Wool&more – May 2015 Newsletter

Date: May 14, 2015 | Posted in News | Newsletters | Plettenberg Bay News

wool&more

In this Issue

Masizame hand-over & thanks to all
Latest project BIG B (Beanies, Booties, Blankies for new born babies and Beanies and Bedsocks for elderly)
New stock
Wild Knitting & Crochet lessons by Doortjie Gersbach
Tunisian and Crochet lessons
Machine service
Trading days / hours – Saturdays until end July 2015
Competition reminder for Tommy Toad

Only a couple of days ago, last Thursday to be exact, we handed over the beautiful, cuddly blankets to the children at Masizame Shelter in Kwano.

There were some incredible blankies in the batch (even two crocheted ones which were couriered by Jenny from Cape Town, and made with beautiful Canadian yarn – thanks again Jen).

It was heartening, gratifying and lots of fun to see the kids gleefully wrap themselves in their very own, unique blankie …. But I believe that I was the major beneficiary – I experienced such a surge of emotion: of gratitude for all that I have, for all that I am, that it was truly a huge gift for me!!

Thank you ALL so, so much for pulling out all the stops to make this another very successful Community Project Program by wool&more and for helping to stir such deep emotions (in me and in the children)!

Some pics only begin to describe the colour, happy smiles and deep contentment!! Thanks again, one and all!!

Our newest Project is called the “BIG B Project” … we are asking for Booties, Beanies and Blankies (fully made up please) for the following beneficiaries:

On an ongoing basis, we would like to have infant booties (birth to around 6 months old), beanies (newborn to aged 7 years old) and blankies for new mothers in our township areas who have just given birth and mostly who go home with new babe in arms, and little else. These will be distributed through Ann Holmes and her amazing team who work tirelessly in Qolweni (one of the most needy townships in Plett). These ladies (aka Angels!) run the Baby Haven with over 100 babies aged newborn to four years old.

Then there is Siyakula also in Qolweni and attached to Baby Haven: there, around 110 children aged 4 to 6 years old are cared for at the crèche every day. And furthermore, there is a very successful Grade R class, currently with just under 50 children (aged around 6-7 years) who, once they get to Primary School, are way ahead of the other children (and often put up from Grade 1 to Grade 2 in a matter of months!). Great work done by the Siyakula team!

Now just do the math: over 250 children in one small area (any one of them potentially a President of South Africa in future), all in need!

Ann and her ladies provide so much, including a hand knitted jersey for every child, every winter and we feel that if we can do something to assist them, let’s just pull out all the stops and give them a deserving hand! So whether it’s just a few beanies (aged newborn to around 7 years old), a couple of pairs of booties for the infants or a baby blankie, your contribution will be so gratefully received. Let’s keep this Project going until at least the end of the year, if not longer. That will be awesome!! Thanks in advance … just keep them rolling in!

The second part of our BIG B project is to provide Beanies and Bedsocks to the elderly in the area … any contributions will be very gratefully received. If we can get over 100 of these before the end of June this year, that will be fantastic!!!

Just this week,we received my exquisite, luxurious yarn from Linda’s Treehouse: Merino, Alpaca and Mohair mix, in phenomenal colours, all hand dyed. This is truly something very special … and because of the hand dyed aspect, cannot be replicated! So pop in to get yours soon. She also brought us some hand dyed Alpaca (pure with just 17% soft Merino) … it’s just a Wow!! And crafted with the natural Alpaca already in stock… what a garment that will be!

Another delivery, just in, is Mop Yarn! It’s “seriously chunky” pure cotton: soft, natural and perfect for scarves, snoods, carpets, blankets, etc. It arrived in huge balls which we are busy rewinding into manageable skeins. Really an unusual and delightful yarn.

Please remember the competition running until the end of August: for the best toy representing either Tommy Toad or Badger from the book “Welcome Tommy Toad”. Details as they appeared in last month’s newsletter as a reminder follow. I am, however, including a second prize of a wool&more voucher valued at R100-00!

´We are holding a competition to determine who can knit or crochet the main characters (Badger the dog, or Tommy Toad) the best! We will have a panel of judges who will determine the best articles and prizes will be awarded. Some criteria: finished article size between 15 and 35cm tall; to be received by us by no later than 30^th August 2015 and each piece to have your name, email address and contact telephone number firmly attached. You may submit as many “toys” as you wish. Once judging has taken place, the winner will receive a voucher from wool&more to the value of R250-00 and the toys will be handed to local nursery schools with donations of free books for their reading corner. Books are available from us at R99-00 each (excluding postage) but purchasing a book is not a criteria for entering (however, seeing the gorgeous illustrations will certainly assist you in your design of the toy/s!). The book also makes a great gift!”

As you know, the Wild Knitting workshop to be held in May is fully booked. However, we were really lucky to get Linda to agree to do another couple of days: Day 1, for those who have not done her course before and who were not able to get into her May class, will be held on Thursday 25^th June 2015. Then her Day 2, for those who have done Linda’s Day 1, will be on Friday 26^th June. Both days will run from 9.00 to 16.00 and the cost will likely be around R400 – to be confirmed when booking. Please don’t let this opportunity slip by… it’s just fantastic stuff!!

And news just in (literally 10 minutes ago!): for all those on the waiting list for Doortjie Gersbach’s awesome crochet workshop: she has agreed to extend her stay for Saturday 11^th July (we are fully booked for the Thursday and Friday prior). So please get your name down asap – it won’t be for another year or so till we are able to see her again. Beginners, intermediate and advanced level crochet ladies: don’t miss this opportunity!!

We have decided to make Thursday mornings (10.30 – 12.30) a special time for Crochet and Tunisian Lessons for the duration of winter (until end August). Please do book in advance – Annette is happy to accommodate beginner and intermediate levels. Cost will be R90-00 for the lesson; extras such a manuals, hooks, yarn, as optional extras which you can just buy from the shop when you arrive. If anyone cannot make Thursdays, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you at another time.

Please know that we have an excellent technician who services and repairs sewing and knitting machines. As he lives just out of Plett, we have agreed to let you and him use wool&more as a drop-off/pick up centre for this service. Please call us for more details

I know I said last month that the shop would be open every Saturday till the end of August 2015 … I am a woman and thus allowed to change my mind!! The shop will be open every Saturday but till the end of July 2015. We will then revert to first and last Saturdays of every month (9.30 – 12.30).

Below is the link to a really useful table giving various yarns (including their various names) along with their gauge ranges (for that dreaded 10x10cm!!) as well as the needles/hooks you require in using that specific yarn. It is especially helpful when using a downloaded pattern where various terms and yarns may not be familiar to us. Enjoy using this resource.