# Highland Malawi Trust



## AlisonM (Mar 10, 2016)

*Calling all crafters.*

Instead of my class, today’s out turned into a fascinating talk from a local teacher who goes out to Malawi every year in the summer representing the Highland Malawi Trust. They provide support and money for building schools and start up funds for local enterprises and needs, such as digging wells, feeding kids (they provide funds to feed up to 1000 kids one bowl of porridge a day - doesn’t sound like much but it’s probably the only food the kids will get in a day), buying pigs (they can make a lot of money for a village when they’re ready to sell). Most of those they help are HIV positive thanks to a plague of the disease in the country. One village is full of widowed women whose husbands have mostly died of AIDS. The locals aren’t sitting around waiting for help though, they make their own bricks and all get together to build or grow whatever they need, school rooms, kitchens, pig stys, veg. The charity helps them out with funds to make the buildings weather proof and sends out school materials, pencils, paper, books, all sorts. It’s a really worthwhile cause and I was so touched by the pictures, they really do have nothing but they are all so happy and so generous, they’d give you their last scrap of food if you needed it.

The craft club has been knitting madly for weeks, making jumpers and hats for babies, it’s surprisingly cold there and they have nothing, literally nothing more than a little bit of cotton cloth to keep them warm. The pic at the bottom shows the pile of knits the lady had come to collect.

I had the idea that some of you including me might be willing to crochet a square or two to be made into a blanket (or blankets) to send out there. Will you let me know if you are? I suggest crochet because, as you know, I can’t knit and I desperately want to be part of it. If you can make squares, when we have enough, I’ll put them together and take a pic before it goes off to Malawi.

I thought maybe 10” squares in DK. I asked and they aren’t worried whether it’s wool or acrylic so we can choose for ourselves. They seem to like red a lot but anything colourful would please them I think. We’d also need to choose the design - granny squares? But we can decide that if enough folk are willing. What do you say?


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## Northerner (Mar 10, 2016)

Sounds like a great idea!  Unfortunately, the closest I ever got to making a square was knitting what turned out to be a rhombus circa 1986 

Good luck!


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## Caroline (Mar 10, 2016)

sounds like a brilliant idea. And in teaching the children they will gain the skills they can use in adulthood to help themselves


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## Lindarose (Mar 10, 2016)

Ile knit some squares. I'm not sure what you mean by the design maybe granny squares? I can only knit plain stocking stitch. Also what size needles? As you can tell I'm a novice but would love to do some


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## AlisonM (Mar 10, 2016)

Lindarose said:


> Ile knit some squares. I'm not sure what you mean by the design maybe granny squares? I can only knit plain stocking stitch. Also what size needles? As you can tell I'm a novice but would love to do some


It's not knitting, but a traditional crochet design, very quick to make, DK would require a 4mm hook:


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## Lindarose (Mar 10, 2016)

Ile look at the tutorial and see if I can do it


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## AlisonM (Mar 10, 2016)

Lindarose said:


> Ile look at the tutorial and see if I can do it


Easy peasy, you'll enjoy it, I promise. And thanks.


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## Carolg (Mar 11, 2016)

I can do granny squares. Do you want me to share with club i go to as well alison


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## AlisonM (Mar 11, 2016)

Carolg said:


> I can do granny squares. Do you want me to share with club i go to as well alison


That would be wonderful Carol, thank you so much. For construction purposes, it would be easiest for piecing if the squares measure 10" each if you and your club are willin. I plan to use a neutral colour like grey or navy for edging and my club will help with the sewing up.


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## AlisonM (Mar 11, 2016)

I understand the next send out will be in July so we have some time.


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## Carolg (Mar 12, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> That would be wonderful Carol, thank you so much. For construction purposes, it would be easiest for piecing if the squares measure 10" each if you and your club are willin. I plan to use a neutral colour like grey or navy for edging and my club will help with the sewing up.


Can you send your initial post to my email address and i will send it on to my club leader, i don't know how to pm you. Thanks aluson


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## Carolg (Mar 12, 2016)

Sorry meant alison


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## Carolg (Mar 12, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> I understand the next send out will be in July so we have some time.


If you are going to the glasgow meeting if i have any, could bring them there


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## AlisonM (Mar 12, 2016)

Carolg said:


> If you are going to the glasgow meeting if i have any, could bring them there


That would work @Carolg, thanks. 

The plan is all worked out now. Squares should be 10" in size, in double knitting wool or acrylic and should reach me by early June so my club can piece them together. After that they will go to an Oban based charity by late June for sending out to Malawi in July. Everyone, please PM me if you need my address.


