This year marks 30 years since the founding in 1992 of the Australian charity organisation called “Wrap with Love”.
Only last year this organisation had sent 13,124 blankets to needy recipients in different countries including Australia (4,020) and Ukraine (300). Since 1992, a total of some 554,567 blankets have been sent to people in need of warmth, kindness and care – “to be wrapped with love”
On August 19, after a forced break of almost 3 years, ladies who have their knitting groups in 4 Sydney libraries at West Ryde, Top Ryde, Eastwood and Gladesville finally met again this year at the Top Ryde Library where rugs were on display. These exhibitions as a rule are held once a year and are organised by the Senior Top Ryde Librarian A. Phippen. As was the case this year, the exhibitions are generally open for one week only and attract a large number of appreciative visitors. The blankets made by local ladies are truly beautiful. They are multi-coloured and of different designs – a testimony of their craftsmanship and the love they put into making them.
The knitting group of dedicated ladies of different nationalities to which I belong meets at the West Ryde Library twice a month. I have been a member of this close-knit group for many years.
A blanket-rug measuring 180 by100 cm is made of 28 separately knitted or crochet squares (25 by 25cm) which are then joined together to form a rug . We mostly knit at home, but when we meet in the library we communicate, share our ideas and skills, support and help each other. Some ladies knit, the other crochet, those who do not know how to knit or crochet, we teach them this skill. The label “Wrap with Love” is sewn into each square.
In doing what we do, our thoughts are with people who will ultimately receive our gift. We don’t mind giving our time and yarn to this good deed. This is our small contribution to people who are in need of help for various reasons (natural disasters, wars, etc.), warming them not only physically, but also spiritually.
The basis of any blanket of this type is a so-called "grandmother's” square. Blankets made of squares are also knitted in Russia, warming the elderly and orphans.
I would like to share some of the things I learned about knitting from my many readings about it.
Knitting is sometimes called "yoga for the brain", And there are many benefits attributed to it. It is said that it is good for your health generally. It calms the nerves, helps to develop patience, perseverance. Lowers blood pressure and improves memory. It helps to maintain mental clarity, agility and attentiveness. It’s a sort of gymnastics for the mind and eyes. Some people may be surprised to know that famous German physicist Albert Einstein knitted and it was said it helped him in his work. He himself said that it "calmed the mind and cleared the eyes."
People began to crochet in the 16th century and this method came to Russia in the 19th century from Europe. The first mention of "grandmother's squares" dates back to about 1891. A square or motif starts with a loop and has many variations.
After all, they say “there are no comrades for the taste and colour,” so everyone knits in their own way, from plain or coloured yarn, There is no limit to one’s fantasy and imagination prompted by anticipation of joy with which knitted colourful warm blankets will be received by people.
There is also a new type of ‘street knitting’ or knitted Graffiti called “Yarnbombing”’. It first appeared in America in 2005. A store owner by the name of Magda Seig to attract more customers to her store decided at the time to decorate the door to the store with knitted colourful items. And it worked. She then got her friends to do the same and together they started to adorn in this way trees, monuments etc.
And this become known as “Yarnbombing” - street knitting or knitted Graffiti and very quickly became popular in Europe and also came to Australia. People started to adorn multitude of things in this way with bright colourful knitted items – city streets, cars, buses, bicycles, telephone booths, flower pots, lampshades, bottles, furniture legs, etc. - dressing them all up in bright outfits.
Happy knitting!
Lydia KNAUSEDER, Sydney
