by Contributor: JustDawne
In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess that this blog post is not actually about an episode of Seinfeld. If you’re anything like me you’ve probably seen ‘The Stall‘ and laughed yourself silly as poor Elaine struggled to convince the stranger in the next stall to “spare a square.” In the end, poor Elaine was begging for just 1 ply, one measly ply, that she never received. The stranger claimed she could not spare a square.
If life were as simple as an episode of Seinfeld from 1994, we’d never need to think about the power of an 8” knit or crocheted square, and its ability to truly help a child.
Alas, it is 2009 and there are now millions of children orphaned by AIDS, many of whom have HIV themselves.
Now, I suspect that you, the reader, are incredibly intelligent (after all, you frequent this blog). I’m sure you’re thinking “but Dawne, an orphaned child needs much more than a square.”
You’re absolutely right! All children need food, clothing, shelter, medical care, an education and love. There are many wonderful organizations working around the clock to help meet these essential needs.
It is the goal of Knit-A-Square to provide warmth and some love for the AIDS orphans of southern Africa. Each square becomes part of a blanket. Each blanket is a gift to a child, orphaned by AIDS. “Heart to hand. The circle makes the squares. The squares make the circle.”
These blankets are warm and beautiful and offer up concrete proof to each child that their story has been told and heard, that their plight has touched our hearts and that they truly matter.
Many children have already received a blanket, but there are many children still waiting.
I have been an active supporter of Knit-A-Square for many months. It’s a wonderful organization, grassroots at the heart, ever moving forward due to its visionary founders and its legion of dedicated volunteers.
I’m hoping you’ll join us on Ravelry or over at the Forum. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!
Be sure to take a minute to subscribe to the Square Circle e-zine so you can read first-hand the impact that Knit-A-Square is making in the lives of so many. These stories are accompanied by wonderful photos that will fill your heart with joy and hope.
Recently I had the chance to interview Knit-A-Square co-founder Sandy McDonald via email. In the interest of keeping this blog post short (ok, not that short, but I’m trying), I’ll share only a snippet today.
Dawne: Why is it so important to help a child with HIV/AIDS stay warm?
Sandy McDonald: HIV/AIDS is an auto-immune disease and a child who is ill with HIV/AIDS and also subjected to prolonged bouts of extreme cold will succumb much more readily to infections. They also need good nutrition, of course, but just as we want to wrap up our own children warmly when they are unwell, we would want these unwell children to at least be warm.
D: What is the best way for someone new to knitting or crochet to help KAS?
SM: To learn to knit or crochet if they don’t already and then to practice making squares to send to South Africa. If they are already practised knitters and crocheters, they may like to join our monthly challenges on the forum and have some creative fun while they make the squares. We welcome every single contribution as we use every square that is sent in a blanket. And our mantra is more hands, more squares, more blankets, more warm children!
So…. Can You Spare a Square?
Squares can be made from whatever you’ve got in your stash. Simply include a little note detailing what fiber the yarn is made of with your package. It really couldn’t be any easier! Please be sure to label your package ‘for charity only’ and ‘no commercial value’ so the folks in South Africa do not have to pay duty. Blankets are made, on average, with 30 squares, so that’s what we’re aiming for as a start. (Please do not send squares already made into blankets – we’re not allowed to send blankets because of customs regulations.)
What do you say we test the power of the internet as a tool for mass communication and positive change?
Can we challenge ourselves to collectively knit/crochet at least 30 simple squares between now and February 14, 2010? Wouldn’t that be a true act of love? Can we, together, spare enough squares for a blanket? The squares will be lovingly assembled into blankets by the Soweto Comfort Club.
You can find simple knitting and crochet instructions and mailing directions at the KAS website, or you can do your own thing, so long as it follows the guidelines. And each month of the KAL, we’ll be featuring a designer and a dyer who have generously donated a square design for you to knit and a skein of yarn for the sample. Each of the three new squares will go up on ALY on or about the 15th of November, December, and January. By February 14th, we hope to be collectively ready to send at least 30 squares to assemble into a blanket to help keep an orphan warm and healthy.
