A Blanket for MrsKwazii: sign up to knit, crochet or donate. Thank you.

[KnottyLocks]

We have just heard the tragic and devastating news that MrsKwazii's daughter has passed away today in an accident. She was 4

We would like to make a blanket for MrsKwazii's family, to offer them what comfort we can.
If you would like to contribute in any way, please sign up below and PM RatherbeOnThePiste with your offer: crafting, donating, need wool, don't need wool, etc. She'll match you up.

We need knitters, crocheters and donors. If you would like to donate wool, then we can match you up with a crafter.

If you are offering to donate, we would be grateful if you would let us know if you'd like to donate 1 or 2 balls of wool. They cost roughly £5 per ball.

Crafters, if you need wool please let Pistey know if you'd like 1 or 2 balls of wool.
One ball should make at least 2 x 6" squares.

The wool we are using is:

• Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK (NOT the baby cashmerino)

• or Rowan Cashsoft DK.

They are very similar and can be combined.

• 4mm knitting needles or hooks

• cast on 33 stitches (this is a guide for less experienced knitters)

• 6" squares

The Colours:

Blues, warm purples, greens, silver/ greys and pinks.

Knotty.

My just 2 yr old summed up my lack of crochet skills perfectly just now:

Him: what you doing mummy?
Me: I'm crocheting DS
Him: you been crochet aaaaaaages mummy!

He's right. I have. Though my output would tell a very different story!

Cakey, my first crochet attempts weren't fit to burn. I may resorted to a flowery monologue or two at the time.

Sorry, am I the only one using a set square to make my squares square?

Putting the finishing touches to Knotty's 700th PM prize. Tis special...
Cakey, I keep chipping away at mine but seemingly making no progress!
Away to the PMs I go............

OK, got the needles - which seem to be the same as the ones I already had .

Next question - should 33 stitches cast on equal 6 inches width? It's only about 4 inches on mine! I will get going on this soon (I think) and Knotty - thanks for the reassurance about plain squares!

33 is only a guide for casting on, I only have to do 29, others have to do more. The casting on row is not an indication of how wide it will end up being, you need to do a couple of rows at least to see.

Hada, you'll need to knit a few rows after casting on before you see the true width.

Never hurts to have a spare set of needles!

X-posts with our expert.

Knotty - I'm doing it again! Giving knitting advice

X posts!!

how accurate do you need the blocks to be? My tension square showed that 33 stitiches would give me 6 inches but now the block is made up, it's looking closer to 7 inches.

Thanks to both experts - Knotty & Pistey - will do a couple of rows & see how it measures up. Can't wait to get going now!

I can't wait to get going either. But am still waiting for my wool to arrive...

Pleiades, I think you may win a prize for being the first to not only mention a tension square, but actually make one

Pleiades, measure it and report back.

I rang Cucumberpatch yesterday because I was getting impatient. One of my colours was out of stock so I asked them to send me two of another colour, and they arrived this morning. Result!

I don't even know what a tension square is

I just need to cast off my first square it looks not to bad for a first attempt. To which loverly ladee do I pigeon post it to?

I always check tension with new wool! I knitted 22 stitches and 7 rows, which gave me 4" wide by 1" wide. This showed me that 33 stitches and 42 rows would give me a 6" square. My square with the sides unrolled, measures 7" by 6". It's worked in Stocking stitch as was my tension square. My next square which has a pattern is 32 stitches (because of the pattern) and this is coming out at 6".

Do you want me to rework the 7" wide square?

If you want to send it, I'll give it a go

Pistey! How can you not know what a tension square is???

If you look at the band on the wool, it will tell you what the tension is supposed to be. The Debbie Bliss is 22 stitches and 30 rows for a 4" square with 4mm needles. I never do a full tension square; too impatient by far! If I had thought 22 stitches was giving me more than 4", I would have dropped down a needle size. The number of rows is irrelevant, just knit to desired length.

Knotty, I don't want to make your life hell. I'll consider reworking it with a pattern; that seems to pull it in.

I'm uber-lazy - I know I'm a loose knitter so I just go down half a size, or maybe just to 3.75 if the recipe pattern says 4. Always seems to work out ok although I did have to leave off the last five border rows of one square because it was getting too big.

More lovely donors have got woolly stuff to their lovely crafters.
Many, many thanks for your generosity and support

Rindercella

Tonksforthememories

I've spent the afternoon working up 2 squares, hoping to get another couple finished off tonight