2024 BARN ACTIVITIES

Amy October 1, 2024 at 7:53am

From Estelle on October 1...

This is why we LOVE opening post from our KNIT-A-SQUARE contributors.

Squares,blankets,toys, beanies and hand warmers just keep on rolling in.

Just in time for Christmas thanks, Mili Kus.

Hope someone from The Rotary Club of Orkney, Scotland sees this and the following pic where all twelve teddies were distributed.

So many new designs from Antoinette Nothling's team. Well done ladies we love them.

Beautifully knitted and packed squares from Antoinette's team.

A kaleidoscope of colour…some of Liz’s blankets.

Everyone loves Winnie the Pooh don’t they Sheldon Bolle? Bev’s appliqué.

It’s been a three week break for us as it was Heritage Day last Tuesday a public holiday in South Africa however it doesn’t slow our wonderful team of volunteers down….they just keep on sewing squares together for our needy children.

A holiday or break in our fortnightly meeting = more blankets so once again please bare with us viewing our Show & Tell.

Now for some blankets that arrived in the post.

An absolutely exquisite complete Christmas blanket made by Patricia Underwood.

A hand knitted blanket from our beanie queen Karen Gordon.

Another stunning blanket from Sharon B…just love the colours almost like rainbow

Some blankets from Liz...

We’re still using your appliqués Bev, the children love the pictures.

O is for owl.

Some blankets from Audrey...

Ada Breeuwer’s seaside squares.

Some of Elaine’s squares.

You can see all these blankets and more in The Blanket Room.

Karen Gordon > Amy October 1, 2024 at 8:27am

My goodness what a terrific selection of varied + really creative designs amongst these. Every one a veritable festival on the eyes, + all full of such bountiful warmth too. Love it ♥️

Amy September 29, 2024 at 7:35am

News from Ronda on September 26...

September has been another good month in the KASbarn ! We started off with a bump in the road as our fun-loving Wandi 2 found a permanent position at very short notice … but, cutting a long story short, along came Nathi to fill the gap and how delighted we are that he did so !

Welcome Nathi!

Last week Wandi and Nathi went to Soweto to collect blankets and deliver packs to Gogo groups … and this week they went to an informal settlement for Nathi’s first KAS distribution, involving 53 pre-school children!

Nathi and Wandi packing for their distribution this morning …

All ready to roll …

You can see all the photos in our Distributions discussion.

We are back on track

We have had post this month … square lists will be posted by Annetjie soon.

Apologies for the gap in reports from the Barn … we felt a bit “stuck” for a while - just waiting for our prayers to be answered … as indeed they WERE …

Having said that … we feel it best NOT to post every single week anyway but rather hold off until there is a bit of news to spark your interest

Baby clothes from my neighbour, Eileen’s group.

Two colourful blankets crocheted together by Bev K.

Viv completed this blanket made with LARGE squares.

Wandi also seeing blankets together !

Beautiful contents of a parcel from Clear Lake United Methodist - one of our earliest members these teddies are SO SO soft.

Christmas blankets going to Estelle or a Dec distribution.

Blanket pics taken, folded and packed for Wandi’s distribution on October 3.

Busy KASbarn …

Pat Zimmerman September 11, 2024 at 3:56pm

A Year. Where does time go to . When you read the figures regarding the blankets your ladies have completed. Elaine and her knack for resizing and not to mention poor Sheldon's arms holding up all those blankets, all I can say is Thank you, Thank you. You are amazing people. When one reads your update it gives us an extra push to knit faster and send more squares. More for you to complete and more for Sheldon's arms to hold up the blankets. Well done.

Amy September 10, 2024 at 7:14am

Estelle reflects on the past 12 months...

Can you believe that it’s been one year since we have relocated to our new KNIT-A-SQUARE venue. We’re grateful that Ronda has encouraged us to continue with the passion we all have…to warm and comfort vulnerable children. Elaine is holding our candle to celebrate our first year…no candles to blow out on cakes since Covid!

Audrey, Sheldon, Elaine, Estelle and Liz

Such a pretty square.

Aren’t these gorgeous? I the seahorse Amy.

What a treat…35 neatly bundled squares all the same size.

A super large parcel from The Czech Republic. Thank you Šikovné Ruce Pomxi and your team for these 350 squares.

Sheldon has a way with arranging toys.

Blanket of the week. Wow Sharon B this is one exquisite blanket…the perfect choice of colours.

It has been a most successful year considering we only meet once a fortnight. Liz, Audrey, Ana, Sweetie and I have made 457 blankets, the majority coming from Liz and Audrey. Elaine has made and resized 422 squares and Sheldon must have held up over 600 blankets to be photographed.

