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

Who would like to knit or crochet for charity?

This idea has sort of sprung up and quickly gathered momentum over just a few days on the OS Daily thread and we have decided it deserves a thread of its own.

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR WEDS 20TH AUGUST 2008

Here is a post that Seakay has made on the thread for Weds 20th August which I am posting here for any newbies who may be interested! As far as ID for when we are sending our little hats, I think the idea Seakay has suggested at the end of her post is the one we should use.

Thanks very much, Seakay!


Hello everyone! Not been contributing much as domestic disaster has left me exhausted, but just wanted to let you know that the Innocent Smoothie Help the Aged Campaign is now up and running, and I will be starting on some little hats very soon!
http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/thebigknit/
"How can I help?
Last year we raised over £200,000 for Age Concern and this year we’re looking to raise lots lots more. So we’d love your help. All you need to do is knit us a little hat and pop it in the post. We'll do the rest. There are patterns below and lots of incredible hats in our hat of the week gallery for inspiration.
So dust off those needles, grab the nearest sheep and get your wool on (your needles). Please remember to send us your hats by 17th October to: The Big Knit, 1 The Goldhawk Estate, Brackenbury Road W6 0BA. Don't forget to pop us a note on the envelope with your name, address and number of hats knitted.
Happy knitting.
P.S If you’d like us to send you a knitting pack as soon as they’re ready, just drop us an email with your name and address to [EMAIL="thebigknit@innocentdrinks.co.uk"]thebigknit@innocentdrinks.co.uk[/EMAIL] with ‘Knitting Pack Please’ in the subject line."

I have told Innocent that there is a group knitting who are based on the Money Saving Expert forum, so if you'd like to add that info to your name and address our fame will spread!
Would name, address "for Wooligans at MoneySavingExpert.com", number of hats knitted be appropriate? Or if another form of ID would be better post it up and we can all use the same one




COMPLETED PROJECTS

Within a short time of this idea getting off the ground, we had completed 2 63-square blankets for distribution to the elderly, one 63-square blanket for Smokybabe and one 35-square blanket to each of her three children. Altogether, we had knitted or crocheted between us 231 squares! These have been generously and lovingly sewn together for us by Naomi (aka Artystitches) of Operation Elderly Charity Stitchers for the blankets for the elderly (link in this post), and Lainey Stardust for Smokybabe and the Smokelets.










Thanks to SEAKAY for suggesting that this is added to my very first post on this thread; I shall also add the running totals and update my sig as we go along so newbies should read this first. Those of you already knitting may want to print this off so they have the information to hand. I have no idea how many pages it extends to – the regular posters on the OS Daily Thread are already aware that I can ramble on when I post! ARTYSTITCHES has suggested that I set up a board and has offered to help me with that, which is just as well, because I have never heard of such a thing before and didn’t know it was possible! I will update this post accordingly with details.


SQUARES
7” x 7”, in plain, not textured or fluffy, Double Knitting (DK) yarn, in knit or crochet, on size 8 (4mm) needles and between 2 & 4.5 size crochet hook, depending on how loosely we crochet. As a guideline, 5 knitted stitches equals one inch width of knitting but please note that when the stitches are first cast on, they won’t look wide enough! It is only when you have started to knit that it will look the right size! Tension varies between knitters so, if you are unsure, do a tension square first (boring, I know, when you just want to get going with the squares!). For this, cast on, say, 10 stitches and knit for 2 inches; measure the square. If it measures 2” x 2”, then your tension is correct for 5 stitches per inch wide. If not, adjust accordingly, either by reducing or increasing the number of stitches. I hope this makes sense!



Here are links to posts by MAYTAURUS with information about squares and knitting tutorials

See here for squares to crochet
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/grannies.html#8
There are also loads of other free patterns
Their patterns for knitted squares are in 6,7,9 & 12" sizes.

See here for; How to Measure for a 8" Square
http://sandiegowildfireblankets.blog...-8-square.html

Free how to knit videos (& more) here
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/learn-to-knit

HERE
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/learn-to-knit

Thanks very much, MAYTAURUS!

Squares should be 7” x 7” and sent to either ARTYSTITCHES aka Naomi Rainford, of Operation Elderly Charity Stitchers
Flat 2 Beechwood
53 Copers Cope Road
Beckenham
Kent
BR3 1NJ. or any of the addresses below.

The ladies of this wonderful organisation kindly and enthusiastically sew the squares together and distribute the blankets to deserving causes. Here is the link to their website http://uk.geocities.com/oecs_central/ , thanks to KAY PEEL and ARTYSTITCHES, which has photos of many of their completed blankets. They also take quilted and cross-stitched squares for anyone who has these skills as well.

