A ball of wool, a pair of knitting needles and a little patience were all it took for women to turn a day at Norscot Manor into an opportunity to learn, connect and give back.

Hosted by the non-profit organisation Love Light Care Foundation on October 1, the knitting class brought women together to learn the craft while creating items intended for donation to people and organisations in need.

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Among those sharing her love for knitting was Karen Lindstrom, whose relationship with the craft began when she was just five years old. Lindstrom was introduced to knitting and crocheting by retired women at a boarding house where her family stayed for six months while living in the Cape Town area.

She fondly remembers the women as her adopted grandmothers, who passed on a skill that would remain part of her life for decades.

“I think it’s really just a love of knitting. I learned probably at about five years old. It was taught to me, knitting and crochet, but I’ve stuck to the knitting, and it’s just something I’ve done for many years,” she said.

Her passion has since grown into something that reaches beyond her own home. A couple of years ago, Lindstrom found a group through 67 Blankets for Mandela Day, through which she could continue making and donating knitted items.

Since then, she has continued knitting, with each batch finding its way to a different organisation depending on where the need arises.

“You know, it sort of varies. Each batch tends to go to a different place. As I hear of an organisation looking for some, then I hand them over,” she said.

For Lindstrom, knitting does not require setting aside an entire afternoon. Instead, it has become part of the ordinary moments in her day. Whether watching television, travelling as a passenger or heading somewhere on holiday, she finds time to work on her knitting.

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Although she has mastered the craft over the years, teaching others has proved less straightforward.

“I actually find it very difficult to teach people how to do it. I think it just comes so naturally for me now,” she said, laughing about how easily she becomes frustrated when beginners hold their needles at the wrong angle.

For first-time learner Lungile Dlamini, however, the class was a reminder that learning something new does not have to be as intimidating as it first appears. Dlamini, who had forgotten what she learned about knitting growing up, arrived as a self-proclaimed beginner but left feeling encouraged by how much she could accomplish.

“I was a little bit intimidated because I told Michelle Chelliah Singh, the host and founder, that I am brand new. Interestingly, I remember we used to knit when I was growing up, but I completely forgot everything,” she said. “I told her I’m a complete beginner, and she was like, ‘Great, come through. We’re going to learn together’. I was pleasantly surprised by how doable it actually is.”

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By the end of the session, Dlamini was already looking forward to continuing her knitting journey.

She described the experience as amazing, saying she was happy to have met the women at the class and found inspiration in what Singh was doing.

“I was saying to one of the other ladies that it’s going to be my new hobby. Thirty minutes a day is a nice way to relax. By the time we meet again, I want to have finished two full steps,” she said.

Knowing that the knitted items would eventually be donated made the experience even more meaningful for her. While she hopes to make one or two pieces for herself, Dlamini said she intends to make many more for others.

“I love that. I’ll make some, maybe one or two for myself, and then a whole lot more to be done.”

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