The December Challenge is being lead by Carol Playford
"Squares for KasCare Aids Awareness Month -
December 1st Worlds AIDS Day"
Well it is that time of the year when we start again, here is the list for next year!
JANUARY - WINTER DRIVE - Anne Powell (emphasis on long sleeved garments)
FEBRUARY - HEARTS - RED, WHITE & PINK - Laurie Fortier
MARCH - VARIEGATED YARN - Gitta Seyfert
APRIL - COLOUR COLLISION - Elaine Jones
MAY - MELLOW YELLOW - Sunshine, flowers & all things yellow - Sue Gillman
JUNE - DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD - Robin Monsees
JULY - STRIPES, ZIG ZAGS & TEXTURES & MANDELA DAY THEME - Anne Powell
AUGUST - THE BEAUTY OF BLUES - Susan Haines
SEPTEMBER - AROUND THE WORLD IN 30 DAYS! - Bev Jeffery
OCTOBER – FAVOURITES – favourite yarn, patterns etc - Mary Anne Fellows
NOVEMBER - BUGS, SLUGS & HUGS - Linda Maltby
DECEMBER - UN-CHALLENGE - time to relax, have fun, and get ready for the holidays - Susan Haines
SQUARE LISTS - TALLY - ITEM COUNT
VITAL MESSAGE : PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO ADD "NO COMMERCIAL VALUE, CHARITY ONLY" ON YOUR PARCELS AND GIVE A ZERO VALUE ON THE CUSTOMS TICKET, OR THE SMALLEST SUM THE POSTAL SERVICES WILL ACCEPT.
Please avoid writing such things as "value UNDER $50 or £20" or use similar phrases. South African Customs Officials do comprehend the word "under" and whack a massive tariff onto the parcels. Recently KAS as been forced to use valuable donations to pay over-the-odds for some parcels.
For example : KAS RECENTLY GOT CHARGED £13 ($21) CUSTOM DUTY ON A PARCEL CONTAINING 14 SQUARES !
Square Lists for October are ready for viewing.
Received in October : Squares 11,323 (323 blankets);
Tops 575 and Beanies 793
For further details go to the discussion page Square Lists - Tally - Item Count for previous months.
PACKAGE INVENTORY
The Package Inventory develped to help make parcel opening day easier for the team in South Africa has proved a great success in speeding up the whole process. Now the team have 'test driven' it for several months, Gina has modified the design so that it truly meets the office needs. The file is below, or, click on the link above in order to read the discussion.
DECEMBER PATTERN OF THE MONTH
by Linda Maltby
Crochet Alphabet Squares by Andrea Palmatier (Canada)
and
AIDS and poverty are the twin perils affecting the children of South Africa.
Let us replace these perils with Love and Hope.
The orphaned or vulnerable children are struggling with bereavement and illness. The loss of their parents plunges them deeper in poverty.
The Love they once had is gone and any Hope for their future is bleak.
What better way to give the children comfort than by having the words right in their blankets.
in the form of a warm blanket to protect a child from the cold and misery associated with poverty.
that with this blanket, a child will feel the care offered by the world community
and
know they are valued and special.
Although this is a crochet pattern, knitters are invited to utilize the graphs to fashion the letters with needles.
Perhaps you would like to create the complete alphabet ! Andrea has designed a graph for each of the letters.
Love and Hope are among the many patterns to be found in the
If you see another pattern you would like to try, please do!
SQUARE HEART
OF THE MONTH AWARD
Edited this month by Laurie Fortier
This month the Square Heart Award goes to
mother and daughter team
Cathy Smith and Joan Todd
These two wonderful ladies from the USA, knit and crochet tirelessly for the children of South Africa. Their work embodies the quiet love and dedication of every member of Knit-a-Square.
KAS FACEBOOK PAGE
We have received an additional 137 Likes on the Facebook page so far during October-November taking our total to 6456! We also copy the messages etc received on Facebook to the Forum for anyone who is not a member of FB.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Letters to Santa remind me of when my youngest son (now 39) was about 3. He visited Santa and sat on his lap. When we got home, I asked what he had asked Santa for. He said, Can't tell ... Santa knows. He was very excited because Santa was going to bring him something. However, Mom didn't know what Santa was supposed to "buy" !!
We spent days trying to pry it out of him, but he wouldn't budge. He wouldn't say because "Santa knew". I had a lovely neighbor who came to the rescue. One day she dropped a letter to my son into our mailbox. It was from Santa. In short, it said that the day we had visited he had seen so many good little girls and boys that he had completely forgotten what my son had asked for. Could he please write to him c/o the North Pole and refresh his memory?
Since my son could not yet write a letter by himself, I had to do it for him. We secreted ourselves in his room and he dictated his letter. He wanted a Fisher Price Record Player !!! Well, folks, Santa brought him that record player.
A couple of years later a local group was collecting toys for very needy families in our area. When they came to our door and explained what they wanted, my son ran upstairs and brought down his Fisher Price Record Player. I asked him if he was sure he wanted to part with it and he said yes, he was very sure. I explained that if he gave it away, he would not be able to get it back. He said that was okay ... he seemed to understand that some others had so much less than he had and he wanted to share. He hugged his little record player and passed it to the lady at the door. He might have been around 5 years old. I realized then that he knew what Christmas was all about
and another from Jeanne Haessler :
Our Christmas socks...it wouldn't be Christmas without them! (except for hubby who's all business)
Replies
Thank you so much Pam for this beautiful informative and comprehensive Snippets edition. By reading the Snippets I realise how much happens in one month :). Thank you for the 2014 Challenges list, I am very happy to know what is "in the pipeline", I can take it into account for a future visit to the woolshop. :))) The picture of the piled up blankets is my favorite, it is the evidence that one square a day by many loving people makes a difference for the children! And last but not least it is a lovely surprise to see my photos back in the Snippets!