The 7” squares can be sent to Naomi or to one of the following addresses:

FOR HERTS AND BEDS AREA:

Jan Baldwin
14 St Andrews Way
Langford
Biggleswade
Beds.
SG18 9QL


FOR SHREWSBURY AREA:

Ann Vasey
6 Westminster Close
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY1 2DA



FOR SOUTH WEST BATH AREA:

for small items that will fit through letterbox

Belinda Dark
11 Robin Close
Midsomer Norton
Radstock
BA3 4NJ

and works address for bulky items

Belinda Dark
Norton Electrical Wholesale
Unit B, First Avenue
Westfield Industrial Estate
Midsomer Norton
Radstock
BA3 4BS

BLANKETS FOR SMOKYBABE AND HER CHILDREN

For those of you who do not know SMOKYBABE, she is a regular poster on the OS Daily Thread and, sadly, recently lost her husband. She is a lovely young Mum to three children, two boys and a girl, and another regular poster, BENTHOSBOY, had the brilliant idea that we could make a blanket for her. This was greeted with such enthusiasm that they are now in the process of being sewn together by the lovely Lainey Stardust who is keeping us updated with photos on our Yahoo group.

For those interested in other charity appeals, Oxfam are currently asking for 9” squares for a giant blanket, www.lovinghands.org.uk have loads of free-to-download patterns for knitted items to be sent to the third world where they are desperately needed and, for something a bit different, www.lcgb.org have a free-to-download pattern for knitted breasts (!) which are used to help teach new mothers how to breastfeed and, also, some mastectomy patients find them more comfortable than the usual prosthetics currently available.

I will update these guidelines if I think of something I have forgotten about and, also, if anyone thinks of something that should be added, please let me know.

I would like to say that I never in my wildest dreams imagined that this idea would take off and grow at such a phenomenal pace. It is one of the most rewarding and heart-warming things I have ever been involved in and I want to thank you all for your enthusiasm, your kindness and the time you are devoting to this. I love the fact that it has reawakened long-forgotten skills in some of us and given others the perfect excuse to learn to knit and crochet. The perserverence of the new knitters is fantastic.

Thanks to ARTYSTITCHES aka Naomi of OECS, we now have a Yahoo group; here is the link - everyone is welcome to join! http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Wooligan/

Thanks to all of you.

OUR LATEST RUNNING TOTALS! UPDATED EVERY DAY!!

Update for Monday 29th December 2008



The first figures are for the STC (Save the Children) hats and the second is for the (IS) Innocent Smoothie hats for Sainsbury's, the closing date for which was 17th October 2008 by which time they had received over 500,000 hats - that's more than 100,000 more than last year. As each one raises 50p that's over £250,000 raised for Age Concern! Our hats on here will raise £224 so please give yourselves a huge pat on the back! The hats will go on sale, each on a bottle of Innocent Smoothie, in Sainsbury's on 5th November - I wonder if any of us will recognise a hat we've made in our local branch?!


MrsMoneypenny

19
21
2 cardigans
4 baby blankets
6 Teddies for Tragedies and 10 bags for Teddies
10 boobs
1 hooded wrap
1 Sailor's hat
R.Mac

3
2
1 pair of mittens

Catznine

3
1

Mioliere

28
20
4 Teddies for Tragedies
1 baby jumper
1 cardi
1 boob for Pimp my Boob comp
5 buntings
I baby blanket
1 bodywarmer
1 bib
3 prs bootees
1 pr mittens
2 teds (to go to a hospital in the USA on behalf of a sick relative)

C1aire:

13
1
1 baby blanket

Pol
18
1 scarf

Jellybeans
23
5 Teddies for Tragedies
3 baby blanket
3 scarves

Seakay
2
30

Bellaquidsin
17
1 lap-rug

LilyMay (Mioliere's Mum!)
5
12
13 2 pairs bootees
4 baby blanket
9 buntings
1 cardi
5 small teddies, 3 with matching bags

Pink.1970
3

Betheebee
6

Pippa.S
39 have included your vent hats with your hats total
40
1 baby blanket
10 Teddies for Tragedies
17 scarves
21 buntings
3 boobs!
7 bibs
2 prs mittens
7 matinee jacket (listed under 'cardigans')
5 jumpers
1 sailor's hat

Chalky
266
6 angel pockets (which will be added to the burial buntings to save room on my sig)

4 body warmers
4 baby blankets

PeckedHen
12

MargaretClare

3

Gingernutmeg

130 (Innocent Smoothie)

