A NEW knitting group has been launched in Neilston to give participants a chance to share a good yarn.

Set up by staff at the village’s library just a few weeks ago, members have already begun making blankets and clothes for worthy causes.

The 12-strong club set out to produce jumpers and cardigans which will be sent to Malawi, in Africa, for impoverished youngsters to wear.

In addition, blankets have been knitted for the Scottish SPCA Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre, with twiddle muffs being stitched together for the Neilston Women’s Royal Institute to donate to care homes.

A number of woolly hats have also been handed over to charity to help homeless people during the chilly winter months.

And, with the popularity of the group growing, members are now appealing for donations of wool and knitting needles so they can make even more items for good causes.

The knitting club was the brainchild of Ishbel Clark, an East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure (ERCL) staff member at Neilston Library.

Ishbel said: “The group has become a real social event for folks in the village to meet up, get to know new people with a similar interest and improve their knitting skills.

“And the ladies have been hard at work in recent weeks, knitting lots of things for various good causes.

“However, we really need people to donate balls of wool and knitting needles, which can be handed into the library.”

Anthony McReavy, chief executive of ERCL, is delighted by the group’s early success.

He said: “This kind of initiative just goes to show that there is more to our libraries than borrowing books.

“Setting up the group was a great idea, as it brings together people with the same interest in knitting and people who have never knitted before can learn a new skill.”

Anyone else who would like to learn how to knit, or who already knows their purl from their slip stitches, is invited to join the group at Neilston Library every Wednesday, from 11am to 1pm.