We’ll be starting up a gallery page soon, so keep an eye out! After it’s up, The new gallery page is up! (There’s also a link at the top of the page under the website banner.) The photos of the squares you make should be posted there as we stitch our way to our goal. Please post one pic for each square you finish. And at the end of the KAL, we’ll have a random prize drawing, a chance for each square, and one lucky knitter will receive a knitterly prize.*
Are you in? Please let us know in the comments, and start your squares!
More hands…more squares…more blankets…more warm children!
* We will use an online random sequence generator to determine our winner.
Hi all! Zina here. A couple of stitchers have expressed interest in taking part, but are worried that they can’t afford postage to South Africa. Please don’t let that stop you from helping the kids! If you can afford postage to someone on the same continent as you, we’ll find someone to send your squares on – I will send any squares on if stitchers can get them to me wherever I am (currently in the UK), and I’m sure we can find others in NA or wherever you are.
So please add your name to the comments below so we know you’re in, and mention that you’d like to contribute to a joint package, and we’ll get everything sorted!
And — you bet, I’m in, Dawne! :)
[...] Dawne Smith-Sliming has written ALY’s first contributor blog entry to kick our KAL off. Many kudos to Dawne, who somehow manages to balance a busy career, family, and her own creative life, and also finds time to support Knit-A-Square, a wonderful charity that exists to support the children of southern Africa who have been orphaned by AIDS. [...]
Count me in too!
Yay, Rob! (And I’d just like to point out that our first person to join us is not only a crocheter, but a guy as well. C’mon, where’s all the females who stitch, and where are the knitters?) ;)
Fabulous idea! I don’t know how to knit well, but you have inspired me to want to learn. Thanks for organizing this.
Welcome, and this is a great way to learn to knit!
Hey Dawne! Great writing! A pleasure to read. You have inspired me to retrieve my knitting “equipment” from the bowels of the basement and GET CLACKING!! :) Keep up the great work.
Thank you all for your kind comments!
It’s nice to have a crocheter on board! The first 6 squares I ever sent were granny squares. Rob, you can use any pattern for an 8″ square. There are lots of photos on the Ravelry group and over at the Forum if you’re in the mood for something new.
Knitters: Don’t hesitate to make some Plain Jane squares while waiting for the Nov. 15th designer square. Sandy McDonald (KAS co-founder) had this to say in the last Square Circle ezine about the simple garter stitch square:
“Without them we could not make up the quantities of blankets we do.”
Thank you again, one and all. These next few months together are going to be fabulous!
dawne
I know I’m going to start with garter stitch squares while waiting for Diana’s square design to make its appearance! I’m going to go Mason-Dixon on mine, I think, maybe find four or five skeins of yarn that coordinate, make a small square, then knit up a Log Cabin-style border in two other colors until the square measures 8″.
Just for information, a three ounce padded envelope package from the US to South Africa costs only $2.82 postage. Sixteen ounces about $10. Not as expensive as you might think!
There speaks the professional shipper. :) Thanks, Janet! Wanna do a square or two?
Breaking news! The new photo gallery is up and running! (There’s also a link in the page index up under the site banner at the top of each page.) Please post a pic of each of your squares as they are finished — each square is a chance for you to win a prize at the end of our KAL. Looking forward to seeing everyone’s squares!
Hello All!
Wow Dawne what a lovely article you’ve written. Thank you for your support, it’s wonderful to read someone else’s thoughts on KAS.
Thank you everyone, can’t wait to see your squares x x x
Would LOVE to do this!!!
Oooh, Mary, we’d love to have you! :) I’ll be looking forward to seeing your squares!
Welcome Mary! I Love your enthusiasm!
HIV is an immune-system disease but absolutely not an autoimmune disease, just to be picky about it. Meantime, I came here from Diana’s otterwise blog; what a wonderful idea and way to make a difference.
Thanks for having me and hope to have several soon! Let’s see, have to list something I’m thankful for every day this month so while I’m thinking will do squares as well. Gotta make this a better world before I leave! Mary
Aww. I think the world’s a better place because you’re in it, Mary. :)
Count me in also.
