Check the overview below. If you don’t find your answer here, follow the link at the bottom of the page to post a question on our Square Circle forum.
Blanket squares should be 8” (20cm) on all sides. Don’t worry if your square is slightly bigger or smaller though, just try to get close. We can find a place for every square in someone’s blanket!
Squares don’t need to be exactly 8” (20cm) in size, as long as they’re close. Our teams of blanket assemblers in South Africa are very good at combining squares of similar sizes and shapes into blankets, even if some of those squares are not quite the right size. It’s a good idea to make sure the square is fairly sturdy though. If you need to change yarns, make sure that the tail is securely woven in. Otherwise, curious little fingers might accidentally unravel your work!
It takes 35 squares to make a blanket. That’s 5 squares wide and 7 squares long, for a blanket that is 1.4 meters by 1.0 meters, large enough to keep a child warm at any age.
The gogos (grandmothers) in South Africa are ready to sew your squares together, so we normally prefer that you send the squares separately.
Each blanket is made up of squares from dozens of different countries. That means that when a child wraps themselves up in that blanket, they’re getting a hug from the whole world. A global blanket of love!
Of course, if you have an already assembled blanket which you would like to send, don’t dismantle it. We’re very happy to receive ready-to-go blankets as well as squares.
Knit-a-square blankets are made up of 35 squares, five squares by seven squares as shown below.
Steps to follow when making a blanket
There are a number of stitches one can use to sew the blankets together, but the two most popular stitches are whip stitch and blanket stitch.
Start by sewing the squares together in rows of seven – as per the diagram, sew square 1 to 2; 2 to 3; 3 to four and so on. Do this for each of the rows B, C, D and E. You will end up with five strips of seven squares each.Squares can be made of any type of yarn, as long as it’s warm. Natural fibres like wool are particularly good, but acrylic and acrylic blends are also welcome. If your yarn is very thin though, you might need to use two strands together. Always try to use patterns that don’t have large gaps or holes.
A yarn tail is the piece of yarn that hangs off the end of the square when you’re done. Our sewing volunteers can use this tail to help with the sewing up, as long as it is in good condition and doesn’t have any knots. Please leave about 20” (50cm) of yarn from the corner of the square as a tail. Tie (butterfly) it neatly by following these instructions:
If there are any loose ends of yarn hanging off your square other than the main tail, please weave these ends in neatly and securely.
Any square pattern which comes out the right size is welcome! The pattern should be fairly solid and not lacy. We have free knitting and crochet patterns available, specifically chosen for KAS needs, which you can find here.
Absolutely! We also accept beanies/hats, hand-warmers and soft toys. Children of all ages love small, cuddly hand-made or gently loved toys.
Squares! Squares are at the heart of everything we do at KAS. It takes 35 of them to make a single blanket for a child in need. Our second most requested items are knitted hats and hand-warmers. Remember that by age 4, most children’s heads are the same size as an adult’s, so aim for adult-sized beanies. Hand-warmers need to be child-size to fit properly.
Most of the children we visit are toddlers to 9 years old, so that is the age bracket we most need items for, but we have partnerships with several organizations in South Africa which help to distribute baby items.
KAS is a worldwide organization, with members in dozens of different countries. We are incorporated in South Africa, where the assembly and distribution of squares are managed. The KAS Board and Moderation team are made up of KAS members and supporters from across the globe.
KAS blankets, hats, hand-warmers and toys are currently distributed in South Africa, particularly around the Soweto and Johannesburg area. Obviously, we’d love to be able to help even more areas, and may do in time, but for now it’s important to focus on areas where we are already able to make a significant difference.
More than just about anything else, KAS needs funding. The money we are able to raise makes it possible to cover expenses in South Africa, things like postal duty, fuel for the van to pick up packages and get to blanket distributions.
You can make a financial donation by going to our Donation page. If you are able to make a recurring donation, (for example, once a month for a certain period of months,) then that helps us with planning our budget. Of course, if you’re not sure if you can make that kind of ongoing commitment, we also welcome one time donations.
There is also a KAS Shop where you can purchase items which directly support the children and Knit-a-square.
Plastic or metal yarn needles for sewing up and crochet hooks: size 4.00 mm. The Gogos use the hooks to crochet around the finished blankets to create a sturdy edge.
Spreading the word is also of vital importance to KAS. We are a grass-roots movement, and our success depends on getting more members – both crafters and non-crafters! We have Promotional Materials on the Square Circle Forum you can use and a Teacher Resource available. Share the news at knitting circles, yarn shops, online forums, anywhere crafters might be. KAS is also a great fit for retirement villages and homes, where many of our most talented crafty members reside. If you’re involved with a retiree community, why not let them know about KAS?
Knitting is a great skill for kids to learn, and at the same time they will be participating in a world-wide community helping their South African ‘cousins.’ Many teachers have started knitting or crochet groups in their schools.
If you are part of an organization which would like to partner with KAS, we’d love to hear from you! Offering your services as a drop-point for squares and then sending those squares off on behalf of knitters and crocheters is a great way for businesses to engage with the local community. Other options include having a square knitting competition internally, or sponsoring a South African crèche distribution financially. If you’d like to talk to someone about possibilities for corporate involvement in KAS, let one of the moderators or administrators on the forum know and we’ll put you in contact with the right people.
These instructions may vary by country but essentially you will be able to create a PayPal account by adapting these steps and following the prompts on the PayPal pages.
You are now ready to make a donation to help the volunteers in South Africa help the children stay warm.
CLICK HERE to make your donation.
About once a month, a new Square List will be published. These lists contain the sender names and a summary of the contents of each of the packages that have been opened during that month. Don’t worry if it takes a few months to see your name on the lists – very, very few packages have ever been lost, but the postal system is often very slow and there is often a large backlog of packages yet-to-be-opened in South Africa.
No problem! We’ve got a category in the Square Circle forum where you can get answers to whatever KAS-related questions you have. Go here and click the Add button to post your question, and another member will soon be along to help you out!
A day in the life of a KAS SA volunteer
Knit-a-square Wish List
Knit-a-square’s Monthly Square Themes
