Mandela blankets break world record
JOBURG - To commemorate Freedom Day on 21 April, a significant milestone in South African history, the Union Buildings in Pretoria was awash with a sea of colour with the showing of handmade blankets displayed in one location at one time in South Africa, all made by the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day knitwits.
Head of the Nelson Mandela Foundation Sello Hatang said, “We are honoured to be associated with this initiative which we hope will help build a more cohesive society, especially during these trying times faced by our country. We hope it will help stitch our wounded nation and restore dignity. We would like to thank each one of the knitwits who helped make a dream of keeping those in need warm this winter.”
The 3133 square metres of handmade blankets knitted , crocheted and quilted by the knitwits of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day has broken a Guinness World Record, it was the largest area covered by a blankets.
An ecstatic Carolyn Steyn, a Fourways resident and founder of the initiative, said, ” Beyond my wildest dreams imaginable, this is our goodwill, congratulations South Africa.
“The award-winning Mandela Day initiative celebrates the ethos and the legacy of a man who united South Africans in a time of uncertainty. We hope South Africans can see these blankets have been handmade with love and compassion. This Mandela Day initiative celebrates the ethos and the legacy of a man who united South Africans in a time of uncertainty and today was a true testament to that, seeing thousands of hand crafted blankets hand made with love and compassion. The blankets will now be distributed to the needy before the cold arrives.”
For several months, 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day have encouraged South Africans to knit, sew or crochet a blanket. It has managed to knit together communities in such a positive way, and will continue to do so going forward.
The project celebrated its first anniversary in January and has attracted knitwits not only from South Africa but globally, and they heeded the call to ‘take up needles and hooks’ to make blankets to keep people warm. There are groups also in the USA, India, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Cyprus, London and in the Netherlands.
“It was raining blankets and we were being inundated with the most beautiful handmade blankets that are still being delivered from knitwits all over to add to this incredible initiative at the Union Buildings. All the blankets were laid out at the feet of the Nelson Mandela Statue. This world record-breaking attempt was just one step in our incredible journey, one which promises to, stitch by stitch, keep South Africans warm in winter,” said Steyn.
The world record-breaking attempt took place from 6am to 2pm.
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