9 Jun 2021

Timaru team trying to break Guiness World Record by knitting

11:41 am on 9 June 2021

Timaru's district library team are attempting to break a Guiness World Record by knitting the largest blanket fort ever.

Knitting and red knitting needle

File image. Photo: 123RF

At 700 square meters, they need roughly 16 knitted squares for every person in the district.

The team is calling on locals to pick up their knitting needles and lend a hand.

Timaru District Library manager Adele Hewlett told Morning Report it was a nice way for the team to connect with the community.

"We will knit the squares and put them into blankets and then we will break them up afterwards and give them to the charities in the community," Hewlett said.

The idea for the blanket fort was born out of knitting classes and the number of people picking up knitting during the lockdown last year.

It was also a chance for pay it forward, Hewlett said.

"It's going to become a real community project."

The knitted squares they needed were 10cm square.

Those who knitted more than the 16 per person in the district would make up for those who weren't knitters, Hewlett said.

"From what we hear so far we have got a lot of community groups, we've had schools approach us, they want to get in behind it so we will be taking it out to other groups and I'm sure it's going to snowball on its own."