uMhlanga knitters keep babies warm

EVERY week, about 25 women at Twilanga Retirement Village meet to ‘knit and chat’, so much so that they decided to aptly name their club the exact same thing.

There are thousands of items that have been knitted over the years, and all are donated to the Rotary Club of Umhlanga who delivers the items to babies and moms in hospitals all over Durban.

Rita Sdok, who is a long-standing member of the group, said it started with just six members.

“Over the years, more people joined. Not everyone knits, but everyone chats. Some just join for the latter, and that’s okay,” she said.

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Beanies, mittens, matinee jackets and scarves for the moms are knitted. Even toys such as dolls and balls make the list and it’s not only the babies that benefit from Knit and Chat – members also knitted blankets for the guards, as well.

“Knitting is a hobby, and it’s one of the ways in which we keep busy. After knitting all these items, we didn’t know what we were going to to with them. So we asked Vanessa Champion from Rotary to distribute them for us,” she added.

All the wool needed for the items is purchased by the women from the group, but they wouldn’t mind sponsorships from businesses and the community.

“Every few months, when we’ve knitted enough, we display the items on a large table for everyone to see. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that these little items will keep babies warm and cosy,” said Sdok.

“We’ve also taught some of the women how to crochet and knit. We also have tea and cake and socialise. We celebrate birthdays, especially milestone ones. It’s more than just a knitting group. We’re a family, a sisterhood,” said Sdok.

To sponsor items towards Knit and Chat, contact Vanessa Champion on 072 744 3140.

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