We invite you to join our warm and friendly KAS community. Together we work hard to help warm and comfort these children and we would greatly value your contribution to this knitting project for the AIDS orphans of southern Africa.
It is estimated that there are 14.8 million orphans in sub-saharan Africa. 1.9 million live in South Africa.
The knit-a-square project was started as a family project in 2008 and although we are now a registered charity under the name of KasCare, our family are still 100 percent involved. Let me introduce us.
The McDonalds, Sandy, Roger, Kalai, and Cressida and Sandy’s, mother, Zanny, are all in Australia.
Ronda Lowrie, Sandy’s aunt and Zanny's sister, and her daughter, Erin, live in South Africa.
Ronda visited The McDonald’s in 2008. She told them of the scale of the disaster facing so many children in South Africa whose lives are greatly compromised by the twin perils of HIV/AIDS and poverty. She explained she often gave out blankets to children as she drove around Johannesburg, and of her frustration—too many children, too few blankets.
Many of these children are AIDS orphans or have been abandoned. Many live in great poverty in shack settlements. Some head up families of their siblings together with other children. Some live alone, without shelter, in hills and dumps around the cities.
In South Africa, they refer to these children as OVC's - orphaned or vulnerable children. While other children's charities work hard to provide food and shelter for them, the McDonalds thought they could provide warmth and comfort.
We came up with the idea of asking the world's knitters and crocheters to send 8"/20 cm squares to South Africa where we would arrange to have them sewn into blankets for the children. So we put up this charity knitting and crochet website in October 2008.
The search engines discovered the site in February 2009. During that year, just over 54,000 squares and more than 4,000 knitted and crochet garments arrived. Now, in early 2011 that number has swelled to more than 170,000 squares, representing over 7,000 blankets and more than 11,000 garments.
From two families at launch, we now have more than 5,000 committed members in 40 countries around the world and a team of wonderful volunteers in South Africa, including Lindiwe and Wandile who work incredibly hard to warm and comfort the children.
Sandy now teaches others how to blog to create online communities to hopefully make a difference to others around the world.
But we need your help more than ever! Our goal for 2012 is to reach half a million squares with an additional 195,000 squares (5,600 blankets), 7,000 hats and 3,000 knitted garments.
We are also a volunteer organisation and would be deeply appreciative for your support. This will help us continue our grassroots movememt to raise awareness of the AIDS orphans' plight, as well as keeping them warm, especially those who are affected by HIV/AIDS.
At it's heart, knit-a-square really is a simple crochet and knitting for charity project. To make and send 8"/20cm squares takes little time, costs little and DOES make a difference. And all while you do what you love - knitting and crocheting.
Spread the word
If you want to make a further difference, your voice can be heard and your ideas will count. Please help us spread the word by LIKING us on our Facebook Group and joining our Square Circle forum.
All our members are chock full of fabulous ideas, free crochet and knitting patterns, challenges and constant discussions about how we can further help the children at a grassroots level.
We have documented hundreds of stories of the women who sew the blankets, the children who receive them and the amazing work that this creative and caring community of knitters and crocheters does for them.
You can also use these free knitting patterns to make a Square Vest, Square Pullover or a hat. Plus we have designed our own KAS GO-OVER™, a large, roomy pullover to keep the children warm, many of whom are often without shelter during the day.
Every square that is sent is used in a blanket to keep an orphan or abandoned child warm.
Ronda with Jamey, a young disabled orphan who received our very first knit-a-square blanket. Phiri Parish, Soweto, Saturday 28 March 2009.
Use your left over yarn scraps, join the knit-a-square crochet and knitting for charity project and your squares will soon be in blankets keeping young children warm.
Your stitches wrap a child in warmth and love.
Introduce knit-a-square to your school community.
The project is simple and accessible and your children will quickly understand that their efforts WILL make a difference, not only in helping keep a child warm, but in raising awareness of this mostly hidden tragedy. This 40 page teacher resource will help you introduce the project into your or your child's school.
The Square Circle ezines and updates are sent out regularly. They are full of photographs and stories of the children and their blankets, the volunteers and the amazing work you do.
You can subscribe here and catch up with the back issues on the same page.
Knit-a-square is a community of caring, generous and kind people who welcome new members in to the friendship of the Square Circle forum and are willing to help with any queries you have. I look forward to meeting you in the there soon. Sandy
Flying sticks
Clickety clacks, clackety clicks.
That’s the sound of hurrying sticks
knitting fast and stitching slow
squares for blankets on the go.
Little orphans, do you know
the meaning of these politics?
Give us strength to play these tricks
with yarn and hooks and flying sticks,
that we can make a winter fix.
The goal is to send 1,2 million squares to South Africa by July 10, 2012. Download this flyer to send to everyone you know in the world to join our knit-a-squillion challenge.
Knit-a-square's AIDS orphan crochet and knitting project site map for easy navigation of the site including free knitting patterns and free crochet patterns for squares and vests.
Would you like to know if your knitting for charity is making a difference to children and orphans living with aids in Africa? Square Circle ezine will bring you those stories.
Welcome to the knit-a-square community, where we share everything to do with making AIDS orphans warm, knitting, crocheting, patterns, challenges and successes.
