FINANCIAL REPORT
by Sharon Fennell
Back in March, KAS was in a dire position. We did not have enough money in the bank to cover the forthcoming monthly rent and the winter distribution season was looming fast. We were really going to struggle with our finances.
The yearly cost to run KAS is approximately $31000. We only had 12 regular donors, but rather than give up, close the door and watch KAS crumble we launched the Financial Appeal.
The response to the appeal has been overwhelming and everyone has been so generous and we are very proud to give you an update on the current financial position.
To date we have raised $29744.06 , this has been achieved by a combination of monthly subscriptions, one off donations and shop sales. We also launched the wonderful KAS merchandise via CafePress, this gives KAS a small income from the goods sold and in turn helps to spread the word about KAS.
We now have 115 regular donors, generating $1470 income a month. Unfortunately we do lose a couple of donors each month.
We have been very, very lucky and want to thank everyone who has made a contribution. There are so many wonderful contributors. A very special thank you must go to Sha Tin College in Shangai China who recently made a donation of $5000.
Between us all we really have given KAS the security for the rest of 2017.
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL REPORT (scroll down the page)
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TSHEGOFATSO DISTRIBUTION
organised by Lindi Ngwenya
CLICK HERE TO READ FULL REPORT
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More and more blankets are being added by Christine Johnson to the stocks in the barn - already 27 pages worth in 2017! Here is striking example to be going on with :
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SQUARES LIST
The June 2017 Squares List is available.
Please visit the website: www.knit-a-square.com
Click on 'Received Squares'
Graph “Squares” up until and including June
227 parcels were received and opened and the total contents were:
11.151 squares (equal to 318 blankets), 558 hats, 269 pairs of handwarmers, 154 toys and many other goodies (marked with a "x" under column "Other" in the Squares list)
To see more graphs and details, please click [HERE]
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LEGS AND WINGS, FINS AND SLITHERY THINGS - ANIMALS ABOUND
July results!
What a wild safari of animals we have had this month on parade through the pages of our theme. We have lions, elephants, snakes, bears, bunnies, birds singing in the rain and many butterflies flittering about on squares, blankets and hand-warmers. Please check out our album at : LINK TO JULY THEME
Our famous KAS charity shoppers have also added their special finds of soft stuffed toys for the children, and we have had some hand made toys, too.
The KAS puppet is the pattern of the month and Sharon B has created one in Tunisian Crochet, too.
LINK TO PATTERN IN KAS PATTERN BOOK
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AUGUST PATTERN OF THE MONTH
BLOCK STITCH SQUARE
pattern created by Jan Burton
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Red and white Block stitch squares by Bev Jeffery (AUS)
This pattern creates a great, double thickness square in two colours, without all the confusion that you get with normal fair-isle. This stitch pattern is very useful when trying to use a soft, "unstable" yarn such as chenille or thick short eyelash, which can easily stretch out of shape used on its own. Using the soft yarn as the background yarn, and a plain yarn for the foreground, this pattern will produce much more stable fabric suitable for blanket squares.
Block Stitch squares by Jude Sullivan (UK)
Block Stitch squares by Louise Tidman (UK)
There is a variation of the Block Stitch pattern in the KAS Pattern Book, her is an example by Sharon Fennell (UK)
LINK TO KAS PATTERN BOOK where other patterns are available, please try as many as you like.
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by
Leanne Hunt
Every couple of weeks Leanne provides for us KasFolk scattered around the globe, an insight into the Knit-a-Square office and its wonderful volunteers! The link below takes us to 13th July report where Leanne mentions amongst other things how our lovely Wandi met Ronda at a soup kitchen! Ronda with other members of her church were delivering blankets and Ronda asked Wandi if she would be interested in helping with the sorting of the squares - of course, history tells us that she readily agreed and many of us 'old stalwarts' can even remember the parcels stacked up in Ronda's living room in the early years!
Please read another chapter in this interesting series by clicking on the
LINK TO THAT WARM FUZZY FEELING
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LITTLE BIT OF NEWS AND A LAST LAUGH
Ronda had the delightful surprise of seeing Wendy (Hardy) this week as she helped her collect over 8000 squares from a local primary school on Monday, and, Wendy came to the post office to help her load up the KasVan. Ronda said it was great to see her and catch-up again !
BREAKFAST COMING UP?????
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Replies
Pam, thank you. This is a great edition!! I can catch up little bits at a time with your "links to the news" :) xo
Thank you Pam.
Great Snippets Pam with lots and lots of good news! The "breakfast coming up???" gave me the chuckle of the day :)
It would have been funny with just the dog & cat, but the addition of the chickens made me crack up too!
Wendy, in the past 2-3 years I have been finding that it takes 5-6 months for my parcels to appear on a list...the boats must be taking the 'scenic' route. :))
LOL Bev, they must be going the opposite way around the globe or the 'long' way. I do hope I see something soon. I have been sending parcels with complete blankets that would be good for current distributions as they don't need to be sewn up. I will keep my fingers crossed.
Lovely to see that KAS is financially secure for a while.
Getting a little concerned about my parcels though. I have not seen anything from me in the last 3 lists. I sent parcels last December, February, March and May that I would think should have arrived now. I hope they didn't get lost along the way.....
Hi Wendy, Can imagine your concerns, it looks as if transport of goods all around the world has delays. This is what Christine Johnson wrote in answer to Suzanne Leverton's question:
I quote:
Anneke, I have received hundreds of photos this week, both for Sorted in Africa and Blanket Room. I am trying to sort them as there are duplications but there is a photo or two of a blanket made by you and received by either the 4th or 11th July - it's a commemorative blanket and appears in both batches of photos. I will post them all as soon as I can.
Susanne, I haven't actually recognised any of your goods amongst the photos but parcels are pouring in and as Anneke's hasn't yet been listed there is obviously a delay. Perhaps you'll see some of your work when I manage to post the pictures.
...end of quote.
It seems very unlikely Wendy, however, there does seem to be a problem with shipping from Australia - Susanne has been making enquiries too.........wish we could get some airlines to backfill any empty holds to get stuff to KAS!
Thanks Pam for stepping into Glo's shoes and giving us our monthly 'catch up'.
As always, nothing but good news.....YAY!!!!
Aww, I bet Wendy and Ronda really enjoyed their get together.