Handwork continues throughout the lockdown and our handwork teacher Miss Torok came up with the idea for our children to knit squares that we could later sew together to make community blankets that will then be auctioned for charity.
We love how children will be able to choose their own wool, their favourite colours and what stitch they use, bringing their own creativity and individuality to their work and at the same time working together as a community to make something that has a positive impact on the world. Waldorf Schools across the country and even some abroad are also now doing this project and we are planning, when lockdown ends, to create an exhibition of all the finished work.
Knitting is an important element of our Waldorf craft curriculum. It greatly improves mathematical skills and builds on techniques in measuring, adding and multiplying. It requires precision and hand-eye coordination. Knitting also teaches values such as perseverance, dedication and patience. Through the process of discovering how things are made, children develop a respect for the things around them and this encourages care. When children at Waldorf schools begin to knit in Class One, they often visit a farm to see the sheep, collect the wool in its natural form, wash the wool, card the wool, make some natural dye and then spin the wool and make their own knitting needles.
If you would like to join in, we would be delighted. Please cast on15 stitches (6mm needles) to make the right sized squares.
We will create a gallery of all the squares on here so that we can all see our beautiful work emerging!
For those who need a little reminder, here are some tutorials to get you started:
Creating a Magic Slip Knot
Casting On
Knitting
Casting Off