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## AlisonM (Mar 14, 2016)

As I was leaving for the craft club this afternoon the postie trundled up with a package which I took with me. When opened it was this:






There was huge excitement at all the loveliness, sent by one of my Ravelry friends. I'm so, so chuffed. Aren't they gorgeous?


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## Northerner (Mar 14, 2016)

How brilliant!


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## Lindarose (Mar 14, 2016)

There are some very talented people out there!


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## Carolg (Mar 15, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> That would be wonderful Carol, thank you so much. For construction purposes, it would be easiest for piecing if the squares measure 10" each if you and your club are willin. I plan to use a neutral colour like grey or navy for edging and my club will help with the sewing up.


Is it 10 inches or 10 cams Alison. Think I read it wrong, have done about 6 x10 cams, but I can make them bigger


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## Carolg (Mar 15, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> As I was leaving for the craft club this afternoon the postie trundled up with a package which I took with me. When opened it was this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Really nice


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## AlisonM (Mar 15, 2016)

Carolg said:


> Is it 10 inches or 10 cams Alison. Think I read it wrong, have done about 6 x10 cams, but I can make them bigger


LOL, it was inches please.


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## Carolg (Mar 15, 2016)

Och well, I know what I will be doing on the train tomorrow


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## AlisonM (Mar 15, 2016)

Carolg said:


> Och well, I know what I will be doing on the train tomorrow


Me too, but on Friday


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## Carolg (Apr 2, 2016)

6 done. Haven't been to crafty group yet


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## AlisonM (Apr 2, 2016)

Carolg said:


> 6 done. Haven't been to crafty group yet


Bless, you. All donations are very welcome and I've had a wonderful response from both my forums. It overwhelming.


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## Carolg (Apr 2, 2016)

Will do sme mor. Is it too late to bring them to Glasgow. I could post them


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## AlisonM (Apr 2, 2016)

Carolg said:


> Will do sme mor. Is it too late to bring them to Glasgow. I could post them


Either will be fine. And this is an ongoing thing, I just picked mid June because there's a delivery going out in July


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## Lynn Davies (Apr 9, 2016)

I have got some wool and dusted off my crochet hook and now have 4 squares completed.  Is it alright to make a finished blanket for a baby?

I will be a bit slow as until this thyroid level gets sorted my arms start to ache very quickly and I have to stop.


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## AlisonM (Apr 9, 2016)

Lynn Davies said:


> I have got some wool and dusted off my crochet hook and now have 4 squares completed.  Is it alright to make a finished blanket for a baby?
> 
> I will be a bit slow as until this thyroid level gets sorted my arms start to ache very quickly and I have to stop.


Yes Lynn, that will be lovely. All donations are gratefully received, whether it's clothes, blankets or squares. I just chose crochet cos that's what I do.


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## robert@fm (Apr 9, 2016)

This week's episode of _Click_ on the BBC News Channel (it has several showings through the week, or it has its own IPlayer page) had a spot about a town in Malawi, and how tech (tablet computers and a solar-powered projector) is helping the primary school there. Great report (and kids anywhere in the world are cute), but a bit sickening that such a poor community is having a $70,000,000 stadium (funded by the Chinese) built nearby!  Surely that money would have been better spent on what the community actually needs?


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## Carolg (Apr 19, 2016)

The knitting group have a stack of knitted cardis looking for a good home, but they are white, cream, pastel colours. Small to a wee bit larger. If I brought them to meeting would you manage them home Alison, or is light colours not good. 14 squares done also


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## AlisonM (Apr 19, 2016)

Carolg said:


> The knitting group have a stack of knitted cardis looking for a good home, but they are white, cream, pastel colours. Small to a wee bit larger. If I brought them to meeting would you manage them home Alison, or is light colours not good. 14 squares done also


Not for Malawi no, they probably won't get washed much so brights are better I'm told. You may be better with a local charity, perhaps your local church/hospital will have ideas. Thanks for thinking of us but.


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## Carolg (Apr 19, 2016)

AlisonM said:


> Not for Malawi no, they probably won't get washed much so brights are better I'm told. You may be better with a local charity, perhaps your local church/hospital will have ideas. Thanks for thinking of us but.


That's fine Alison. The squares I've done have the odd bits of light colours but mostly bright. Will find a home for the clothes


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## Carolg (May 1, 2016)

Will you manage to carry squares home? We have about 21 so far. One lady is like a machine


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## AlisonM (May 2, 2016)

Had no signal for years and years, or that's how it feels. I'll have room in Rolly's messenger bag I'm sure @Carolg, and thanks in advance.


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## Carolg (May 2, 2016)

That's good


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