KasSnippets - December 2014
REPORTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Early in June we headed off to Othandweni Day Care Centre, in Finetown. We have found that when we start distributing in a new area, the word spreads and principals of all the other local Day Cares come forward asking for blankets, which might explain why, this year, we ended up doing a number of distributions in Finetown (you may have noticed?!) We arrived at Othandweni and were taken aback by the large number of children being cared for in this tiny facility.
Full Report : The Tiny Othandweni Day Care Centre
Other recent reports : Getting Organised !
DISTRIBUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
More photos from the Good Hope Day Care Centre and
Othandweni Day Care Centre
Link to : Distribution Photographs
KNIT-A-SQUARE SHOP
As we enter a new year, Ronda and the team in South Africa would like to thank everyone for the wonderful continuous supply of squares, tops, hand-warmers etc., and, of course, the financial support, without which, it would be impossible to function!
The team very much appreciated Helen's Shelving Fund Raiser, which has made a considerable difference to the office, enabling them to work more comfortably and efficiently.
We will be adding items to the KasShop during the coming year, but what really helps Ronda to continue working, is the comforting knowledge that comes when the precious monthly Subscriptions are being renewed. Having regular committed sums of cash arriving helps planning future expenditure, and, this year the team have felt confident enough to sign the office lease for another year! We will be very grateful for members to kick-off 2015 with a renewal of their regular donation by using the SUBSCRIBE button on the right-hand column of the page.
If however, you prefer sending on an ad-hoc basis, please use the one-off DONATE button, or, you may prefer to visit the KasShop and purchase an item that you personally feels reflects your desires for the children.
THE 2015 CALENDAR HAS BEEN PREPARED BY SANDY AND WILL BE LOADED INTO THE KasShop VERY SHORTLY !
Please watch out for the News Flash box at the top of the page.........
Link to : KasShop
KAS REACHES GREAT HEIGHTS FOR CHILDREN
A JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD !
This challenge is going to take us around the planet whilst reaching great heights & piles of squares - 178,000 to be precise, in order to reach the top of Table Mountain, Cape Town in South Africa!
We are going to need 50 squares for every foot climbed!
With the postal strike over, we have added a number of squares to those posted by forum members and have reached 109,900 !
We managed to knock just two heights off this month, Bluff Knoll Peak in Western Australia, and, Cairnwell Pass in Scotland.
Our current target is 111,700 squares
Here is our 157th target - Delphi - Greece
Here is the link to KAS Reaches Great Heights for Children
WHAT'S GOING ON IN
SOUTH AFRICA?
SORTED IN SOUTH AFRICA
- THE OFFICE
The team get back to work, along with some smaller,
but very helpful and much needed hands!
See more pics in Sorted in Africa
The JBay Recycling Project for Children
& Stitch Witch News
From JBay Folks: Last trading day of 2014. Christmas gifts, treats from Nina's and balls from the Davies.To see more of the photos from the various Monday sessions please click on
JBay Recycling Project for Children
JAM - Joint Aid Management South Africa
through the recommendation of Knit-a-Square, linked up with
Mama Ntombi Community Projects !
and distributed some 370 pairs of TOMS shoes.
Thank you JAM for blessing the kids with shoes.
To read and see more photographs
We were also pleased to see that JAM International supply their wonderful nutritious porridge to the Good Hope Day Care Centre, who KAS delivered to earlier this year
Here is a delightful photograph taken from that distribution. This little chappie is absolutely mesmerised by his cuddly toy!
SPREADING THE WORD,
MEMBERS & GROUP NEWS!
Thanks to Diane Kubiak (US) who spotted an article about KAS in the magazine, All You
The magazine featured this wonderful photograph, and, consequently a number of new members have joined the forum! Here are the kind words used to describe KAS :
If You Love Knitting
Check out: Knit-a-Square (pictured above)
Even beginners can help make blankets, scarves, hats and more for orphans in South Africa. Just knit or crochet 8-by-8-inch squares and send them to the charity, which will stitch them together into any number of cozy creations.
Link to : All You Magazine charity feature
REA Hack Day learns to Knit
by Erica Smith
In Australia, realestate.com.au is a major portal for people in the realestate market. It also happens to be the place I work when I'm not knitting for KAS.
Four times a year, realestate.com.au dedicates two days to what is called a 'Hack Day', where everyone at the company stops what they normally do and form spontaneous teams, who come together to build something awesome related to property. Earlier this year though, they decided to do something a bit different with Hack Day; they decided to dedicate all the projects to charitable causes. And of course, I immediately pitched a day of knitting for KAS!
To see discussion : REA Hack Day learns to Knit
THE BLANKET ROOM COLLECTION !
Despite the postal strike, a substantial number of blankets have been added to the collection this month - take a peep and gorge on all the designs - no two blankets the same!
