Waihi's knitting army is making winter beanies for kids

A knitting group in Waihi are putting their skills to good use for school children in time for winter. Photo supplied.

Tina Wright and her crafty friends have been knitting up a storm, creating beanies for all pre-schools and schools in Waihi in time for winter.

The Waihi Leader wrote an article on the busy-fingered knitter and crocheter and her quest to fulfil ''Team Beanie'' — a project where every local child would receive a beanie, and not just those in need, a beanie for every child.

Krishna Buckman, from the Waihi Armistice Knitting Army (WAKA), read the article and contacted her friends to ask if they would like to be involved.

The Waka women were involved in last year's making of the wall of knitted, crocheted and craft poppies for the Armistice Exhibition in the Memorial Hall.

''Knitting poppies for the exhibition was some women's way of connecting with family members who had served in a conflict – not necessarily World War I. It also ignited some women's passion again for knitting and they are enjoying knitting these beanies.

''Many of these women put aside their charity knitting to make poppies. When I found that there were so many ladies knitting for charity, I decided that it would be nice to get these women together once a month to share ideas, wool and patterns and perhaps recruit other women to help them in their chosen charity.''

Thirteen women met in Gilmore Park in February to help knit and crochet beanies.

"We are delighted with the response," says Tina. "Some women do not knit or crochet but they gladly go out and purchase wool to donate. Some have bags of bits of wool which are most welcome to the women – putting stripes of different colours and textures into the knitting.

"The Salvation Army Knitting women have also been busy. One member tells me that her sister is sending beanies over from Australia for our project. A lady from Wellington and another from Silverdale in Auckland have also joined Team Beanie after talking with friends in Waihi who are already part of the group.''

The target is 650 beanies and more than 240 beanies are ready so far.

Jeanette Wilcox is another passionate knitter who makes rugs for charity, who has passed on ideas for using up the scraps of wool in creative ways in the beanies.

"We were given a large bag of wool in hanks and so we visited the craft group at Hetherington House. The residents helped us wind the hanks into balls to give out to our knitters. It was lovely to see the ladies enjoying this activity as they had done this with their mothers many times,'' Jeanette says.

If anyone is interested in joining "team Beanie" or has wool to donate, contact either Tina on 863 8588 or Krishna 027 309 4181.