Frequently asked questions (FAQS) about whether you can knit or crochet hats for the knit-a-square project which aims to make the abandoned children and AIDS orphans of Southern Africa warm.
Do you love crocheting or knitting for charity for children? Knit or crochet squares to help make blankets for the abandoned babies, children and AIDS orphans of southern Africa.
Charity work by Soweto Comfort Club includes the knit-a square knitting project - joining knitted squares sent from around the world to make blankets for the children of Soweto, many of whom are affe
Knitting instructions for how to knit (and crochet) squares using an easy knitting pattern to make blankets for abandoned children and AIDs orphans in Southern Africa.
Donate to support knit-a-square's crochet and knitting for charity project which supplies blankets for the abandoned babies, children and AIDS orphans of southern Africa.
Knitting groups and knitting blogs can do so much to spread the word about this knitting for charity project, which aims to provide AIDS orphans in Africa with blankets, made from knitted and crochete
HIV AIDS has created an unparalled dimension of human suffering in Southern Africa. A child is orphaned every 14 seconds a result of death by HIV AIDS.
African poverty together with the mounting toll of AIDS in South Africa and Zimbabwe has created another terrible legacy, the burden borne by AIDS grannies as they bury their children and are look aft
SOWETO is home to many of South Africa's 1.4 million AIDS orphans. SOWETO Comfort Club is among many children's charities working to alleviate their suffering by distributed knitted blankets.
Hotel Hope is a childrens charity in Johannesburg, South Africa aiming to house and educate HIV AIDS affected orphans. It opens its doors in February 2009.
TenThousandHomes.org is a Christian based charity for children who have been abandoned or are AIDS orphans in South Africa. Knit-a-square is knitting and crocheting to help keep these children warm.
knit-a-square videos of the blankets made from 8 x 8' squares and sent from around the world to knit-a-square, and distributed to the AIDS orphans and needy children from the Methodist Parish Soweto,
Beginning knitting? Its simple to learn how to knit. Try our knitting instruction for this easy knitting pattern and make a square to send to Africa for blankets to keep orphans warm.
These beginner knitting instructions take you through the four basics: casting on knitting, how to do the knit stitch, the purl stitch and how to cast off.
These beginner knitting instructions demonstrate the purl stitch. Once you master this knitting basic you can knit a send a square to help make blankets for children living in poverty
How to cast off is the last of four basic steps when you learn to knit. Follow these simple knitting instructions to complete a square and send to Africa to make blankets for orphans.
A selection of knitting patterns for a warm woollen pullovers, vests and blanket squares. This simple knitting pattern uses squares, is cheap to knit and will make a child, living with aids, warm.
Find crochet patterns for sweaters, vests and blankets to crochet for charity and provide garments and blanket squares for the abandoned children and AIDS orphans of Southern Africa.
The Knit-A-Square Vests - Free knitting patterns, which are also great knitting for beginners and can sent to Africa for children and orphans living with AIDS.
Unleash your inner artist with this creative knitting project. Follow these easy knitting patterns and make a magnificent heritage blanket as an heirloom for your family.
You can contribute your knitting techniques and tips to 'knitting help', to assist in knitting and sending squares to make blankets for the AIDS orphans in Southern Africa
Why should we be surprised to see men knitting? They invented the craft, so why do so few men know how to knit today? Here is a great knitting project to get men knitting again.
Knitting squares to make a baby blanket is a great way to learn how to knit. And you can knit a few extra squares to send to Africa to make blankets for the AIDS orphans.
Charity knitting for the AIDS orphans of Southern Africa has inspired knit-a-square heroes, who are championing this knitting project way beyond just knitting or crocheting a square.
Contact knit-a-square for details of their many crochet and knitting projects to help keep the abandoned children and AIDS Orphans of Southern Africa warm.
Would you visit South Africa if it was accompanied? Soweto tours, Cape Town and the Kruger National Park accompanied by people with passion and knowledge of the country's diversity and beauty.
A list of all 8 x 8" squares, pullovers, vests and hats, contributed by knitters and crocheters for the AIDS orphans and abandoned children of southern Africa
December 2012 Challenge: Stash Busting During December, we have decided to continue "relaxing" with Plain Jane Squares, with the added features of stash busting, and finishing UFOs (UnFinished Objects).
KAS-CALENDAR 2013 now just $9!
The calendar will work all year to spread the word about the work we are doing for the children of South Africa
You can donate here to help us wrap thousands of children in warm, hand made blankets. Just the price of two cups of coffee every month will make a powerful difference.
CLICK HERE for the address and detailed instructions to post your contributions.
Knit-a-square, the perfect program for your schools
Make a difference in an AIDS orphans life! Make a difference in your childrens' lives! Start here with this 40 page, beautifully illustrated teacher resource, all for a small donation of $12.95.
Thank you for your willingness to contribute to our knit-a-square project.
Here to is the KasCare's School Guide to knit-a-square. We would love you to join our friendly KasCommunity and our Facebook group to help warm the millions of vulnerable, orphaned or abandoned children.
For stories of the children and the work we do for them, you can subscribe to here to our free ezine, Square Circle.
We are also very grateful for your consideration of a small monthly donation to help us continue to do this vital work. Thank you.
WELCOME METHODIST LADIES COLLEGE COMMUNITY!