Help 67 Blankets reach its Madiba Grey mission

The 67 Blankets ‘goodwool’ ambassadors have started donating wool and the knitwits are ready to knit their nimble their fingers away for the 67 Blankets‘ new attempt to create the Massive Mandela Masterpiece also referred to as the #MMM.

The masterpiece will feature Madiba’s face in black and grey as the border will consist of blankets knitted in the colours of the South African flag – red, yellow, blue and green.

The new attempt plans to be the world’s largest portrait blanket carrying Nelson Mandela’s face. The masterpiece blanket will be made up of 1 764 smaller blankets or pixels which will show Madiba’s face from a bird’s-eye view.

According to the founder of 67 Blankets, Carolyn Steyn, they plead with community members for more wool. “We need lots of wool. We need lots of ‘goodwool’. We also need many more South Africans to come on board to get those needles clicking away and make the pixel blankets,” she said.

Steyn further added that the black blankets have fortunately been taken care of thanks to the hard work, passion and dedication of their 67 Blankets family in India as well as inmates serving life sentences at Zonderwater Maximum Correctional Centre.

“Now we are desperate for grey wool, which makes up a large portion of the #MMM. And we are calling on fellow South Africans to help us by donating this important colour into the mix. Whether it is one grey ball of wool or a whole bakkie load, your contribution will help turn this remarkable blanket from a dream into a reality.”

Steyn, however, said that to be precise, the masterpiece needs 900 grey pixel blankets, which can be made up of 20cm x 20cm squares or can be knitted or crocheted as a whole blanket measuring 160cm x 160cm.

The #MMM deadline to hand over the blankets or squares is 15 December and interested community members who would like to knit or donate wool can email info@67blankets.co.za or visit www.67blankets.co.za

The 67 Blankets’ initiative is linked to Nelson Mandela Day with the aim to keep disadvantaged people warm in winter.

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