White Christmas "Squares" Afghan

[Shandeh]

I'm wondering if any of you would be interested in participating in another charity afghan that would be made in 12 inch squares....in all white yarns.
http://bestsmileys.com/winter/5.gif

The blanket would be given to a charity I know of in Charlotte, North Carolina this Christmas.

A church in Charlotte does a "White Christmas" charity drive every year. All gifts are wrapped in white, and given to the poor in the community. I think a white blanket would make a nice gift to a needy family, and they would always remember that they received it at the White Christmas service.

All the squares would need to be knit and mailed to me by November 1st, to give me time to seam them all together in time for the charity program in December.

You can use any washable worsted weight WHITE yarn in your stash. You can use any design for your square. Just be sure to begin the square with 3 rows of all knit stitches, then begin and end each row with 3 or 4 knit stitches, then end the square with 3 more rows of all knit stitches. (This will create a nice garter stitch border around the square.)

Here is a pattern I have made that measures 12 inches:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59646927@N00/568077339/
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1176/568077339_e9002e9fa0.jpg

You can use that design if you want, or just change the inner stitches for the design you want.

We need 35 squares. You can knit one or two squares, depending on how many people sign up for the project. Just let me know how many squares you are willing to make.

Thanks! :muah:

[misha rf]

I'll do a couple!

[LauraD]

Sounds good. I would like to be involved!

[Shandeh]

Thank you both! :muah:

I'll send you a PM with my address, so you'll have it when you finish your squares.

If we only get a few people signing up, I'll just make it a lapghan instead of a blanket. :hug:

[feministmama]

Woman you are the most givingest knitter I have ever seen. You are truly put on this earth as an angel to help us all. I just wanted to say that. :hug:

[Shandeh]

Oh, that's so sweet of you to say! :muah:

I used to be a single mom, and I couldn't make it day to day financially. The church helped me several times back in those days....paying my power bill, buying me groceries, giving me a HUGE bag full of toys for my kids for Christmas one year, providing every piece of furniture for my nursery for my baby, helping me move from an apartment to a house. They were always there for me, in such a loving, wonderful way.

I've always believed that I should help others if I can, so that's why I like to knit for charity. There's no way I could ever give enough to equal what has been given to me over the years. But, I can at least TRY. It feels SO GOOD to give to others.
cloud9

[divagirl]

Sandy, I heartily second feministmama! you are simply an awesome person. I've got some Bernat Satin that is dying to be used for this blanket

[Shandeh]

:muah:

So, does that mean you're in the knit-along? :teehee:

[gmmarton]

This sounds wonderful...please add my name to your list.

Gail M.
CT

[divagirl]

I am in!

[PurlyGyrl]

Oh, Sandy. Your story brought tears to my eyes :cry: and inspiration to my fingers!! :knitting:Count me in for 2 squares. Just let me know where to send 'em!:hug:

[kellyh57]

I got a big huge skein of white yarn from my ailing Grandma's stash earlier this year. I think this will be a great project to use it for! Count me in!

Kelly

[debinoz]

I'm in for a couple!

[mjscott]

I'm in for at least 2 squares
Maranda

[Shandeh]

You guys are WONDERFUL! I'm sure we'll have enough squares to make one or MORE blankets! :cheering:

I'm not going to turn anyone away. If you want to make a square, just send it to me. I'll seam them together and make afghans until my eyes cross. :teehee:

[lestrella]

Sandy, you can sign me up for 2 squares too. I can also help you putting the afghan together if you show me how.

:hug:

[Shandeh]

Woo Hoo! Thanks Lestrella! :hug:

[JennyLeah]

Oh! I wish I had some white yarn in my stash! this is such a terrific project! :sad:

I tend to shy away from white though because, as my mother would say, you can't take me ANYWHERE. :rofl:

[Shandeh]

I'll be happy to send some yarn to you to use for the project. Just send me a message with your mailing address.

[GennyLynn1962]

Does it need to be White, white, or can it be a little 'off'? I have some in my stash, I lost the label, so I'm not sure if it is true white.

Did that make sense???:eyes:

[laptop_knitter]

Count me in - I've a coupla balls that aren't going to be used for anything

[Shandeh]

Genny, you can use off-white....that's fine!

I think that all the different shades of white will give the blanket texture and definition.

[GennyLynn1962]

:thumbsup:

I'll see what I can come up with.

[Shandeh]

Thank you all so much for joining!
:muah:

Right now, we have 14 knitters:
Shandeh
misha rf
LauraD
feministmama
divagirl
gmmarton
PurlyGyrl
kellyh57
debinoz
mjscott
lestrella
JennyLeah (needs yarn)
GennyLynn1962
laptop_knitter

I made a KAL button if you want it:

Large:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/1333181253_006ab2d21d_m.jpg

Small:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/1333181253_006ab2d21d_t.jpg

[suziehomemaker]

I really want to participate but I'll have to sort through my stash to see if I have any white left over. If not, I'm off to AC Moore!

I'll be a definite maybe!

[knit.newbie]

me me me me me!!

well..I don't have a stash(lil begginer me:aww:)..but I'll try to go buy a ball and do one or two..
I'm not sure if I can though..cause I'm a student and keeping up with studying tuition fees and knitting is gonna be hard I'm guessing..

but yea..it's a 'probably'!
need to check if i can find good quality yarn for a reasonable price and check the mailing fees!

:cheering:

[losnana]

Shandeh, count me in.

[GennyLynn1962]

Thanks for the button Sandy.

