Toques for Africa

• The Need
• The Challenge
• The Details
• Toque Pattern 1
• Toque Pattern 2

The Need

Thanks to our wonderful Huntley Street viewers who took the beanie challenge, we have received more than 10,300 beanies!  Praise God!

They have reached their goal of 15,000.

On July 23rd, 2010 Heart for Africa will host an event called Celebrate Litsemba at the National Stadium in Swaziland. Their guests will be 15,000 orphans and vulnerable children who have been left in the wake of the AIDS pandemic. The event is being held in their winter and it is very cold in Swaziland, so we want to provide each child with a hat made with love.

Thank you to everyone who took the time and effort to share their skills in knitting toques.

May God richly bless each and everyone who participated in this wonderful cause.

We will continue to receive beanies for those who want to continue knitting.  They will be shipped in containers to one of our other projects.

 

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The Challenge

Will You Knit 10 Toques for Africa?

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The Details

Everything You Need to Know to Join Us in this Challenge

What Should They Look Like?
That's up to you! Please use your favorite knitting or crocheting pattern with your favorite wool in your favorite color (if you don't have one, your welcome to use Norma-Jean's pattern below). Each hat will be made with love and will be loved by the child the receives it. Each hat should be 7 1/2" tall with a 8 1/2" opening at the bottom.

Add a Personal Note
Please write a small note, prayer, scripture, or words of encouragement for the child and tuck it in the hat once it is completed. The children in Africa will value that as much as the hat itself.

Shipping Information
Please ship your completed beanies to either of the addresses below.  Crossroads Missions has partnered with Heart for Africa to ship the toques to Swaziland.

Toques must be received by the end of February for shipment in March.

Crossroads Warehouse		Crossroads Centre (by Mail)		Crossroads Centre (in Person)
c/o Circle Square Ranch		Box 5100		1295 North Service Road
1645 Colborne St. East,		Burlington, ON		Burlington, ON
Brantford, ON,		L7R 4M2		L7R 4M2
N3T 5L4
Attn: Wilson Wells
Warehouse Manager

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Toque Pattern 1

 

I used 5 ½ mm needles - worsted wool/blend or whatever you may have - I started with 76 stitches and Kt first row and pl second row and did that for 6 inches.

Kt 5 stitches and knit together 2 stitches to the end of row - Pl the next row - Kt 4 and knit together 2 stitches, continue until you get to Kt one and Kt 2 together

The last row is knit 2 together right across the last row, sew together. The opening should be around 7 ½ - 8 inches.

I did a few smaller "beanie" hats when my ball of wool was low and not enough for a larger hat. I did other patterns too. It really is up to you what you would like to knit.

I know the orphans in Swaziland are going to be blessed. I had the opportunity to be at 3 different orphanages in Swaziland last December and it was a moving experience.

God bless you, for being willing to help knit these hats.

Norma-Jean Mainse

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Toque Pattern 2

The pattern I'm using today is easy...I make it long enough to turn up...8 inches 

Cast on 78 stitches for worsted and if the yarn is chuck I cast on only 68 stitches.

5.5 mm needles

K 2 - P 2 for 8 inches.

K 2 together P 2 together

P back across the row

K 2 together across row

P the next row

K 2 together across row

P the next row

Sew together 

Thanks for being willing to make these hats.

Norma Jean Mainse                           

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