All the way from Australia thank you Wendy Hinson we love your blanket.

Liz made good use of your squares Antoinette Nothling surrounding granny centre square.

Love your smiley face Bev Jeffery.

A happy blanket to put a smile on any child’s face.

My Christmas blanket thanks Elaine for the fluffy star squares and Sharon Bedgood for the PJ’s and squares in squares.

This one I just enlarged the exquisite center panel.

Without our incredibly talented and generous contributors this would not be possible.

Karen Gordon > Amy September 11, 2024 at 11:58pm

Indeed time flies! It's always a thrill to see your smiley faces + wonder what this cheery team are chatting about every meeting- if only I could be a fly on the wall. Well done folks, we appreciate you all xx

Amy September 4, 2024 at 8:50am

From Estelle and her gathering on August 27...

As the weather is getting warmer in Johannesburg we were able to move outside for our KNIT-A-SQUARE ‘opening’ morning. Once again the post is pouring in…our worldwide and local contributors are certainly keeping us busy sending beautiful, colourful squares.

Everyone doing their bit…from knitting the squares, sorting and bundling ready for the fabulous blankets

KNIT-A-SQUARE produces for the vulnerable children.

Beautiful granny squares, teddies and beanies from Lesley King.

The cutest little soft animals included in Claire Leeson's package.

Fabulous blankets from Antoinette Nothling's team plus squares, beanies and hand warmers.

A riot of colour from T Green.

The toys we received this month delightfully arranged by Sheldon Bolle.

This memory popped up on my Facebook page today….can you believe it was 5years ago Vivenne?

For our many new members this pic was taken in our old barn.

Sheldon Bolle you’re a star once again thanks for all your help today and “ looking after” us oldies.

Some of our blankets this week...

This one’s from me, Estelle - thanks for sharing these beautiful flower squares Viv.

Thank you Diane Burns for your fabulous Christmas blanket.

This one’s from Lesley King.

9 blankets from Liz today.
Love your owl Liz Gyldenhuis…Ada Breeuwer will love it.

Fabulous farm square Bev and so we’ll put together Liz.

Lovely PJ’s from Gail.

And now for Audrey’s blankets.
A fabulous blanket to add to our Christmas pile thanks Audrey and all who sent sent the super squares.

I spy some of yours there Sharon Bedgood.

Thanks Ronda for joining us, the post and transporting all our blankets and goodies to Kempton Park. It’s always great to catch up.

Diane Burns > Amy September 9, 2024 at 1:10am

I'm amazed to see my Christmas parcel has arrived already, posted on 2nd August, being opened on 27th August. If that is snail mail then I'm happy😄. Wonderful blankets on show.

Amy September 4, 2024 at 1:56am

The Barn Activity from August 22...

The morning at Knit-a-Square was full of activity and the time disappeared before we were able to finish opening our post … then today (Friday) Bernard was called to collect a whole lot MORE!

Wonderful the way our post is pouring in … it gives us such hope and allows our Bryanston ladies to keep busy also!

Hundreds of teeny squares from a chemo clinic … a difficult time for knitters we acknowledge, but after having supplied all the wool AND leaving clear instructions as to our requirements, we WERE a little disappointed with the results.

Completing my fourth blanket this month - sitting down in the Barn is unusual

but after a cortisone injection I was feeling a bit “elderly”.

As always - THANK YOU to our amazing contributors for continuing to keep us busy providing warmth and loving encouragement to the growing numbers of orphaned/vulnerable children in Gauteng alone. We are enthusiastically breaking ground in new informal settlement areas since moving to the East Rand.

What a beautiful blanket from Patricia!

We LOVE this little gift but have no idea who sent it sadly… hoping the sender recognizes it and knows how it touched us all.

Delighted to receive the final consignment of 6 boxes from our dear friends Elaine and Pam in UK - after 15 years of their sending large boxes full of KAS items twice a year or more, they are taking a well-deserved rest !

Huge van delivering our K4L boxes.

There they are … can’t wait for next week.

The transporter team enjoying tea and chocolate cake.

Enjoy the pics.

Amy August 18, 2024 at 8:04am

The Barn was filled with activity on August 15. Here is Ronda's report...

Yet another busy Thursday in the KASbarn … this time with a SPRING -CLEAN done by Viv and Wandi and a BIG beanie sorting marathon thanks to Jan …

So thorough … lifting all the pallets to sweep and dust.

Jan, our beanie queen …

Ably helped by Viv and Wandi.

Neatest storeroom.

Looking the other way … how wonderful!

Wandi 2 drove across Johannesburg (literally) to the West Rand Clinic Oncology Centre where chemo patients have been knitting squares for us over several years, while undergoing their treatments … … wool and knitting needles supplied by KAS.