Knit Your Square To Give Your Share -IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ THIS POST FIRST!!!

mioliere

HI Jellybeans - thanks; I'll update now! I did some knitting last night but only managed three rows before I dozed off! I'm going to make sure I have a lazy day today so I can catch up!

Further new squares will be added up first thing in the morning!

WOOLIGANS' NEW CHALLENGE!!

As I mentioned yesterday, I had a wonderful email from Lou, the organiser of the Loving Hands Charity Knitting Group. This group takes in knitted items and distributes them to various charities. They have congratulated us on what we have achieved so far and said they would be delighted to welcome the Wooligans as contributors to the group. Their website is lovely - here is the link www.lovinghands.org.uk. There is a link to free patterns for the various items they require including hats for those of you who want to take up the next challenge! Of course, this time we can send our finished items in individually to the group but it would be great if we could all mention the Wooligans and, of course, we will keep running totals again. I have copied and pasted Naomi's brilliant Yahoo Wooligans logo and made it smaller so that I can include a note with the logo on it when I send my items to them.

I shall continue to knit squares for OECS because I have enjoyed this so much; although our 'squares' challenge is amost at an end (wow, that thought actually made me feel a bit sad), I would love it of those of you who also continue to make squares would just update us with the amount they do. It would be great to know just how many Wooligans are responsible for.

A thought has just struck me - with the blankets, we have more or less always known how many we need but, of course, that won't be the same with hats; it would be great to aim for a certain number, say, 50?! What do you all think of that as a target? Then, once we have produced them, we could choose another pattern from the Loving Hands list and make 50 of those. I hope I'm not being too ambitious! There will be no pressure to get them all done by a certain time because they are not being sewn together; each hat will benefit a baby or toddler. For those who want a 'mini-practice' with a hat, have a go at the innocent drinks project - knitting tiny hats which are placed on bottles of innocent smoothies; each one sold with a hat in branches of Sainsbury's raises 50p for Age Concern. Perhaps we could have both challenges running at the same time! Please tell me off if you think I am getting too carried away! I'm going to look through earlier posts for the name of the person who first mentioned the innocent project on here because that is also a great idea and ideal for tiny leftovers of wool. www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/thebigknit

Incidentally, and very important -Loving Hands are happy to donate wool and needles for their projects; this will be ideal for new knitters who don't have stashes of wool left over from their own projects. Their address is on their website. We have also been invited to join them individually so, if you do, please say you're a Wooligan!

I would love to hear from you all if you are 'up' for this next challenge!

Newbies! Please join us here http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Wooligan/

Kathy

I was absolutely sure that someone on here mentioned the innocentsmoothie hats project but, for the life of me, I can't find the post! Whoever it was, please let me know because it was a great link and I want to say thank you! There are three free patterns on the site for the little hats for anyone who wants to have a go!

lainey_stardust

morning all, Kathy, you're such an early bird!!! somethin woke me at 4.30 but I was determined I wasn't going to get up that early so I lay there and tried to get back to aproper sleep. Trouble is, when I do that I have the wierdest dreams, Must be my body asking why I'm still lying down when my brains standing up lol!!
Anyway, jellybeans , thanks for your extra squares, we almost there folks. I think we need less than ten now!
I'm hoping to get my current square finished today but have got some ironing to do. (hmm, ironing or knitting, ironing or knitting....bit like the advert but I would rather have daddy and knitting anyday.I lost my dad 7 years ago on 28th of this month and it still feels like last week. I was in my mid-30's when he went but I was still daddy's girl ) Sorry for rambling:o
Kathy, thats a lovely idea about joining the loving hands, it's great that they provide wool too, there must be so many people out there that want to help but their finances prevent them. I also think its a good idea to have a target and to all be knitting the same thing together, we can pass tips and ideas on and that brings a real sense of community,I'll help with the tally keeping too.
Right going to go and get a few rows in before Mr & Miss Stardust (OH &DD) rise!! catch ya later,, Elaine XX

jellybeans_2

I think my numbers of squares are wrong... I've done 10 for HTA not Smokey- if I'm reading it right- it's too early lol!

