Canberra's "funky knitters" have begun work on a project they hope will warm not just bodies, but also hearts this winter.
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The self-proclaimed funky knitters Janet Mountseer and Carole Griffiths, heard their friend Molly Rhodin planned to gather knitted items to be donated to the homeless of Canberra - so they decided to get on board.
Ms Mountseer learned the craft watching her mother knit, but is reluctant to say how long she had been knitting for. "How long is a piece of wool," she laughed.
Ms Griffiths is new to knitting, but is very good at crocheting so the pair decided to collaborate to create a collection of colourful scarves with crocheted flowers.
She said she had been blown away by the response from the community, a place she describes as a very community minded.
"It is a lovely side of Canberra that people think doesn't exist, but it does," Ms Griffiths said.
About 250 items have been donated to the Salvation Army so far, including 94 beanies, 56 scarves and 20 blankets. A variety of other items, such as fingerless hand and arm warmers too .
Ms Rhodin is the managing director of Down to Earth Practical Solutions and the person who began the initiative. She asked schools, knitting clubs, early childhood and aged care services from across Canberra to knit for the homeless.
On Thursday, Lieutenant Christopher Maxwell of the Salvation Army's Canberra City branch was presented the knitted items.
Lieutenant Maxwell said it was great the Salvation Army could partner with local organisations.
"We feel very privileged to be able to be the ones to actually distribute all of the hard work that Down to Earth has done," he said.
Ms Rhodin hoped the project would help extend children's awareness of homelessness. She was inspired to begin the project when she saw a new national anti-bias resource that lacked information on homelessness.
With the first knit now complete, Ms Rhodin is optimistic for the future with plans to run a similar project next year.