Episodes
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We are blessed to have so many big-hearted people volunteering at the barn. In this episode, Norma shares with Leanne what first drew her to Knit-a-Square and what it was like to become a regular on opening days. We hear, too, how it felt for Norma when she got to go on her first distribution at the Lion Park informal settlement.
This is the final episode of this short season, but look out for a bonus episode to follow. If you have not yet listened to earlier seasons of the podcast, be sure to look them up on the Acast platform where they are hosted under the name Knit-a-Square. To everyone who has shared the podcast with friends and family, thank you!
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Long-standing KAS members Pam Johnson and Elaine Jones share with Leanne the process they followed in setting up a Shropshire-based charity called “Knit for Life”. The charity makes it possible for them to send large quantities of squares to South Africa on behalf of dozens of local knitters. Recorded in October last year, this interview is jam-packed with great ideas and lots of laughter, a real tonic in an otherwise difficult period in world affairs.
If you have similar inspirational stories to share with the Knit-a-Square family, please get in touch with Leanne to let her know.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Missing episodes?
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The sounds and feel of Athelé’s visit to Perfuri near the northern tip of the Kruger National Park are captured in this episode as she chats to Leanne from her spot under a tree. We hear the excitement of the children who receive toys, and feel with Athelé her wish that more could be done to reach all the young ones in the community.
The tiny toys that were distributed were specially selected from the hundreds that come into the barn because space in the car was so limited. Generally, the toys that KAS hands out are of a size that a child can cuddle. Thanks to all our contributors who generously send soft toys, handmade and shop-bought, because the joy they bring to those who receive them is beyond words.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode, Leanne chats to Valerie Zalewski in France. Valerie has been a member of KAS since 2012 and is a keen crocheter, using her large stash of yarn to make squares and toys for the children.
Of special interest is Valerie’s story of how she came to learn about Knit-a-Square in the first place. It is a reminder to us all that curiosity, nurtured and acted upon, can lead to life’s most rewarding discoveries.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Anna has been a volunteer at the Knit-a-Square barn for about three years and is passionate about compiling squares into blankets. In this episode, she chats to Leanne from a friendly coffee shop in the midst of her morning’s routines, explaining how she came to be involved and what motivates her to work so hard at what she does.
The blankets that Anna and others bring into the barn are colourful and bright, guaranteed to put a smile on any child’s face. Be sure to visit the Blanket Room on the KAS website to see and be inspired by the myriad wooly creations we get to distribute in Gauteng and beyond.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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It’s been a long break, but I’m back with another season of the Knit-a-Square podcast, sharing news and interviews with our wonderful members from South Africa and around the world. In this episode, I review some of the conversations I’ve had with members in previous seasons, then share some of my own news.
Full disclosure, I’m rather out of practice with podcasting. It was necessary to edit out some splutters and bits where my sentences got too tangled up to make any sense. Time was also limited, so the result is imperfect. Still, imperfections are evidence of authenticity, as they say, and I offer this to you as the best I could do under the circumstances. Thank you for your understanding.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Leanne’s daughter Tammy joins her on today’s podcast to chat about their morning at the barn. Tammy is a psychologist in training and has experience working with patients with anxiety. She shares some interesting findings regarding knitting, crocheting and other fibre arts.
This is the final episode of season 2 of the Knit-a-Square podcast. You are welcome to go back and listen to previous episodes from seasons 1 and 2, and if you have any suggestions for future episodes, please get in touch.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Joy Evans is a keen knitter of PJ’s and is glad to know they are welcomed as the backdrop to beautiful picture squares contributed by other members. Speaking to Leanne from her home in Arkansas, she shares her passion for Knit-a-Square and the chance to let the children know that someone cares.
In this episode you will also find details on the measurements of squares and how to prepare them for posting. Sometimes puzzling problems arise, such as when a square turns out much too large or a blanket edging looks more like a frill. Leanne has some solutions to offer from her own experience which may prove helpful to listeners.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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July is Mandela month in South Africa, but this year’s Mandela Day was marred by social unrest. Listen to what the volunteers at Knit-a-Square have to say about it, now that things are returning to normal, and experience some of the lively atmosphere in the barn as they open parcels, fold blankets and sort squares.
Leanne welcomes feedback on the podcast and is always on the lookout for members who will come on as guests. We love to hear about the special interests of our members around the world. Please get in touch if you have a story to share or just want to make a suggestion for a future episode.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Grace Weir has been a member of Knit-a-Square for 11 years, and her friends in Dorchester, Dorset have helped her contribute many blankets and accessories for distribution. As she shares with Leanne her love of yarn, knitting, card-making and a range of other crafts, her enthusiasm for helping others is infectious.
You are probably aware that a spate of violence and looting has engulfed KZN and Gauteng lately. This, in addition to the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, is putting enormous strain on poorer communities. Please keep South Africa in your prayers and help in whatever way you can. Even sharing this podcast with a friend is an act of kindness, since it is a way of telling others how they too can make beautiful handmade blankets, beanies, hand-warmers and toys for our most vulnerable children.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode, Athelé tells us about three distributions that she and Estelle managed to do before the latest level four lockdown occurred. Blankets, beanies, hand warmers and toys were handed out to vulnerable children in the settlements of Hammanskraal and Lion Park on behalf of our generous knitters around the world.
Much of the focus in the conversation is on what it feels like to be caught between one’s own comfortable lifestyle and the suffering of others. This is a “slice of life” episode, providing a window on the many difficulties our volunteers have to contend with and what, ultimately, makes the work so rewarding.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Marion Davies lives within sight of the historic Conwy Castle in North Wales and shares with us her passion for crocheting picture squares to incorporate into the beautiful blankets that get distributed to orphaned and vulnerable children in South Africa.