Great to have you!
Welcome eddye! I look forward to seeing your squares.
I just wanted to thank you for posting about this. I don’t even know how I ended up on your blog, but this charity project is just what I was looking to contribute to. I am on my square and I did post about this on my blog as well to help spread the word.
Thanks so much and I hope millions of squares will find their way to Africa!
Hi Angela! Welcome to the blog, welcome to the KAL, and I am looking forward to seeing your square in the gallery soon!
Welcome Angela! I can’t wait to see your square(s). Thank you for helping to spread the word on your blog :)
I would like to join in too.
I just love the idea that I can carry a square round to knit in odd moments and put my waiting times to such good use.
Totally excellent! Welcome on board!
Found out about this on Ravelry. What a terrific idea! and a great motivator. I’ll be happy to knit 30 squares for this worthwhile cause.
Fabulous, Twila! I’m looking forward to seeing your squares, and good luck on the drawing! Just to make sure you know, though — you don’t have to knit 30 squares yourself, we’re just trying for a goal of 30 squares overall! (I’m going to try for 35 myself, though.)
Twila,
What a great comment to read first thing on a Monday. I like your enthusiasm! I think KAS squares are like potato chips – hard to make just one.
Welcome!
Modelwidow,
Welcome to the group! I agree with you and take my squares wherever I go. I get quite a few done at those times I would just be sitting and waiting.
:)
Please count me in! Thanks to everyone who takes the time to organize this charity – your great!
Diane
Welcome Diane. thanks for joining in!
I am in. I sent 4 along for the KAL on my other group. No problem sending more, I waste 1 hr a day waiting for my granddaughter to get out of school. Now it will be productive time.
Welcome, Deb! Sounds like great knitting time to me — I can hardly wait to get back to knitting squares, Christmas knitting is almost done!
I’ve been involved with KAS for several months now and try and make a square every day – although I’m not very good at recording them, so apologies for my delay in getting here!
Welcome, Diane! And pls do enter some of your squares! Wow, a square a day! That’s fantastic!
I was already knitting for KAS when I found this KAL. I’ve been drawn in by the designer squares (I love both of the knit ones and am looking forward to the third!), but I must say that prize is looking mighty attractive! (Oh, and I’ve been doing log cabin squares, too. What could be better than not having to worry about getting the right size? Just keep adding until you reach 8″!)
Oh, do I ever agree with you on log cabin squares, Cheryl!
And I’m currently waiting on a package from GetKnitted.com — they had the acrylic stands for the interchangeable needles on sale…so I got two. I’m thinking I’m going to include it in the prize…!
Welcome Cheryl!
Glad to see another KAS member here for the KAL. I know we all knit for love but a chance at a juicy prize pack is OK too. :)
can’t wait to see your squares.
Count me in too – I am a KAS member and I live in the UK – I’ve crocheted three squares which I’ll post pictures for now. I don’t mind sharing the postage. x
Welcome Steph!
Hi Steph! glad to meet another member in the UK! Love the squares, and looking forward to seeing more!
I’m knitting squares, and am also happy to send squares on for anyone else in Australia who can’t afford the postage to South Africa.
Welcome Lisa! Thank you very much for your generous offer of postage help.
:)
[...] enter, you need to comment on Dawne’s Can You Spare a Square? post (so she has your email address), and then upload a photo of each square you’ve knitted [...]
I’m so glad you’re supporting Knit-a-Square. I just spent the whole afternoon reading all their newsletters and can’t think of a better charity to contribute to. Thanks again for your support, and I’m in on the KAL, too!
Welcome to the KAL Sheila. You’ve found us just in time. While the Knit-A-Square project has no end date our contest ends March 15th. I hope you have time to finish a square or two for your chance at the fabulous prize pack Zina is offering.
The ezines really do strike a cord, don’t they? The photographs tell the story and re-inforce why our efforts are so important.
:)
Welcome indeed, Sheila! Hope you can get in a square or two before the 15th!
[...] Zina of Another Long Yarn requested a square for her knit-a-long in support of Knit-A-Square (a project of KAScare.org) I developed a variation on this idea using [...]