KAS MONTHLY THEMES
December Theme - The Un-Challenge
lead by Susan Haines
To see Susan's introduction to this 'relaxing' theme,
please do go to Theme for December
Here is a selection of the recent single colour squares - which are the backbone of KAS blankets and provide a wonderful frame for the above more exotic squares:
As promised the
KNITTED KAS CUDDLEBUG PATTERN !
The knit version of the KAS Cuddlebug is now available thanks to the team work of Christine Johnson (UK) and Karen Bennett (UK). It is a lovely, snuggly toy for a child and a perfect way to use up the small balls in your knitting basket.
There are many ways to embellish and personalise your Cuddlebug. With numerous body sections and legs (with room for more) there is plenty of scope for adding numbers or letters or flowers or anything else that inspires you.
Be as creative as you like with yarns….bright colours for visual stimulation or fluffy to create a very soft cuddly bug. With a fancy yarn, please make sure the stitches are close together. If the stuffing should fall out, the children won’t be able to repair their toy and would be very disappointed.
Karen found a comment about the value of toys to traumatized children. This thought -provoking comment refers to children during World War II but it applies to our children as well:
“Some children may have passed through such horrors or be so weakened by illness or malnutrition that they have temporarily lost the creative art of play. A toy, which they may carry with them always, may do far more than we might imagine to restore health and confidence and peace of mind to a child.”
Link to KAS CUDDLEBUG - KNITTED VERSION
NAVY BLUE SCARF CHALLENGE
For those of you who like to prepare, or even start before the gun goes off, here are the details of this forthcoming challenge!
We are asking for NAVY BLUE scarves measuring 100-120cm (40-47 inches) long, with 10cm (4 inch) tassels on either end. The yarn can be double knit or chunky. Gina is developing a pattern, or feel free to find one off the internet. They can be knitted in various stitches as long as the scarf will lay flat.
Knit-a-Square is linking up with a South African company for this particular project and we will have more details of this and other projects in the pipeline to share with you very soon.
MINI CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE
lead by Karen Bennett
This is an interesting challenge, as it is a member-to-member challenge!
The challenge runs from today and is open until the 2nd of January. There isn't a deadline for finished squares, although it would be lovely aim for the end of January.
I'm the first participant. The next person to join me (second participant) will nominate a 'theme' for me to create one square by posting their theme in the discussion thread. Once I've made my square, I'll also post a picture of it in the discussion thread.
The next person to join (third participant), will nominate a theme for the second participant, who makes a square with that theme, posting a picture of their finished square and so on.
Karen has received her challenge from Nicole, Nicole is being challenged by Linda and Linda has been challenged by Anne......now we need someone to challenge Anne or whoever is next on the list!!! Plus it will produce some more squares for a blanket!
Link to : Mini Christmas Challenge
MONTHLY THEMES FOR 2015
JANUARY - The Garden - anything from the garden - Christine Chiplin supported by Linda Maltby
FEBRUARY - Think like a Kid - Four legged friends, Counting Squares, Word Squares - all with African Flavour, - Anne Powell
MARCH - Colour Collision - Rainbows, Kaleidoscope, Nifty Neons - Elaine Jones
APRIL - One-Color Squares - PJs and Textures [Including Autumn Glory, Pretty Pinks, Ruby Reds ... and so on.] - Gloria Grandy
MAY - Variegated Yarn - this is one of the most popular and is enjoyed by the members - Bev
JUNE - Stripes & Zig Zags - another popular item - Pam Antink
JULY - Christmas - Glorious Greens & Reds - Debbie Posmontier and Sue Gillman
AUGUST - "Flags - the international KAS community" - Heather Mensah
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
THE 2015 WISH LIST from Ronda, will be published mid-January
TALLY or ITEM COUNT NEWS
by Linda Maltby
THE NOVEMBER SQUARES LIST
The South African Postal strike is over. However, the huge backlog means the S.A. team will not receive parcels in the order sent. Do not be dismayed if your parcel is not on this list, it will be on the next one or even the one after that !
Click HERE to view the list.
[Remember the October numbers are zero because of the postal strike]
Squares: 4,911 [140 blankets]
Additions to the November Squares List info.
Graphs for Tops and Beanies are here
Please remember to include the Packing Inventory slip to help the team with sorting and recording. This will be crucial with the flood of parcels now arriving in Johannesburg.
JANUARY PATTERN OF THE MONTH
by Linda Maltby
also KAS Year of the PJ!
Plain Janes [or PJs],
as they are affectionately called,
are the backbone of KAS.
These are the squares that made the South African people realize that they were not forgotten.
The world did care!
The term “Plain Jane” has a somewhat negative connotation. However, a modern definition is:
'Someone who is secure in her own
NATURAL beauty'.
This defines our Plain Jane squares very well.
They are beautiful in their own right and do not need any embellishment.
Knit-a-Square started with a request for simple squares
to be sent to Ronda in South Africa.
Sometime later the phrase “Plain Jane” was used to apply to
any solid coloured square done in
garter stitch or single crochet.
This term stuck and ever since then we have fondly called these squares "Plain Janes"
.
If you haven’t tried a PJ square in a while, why not make a few ?
They are easy and a wonderful way to wrap a child in love.
Knit pattern and Crochet pattern
are available in the
If you see another pattern you would like to try,
please do!
SQUARE HEART OF THE MONTH AWARD
Edited this month by Gloria Grandy
(in cahoots with Linda Maltby and Anne Powell)
Slight change this month, much to my embarrassment, I have been given a
SQUARE ANGEL AWARD
Normally, we have a rule that Moderators do not receive the Square Heart, but some very naughty members of the Moderator Team decided otherwise. I very much appreciate their kindness and all the thoughtful comments. Although I'm not so sure about the angel hips!
Pam Antink - St. Albans, UK
To read the rest of the award please click here
HELPFUL HINTS
New to the forum? Having trouble Navigating?
Click on the Helpful Hints tab in the Menu Bar at the top of any page and choose:
FAQ - all about squares
HOW DO I? - all about using the forum
POSTAGE - all about sending squares
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS - link to discussion if your question is not answered in the other three.
Link to : Helpful Hints
KAS FACEBOOK PAGE
DECEMBER FUN
Anne Powell has been providing much fun and laughter for members this month, with What is your Dragon Name?
Your name might be Purple Claw the Hungry, Blue Scale the Proud, or the lovely Magic Flame the Radiant! Because it is reliant on using the first letter of your family name, some members who didn't like their first Dragon Name, switched to their pre-married names to find another one!!
Do join in, and add your name to the list!
Link to : DECEMBER FUN - What is your Dragon Name?
FINAL THOUGHTS
Wandile Mkhwanazi
After a struggle to get them to pose properly, here are 50 knitted teddies from Pat of Watford (UK). Delayed sending these little chaps because of the postal strike, but, have been informed that more will delivered to St. Albans soon!
All waiting for cuddles!
Replies
That's very funny about the endowments and the children's drawings. Ah, doesn't everything seem to head south sooner or later? I chuckled over your chagrin Pam. I truly think you deserve the Angel Award. I doubt you're that much of a "hippie" so no worries dear.
Thanks so much for including an alternate meaning for Plain Jane, much more positive, Pam. :D The photo of 50 teddies has me grinning. I was worrying about more toys being needed for the children and yet my own attempt at a teddy was pathetic. I tried the pattern the children learnt to knit on and oh my goodness no...what a mess. Clearly children knit better than I do! So I am relieved to see 50 charmers on their way to the hearts of the children. :D
I love the birthday photo of Wandi. I'm only a year older than she is but think she looks beautifully alive and full of enthusiasm and life. I must emulate her I think, though I'll never have that gorgeous chocolate colored skin. :)
Thank you so much, Pam, for this lovely Snips issue! You have done a spectacular job with it, as usual.
Re the Award: I didn't even notice the hips or the saggy upstairs bits ... I just focused on the lovely wings and that angelic halo. You see, Anne is right ... she did submit that picture. And since she is my superior (she's been a MOD wa-a-a-a-ay longer than I have) I just had to follow orders ... LOL I wasn't worried, though, because I, too, know that the award angel looks NOTHING like you ... well ... except for the halo, of course. xo
Another great snippets and 50 children to have a teddy !!! Wandi has such a lovely face it is a beautiful photo of her.
The angel picture has me smiling at her endowments, but a really well earned award nonetheless.
I had a little girl give me a drawing this week and I held it up to a colleague and said I do hope these are my arms ! She said no they are not, the arms are over here ! I leave it to your imagination, suffice it to say the drawing is a companion to your angel.
Um....I can just imagine the drawing LOL
I've had a few in my time as a Kindergarten teacher [ages 4-6] :-)
Oh Sue, you came up with the perfect word - "endowments"! Next time I climb out of the shower and notice my saggy bits (which at my age are everywhere) as I pass a mirror, I will not heave a sigh of regret - I will simply grin and remind myself that these endowments are simply a gift of gravity (and maybe a few too many Christmas cookes over the years).
Thank you Pam for a wonderful colourful update. Congratulations on the Award. May we know the names of the other wonderful moderators please?
Thank you, Pam, for such a great read! The format is really hip this month.
Haven't heard that expression since the 60's Mili! LOL!
KAS is such a great community. Another wonderful bit of news from Pam about all the goings on, and I'm just so proud of all the good things KAS does and represents. Makes my heart proud to be a part of it all. Here's to a great 2015 KAS!!
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