She also tells Leanne about an unfortunate craft-related injury she sustained and how she manages to avoid further disruptions in her crocheting of squares. We can all learn from her experience. To be unable to knit or crochet for an extended period is extremely frustrating, especially when you see photographs of what others are producing on the forum!
Please note: The packing slip and mailing label can be printed off the Knit-a-Square website, together with all the information you need about how to make and send your squares.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons License.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The term “informal settlement” is frequently used in describing where our vulnerable children live but the actual location, history and conditions relating to such settlements seldom get discussed in our reports. This episode goes a little deeper into the challenges our children face, both physical and developmental.
Georgie Purdon from the Angels Care Centre in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, chats to Leanne about a recent distribution of Knit-a-Square blankets to children under 5 years old. Together with beanies, hand warmers and toys, the blankets brought them delight and warmth ahead of a particularly icy snap.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [Youtube Audio Library] © Creative Commons Licence.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Knit-a-Square is an amazing community of caring people, brought together by our shared commitment to keep South Africa’s vulnerable and orphaned children warm. This episode of the podcast celebrates our connections at every level.
Susanne Leverton was raised by her mother to think of others and spent her working life serving in the arid region of Central Australia as a remote nurse among indigenous people. Now in retirement, she lives on the coast and enjoys knitting picture squares and crocheting blankets to send off in the mail to the barn. We hear her story and the motivation behind her work in this episode.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons Licence.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode, Leanne chats to several of the volunteers at the barn. Ronda measures herself against a mountain of blankets, Sue bubbles over with wonder at the creativity of so many contributors, Wandi anticipates packaging up 90 bundles for distribution at two separate crèches, and Estelle shows off a pair of gorgeous crocheted blankets sent in by Patricia Underwood.
May is the start of the chilly season in South Africa, so plans for getting blankets, beanies, hand warmers and toys into the hands of vulnerable children are ramping up. If you have not yet joined the warmest crafters on earth and wish to do so, the Knit-a-Square website contains everything you need to know and more. Join the Square Circle Forum and be inspired!
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons Licence.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Amy Pettigrew is one of our most active moderators, keeping members up to date with various discussions on the Square Circle Forum and regularly overseeing Knit-a-Square’s monthly themes. In this episode she joins Leanne from her picturesque home in Houston, Texas to chat about crocheting and her busy online role.
We hear about the first trip she made to South Africa and how it exposed her to the needs of the children. Memories of that trip continually serve to remind her of what she can do to help. With enthusiasm and curiosity, she dreams up monthly themes that motivate and excite our members. The May monthly theme entitled “Celebrations” is an invitation for knitters and crocheters everywhere to jump on board, learn about South Africa’s unique festivals, and contribute beautiful squares for inclusion into warm, colourful blankets.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [YouTube Audio Library] © Creative Commons Licence.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Squares sent in to Knit-a-Square get sewn into cosy blankets and distributed to vulnerable children at day care centres, crèches and informal settlements around Gauteng and beyond. In this episode, Leanne speaks with two of Vivienne’s contacts in the Northern Cape to discover more about their work at the Early Childhood Development Centres and what the blankets and toys meant for the little ones.
We hear from Sienah Motshabi from the Tswelelopele Community Crèche and Lerato Kgadiete who used to work at the Atamelang Day Care Centre, both in Warrenton. Just learning about how difficult conditions are for families living in that area will help you appreciate the enormous impact that your handmade donations can make on the children who receive them.
As always, details about our work can be found on the Knit-a-Square website and you are welcome to get involved.
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [Youtube Audio Library] © Creative Commons Licence.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Gloria Grandy, editor of the KAS Snippets, joins Leanne on this week’s podcast to talk about the wonderful people she has met on the Square Circle Forum and how her life has been enriched as a result of helping South Africa’s vulnerable children. We hear about her deep friendship with Anne Powell and the origin story of the River John Square Knitters group. We also find out about Tunisian crochet, one of her special loves.
Gloria’s family wrote and recorded the delightfully catchy Knit-a-Square song, so that is included in this episode. If you like what you hear, please visit the KAS website, join the member forum and browse the discussions to see where you can best offer your crafting skills!
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [Youtube Audio Library] © Creative Commons Licence.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Estelle has been at the forefront of operations at Knit-a-Square over the past year and chats to Leanne at length about what it was like, both at the barn and on distributions. We hear about some new volunteers who have joined the team and their impressions of opening days.
If you like what you hear and would like to participate in the work of Knit-a-Square, please get in touch via the website. There are many ways to get involved, from volunteering at the barn to knitting, and from donating directly to purchasing items from the online store. Plus, we have a wonderful warm Square Circle Forum which we are sure you will find super inspiring and informative!
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [Youtube Audio Library] © Creative Commons Licence.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Patricia Gribble shares with Leanne how her work with visually-impaired people led to a meeting with the Prime Minister and the establishment of the St Pancras Knitters in Plymouth. Her group has contributed 600 blankets to Knit-a-Square to date and formed strong relationships in the process which have sustained them through their year of lockdown.
Trish also gives us a glimpse into her life in Devon, including family holidays to the Scilly Isles and France. She doesn’t go anywhere without her knitting and her enthusiasm for Knit-a-Square and vulnerable children in South Africa is truly infectious!
Show host: Leanne Hunt.
Email address: [email protected]
Theme music: "Mr. Sunny Face" by Wayne Jones. [Youtube Audio Library] © Creative Commons Licence.
Production and editing: Natali Williams, LIME Virtual Business Support.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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