Chatter and laughter filled the Library meeting room as the women from Yarning Bundaberg and U3A came together for Project Square.
The two groups of like-minded ladies all have one common goal and that is to help others through their work with the Project Square Bundaberg charity.
Carmen Maybanks said it was her first time attending the Yarning Bundaberg social group meet-up and she was eager to help.
“This is the first time I have come to this,” she said.
“People have been donating wool to me, so in return I have been creating the magical 25cm x 25cm squares, of any pattern.
“I’ve made a fair few so far and I am doing it for one reason, and that is to help people.”
Carmen said she was able to create about one square per night and hoped her contribution would help make a difference in somebody’s life.
“I am just a beginner and some people are able to make more, but it’s just nice to be involved and help where I can,” she said.
All of the participants at Project Square Bundaberg shared the same motivation as Carmen, and as the banter in the library room became louder it was easy to see there was more to just making the squares, that are also known as granny squares.
In February, Christine Jackson came up with the idea after she stumbled across another organisation doing something similar.
The granny squares will each be 25cm square and be made from knitted or crocheted eight-ply wool, each square will then be weaved together to form a large woollen blanket for the needy.
“We were after ideas to help out a charity and had a bit of a think-tank and ended up with this one,” she said.
“We wanted to target a charity that didn’t get a lot of government funding and were relying on community support, and we thought of this and it would be open for anyone to help.”
Christine said anyone could help Project Square Bundaberg and they didn’t need to commit to the social meeting in order to do so.
“Anyone can make the squares, drop them off to us, or even just donate wool for some of us to use; it will all help,” she said.
“The squares can be very simple or even very elaborate with flowers and patterns, we think everything is beautiful.”
There are a number of drop-off points where people can donate wool or drop off the squares at the Bundaberg Library, The Fabric Palette on Targo Street, U3A will be collecting the squares of a Tuesday, or community members are welcome to go along on the second Saturday of the month to the Yarning Bundaberg social catch up at the Bundaberg Library.
- Earlier report: Project Square to help the community
