Knitting Warmth for the Neediest: AIDS Orphans

Now that knitting is all the rage, people must be producing far more cozy materials than they can possibly use themselves or give to their unenthusiastic nephews. What to do with all those extra blankets and sweaters?

Why not give them to the people who need them most? And I mean really need them. The most. I'm talking AIDS orphans. Enough said?

The Knit-a-Square Project is collecting 8" x 8" squares from knitters around the world, which will be joined into blankets and distributed to orphans in South Africa by the Soweto Comfort Club, an organization of the church communities in Soweto, near Johannesburg. The project's goal for 2009 is to create and give away 5,000 blankets, each one created with 40 squares.

Two Australian women originally from Zimbabwe, Sandy McDonald and her mother Zanny, a dedicated knitter, started the project last fall. Sandy's aunt, Ronda, lives in South Africa and assists with the endeavor. On the Website, Sandy offers an exhaustive tale of what led her to this undertaking.

For those who would like to stick a needle or two into the action, check out the project's knitting and crocheting instructions, as well as the directions for mailing your creations. Want to tackle more than a simple square? Try your hand at hats, vests, or pullovers. Whatever you do, don't let your nephew think he's off the hook. What's good enough for AIDS orphans is surely good enough for him.