Great newsletter! A wonderful read.
Thank you for the positive way you are enforcing the message that clothes need to be bigger,squares need to be square and that 8 INCHES is 8 inches !! (or 20 cms! ) Do you get ones that are 8cm or 20 inches, I wonder???
Now, I probably should just get on and knit another square, but I have been thinking about the variable squares and the teeny weeny clothes. Here is a list from my own brainstorm :
Put the little hats on the teddies and dolls
Put the teddies and dolls inside the little hats(like a mini KAScuddle)
Unstitch side seams and add in to make a vest longer and wider.
Stuff them and sew up to make balls(from hats) or cushions (from vests)
Give a set of too small squares to one of the childcare centres as "equipment" ie the children will count, sort, stack, and line them up, or thread them with fat yarn or hang them up etc etc
Squares too large can be used imaginatively...children are great at this...folded to make a triangular head/neck scarf, placed as table centre cloth, used as a "sit-upon" for cold floors or pegged on a line as bunting.
Enlarge with more stitches; piece smaller around larger; frog and re-knit; laugh and cry.
Of course your talented team will already be doing most of the above because they are the experts at making maximum use of all that arrives! If you do use these suggestions, best not to tell so you don't get more to creatively challenge you.
Just keep on with those essential messages "Square" "Eight inches" "3-9 years" "No commercial value" "Square" "Eight inches" "3-9 years" "No commercial value" "Square" " Eight inches" "3-9years" "No commercial value" "Square".............
Smiles,hugs,cheers,regards
Karen
I agree with Pam, Karen, some super ideas there...I sometimes go to rummage and craft sales here and I pass by the baby, tiny stuff but sometimes I have "naked" stuffies sitting at home that might fit a baby sweater or hat...good idea! I can then send them dressed. I am not a fast crocheter or knitter so I hate to spend time making them clothes when I could be doing a square instead--but picking up a tiny hat or sweater for a few pence is a great idea for clothing them---and I've done that with a vest, added width in the side seams and length down below. With the right color yarn it can be a great contrast or smart compliment to the colors already in the garment. :)
Pam lovely Snippets! Thanks again for all your hard work to keep us informed and enthused!
Thanks Karen, there are some great gems in your list, and, I know they'll be appreciated! The team do there very best to ensure that nothing goes to waste. Eventually we hope to have a larger pool of volunteers in South Africa which will allow us to open the office more days per week - then more creative work can be done on the miss-shapes, teeny weeny garments and hats.
However, our main aim is to ensure that we get the message spread about the correct sizes so that valuable time & energy is not being wasted. As soon as the parcels are opened Ronda likes to get the squares stacked and tied up into 'blanket packs', so they can immediately be distributed to the wonderful stitching teams to turn them into full-blown-ready-to-wear-blankets!!
Really do appreciate your brain-storming ideas - these comments will encourage more debate and thoughts to join this discussion - - and help find solutions!!
Great issue, Pam! Always so informative with positive energy, the Snippets make me want to grab my crochet hook and yarn right away. Thank you for featuring my letter squares. Which reminds me, I think it's time for some HOPE and LOVE combos again! :o)
lovely read pam, I actually got my husband to cut out an 8x8 square for me from some cardboard yesterday its a great help as I now can see how much more I have to do to finish a square also I can see if they are the right size I even checked the square with the tape measure I have been using just in case the tape measure has stretched as I know they do if you have had them a long time .I am happy to say my tape measure also made the cardboard square exactly 8x8 :-) so I am now one happy bunny knowing the squares I make will be exactly 8x8
Thank you all again for a very informative snippets. I was delighted to see a photograph of one of my Teddies in your collage. Good to read, too of next year's challenges with catchy titles and something for everyone to get inspired - I look forward to getting started in the New Yea. Best wishes to everyone in the KAS team. r .
Such lovely heart rending stories:)
Dear Pam,
What a wonderful read, Pam! I am able to keep abreast of the events going on with Kas, however each time I read a KasSnippet, I am amazed at how much has happened in the past month. This month's read has left me with a very nice glow around the heart. There is a sense of accomplishment, self-initiative, pride in one's handiwork, hope, generosity, mentoring - all is present to create a real feeling of COMMUNITY among us.
I am being so reflective as I think that these are important ideas to carry within us as we prepare for Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, the Feast of Light.
Best issue EVER, Pam!!! So much happy news about the difference we are making.
I do hope everyone will print off and use the Square Measure! I am pretty sure most of our forum members are aware of the need to keep squares 8x8", but this new tool is excellent for passing out to new knitters as we introduce KAS to them, so that they too will stick to the 8x8" size.
I was also glad to see the item about sizing of garments and the need for larger sizes. As we move into January, and start the Winter Drive Challenge, we will be doing long sleeve garments. This Challenge will go on for four months, which will give people lots of time to make garments and get them mailed in time for the next South African winter. Our focus will be on garments for age 3 and up.
Just a bit of advance publicity - hope you don't mind.
It is important to note that all of our long sleeve patterns have been REVISED following advice from Ronda, so PLEASE print off the revised version of the patterns in the KAS Pattern book before starting a garment.
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