Sunday 2 March 2014

CHUNKY CHALLENGE
 
The end of another week and almost the start of another.  Where do the weeks go.  Next week I will be celebrating my only child becoming a teenager and it definitely does not seem like 5 minutes since I was waiting (and waiting, men always late!) his arrival.
 
Anyway back to knitting business ... this weeks challenge was to complete items in chunky.  I completed four hats - one adult and three child.  All completed from my favourite most used patterns.
 

In true "Stashbusting" form the two lighter hats were knitted up using two strands of Double Knit.  This gives a lovely tweedy effect.  So not only did I achieve "chunky" but I also am able to use up some odds I had left over.
 
 
Now for these week I think its going to be
 
ALL ABOUT SQUARES
I'm going back to grass roots, where it all began. 
 
so many charities are asking for squares at the moment
I'm a member of Loving Hands and one of the groups over there is looking for 6" squares.
Preemies UK have a weekly challenge and this week it is 6" squares
Also on Facebook, Cazz's chemo comforters - a lady undergoing treatment herself wants to collect squares between now and September to be made into blankets to be given to patients undergoing cancer treatment.
Freedom from Fistula again a wonderful organisation, which when you read about this devastating condition, its truly heartbreaking - they require 6" squares for baby blankets and 8" squares for adults
 
There are many more organisations looking for squares but these are just a few Ive picked out.
I started knitting about 6 years ago now and have never looked back.  A friend visiting for the weekend was making pet blankets, just garter squares which she then sewed together into blankets for Wood Green Animal Shelter.  Well she cast me on, and off I went.  She left that weekend stating when I get back next month I will cast you off and start another.  That first square was soon finished and not being one blessed with patience, I sat in front of the computer watching YouTube learning to cast off and cast on, well I wasn't going to wait another month...... the rest is knitting history. 
Can I just mention though helped so much by the lovely wonderful ladies on the Knit Your Share Forum, based on The Money Saving Expert Website.  Again, ironically started many years ago about knitting squares (I believe).  Such lovely caring bunch of "virtual" friends.

Sitting here I just felt that squares to me are the glue that cements knitters together, a common ground we all seem to share.

If you are thinking of squares don't forget lovely Linda over at Linda's Crafty Corner is running a Knit a Block a Week Challenge and I think we are all discovering new stitches, new skills.  Squares can look so different just by using different colours, different stitches.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST ....
Linda at Lindas Crafty Corner has also set up a mini challenge, as part of the stashbusting for stashaholics, to use up some yarn that you may keep overlooking, cant think what to do with or just don't like the look of.  So being one for a challenge tied that in with some rather lonely White Chunky yarn that has been moved every time I go to my "chunky" stash hidey-hole.  I was really chuffed to be asked if I would make another baby blanket, like the one I previously put on the blog.  This time for a very special cause.  This is on the needles as we speak.

Looks like I'm going to be kept busy and out of mischief for another week!