Shazrobo
45
79
2 baby blankets, 2 big blankets
10 scarves
8 burial buntings
2 cardigan
1 boob
4 sailors' hats
4 Teds for Tragedy

Herbaholic
12
3 scarves

Craftylady

7
63
2 bodywarmers
1 lap-blanket

Ianna
29 Innocent Smoothie hats

SoozyJ22
1
2 Innocent Smoothie hat


Shezmit

8
1
4 sleeping bags
2 blankets
6 burial buntings
1 cardi
2 prs bootees
11 bibs
1 boob
3 gowns
1 angel pocket
4 Christmas stockings

Queen of String

1
4 blankets
1 cardi

Chickadee
5
9

F1Widow

10 squares
1 baby blanket

Totals - SAVE THE CHILDREN (LOVING HANDS)559 HATS, 34 SCARVES, 5 PRS OF MITTENS, 10 BODYWARMERS, 10 CARDIGANS, 9 JUMPERS, 1 HOODED WRAP, 3 GOWNS, 25 BABY BLANKETS, 3 BIG BLANKETS, 2 LAP-RUGS, 6 prs BOOTEES, 49 BUNTINGS, 1 ANGEL POCKET, 4 SLEEPING BAGS, 33 TEDDIES FOR TRAGEDIES, 5 SMALL TEDDIES, 3 WITH BAGS, 10 BAGS & 448 INNOCENT SMOOTHIE HATS FOR SAINSBURY'S 2008 CAMPAIGN (now closed), 16 BOOBS, 19 BIBS, 6 SAILORS' HATS, 4 CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS & 10 SQUARES





Below are links to further patterns and ideas that I have been posting throughout the thread – it finally dawned on me that they would be useful to put in this first post, too, for any newbies!

For anyone struggling with making pom-poms there are lots of instructions here! http://www.needlepointers.com/ShowAr...spx?NavID=1527

I've just found this if anyone wants to make a teddy for a deserving child. http://www.teddiesfortragedies.org.uk/ - you can see in the photos how much happiness the teddies bring.

here is a link to one simple blanket

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/kh...byBlanket.html

and I've just found the following link to several more!

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.co...y_blankets.php

http://www.knitandtonic.typepad.com/TenderBlankie.pdf Here are some more patterns from this particular site http://www.thepreemieproject.com/volunteer/patterns

7" by 7" squares are always welcome by OECS but, for now, we are not sending any to Naomi because she has just become a new mum and has her hands full with her new son!

Although our next challenge was for preemie hats, this has now been extended to anything else that is needed for babies - there are many links to patterns in this post and www.lovinghands.org.uk is a fantastic site with loads of patterns. Lou, the lovely lady who runs this group, is happy to send wool, needles and patterns to anyone who wants to knit for them. Many of us have already joined the group and post on the forums so please join us there.

Kathy


PATTERNS FOR CHARITY UPDATE FOR 5TH JUNE 2008

Have just found this link to patterns for baby items

http://www.p2designs.com/Links-CharityPatterns.htm

http://www.angels4preemies.com/preemiepatternlinks.html


I have just found this site which translates any digital image from your computer into a pattern for knitting. It's unusual but could be very useful and, best of all, it's free to use (although you can made a donation through PayPal if you want to!).

http://www.microrevolt.org/knitPro/

I've just tried it and it turned a sketch of Little Bo Peep into a graph which would be easy to copy in knitting, crochet or cross-stitch.

Another site just found with lots and lots of free patterns! http://www.knittychick.com/baby_patterns.htm

UPDATE FOR 26TH JUNE

Maytaurus has just posted these links full of useful info and, even better, fantastic pictures that sum us all up so well! Thanks Maytaurus!


WANT TO LEARN HOW TO CROCHET ?

Or just want some different stitches etc ?
Questions ....like
How To Change To Different Colour Yarn In Crochet
See here;
http://www.videojug.com/search?keywords=crochet



and
Everything you need to know about knitting

http://www.videojug.com/tag/knitting...ent=all&page=1





UPDATE 3RD JULY- NEW CHALLENGE!

Those of you who are registered with Loving Hands will no doubt be aware of their latest orphanage challenge and I hope you are all happy if we make that our next challenge too! It means we can carry on knitting the same items all the way up to age 16!

Here is the link to Loving Hands' challenge page - all the info is on there!

http://www.lovinghands.org.uk/events.htm

I don't think there's any point setting a target - we exceed it every time because you are all so enthusiastic! We can just knit and knit and knit! Oh, and crochet, too!

Kathy