Carolyn Steyn co-founder of 67 Blankets for Mandela Day with Godlo Yase, the Nelson Mandela Day manager.
The organisation, 67 Blankets for Mandela Day is celebrating its third birthday and calling on all South Africans to pick up knitting needles to create history.
With three Guinness World Records under its belt, the non-profit organisation will be embarking on its biggest challenge yet of assembling the world’s largest portrait blanket to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 100th year, in 2018.
Currently, the holder of the Largest Crochet Blanket in the World title, earned for a blanket measuring over 17 000 square metres last year, the organisation is encouraging all to be part of the Massive Mandela Day Masterpiece project. The goal is to knit a portrait blanket to be witnessed from the sky.
Each blanket donated, measuring 160cm by 160cm, will form a single pixel in the black and white portrait of Nelson Mandela, which will be framed in the colours of the South African flag.
Carolyn Steyn, co-founder of the 67 Blankets for Mandela Day said the initiative had exploded into a movement. “The amount of love and time people have put into their blankets, the donations of wool, time and necessary services needed to pull these events off, all point to the hope that this project inspires people,” she said.
“I am humbled by the number of people who have committed to the challenge and I believe that this project is going to inspire people further and bring warmth and hope to many more.”
Actress, Judy Ditchfield and singer and recording artist, Timothy Moloi, are part of the 67 Blankets for Mandela Day initiative.
This year, 67 Blankets will continue to knit blankets and scarfs to be distributed in winter. A number of events will be held throughout the country in April to celebrate the three-year milestone. Thousands of blankets will be placed in special areas where Mandela left a footprint.
Sello Hatang, Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO, said the foundation was excited about the initiative as it embraces the former stateman’s values of compassion, giving and service. “We are moved by the continued interest in this initiative, which is a demonstration of people’s acts of kindness towards those who need to stay warm in the winter,” he said.
Those interested in pledging a blanket for the project and to get the exact details of the colours and sizes needed for the Massive Mandela Masterpiece, can send emails to info@67blankets.co.za or visit its social media pages for more information.
Details: Find 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day South Africa on Facebook; @67blankets
