We are literally reporting to you all from beneath a mountain of mail, gorgeous blankets and all your wonderful contributions!  Things have been somewhat crazy on this end what with the exciting GSK Scarves for Schools project; the Skills Development Project which will officially launch in March; additional office space which meant yet another move for KAS and Hobby X around the corner. Not to mention the bags of mail that arrive on a daily basis.

GSK Scarves for Schools sponsored by Med-Lemon in association with KAS   

The navy blue scarves have started to trickle in and having seen the various online discussions, we look forward to receiving a deluge soon!  Thanks for always participating in these campaigns with such enthusiasm.

The Med-Lemon Knitting Project in association with KAS

This is about to launch and we are very excited!  We expect a delivery of 3150 balls of navy blue yarn in the middle of March together with the knitting needles, crochet hooks, scissors, measuring tapes and sewing needles that will make up the kits for the ladies we will be teaching – don’t even ask where it will all be stored, but as always we will make a plan.

Wandi, Lindi, Wendy and I went to the Chiawelo Community Centre on Tuesday to collect blankets from the gogos – they had sewn together 116 blankets!  We also used the opportunity to inspect the venue for our training and ascertain where we can hang our promotional posters inviting ladies to learn to knit. 

The Knitting Instruction Manual is nearly completed and will be sent for printing shortly.  We must extend a HUGE thank you to Vickie of www.simple-knitting.com who has kindly allowed us to use content from her site for these manuals.  Vickie has visited our site often and she says she is flattered that we would like to use her material.  Please take a look at her site – www.simple-knitting.com !

Offices 2J and now 2K!

Having nearly broken our necks a few times tripping over KAS items in the office, we were thrilled when our neighbours mentioned they were moving offices and that their office space would be available from the end of January – more space for us!  We thought long and hard about the additional rental expense but at the end of the day, without somewhere from which to operate, KAS just cannot run effectively and the decision to rent additional office space was easy.  More space will mean a more efficient operation and more warm children than ever before!

We moved items across to 2K (for Knit-A-Square of course – it was meant for us!) which has now become our mail and sorting area where our wonderful volunteers join us each week to help unpack.  No more dragging heavy items up two long flights of stairs either.  We love this new space. 

Pleased as punch with the larger sorting area.  From left to right:  Estelle, Wandi, Molly, Ronda and Lindi.

The “old” office is now used for storage only and Wendy and her daughter tackled this last week – I think you will agree that we are on top of our game and ready to distribute furiously from end April throughout winter!

We are at Hobby X again this year.

Because we clearly do not have enough on our plates at the moment, we have decided to take up the offer of a stand at the Hobby X Show again this year.  Our main aim, other than raising awareness, is to recruit more volunteers.  So, for those of you based in Johannesburg, please visit us at Hobby X where we will be knitting navy blue scarves and hopefully getting people hooked on KAS.

As you can see there is plenty keeping us busy here in South Africa – all of it very exciting!!!!

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  • I realize now Hobby X is done and I am waiting with baited breath to hear how it all went!  We do tend to nag you, don't we?  hahah

  • Ute has told me she's already collecting more scarves for more Go-Go's, they take up little room in her parcels.  I'm on scarf 5 now.  I was thinking last evening, with a wide grin, that for Anne Powell to do 7 scarves that fast she must have very strong arms and a lot of determination.  I got this image of her taking on Arnold Schwartzenegger in an arm wrestling contest and tumbling him right out of his seat!  hahahah.  

    (hey, after that photo of her going after her niece's or granddaughter's hair with garden shears anything is possible!)

  • I just love all the photos and like Sharon, I would so love to be there with you allnot knowing what treasures will be in the next parcel you open.

  • It was lovely to see so many of our co-team workers - the Chiawelo and Dobsonville ladies! Thank you Ute for sending those beautiful scarves - a lovely present!

    The office looks well organised - even when in chaos!

  • The Gogos are so proud of their scarves.  What a great idea, Ute!  I wish the whole SA team lots of health and energy to attend to all these upcoming events.  

    • Thanks Mili - yes it was a great idea to send a selection of pretty scarves and they were very happily received !

  • Hurrah!

  • Such a great inspiring read, I love knitting and doing my bit for KAS , but really wish I could there in the office with all you helping out further. You are all such amazing ladies and are doing such a brilliant job. Very proud to be such a small part of this community xx
    • HI Sharon, we wish you could join us in the office, too ... many hands make light work !!!

  • What a great Report, Ronda.  It is so exciting to know that you now have extra space - we'll all do our best to fill it up quickly!

    This morning I mailed off the seven scarves I have finished, but it will take a few weeks for them to arrive.

    Thanks to you and all the wonderful volunteers for all the work you are doing

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