Bill Werner's beanies brings warmth into the community
Bill Werner’s beanie making hobby has become a gift shared throughout the community.
A now retired farmer from Lameroo, has traded in his old tools for a new wooly skill set; making beanies.
It began as a circle loom frame purchase from his wife, Marg Werner, which he was reluctant to use.
"Marg bought me this little kit,” he says, nodding toward his wife. “I told her, I’m not doing it, no way."
"But then I got on the computer and could see people making them… and I thought, 'oh yeah, perhaps I could do it,'" he said.
"The first few weren’t very good," he admitted.
From there he made beanies for grandchildren, each wanting one of the brightly coloured crocheted beanies of their own.
What used to take four hours, now takes him around two hours to complete, and Mr Werner estimates he's made a total of 300 since the middle of the year.
Through the Murray Bridge yarn group, beanies he makes have been sent to South African orphanages, Rotary ‘Bags for Blokes’ projects and the Hub on Darling Avenue.
"There’s three colours in each one,” he said.
"But when you put them together, they come out differently every time, not always what you expect.”
Mrs Werner jokes that it's become more of an addiction.
"He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, so he knits," she said.
The yarn group has become more than just a supply source, it’s part of the reason Mr Werner has been able to keep going.
The yarn group meets every Tuesday and Thursday in the Murray Bridge library from 9.30am-12pm.
They're always looking for more donations of wool and any and everyone is welcome to join for a yarn.
- More information on yarn group: www.murraybridge.sa.gov.au
