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  • Linda Maltby April 25, 2012 at 9:02am

    Cindy, plain squares are what are affectionately called Plain Janes and they are the backbone of KAS.  So it's wonderful that you have made 21 square already.  Bright colours are always appreciated.

    Have you seen the e-zines?  Many of the photos show blankets made exclusively of Plain Janes and they are beautiful !

    http://www.knit-a-square.com/Square_Circle-backissues.html

  • Bev Jeffery April 23, 2012 at 5:01pm

    Hi Cindy

    Firstly, 21 squares already is GREAT!!!

    You are welcome to crochet your squares together and send them as a blanket, because everything KAS receives is SO appreciated. However. there are a number of reasons why squares are requested. When we send parcels to S.A. we mark on them "No Commercial Value", which squares as individual squares do not have a commercial value, but when you make a blanket of them...it does have a value. This means that should customs open your parcel and find a blanket they will charge customs duty to the team in S.A. and as KAS operates on  extremely low funding, any costs such as these can make a major dent in said funds.

    Secondly, the Go-go's (grandmothers)  in S.A love to assist this cause by sewing the blankets together....it provides them with a sense of purpose and dignity. Also KAS sends many of the squares to a prison in S.A. for the prisoners to sew them together for KAS as part of their rehabilitation...and giving them a sense of purpose and being able to give back to their community.

    Lastly, as we are a global knitting/crocheting bunch of happy stitchers, all our squares are combined with each others...to make spectacular 'global' blankets of love...I just love that idea. Many countires -- in one blanket.

    From time to time our members may like to make a special blanket in memory of a loved one, or they may have a special theme of numbers, letters or colours which they would like in one blanket and so they usually lay them out, take a photo and send the photo with a letter explaining how they would like the blanket sewn together...and it is done.

    Wow, I bet you're sorry you asked...lol..but I hope this helps.

    Bev. :)

    • Cindy > Bev Jeffery April 24, 2012 at 4:54am

      Thanks, Bev!  I LOVE the idea of the Grandmothers and prisoners helping in this way as well as a global blanket! My squares are just plain garter stitch in bright colors with left-over yarn!  I was just thinking it would save people at the other end time!  Maybe some day I could take a trip over there with some completed blankets!  Thanks for the quick reply!  Cindy

      • Bev Jeffery > Cindy April 24, 2012 at 2:14pm

        You're welcome, Cindy...and my squares are just plain garter stitch, too. About the most creative I get is to add varigated yarn to jazz them up a bit...hee hee.  

        Happy knitting!!  :-)

    • Sue Gillman > Bev Jeffery April 23, 2012 at 7:53pm

      Cindy I got excited at my first squares and made a blanket and it is great to see your finished work. However the postage was astronomical.It is just so much more expensive to send as a finished piece of work. Not to mention the customs cost. Anyway one thing you can do is to lay it out and take a pic of your blanket for all of us to see . If it is a special design some people send a pic and instructions if needed, to SA for it to be sewen together the way they envisaged it. I hope this all helps towards your decision.

      • Cindy > Sue Gillman April 24, 2012 at 4:57am

        Hi Sue! 

           Thanks for the idea of taking a picture of the squares!  Right now, I'm a basic knitter and all my squares are in garter stitch so other than being bright colors and almost all the same  size are not yet artistic!  But I'll work on that!  Cindy

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