I started a square yesterday. I'm not sure what it will look like, I'm just knitting whatever I feel, it's artistic freedom relief from the throw. :teehee:

[losnana]

Shandeh, I usually slip the first stitch to create a smoother edge. Should I do this or just knit the first stitch? Whichever makes it easier for you to seam together is fine.
Thanks for the button.

[Shandeh]

Shandeh, I usually slip the first stitch to create a smoother edge. Should I do this or just knit the first stitch? Whichever makes it easier for you to seam together is fine. Thanks for the button.
You can do whatever you want. I'm not going to require it one way or the other. I'll be fine if the first stitch is knitted.
You're welcome for the button! :)

Thanks for the button Sandy.
You're welcome! :hug:

[LauraD]

Well I am going to do squares in between my other projects...and now that I know I can do off-white and white...I have SO MUCH stash I can bust. I just got out of baby afgan heck...

[PurlyGyrl]

Thank you Sandy for the button. It's the first time I can actually add to my signature. Cool! :)

[Shandeh]

You're very welcome!

Here's the url if you need it:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/1333181253_006ab2d21d_t.jpg

[Lady Violet]

i'm in!!!
:woohoo:

[suziehomemaker]

I got started this weekend and my first square is knitting up quickly. I'm using Caron's Simply Soft yarn in white. I used the same brand for my son's afghan and it was very nice to work with. "Simply Soft" is a perfect name for this yarn.

I choose a moss stitch because it looked cool and I never tried it before. I probably have one or two more nights of knitting on this one before it will be done.

I think I have enough yarn to do a few more so I'm hoping to try a few more stitches that are in my reference books.

In case anyone would like to use the same stitch pattern: I just casted on 54 stitches, knit 3 rows for the garter border and then started in on the moss stitch (Rows 1 & 2 are k1, p1; Rows 3 & 4 are p1, k1) with 3 stitches knit at the beginning and end of each row.

[suziehomemaker]

Let me try one more time to post the pictures . . .

[Shandeh]

That's GORGEOUS! :inlove:

[Lady Violet]

it looks like SNOW!!!! :cheering:

[Shandeh]

Well, according to my records, there are 19 of us knitting, or wanting to knit squares for the White Christmas Afghan!
:muah:

Woo Hoo! :cheering:

Here's the list of names I have. Please let me know if I need to make any changes:

Shandeh
misha rf
LauraD
feministmama
divagirl
gmmarton
PurlyGyrl
kellyh57
debinoz
mjscott
lestrella
JennyLeah (needs yarn)
GennyLynn1962
laptop_knitter
LauraD
Lady Violet
suziehomemaker
losnana
knit.newbie

I'm just now starting to make a blog for us, so I'll let you know when it's done. :hug:

[suziehomemaker]

You are so organized!

Do you mind if I wait until mid-October to send you all of my squares at once or would it be easier if I sent them to you as I finished them?

[Shandeh]

Do you mind if I wait until mid-October to send you all of my squares at once or would it be easier if I sent them to you as I finished them?

You can wait and send them all at once, to save on postage! :hug:

[PurlyGyrl]

Hey, SuzieHomemaker! That square is so pretty. :heart: It really does look like snow, Lady Violet!

[Shandeh]

Here's our blog!
http://whitechristmasafghan.blogspot.com/

[mrslevite]

Is it too late to add me to the list? I try to not start anything till I'm finished with what I'm currently working on - which at the moment is a baby sweater. I should be finishing it tomorrow or the next day and can do a couple of squares, I think, before I start on another project.

[Shandeh]

Of course you can join! :hug:

As long as I get the squares by November 1st, anyone can join!

[bobi1218]

I would love to participate too! I just finished a baby blanket and have some washable white worsted weight (how's that for alliteration?) yarn left over, it should be enough for at least one square.

I'm not being stingy, committing to only one square, I'm just the world's slowest knitter :)

[Shandeh]

I'm the same way! I'm a VERY slow knitter, so I can't knit a lot either. I had to stop making prayer shawls at church for the same reason. I was being asked to make a shawl for a particular sick person, and I was afraid that they would be completely healed before I ever got the shawl ready for them! :roflhard:

[debinoz]

One down and one to go! This pattern is called "Berries", but it looks more like Hershey's Kisses to me.

[Shandeh]

Love it! :heart:

[losnana]

Pretty!!! You're really fast-, I'm only 1/4 done with mine.

[PurlyGyrl]

Debinoz! That so pretty! :inlove: Dang, girl, you knit FAST!! I feel like such a slacker :pout: I haven't even gotten my yarn yet. Wouldn't you know it--huge yarn stash and no white yarn :doh:However, now I have a reason to go YARN SHOPPING !!!:woot:cloud9:woot::yay::happydance:

[suziehomemaker]

Beautiful square! I love that stitch!

I'm working on my squares on the weekends and then my main knitting project during the week. It's so sad that I have to schedule things but it's the only way I can be organized to get everything done!

[GennyLynn1962]

I'm just the world's slowest knitter :)


Nope, I'm the slowest. I've been working on a throw since last Christmas. :teehee:

The square is beautiful. :inlove:

[debinoz]

Thanks for the compliments, but I'm not fast, just in a hurry. I want to get them to Sandy so she can send me the yarn I'm buying from her!!

[Shandeh]

:teehee:

Hmmm..:think: I'm hatching a plan. I should sell yarn to EVERYONE in the Oddball Projects, saying that I'll send it when they finish their part. :roflhard:

(just kidding!) :wink:

[suziehomemaker]

Imagine how fast those blankets would fly across the country!