2014 was the year when knitting became trendy again, thanks to a group of passionate “KnitWits for Madiba” and their cause, 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day.
On 27 January, the initiative will celebrate its first birthday at the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Those wanting to attend are asked to bring one completed blanket (140cm by 180cm), two baby blankets (100cm by 120cm) or 1.5kg of wool. To book your seat, please contact Johan Vos at johanv@saxon.co.za.
In December 2013, Zelda la Grange, Nelson Mandela’s trusted assistant, presented philanthropist and “Arts Angel” Carolyn Steyn with a challenge: knit 67 blankets! These blankets would then be distributed to those in need on Nelson Mandela Day.
Steyn gladly accepted Zelda’s challenge but soon realised that she wouldn’t be able to achieve it alone. She called on her friends for help and created the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day Facebook group.
Her friends shared the page with their friends, who shared the page with theirs, and in just a few weeks, hundreds of people from around the world had pledged to knit a blanket for Nelson Mandela Day.
“Thanks to the power of social media, the ‘good-wool’ of people around the world and, of course, the legacy of our inspiration, Nelson Mandela, this year has been extraordinary. What started out as a challenge quickly matured into a movement – a movement that has motivated a global base of loyal supporters to do good and to colourfully honour the memory of our beloved former President,” says Steyn.
In 2014, the initiative made history by hosting knit-a-thons on Robben Island, at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site in Howick and at Madiba’s old stamping ground – Vilakazi Street in Orlando West, Soweto.
It has brought together the leading ladies and men of South African theatre, yarn bombed the Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, was launched to prisoners at the Zonderwater Correctional Centre and won the Campaign of the Year award, beating corporate giants like Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s and KFC. Most importantly, over 6 000 blankets were handmade (with love) and donated to those in need by 18 July 2014.
“We wish to thank Carolyn Steyn for her vision in giving meaning and life to ‘its in your hands’. She has created a legacy project, which is both tangible and relevant through the threads she works with.
“The 67 blankets for Nelson Mandela Day changemakers use their hands to connect people, continue the journey and make one man’s vision a global reality. This project is defining the fabric of our identity. Together we can build the country of our dreams, with partners like Carolyn who echo Madiba’s ethos of public service every day,” says Sello Hatang, Chief Executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
This year, 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day aims to collect 21 000 blankets to coincide with South Africa’s celebration of 21 years of democracy. These blankets will first be displayed at the feet of the Nelson Mandela statue at the Union Buildings on 21 April 2015 in a world-record breaking attempt.
“An aerial photo of a sea of blankets around the feet of the Madiba statue is bound to cause an international stir and attract even more supporters to the cause. The thousands of blankets made around South Africa will be transported to Gauteng by Airlink and Stuttaford Van Lines, and then returned to their creators to be distributed to those in need as soon as the cold strikes,” explains Steyn.
She concludes: “We urge all South Africans to get involved so we can show the world what we are made of. The current world record is 7 800 blankets, which were displayed at a cathedral in Helsinki. We can beat this, but time is of the essence! Even if you can’t knit or crochet, we have drop-off points across the country for wool donations.
“The wool will then be distributed to knitting enthusiasts and transformed into beautiful blankets for those in need. We do not have a bank account. We trade in wool. In actual fact, we trade in ‘good-wool’. I believe that South Africans have a lot of ‘good-wool’ and love nothing more than a challenge. To create and gather 21 000 blankets in just three months is a real challenge! So get those knitting needles clicking away!”
Stitch by stitch we pledge to keep thousands of those less fortunate than ourselves warmer over all the winters to come, in the name of our beloved Nelson Mandela.
For more information, please join the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day (South Africa) Facebook group or visit www.67blankets.co.za.