KasSnippets - August 2015

 

REPORTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

by Ronda Lowrie

We're on TOP of it!

From our early days of receiving eight parcels a week, Knit-A-Square South Africa has grown to the point where we collect, on average, a truck load of mail from the Post Office on a weekly basis.  In July of this year we received 27 513 squares alone! 

As you can imagine, we are delighted, but the logistics of unpacking, sorting and then distributing all these items is proving to be beyond what we can operationally cope with.  So, we have enlisted some help!

Erica Lüttich from the Outreach Foundation assisted us with advice when setting up the MedLemon Knitting Schools and she came to the rescue once again.

This wonderful cardigan came from the needles of Evelyn Martin at Clear Lake Methodist in Houston (USA). The vibrant young lady can hardly contain her joy!

 

Full Report : We're on TOP of it!

Other recent reports : 

Message from Ronda and Mandela Day 2015

 

 KNIT-A-SQUARE FINANCE 

The Pay the Rent Appeal Update

On August 12, we celebrated Ronda’s 70th birthday by presenting her with this month’s rent: paid and wrapped with a bow !  The donations spilled over into September and we are well on the way to paying for next month as well.  Because of two generous donors, the rent for October and November has been paid.  

Thank you everyone for supporting the work in South Africa.  Without Ronda and the volunteers, our squares would not be keeping children warm.

Visit the discussion HERE.

To read and add your own best wishes to Ronda’s birthday ‘card’ please CLICK HERE

 

A Month of Communications

(KAS Ops Support)  US$15

phone

Co-ordinating all of our ‘on the ground’ volunteers in South Africa is a big job. We have volunteers to pick up and transport squares, others who unpack, sort and record the contents of the packages, a small army of people who sew the squares into blankets, and of course, there are those who drive around the country distributing those blankets to the kids.

To make sure that this all happens smoothly, we need to keep in regular contact with all of these people on the phone and through email.

Your generous donation to the KAS Operations Fund, representing the cost of a month of mobile phone access for a coordinator in South Africa, will help us to keep everything running like clockwork

To make your purchase please go to the KasShop

 

 

 

 KNIT-A-SQUARE DELIVERS !

Join us for a ride in the KASVan !   We are adding our squares to move the Van from the Post Office to the Knit-a-Square Office.  So far the Van has been putting along at a leisurely pace.  We have turned the corner and are making our way closer to the new Office.  The Van is so happy to be able to drive up to the garage sized doors to unload squares and load up blankets.  The volunteers are also delighted that they don’t have to carry the bags up and down stairs.

 Every 250 squares the Van moves 100 metres (328 feet).

The winter months mean more distributions which keeps the real Van busy, carrying blankets to the children.  Wonderful to see the warm smiles on the children’s faces coupled with the warm hats and blankets.

To add your squares to the total: please click here

 

 WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOUTH AFRICA?

 SORTED IN SOUTH AFRICA

- THE OFFICE

See more pics : here

 

 DISTRIBUTION PHOTOGRAPHS

Link to recent photographs

 SPREADING THE WORD,

MEMBERS & GROUP NEWS

 

Pinterest Update from Anne Powell

 Our Pinterest page at www.pinterest.com/anne1464/ continues to attract attention. Each month, I start a new "board" and post photos of all the squares made for that month's theme.

So far I have posted over 2500 photos to the various boards and we have 165 followers, many of whom re-pin some of them to other sites. From there, they could well go on to even more sites.

 Each photo carries this message:

"To learn more about our organization go towww.knit-a-square.com. To meet our members and see more of our knitting and crochet go to

 http://forum.knit-a-square.com/

Each photo that is re-pinned spreads the news about Knit-a-Square South Africa far and wide and even attracts new Forum members.

If you have a Pinterest page of your own, please consider re-pinning some of your favourite squares! To receive notices of new Pins, go to our page and click "follow"

 

 THE BLANKET ROOM COLLECTION !

Put together by Christine Johnson

A gorgeous mixture of blankets from January onwards!

The Blanket Room Collection

 THEME OF THE MONTH

for August 2015

Hosted by Heather Mensah

Flags - The International KAS Community

August 2015 Whole blanket - flags of the world

Heather has encouraged an amazing array of 'flags' this month, and, it was her first experience of leading a theme! Above is her own contribution - tackled with her usual enthusiasm and energy! Here is a selection of the wonderful creations representing the nations of the globe.

AUGUST 2015 THEME ANISHINABE FIRST NATION - CANADAAugust ThemeAUGUST 2015 THEME - CANADAFlag challenge - Greek flag squareAugust challenge Union Jack flagAustralian Aboriginal FlagAugust Theme - FlagsAUGUST 2015 THEME - Flags - The International KAS CommunityAugust theme: GreenlandAugust Theme - FlagsAugust - Finland Flag from June (RJSK)August 2015 Theme - Flags- The International KAS Community8-15 Theme ArmeniaKosovoAugust Challenge : Uruguay / Niger / Ivory Coast / SomaliaBrunei flagHong Kong flagAUGUST 2015 THEME - Flags - The International KAS CommunityAugust 2015 MaldivesRed White and Blue

 

Here are some of the PJ's which will be needed to ensure these wonderful designs stand out!

