February 8, 2022 — If you are or know a knitter, you’ve likely already discovered that there’s a special charm to this card (which, note to self, should really be made into a magnet and boxed notes, too). It was written by Contributing Cardie Susan Lyon eight years ago now, with her own teenage purl girl Kathleen in mind. Inside it reads, “Casting pure love on you today.”

In September of 2018, we received an email from Cardie Dianne Sutton saying, “I’m on my way to a knitting retreat in Maine. (Long way from South Carolina!) I tell you this because it was your knitting card that brought me into the cardie community. The first time I saw it in a store, I bought five. I’ve lost track of how many I’ve bought and sent since then. Of that same card. I’ve sent it for birthdays, get wells, and thinking about you. Before I flew out this morning, I dropped three more in the mail: Two birthdays and one sympathy. Nice that cards can be there when I cannot!”

And maybe because Contributing Cardie Teresa Bender could not be in New Zealand visiting her childhood friend Margaret Anderson, she sent a dozen knitting cards to her a few months ago. “I love the knitting card and the words are perfect,” Margaret emailed us directly. “Teresa sent them to me for my fellow members of The Nattering Knitters, a group of 10 ladies who gather here in Nelson once a month for the love of knitting.

“I don’t think anyone has ever counted, but it would be thousands of items our little group has knitted over the years. We used to knit little jerseys and hats for a children’s home in Mongolia, but had to stop as the political situation became a big problem. The orphanage had to pay lots of tax to receive our sacks of wool knitting. They couldn’t pay the amounts and we were not allowed to send them money. That was very sad as they were so grateful.

“For the past two years, lots of our knitting has gone through interdenominational churches in shipping containers to Eastern Europe. Called Operation Cover Up, the program is well-sponsored and desperately-needed as their winters are very cold.

“Our most recent efforts are for refugee children who arrived in New Zealand late last year; they’ll need warmer clothing for our winter weather June-September. At Teresa’s request, I’ve attached a photo of sweater sets I just finished for three sisters whose family escaped from Afghanistan. At four, five and six, they’ll start school this week.”

“All towns and cities in NZ have volunteers trained by our Red Cross and they give wrap-around help to refugee families for up to three months, or more if required,” Margaret explained. “These families come from Afghanistan, Colombia, Myanmar, Thailand. Some children are very traumatized and need so much care. Nelson is a small city and is becoming a multinational place. I think it’s just lovely but, unfortunately, some don’t appreciate the changes.

“I’m not sure how long The Nattering Knitters will continue since we are all getting to our twilight years. I will still be knitting as it’s my favourite pastime. It’s such a good feeling to still be able to help worldwide regardless of being in our older years.”

As Dianne said earlier in the story, the knitting card can be sent for so many different occasions … on behalf of those thousands of refugees who have benefitted from 10 lovely Nattering Knitters doing their thing on the south island of New Zealand, today let’s imagine it as a heart-felt thank you card. Knit on!

Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative