Whangarei rest home knitters to deliver warm wares to hospital

June Attwood, Edna Hay, Betty Bridges and Prunella Keen with the items they have knitted for the maternity ward. Photo/John Stone

The knitting needles at a Whangarei rest home have been going flat tack creating woolly wares for newborn babies at Whangarei Hospital.

Patsy Cork, who also works at Parahaki Court Rest Home as a caregiver, runs the knitting group at the rest home on one of her days off.

The ladies get together every second Tuesday for around an hour and a half. As well, the seasoned knitters also do some knitting in their own time. There's always a cup of tea before the knitting gets under way.

"All the funny stories go around, all the mistakes they've made knitting," Mrs Cork said.

She said it also prompts the womens' memories about their days knitting in their own homes.

Four residents, June Attwood, 90, Edna Hay, 90, Betty Bridges, 92 and Prunella Keen, 77, will deliver 12 blankets, 12 teddy bears and 20 sets of cardigans, beanies and booties to the maternity ward tomorrow .

Mrs Attwood said she had been knitting for 85 years and had always enjoyed it.

"I enjoy knitting, I'm able to do less and less because my eyesight is failing."

She said taking the finished items to hospital was good, and it gave them something to work towards.

"To give them to the babies, and any new mums that need some warm little garments for their littlies."

The group started about a two years ago, and was originally just for the members to enjoy knitting. It had seven members but three have since passed away.

Mrs Cork said the residents had previously been knitting only for themselves and their great-grandchildren.

She said she quickly had so many peggy squares she was unsure what to do with them.

Eventually the group decided to put them together to make blankets and give them to the hospital. Tomorrow is the first delivery.

Mrs said she doesn't put any pressure on the ladies to churn out any volume of items, but just leaves it up to them.