Make Give Live

Sometimes the best things can come out of the bleakest times. Following a tough period of depression, Claire Conza didn’t want to go back to the high-stress communications job that had pushed her over the edge in the first place, and began wondering what else to do that would be more fulfilling. She liked the idea of some sort of social enterprise, a business that could be a powerful force for good.

“I also knew I needed to be creative again,” says Claire, a former fashion designer who used to have her own knitwear label. “There had been a voice in the back of my head for a while saying, ‘This isn’t you, you’ve got other passions and talents.’”

Browsing round a market one day she came across some women selling beautifully made but unfashionable home knitting. “I realised they had missed the mark in terms of design if they wanted to appeal to mums,” says Claire. “People are starting to appreciate hand-made knits but it needs to be a certain look and style.”

An idea began to form. Claire realised what had benefited her most when she was feeling low was connecting with friends and getting back into knitting. The 36-year-old found a way to combine those things and enrich the lives of others.

The first community crafting Make Give Live session happened at Claire’s local library in Whangaparaoa. From there it grew and grew. Now there are 10 Make Give Live groups in the Auckland area. People (yes there are some men) gather weekly or fortnightly, and are supplied with pure New Zealand wool and patterns for cool beanie designs and they knit while having a cup of tea together. For each beanie sold, another is donated to a homeless or elderly person in need.

Becky Smith first met Claire when Claire was out selling Make Give Live beanies at the Coatesville market. A dedicated knitter, Becky thought it was a great idea.

“Knitting is so enjoyable and meditative. It has proven therapeutic benefits – you have to be in the now, and concentrate on what you’re doing. And you’re making something beautiful and useful out of two sticks and a ball of string,” she says.

Becky, 49, now helps run Make Give Live. She combines it with her work as a teacher’s aide while Claire still does some communications and design. Both are looking forward to the day they can focus full-time on their social enterprise.

“The potential we see is huge,” says Claire. “We’ve only scratched the surface.”

They have a waiting list of people wanting to join groups. “There is a real desire to be involved,” says Becky. “They enjoy the knitting, the community and connection, and they also like that they’re doing it for a purpose.”

Strong friendships have been formed already. “A lot of people see each other outside the groups. If someone is struggling they’ll support each other so it’s really quite special,” says Claire. “Many of them tell us they don’t know what they’d do without the group now.”

The reaction from those who have been gifted beanies has also been gratifying. “Most can’t believe it’s free and that someone has hand-made it for them out of beautiful wool,” says Becky.

Two-and-half years on, Make Give Live is branching out from beanies into other designs – like cowls, fingerless gloves and crochet washcloth sets – and it is continuing to grow. Prior to Christmas they ran a pop-up store in Auckland’s Ponsonby Central and their designs have been stocked by national fashion chain KILT. The end goal is to have knitting groups throughout New Zealand and hand-knits selling in many more outlets.

“But we have to get the balance right,” says Becky. “We don’t want to have our makers feel pressured. It’s not about producing a certain amount. The whole purpose is for them to be enjoying the process, and building up their wellbeing. This has to be a joy.”

Claire’s grandmother taught her to knit and now she is passing on the skills to her own daughter. She says one of the great things about the groups is the way people are learning from each other.

“We’ve got older women who have been knitting for 30 years and really young ones who are self-taught from YouTube and know all the fancy new tricks.”

“Knitting is so enjoyable and meditative. It has proven therapeutic benefits… and you’re making something beautiful and useful.”