Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by MILI K on March 16, 2017 at 2:38am

A huge thank you, Leanne, for taking the time to give us a virtual tour of Opening Day at the KAS barn. 

Permalink Reply by Deborah Anderson Fleming on March 16, 2017 at 3:46am

Thank you Leanne for sharing this perspective with us. As we say in the US, 'I feel ya'! 

Permalink Reply by Sharon B on March 16, 2017 at 6:12am

Oh, yes, Leanne, thank you, thank you, thank you for this wonderful report.  Like so many others, I got a tear in my eye reading about the wonderful, happy team working amongst the squares, blankets and toys.  

But I had to laugh when you describe the amazing color choices, and how you had  been conservative in your selection of yarns.   That was me several years ago.  Now I have yarn in (almost) every color, links to web pages designed to help you mix and match colors, and other links to pages that will generate various stripe combinations.

I hope you and Bongi have many happy return trips, colorful yarns in hand.

hugs to all.

Permalink Reply by Louise on March 16, 2017 at 6:16am

Leanne, whilst reading the description of your visit to the KAS office I was transported there myself. The nicely-secured office park, the large garage door, the uplifting music, Ronda's greeting, the volunteers, the amazing blankets, oh how you brought it all to life. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful experience with us, I now feel as though I have spent the day in the KAS office without ever leaving home. I will look forward to your next visit. Xoxo

Permalink Reply by Sue Gillman on March 16, 2017 at 7:52pm

Leanne thank you for this wonderful report. It brought the place and atmosphere to life. I did get the warm fuzzies reading it !

Permalink Reply by Maureen (Maudie) Anne Bryan on March 22, 2017 at 4:03pm

Thank you Leanne for that emotional and sensitive description of your visit. 

Permalink Reply by Jan Wiburd on March 22, 2017 at 5:19pm

This is such a beautifully written letter, it was so nice to hear your description of different items from your perspective

of having limited vision.  I do hope that you will write some more letters in the near future.

Jan W. Australia

Permalink Reply by Chris McEachern on March 24, 2017 at 10:22pm

Leanne, I have just read about your visit to the KAS office and want to thank you for writing about it. Living in England I have often wondered how things were organised over there ( using the buildings and spaces, and the order of the squares to sew together) and you have now given me a picture in my mind! Unfortunately I will never get to see It all, as it is too far away, but I have a better idea now. I love knitting and have knitted items and sent them to KAS on and off for a number of years now. A truly great and worthwhile organisation. Thanks again and I too got a warm fuzzy feeling reading of your experience!
Chris xx

Permalink Reply by Patricia Platt on March 24, 2017 at 10:52pm

Thank you for your lovely story Leanne. :) Very nice to know there are lovely volunteers helping out there. :)

Permalink Reply by Helen on March 27, 2017 at 7:12am

Thank you so much for this beautiful report. It is truly heart-warming and I was transported right to the KASBarn. I love the way that you have recreated the atmosphere; it is a fantastic experience for those of us unable to be there in person. I hope to be able to read your future reports.

Permalink Reply by Pam Antink on March 28, 2017 at 10:29am

Hi Leanne, it is lovely to hear about the office, the volunteers and the various various activities - we look forward to reading more of your blogs from South Africa. The regular blog will help share some of the reporting load that falls heavily on Ronda's shoulders !

Permalink Reply by Leanne Hunt on March 29, 2017 at 4:41am

Autumn was definitely in the air as Bongi and I drove to the Knit-a-Square office for another exciting opening day today. The morning started chilly, and wind-blown dry leaves were scudding across the parking lot when we arrived. However, by mid-morning it had warmed up significantly and everyone was sporting their bright dresses and T-shirts. It felt good to be recognised and greeted by the other volunteers already working at the long sorting table and we quickly got swept up into the bustle of activity.
Sitting with my knitting, listening to the buzz of conversation around me, I began to appreciate what a busy organisation this is. All sorts of people came and went. There was a woman from a local church collecting bundles of squares to be sewn up by members of the congregation, a writer from an online magazine wanting to cover the work of Knit-a-Square for the purposes of building her writing portfolio, a couple of volunteers who brought in heaps of blankets assembled at home, another pair who specialise in combining irregularly-shaped or odd-sized squares in attractive ways, and a friend of Ronda’s from overseas who had never before been to the blanket room and was naturally awestruck by the sheer loveliness of the finished blankets. It was a regular hive of activity and, with Ronda setting the tone with her warmth and exuberance, everyone was in a good mood.
The pile of finished blankets had grown substantially since my visit two weeks ago. I marvelled at the hip-high pile laid out beside Ronda’s desk! Running my hands over several of the top pieces, I turned them back like Persian rugs in a carpet store to admire their breathtaking hues. I Learnt that many knitters actually design their blankets at the outset and send in batches of already-matched squares. Others send in individual patterned squares, while still others, like me, send in “Plain Janes” which come in useful for combining with patterned squares and offsetting their intricate stitchery. Today’s new arrivals included several colourful crocheted blankets which I found thoroughly captivating, and promised myself that I absolutely must dive into the treble stitch/alternating colour technique they sported!
Meanwhile, Bongi was working away at opening packages. She reported to me at the end of the morning that they had originated from Czechoslovakia and the United States. I overheard another volunteer mentioning packages from Yugoslavia and the United Kingdom. Some of the squares, hats, hand warmers and soft toys come in squishy packages while others come in big boxes, sometimes containing a collection of smaller packages. It is astonishing to reflect how many people from all over the world contribute to the work.
Sometimes, the messages that accompany the packages are very moving. For example, I heard today about a woman from Australia who sent in a pack of squares that she had finished off for her daughter who had recently died. The gift represented a tribute and a recognition of what the daughter had cared about. Those precious squares have since been incorporated into blankets which will soon be distributed to young children in need of comfort, and so the love will be passed on.
I feel so privileged to be part of this amazing ministry, especially because I know the joy of knitting for the needy. As someone who has been relatively housebound due to visual impairment, I am familiar with the frustration of not knowing how to get my knitted objects to those who could use them. Knit-a-Square solves this problem by having in place a pipeline consisting of knitters, stitchers, networkers and distributers—not to mention the donors who pay for its day-to-day running costs. Now, if my eyesight makes it impossible for me to assemble blankets and weave in ends, at least I know there are others who can do those things for me. And surprisingly, some even find it calming!
Well, as I said at the start, the season is slowly changing, and soon the nights on the highveld around Johannesburg will become long and bitterly cold. Thank you for the difference you make in the lives of our vulnerable children at this time. You are, honestly, each so generous and kind. May you be thoroughly blessed for what you do.

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