The head Knitwit of Dainfern started the group after her sister – Carolyn Steyn – made the announcement that her charity initiative – 67 blankets for Nelson Mandela Day – would be attempting another world record!
Johannesburg, South Africa (20 November 2020) – Every Friday a group of kind South Africans get together to give back by putting hook to crook!
What started as a simple idea to give back, has created a friendship circle that is growing every week.
Colleen Teklenburg started the group through her Facebook Page shortly after the hard lockdown ended, and the group has grown to almost 30 people who meet weekly to crochet together. There are people from as far as Haartebeespoort Dam and Sophiatown who join the “Knitwits” every Friday at Six33 – the beautiful restaurant in Dainfern Golf Estate – and everyone keeps safe physical distancing while doing some good at the same time.
“It has been fabulous to see the group grow so quickly, and it’s just lovely to get together and do some good! Our youngest Knitwit is around 35, and our oldest is 89. Friday mornings are so special and to know that these blankets will be doing some good next Winter makes all our hearts warm,” Teklenburg explains.
And Teklenburg invited Good Things Guy to join the Friday festivities!
The head Knitwit of Dainfern started the group after her sister – Carolyn Steyn – made the announcement that her charity initiative – 67 blankets for Nelson Mandela Day – would be attempting another world record!
Steyn spent some time on Women’s Day this year working on the next big world record plan – to knit and crochet the biggest Springbok blanket.
Steyn live-streamed from her home to encourage her fellow KnitWits for Madiba, a name adopted by all who join the 67 blankets cause, to start knitting as the countdown begins.
Steyn announced that the Springbok blanket would be constructed at Siya Kolisi’s old school Grey College and that Siya will also be getting involved in the project.
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The best part is, once the blanket has been made and the record set, it is dismantled and donated to children’s homes, elderly care homes and other charitable organisations.
This isn’t the first time the KnitWits have set a world record, previously they knitted the worlds largest blanket portrait of Mandela (which was visible from space) and also knitted the worlds longest scarf.
You can join the cause and become a KnitWit via their Facebook group here. Take a look at the draft of the blanket below as well as the colour chart for the wool needed for blankets. You can knit or crochet any pattern as long as its in the selected colours and 160x160cm.
So, if you needed something to keep you busy for the next couple of weeks, this could be it!
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It is understandable to take on the challenge of the worlds biggest blanket ! But hope they will make it from “squares” that can easily be ”retrieved” to distribute to the NEEDY !! who really NEED to be given individual blankets !! 👍👍👍👍m
Good luck with a wonderful initiative!!