Nimble needles create for others
World Knit in Public Day on June 14 will see at least two groups gathering in public to knit and others are welcome to join them from 10am to noon at Chertsey Cafe or the Ashburton Public Library.
The Chertsey gathering will include a combination of two groups who meet regularly, one in Rakaia and the other in Methven.
The Rakaia Knitting and Crochet Group and Methven Catholic Women's League (CWL) knitting group meet on the second Saturdays of the month.
The Rakaia group meet at the Rakaia scout den from 10am to noon, and Methven group meet at 9.30am at Our Lady of the Snows Parish Centre.
Earlier this year another group started in Methven – Knit n Natter Coffee. They meet on a Fridays at 10.30am at either Station Cafe or Cafe 45.
There are a growing number of newcomers to Methven joining the group as it provides a way to meet new people as well as improve knitting skills and get advice on knitting.
Rakaia group co-ordinator Bridget Armstrong said she knits because she wants to keep her hands busy.
Her group has created blankets for NZ Gift of Love and Strength and some of the members are working on blankets for the Nest Collective or scarves for veterans as part of Operation Wrapped in Remembrance.
The Methven group are busy creating little singlets, jumpers and blankets for the Nest Collective.
Group member Susan Dickson said they have made blankets for Plunket and an animal rescue charity in the past.
When Armstrong was looking for something to do with the blankets her group were creating she came across the collective and thought it was a worthy organisation to support. She is the Mid Canterbury collection point for goods for them.
''As nest makers (the name of those who create for the collective) it is good to know the items we donate will be used to support families in Canterbury,'' Dickson said
The Methven CWL knitters have been supporting the collective for about four years. They have also made 100 pairs of woollen booties for Ashburton Hospital maternity.
The Nest Collective provide new and good quality baby items to those who are most in need.
Focusing on the critical first 1000 days of life, their pepi packs provide the physical resources that nurture the health, development and wellbeing of babies and their whanau, while alleviating material hardship.
Clients are referred to the service via social workers.
WKIPD was founded in 2005 by Danielle Landes and remains the world's largest knitting event.
The earliest known accounts of knitting date back to at least the fifth-century Egypt. Egyptians used to knit cotton fibres, not wool. World Knit in Public Day events in Mid Canterbury include public knitting sessions, everyone welcome at 10am on June 14 at the Chertsey Cafe and the Ashburton Library. There is no need to book for these free events just turn up.
By Dellwyn Moylan
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He posted on social media: 'I will be giving an Address to the Nation at 10:00 P.M., at the White House, regarding our very successful military operation in Iran. This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU' Lindsey Graham, the US senator who was among the most vociferous supporters of bombing Iran, praised Trump for making the 'right call'. 'The regime deserves it,' he said on X. 'Well done, President @realDonaldTrump.' Israeli officials told the Trump administration that they did not want to wait up to two weeks before striking Iran, according to Reuters. That is how long the US president gave himself to decide on Thursday, a deadline that would have expired on July 10. On what was described as a 'tense' phone call on Thursday, Israel is said to have warned the White House that it could act alone rather than wait, citing a limited window in which to target Iran's nuclear facilities. JD Vance, the US vice-president, is believed to have been against American involvement, illustrating the split inside the Maga movement over taking military action. For more than a decade, even before he officially ran for president, Donald Trump has repeatedly said Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb. In 2018 he withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, an agreement reached by his predecessor Barack Obama that restricted Tehran's atomic ambitions in return for sanctions relief. Trump's stance has not changed during his second term. 'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it's very simple' he said last week while mulling over US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The Trump administration had been negotiating with Iran over a fresh deal, but the countries were unable to reach an agreement before Israel launched its surprise assault last week. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' The United States struck at targets inside Iran in a high-stakes attempt to extinguish Tehran's nuclear programme. It risks spiralling into an unpredictable regional war. After spending days deliberating taking military action, President Trump said the US had targeted three nuclear sites inside Iran: 'Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan'.
