A New Year idea

Here’s an idea about doing something productive – knitting – while you watch TV, listen to the radio or enjoy a chat. The local knitting group is inviting people to join them in knitting blankets, and other children’s garments. The blankets, which are incredibly warm, are highly prized by children in poorly equipped orphanages in Ukraine, an impoverished country which experience very harsh winters.

While the thought of knitting a whole blanket would be too much of an undertaking for most people. However each of these blankets are made up of fifty six squares, the co-operative results of individual knitters.
The knitting is straightforward: double knit wool (or two strands of four ply) knitted on 4mm (old size 8) needles. Cast on forty stitches and knit eighty rows in garter stitch. This will create a 20cm x 20cm square. Rather than cast off another colour is introduced and further square knitted. When eight squares have been completed the strip is cast off. Each blanket comprises of seven such strips sewn together.

By way of a change some members also knit baby clothes, booties, cardigans, helmets etc. These are either distributed locally to needy families or included with the blankets to northern Europe. The blankets are distributed by the recognised international organization ‘Mission without borders’ so their reaching the desired destination is ensured.

For further information contact Barbara Cox 3069 934 (or for Featherston area Virginia Kunz 3088 392 or May Brown 3086 912)