(One of the
yarn-bombed trees in Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, Johannesburg)
The 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day ‘knit-wits’ are
knitting away with the aim of producing 9,000 handmade blankets for an
awareness drive and world record breaking attempt.
“We aim to make 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day a
household name by displaying our woollen wares at the feet of the Nelson
Mandela statue at the Union Buildings in April 2015. 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 then returned to their creators to be distributed to those in need when the
cold strikes in 2015,” says Carolyn Steyn, founder of the movement.
A few weeks ago, the “knit-wits” took up the offer from the Nelson
Mandela Square in Sandton of increasing the profile of the project by creating an
awareness over the Christmas period. The Square is dominated by a massive
statue of Nelson Mandela and the surrounding trees have now been yarn-bombed with
knitted or crocheted strips. When the festive season is over, these will be
taken down, cleaned and joined up into blankets for distribution.
If you happen to be in the Sandton area during November, a
Knitathon will be held every Sunday in the Nelson Mandela Square from 11h00
until 14h00.
For more information on the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela
Day initiative, visit www.67blankets.co.za
or find 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day (South Africa) on Facebook.
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