It all started in February 2011. Our son and his Canadian wife and their baby daughter visited us from Canada. We went to an Alpaca farm in Ridgley Tasmania to buy a scarf. We finished up buying wool and I taught my daughter-in-law to knit.

I had previously tried to knit for Africa and had a pink hat in the cupboard that was not good enough to send. It actually fitted my granddaughter so she wears it with pleasure. That pink ball of wool beckoned me.

After the visitors had gone I decided to give knitting for Africa another go. I googled 'knit a square' as I had heard of this idea. I choose knit-a-square.com because I did not have to sew the blankets together.

I started knitting but did not join the forum for a few months. It was amazing to have encouragement from so many lovely people.

At the time I started the squares I also decided to photograph the process to make a book for my granddaughter. I had made her ten books previously using digital photography and water colour artwork. Well the book was printed in Japan via my MacBook Pro and then I wrote another one. I asked Sandy and Kalai if I could put 'visit www.knit-a-square.com' on the back of the second book. They agreed.

I am retired and I live on my savings and one day I was in the local shops. I had fifteen dollars in my wallet. I asked myself what should I do, buy some food or mail my parcel of 500g to Africa. I posted the parcel and had vegemite sandwiches for dinner. I thought I have to find a way to finance that postage. I buy wool in various places and some friends have gifted wool to me.

I devised a plan to publish the two little books into one with forty pages and a cardboard template to cut out a wool-girl. I decided to put the knitting pattern under "knit patterns" for the outfit on the KAS website, to encourage visits there.

The characters in the book have a life outside the pages and they live that life on the Community forum on-line in the cyber-world of KAS.

I have had amazing fun knitting the squares and some small vests etc. It has been a positive influence on my health and well being and while it might seem there is some risk in financing a book, CD of a slideshow of the book, and greeting cards to raise funds for KAS. It spurred me on when I read about Ronda Lowrie's almost bald tyres on her blanket-carrying car.

Thank you to all the community members who have given me love and encouragement and to Team South Africa and to the McDonald family.

Look out for that pink ball of wool when you read "Wool-Girl and the Balls of Wool"

Maudie Bryan - I swim, I beach-comb, I bush walk and I knit squares for Africa.

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  • Well what a journey. The photos in the latest distribution are so fantastic. It just shows that all our work is so worthwhile. Today Wool-Girl turns 6 so I am celebrating by sending some fuel money to Ronda who is also having a birthday.

    Happy Birthday Ronda and Wool-Girl. Love from Maudie

  • I had a delightful day today with the ladies from the Scots Memorial Uniting Church Mission Club. After lunch they went along to the funeral of one of their group. Dear Kathy was in her nineties and had knitted for Knit a Square for the past several years. Her work will warm children and her sweet nature will be remembered always.

    • What a lovely lady she must have been. She'll be remembered with love.

      • Sad news, Maudie.  ((hugs))

        What wonderful gifts, from a caring heart, Kathy has given 'our' children.

        • Dear Kathy, another one of our treasures ! It is wonderful that she was still giving in her nineties !

          • Thank you Valerie, Bev and Sue. Yes there are a few ladies in their nineties in the group. Such wonderful sharing women. :)

  • Well a big day today. I deleted my books and cards from the tassiestore website. They haven't had a sale there since 2014 in April so there is no point having it listed there. Only a few books left. I had hoped to see those 10 at the Charity shop but 8 are back at home now. The people on the cruise ship in port today will not be wandering up to the CWA shop to buy books because the store is closed for a few more weeks to give the cooking ladies a break.

    Sunny lovely day here in Hobart.

  • Oh well, no luck at the Combined Charities Christmas Card and Gift shop with more sales. So only the two sales from the ten books. I collected the eight remaining and will go to a morning tea in February where the cheques will be handed out.

    I have already sent that money to Ronda but because I am disappointed I have sent her some more cash for fuel today via the shop.

    A beautiful sunny Summer day here in Sandy Bay today. No cruise ship in port today but we have had three in the past two days, so room on the river for the canoes and yachts.

    Have a great Christmas everyone.

    • Have a wonderful Christmas, Maudie.

      • Thank you Valerie. Our sons are overseas but we will enjoy it with friends + skype.

        You have a wonderful one too Valerie. What a year it has been. xxx

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