Knit a Care Square 2021

Knit a Care Square 2021

Well once again, what an amazing year for everyone who both contributes to and receives from the making, joining and using these beautiful blankets.

As we all know, in the midst of a global pandemic, we need to adapt to the changing conditions and we did. The previous year taught us a lot in terms of how to continue connecting and sharing despite the restrictions.

Throughout the year, we made the decision to place as much information related to Knit a Care Square in the Community Projects section of this site. This has been welcomed by many of you.

Once again, there was a lot of continuation with organisations and locations as well as many new things introduced, which will be shared below.

So a big thank you to everyone for the part you play in creating this wonderful process which brings so much happiness in so many ways. We’d love to hear your stories and contributions here too, so feel free to comment and share below this post. (PS to do so, you just need to become a member which is free and easy, click here).

Amazing blankets

As you can see from the regular face book posts, the amazing array of blanket colours and designs. Every blanket made is photographed, so we hope you can see where your knitted squares and work has led to. See FB page here.

2021 we donated 541
2020 we donated 475
2019 we donated 332
2018 we donated 43
2017 we donated 17

Where the blankets went

Over 2021 we continued the usual locations we donate to including: Treasure Boxes, APY Lands, Baptist Care, Unity SA, Anglicare, Adelaide Day Centre, Vinnies, Salvation Army (the full list of locations can be found on the KACS community project page here

It was wonderful to be introduced to other organisations who were / are also in need of blankets for the people they service.

• We enjoyed going to Rufus; an organisation that provides furniture to those with limited funds and needing to set up a living space.
• We enjoyed attending an event put on by Welcoming Australia, for the new Afghanistan arrivals
• We loved meeting Catherine and Hazel from William’s Wardrobe and hearing their story and what they do.
• We dropped off some of the crocheted blankets that we received, to the Greek Aged Care Facility Ridleyton

Groups connecting

There are many groups, hubs, workplaces and individuals enjoying coming together knitting squares and in many instances, completing blankets. Unfortunately we are not able to mention you all, however you know who you are, so thank you again.

• Some Community Groups, hubs and workplaces: Maddern Legal, Elizabeth Rise, Knit Wits, TTG U3A, Hallet Cove Lion’s Club, Pasadena knitting group, Treasure Boxes, Kay’s Community Fitness Network (Blackwood, Reynella, Mitcham, Hackham, Marion, Happy Valley), North East network
• Online zoom: If you are able to zoom with us on Saturday afternoon at 3:30pm ACDST – (see the events link here)

Special blankets and other donations

There were blankets both donated or auctioned raising funds for special causes.

• Christmas blankets: auctioned for soup kitchen at Cafe outside the square, and Uniting SA Christmas Appeal
• Indigenous blanket: was donated to an indigenous family in the north eastern suburbs who really loved it.
• Port power blanket: was auctioned and the funds raised were donated to the soup kitchen at Outside the Square.
• Purple Blanket: was donated to Catherine House to raffle and raise funds for various needs.
• Single blankets: were donated to the Anti Poverty Awareness BBQ (together with other food fare raised during various events)
• Alpaca blanket: was auctioned and funds raised donated to the soup kitchen. This blanket was created by …. who had her own alpacas Bill and Ben. She used and spun the wool, then knitted many squares ready to be joined into a blanket. And what a beautiful blanket it made!

Food fare and Plarn mats: were donated to social engagement and connectors in the community e.g. Anglicare, Unity Housing, Hutt Street.

Some events that took place

• ‘For you’ event – is an event run by Real Time Heart Based. This event was about sharing how small things you engage for you, can kick start a whole new way of life. Knitting was one of the activities shared. More about that here
• ‘For you’ event – was run at Morse Court Flinders park for Unity Housing. It brought neighbours together. Blankets were donated, and we also rounded up more volunteer knitters! More about that here
• Darn and Yarn event – we held our annual event at Cafe Outside the Square on May 15th. Once again, time to share, care and learn and engage. More about that here
• Winter solstice event (we slept on plain mats) – we did this online, bringing together volunteers and others to just share in this wonderful and natural phenomena. More about that here

Other stories, involvements and updates

• Visit to Betty at Rest haven – we ran a zoom session there one Saturday afternoon and Betty showed us how to use the cabin stitch. What a lovely afternoon. Read more about it here.
• Deaf Blind Awareness – we were asked by DBA if we had any spare squares or runs of squares to assist them in preparing for their event in Adelaide Arcade in the City Centre. It was lovely to be involved and to be there at the opening. Read more about it here
• Replantation Project – we were asked if any of our knitters could help out with knitting Australian squares for their blanket project raising funds to save the Kangaroo Island’s Ligurian Bees. We will see how this ends up in 2022.
• The heart project – it was the brainchild of Kathy Bryker who suggested crocheted squares to be sewn on to the blankets as another signature and kind gesture.And what a difference it has made to every blanket. To learn more about the hearts and how to make them, you can visit here. 
• Community Dollars program with Drakes – people who shop at Drakes and swipe their KACS swipe tag, contribute greatly as the amount raised fund many of our balls of blue joining wool. Thank you everyone, every dollar makes a difference.