I like knitting squares as well, so shall continue for OECS. I shall have a look at the hat pattern- but it may be too complex for me, I like easy knitting lol!

mioliere

Hi Jellybeans - that's bound to be my fault! I'll alter it - sorry! I'm so pleased that you will carry on with the squares. I will, too - I have tons of wool to use up and it's such a good cause. Don't forget that they need to be 7 x 7" once the HTA blankets are finished!

Lainey - my body was awake but my brains were definitely not standing up - I made a mistake with Jellybean's totals!

I'm so sorry you lost your father. I lost mine when I was sixteen to terminal illness; he was 38. It was a dreadful time and, although it's been years now, I think about him every day and still miss him. So much has happened in my life and I just wish he was sharing it with me. He was a lovely man and a fantastic Dad so, although I lost him young, I am so grateful that HE was MY Dad. You'll never stop missing him but time just makes it easier to bear.

Thanks for your offer of continuing help with the next challenge - I don't think I'd get the figures right without you! Your brain must be much younger than mine!

Have a great Sunday!

Kathy

Seakay

I have asked for a reminder for when this years Innocent Drinks campaign starts (please hang on to any little hats you make until then) and have mentioned that I am part of the Wooligans knitting group (which I explained was an online knitting group, with members scattered nationwide).

I think that having an ongoing project is a great idea, and that the 50 hats for premature babies is an excellent target to have.

r.mac_2

I think Kathy's idea of continuing is a great one!

I have registered for Innocent's big knit campaign, noting I am a member of the Wooligans and Will be looking for some wool to start my first lovinghands project

I am currently testing out a new pattern - but it's not worked out big enough for any of the blanket squares, so I'll keep that one for me

Kathy - I think you are fabulous and have really motivated me - thanks x

mioliere

Oh, R.Mac - thanks for the lovely words. I have been so motivated by all of you for taking up the challenge of the squares with such brilliant results and I'm so impressed with the way you, R.Mac, have become an excellent knitter in no time at all!


JELLYBEANS - I have altered your totals and also re-edited my last post because I said to do 7" squares from now on but I should have said 'once the HTA blankets are finished'! My brain is only slowly waking up this morning!

SEAKAY - I had no idea that the innocent drinks campaign was not ongoing, so thanks for telling us. I shall take another look at the site and register.

I'm looking forward to a Sunday snooze this afternoon then some knitting. I do like Sundays, especially when I have knitting to do. Besides our challenges I had already told myself that I was going to knit as many presents as I can for next Christmas so this year is going to be great fun and will use up the wool.

Don't forget that Loving Hands will supply wool and needles; I assume you can just write or email them for it. I don't need to because I have enough to keep me going but new knitters will find that really useful.

Kathy

Pippa.S

:hello:
Morning mioliere I have just been reading through and I noticed I havent been updated, I have now done 16 squares for smokey/smokelets and I have posted 11. They really mount up quickly dont they?


We are so close to finishing now, so I havent started another sq for smokey, as there may be a few work in progress

I will send the rest off to lainey tomorrow, with a note in for smokeys memory book.

Anne
xx

Forgot to say I have started a sq for OECS

mioliere

I've redone the totals, Pippa - thanks for the update. I was going to update once a day but we are so close to finishing that I'll try and do it as and when they get posted on here! As you have pointed out, there will be squares in progress and we need to keep an eye on the total!

Kathy

Pippa.S

mioliere wrote: »

I've redone the totals, Pippa - thanks for the update. I was going to update once a day but we are so close to finishing that I'll try and do it as and when they get posted on here! As you have pointed out, there will be squares in progress and we need to keep an eye on the total!

Kathy

:T
Thanks Kathy, I have just been looking through the loving hands link, and have downloaded the pattern for top knot hats,ahhh they are so tiny and cute, I will have a go at some of them when we have finished our current projects.

I have also joined the innocents smoothie site, and will sort all my little bits of wool out for that, as they don`t use much and its a good way to clear the odd bits out of my knitting bag.(Real OS)

OECS will still get my contributions, I think that will be an ongoing thing for
a lot of us

Anne
xx