Locals Doris Pollak, Hilary Sassen and Helen Handel confess to taking their knitting with them everywhere.
So it is fitting then that they have called themselves and the knitting enthusiasts who are part of their team, the Knitting Knutz.
These avid knitters put needle to wool for a good cause and are seeking help from the community to continue to knit for those in need, through donations of wool and through hearts and hands willing to help them with their knitting projects.
The initiative was the brainchild of Pollak, who around 25 years ago, contacted friend Sassen about a project which required they knit squares. The initiative grew from there, and blanket after blanket, jersey after jersey, beanie after beanie, and even bootie after bootie, they and their team have successfully kept countless individuals, including prem babies, warm in the cooler months.
Handel said she had joined the group a little later but was no less dedicated. Her enthusiasm for the initiative has been such that she managed to rope in her employee Josephina Hlatshwayo, who now crochets borders for the blankets which are made of squares or strips of wool joined together, to beautiful effect.
“At the moment, we have around 15 dedicated knitters,” said Pollak. Among their team members is a blind woman who knits as though she was a knitting machine, with perfect tension, added Pollak. There was also a 87-year-old woman who has since passed away, but whose work has been grafted in to beautiful blankets which will be used to warm someone in need’s home in the future.
The team previously had a wool sponsor but she recently passed away, and are looking for sponsors of wool of any description. “Every donation helps,” said Sassen. “Even smaller balls of wool can be used to squeeze out a bootie.”
So why the name Knitting Knutz? “It was easier to say than Crazy Crocheters,” explained Sassen.
Details: anythingoes@telkomsa.net, or 083 654 8625.
ALSO READ:
