Knit-A-Square - The Connecticut Connection!

This time of year has all of us traveling around.  I was at our Association Annual Meeting this past Monday.  While I was speaking with one of my neighbors, she was telling me about the knitting group they have at her church.  Of course you might imagine that I brought up KasCare. 

She thought it was great idea.  She mentioned to me that the woman sitting in the back row was the former owner of the yarn shop in town and that she would call her to see if the Yarn Shop owner and I could get together.

Once we get through the holidays, she said that she would get me the introduction to the church group!  Yippie, this is great.

One Square at a Time, One Child at a Time.

Knit-A-Square - The Connecticut Connection!

See the children sing and thank you for your squares! Look how beautiful the children are with the most beautiful blankets.

Knit-A-Square - The Connecticut Connection!

Edyie has come through. She is the International chair of the General Federation of Women's Clubs(GFWC) local club.  The Newington/Wethersfield Women's Club will be officially adopting Knit-A-Square as their International project!

Long story, short - Edyie and I met through my volunteering at the Library. This past November, I was at the polls promoting Library cards with Norma. We talked, and Knit-a-Square came up. She also knew Edyie. A month ago, Edyie and I spoke about the project. I sent her the information and voila!

This is great for Knit-A-Square - I'll be speaking at their meeting on Jan 25th. Edyie is excited as she thinks that we can bring KasCare to all the clubs in Connecticut. GFWC has about 48 clubs in Connecticut alone, then there are the clubs in other states!

PS she has 26 squares for me and will be dropping them off this week!

Kascare.org - Squares for Children

Hi all,

It's been a couple of crazy weeks and it's been fun.  I've completed a couple more square myself inbetween all of the crazies.

I wanted to thank Kristy - she has been crocheting non-stop and loving life.  This past weekend her husband, Scott, dropped off her batch of squares.  Oh my goodness - there were 107!!! 

Congragulations Kristy my most heart felt thanks! 

Today I just received another email.  Carol wrote "Any way, my squares are done!!! My goal was 50 squares and to finish my yarn, I got to 51!!!!   Yippie to Carol!  You've done beyond great!  There will be warmer children because of you.

This is such a great way to finish up the "stash" of miscellaneous bits 'n pieces of yarn we all have.    I'll be picking up her squares over the weekend.

More later ,,,,,  This is getting really exciting!

Squares, Squares and more Squares

Hi All,

The squares are coming in!  This picture is from S.A. at a volunteer's home on October 13th!

I wrote to the organization cheering them on.  This is such a great effort.   See their letter below.  I'm so inspired that I will be continuing to collect squares past the November date that I first thought.  

 This past weekend I made two squares with left-over Lion Brand Homespun.  It worked up beautiful and really quickly.

Keep up the good work - call me for any questions

Thank again!


Hi Patty

Thank you so much for your email, I love your email address!


What a wonderful job you are doing of spreading the word. 250 squares and 100 people getting involved will help innumerably.

You are welcome to the photos Patty. Thank you again for all your hard work.

Warm regards
Kalai McDonald - Administrator

To support us please consider a small recurring fee of US$3.oo per month, please go to http://allfororphans.com/
Click here to view:
Every day is Nelson Mandela day with knit-a-square
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/07/19/2958318.htm
Please join our forum for help with anything you need and to be a part of a wonderful commmunity http://forum.knit-a-square.com/
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Kascare.org - Squares for Children

I received this email today and I am still so excited!  Can you imagine! 

Hello Patty: Wow, one of my friends has thirty made, and still going. She is using up every bit of yarn she has left over from her projects, awesome - another has at least 10, I have 6, waiting to hear from the other two. When I get the 30+, I will check in with you and find out when you will be at the Library and get these down to you. Again, everyone is doing simple stitches, not being too creative, just wanting to help the cause.

See ya, Dori

The lady with thirty made - wow - I'd love to use up lots of my scraps too!  I better get upstairs and continue my square!

KasCare - Colors of South Africa

I received a great question, what are the colors of the South African Flag?

So here it is, the red, white and blue date back before Nelson Mandella became president in 1994.  The black gold and green are representative of the South African people.

Wikipedia has a nice write up regarding the history of the flags of this country.  It also contains the proper flag etiquette. 

If you'd like to use these colors, please be respectful on their presentation.

Squares for Kids

Just a quick note on the squares.  My emails have been paying off.  My list of volunteers are growing, lots of squares, several are postage contributors, and one is a monthly contributor to KasCare.  You can see our numbers grow on KasCare Org - Pledges.

My square is almost finished.  I'll be entering it into the JoAnn's Craft for a Cause and make my vote for KasCare - Knit a Square.

Let's get started on those squares!

As we begin this challenge, I learn so much about how these blankets will help the children.  Then of course, I learn about the individuals that make the squares.

Here's some squares that have been completed by those before us.


Find more photos like this on Square Circle Forum

KASCare - Knit & Crochet Challenge

Today, I launched my committment to KasCare to get the word out about this most important work that is being done by them for the children orphaned by poverty and HIV/AIDS in South Africa.  Thanks for Sandy McDonald and her Aunt Ronda who have brought this mostly hidden tragedy to light.  They started only two years ago and already have had squares delivered to SA from 35 countries.

You can join in and help the children by knitting or crocheting a square.  See  my page on KasCare.org - Squares for Children for more information.

If you get here via my recent email, welcome!  Leave a note for me, email me at  KasCareNow-CT@yahoo.com.

Thank you for your Support!  You can make this difference.

JoAnn's Craft for a Cause

Just heard about this contest through my KasCare/ Knit-a-Square group.  It begins today, August 15th and runs through October 30th.

Simply you enter the contest on-line - see link above, and five individuals are selected as winners - you recieve a $1500 gift card.

Then the real actions begins. 

Several Charities will be selected and everyone will be asked to vote.  The site says three charities will be chosen and JoAnn's will donate $$big bucks to them.  Though I don't find the "math" working (lol).

This is a chance for yourself, but a great chance for your charity to really win some money.  In these times, when raising money for charities is always a challenge, this is a great opportunity

So, are you working on a project?  See the rules and regulations - simple stuff, one thing you must do -  scan and submit a copy of the receipt from JoAnn's showing the materials used to make your project and three pictures of your project.

Let's get organized and Let's get crafting!

Warm up orphaned children

Yesterday I watched a film named "Yesterday".  It is about a woman, of the same name, living in a remote village in South Africa's Zululand.  It is a tremendously powerful movie and I highly recommend watching it.  It's a foreign film, plenty of English subtitles.  It was a best nominee for a foreign film in 2004.

So what has this to do with being creative?  Lots - in the film I noticed that there was lots of brightly colored crocheted pieces of clothing.  In no time I did a search to find out if there was anything about it.  There is lots!  Most importantly, is KasCare.  This is an organization that is about Aid for AIDS orphans in South Africa.  Founded in Australia, this family, has made it their mission in life to bring awareness to the 1.4million orphaned children in South Africa.

What you can do? It is really simple - make a 8" x 8" knitted or crochet square - send it to them or send it to me and I'll forward it on to them.  That's it.  Dig into your stash bag, grab a hook or needles and in less than an hour you'll have a square.

Check back later, I'll have more news.