August 2015 (2)  IMG_20150820_133400  Assunta's first batch of squares .... and a few of mine  July 2015 - Britannica collection (1)  July 2015 Third batch

and here are just a few of the other goodies!

 

VG & Grey Beanie Aug 2015  IMG_1292  IMG_1290  Grace Vest (Marion)  Cozy Jumper 54

MONTHLY THEMES FOR 2015

SEPTEMBER - Fabulous Faces - Smiley faces, Animal & People faces - Robin Monsees

OCTOBER - Grannies & Garters - Susan Donaldson

NOVEMBER - Oceans/Land/Sky/Space - Valerie Zalewski supported by Linda Maltby

DECEMBER - Year End UFOs, Stash Busters, Plain Janes, Easy Peezies and other Favorites - Susan Haines

TALLY  or ITEM COUNT NEWS

by Linda Maltby

The July Squares List is available.  

Visit www.knit-a-square.com  Click on “Received Squares”  

Updated Graphs are available HERE

In July, 27 513 squares were unpacked, sorted and made ready for sewing.

The blankets made with squares from around the world are being distributed to many children during the cold winter season.

 SEPTEMBER PATTERN OF THE MONTH

by Linda Maltby

Teddy Bear Hand Puppet

 


Free crochet pattern by Andrea Palmatier (Canada); free knitting pattern by Shelley Pearson (UK)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you go out in the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise….

For those of you who know the song, “Teddy Bears' Picnic”,

this hand puppet will have you singing along.

The puppet is quick and easy to make whether with needles or a hook.  It will provide hours of enjoyment for the children. As an added bonus, the carers can also use it as a teaching aid. 

Children [and adults] the world over love puppets.

 

Dig through your stash to create a unique and colourful

teddy bear (or kitty cat)

 

Or let your imagination run wild to fashion another fun

animal puppet.

However you choose to make it, have fun with the pattern and delight a child with your puppet.

                                             

    knit puppet pattern                                           crochet puppet pattern

 

The puppet patterns are available in the

KAS Pattern Book.

 

 SQUARE HEART OF THE MONTH AWARD

edited this month by Gloria Grandy

THE AUGUST 2015

SQUARE HEART AWARD 

IS FOR

CAROL S. AND SUE - AUSTRALIA

In July 2009, we welcomed Carol and her mother Sue to our

Square Circle Forum.  

Since then, their wonderful contributions have been flowing into the hands of the volunteers in South Africa. 

To read full report please click here

 KAS FACEBOOK PAGE

We have received an additional 271 Likes on the Facebook page so far during July-August period, taking our total to 10,310 !  
Also you might like to know that the KAS Song Video has now had 4,141 listens - all different people!
 FINAL THOUGHTS

 Look at the gorgeous hat Emily learned to knit.

Thanks Knit-A-Square and MedLemon for an amazing project. These women feel so empowered!

 

 

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Replies

  • I just love Emily's hat and imagine how proud she must feel at her achievement.

  • I am overwhelmed to see my teddy puppet has been making such an impact and I'm chuffed that it's pattern of the month. I love how people have been turning it into other animals _ especially that lovely lion. You can also make little boys and girls by changing the colours in the centre 14 cm with light brown for skin and dark brown for hair. To make the head more rounded, just tuck in and sew the corners instead of making ears. 

    Also anyone in the UK who has today's Mail on Sunday -there's a voucher for free wool from Hobbycraft - valid until 5th September.

    Shelley xx

    • Shelley your pattern is so much fun to make !  Thank you for your suggestion on how to make boys and girls with your pattern.  Please check out the cute puppets Noortje Pronk has made.  The photos are in the Photo Gallery.

  • Thank you Pam. I have passed it on.

  • Thanks Pam , a great bedtime read :-))
  • Lots of great information, photos and inspiration! I may have to try a puppet this month!!

  • Lovely report.  I love the final photo of Emily with her certificate and her pretty hat too, she has done a great job making it.

    I have downloaded the pattern but thus far not tried the teddy puppet, might have to take it on this coming month for the theme, I do like to try new things.

  • Well I don't usually do patterns of the month, but I may have to make an exception.  The puppets are so cute and adorable.  Another good read, many thanks.........

  • My favourite morning of the month - KasSnippets has arrrived!  Looks great.  Settling in now with a second cup of coffee to have a good read.  Thanks, Pam.

  • Another great issue Pam !   I love the photo of Emily and her certificate.  It is wonderful to see the pride in her eyes.

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