Support thread for 3girlies' blanket

[tribpot]

Following on from our previous support thread please check in here if there's any help, particularly (but not exclusively) knitting help, you need for the squares for 3girlies, who sadly lost her beloved 6-year-old dd Flora recently.

The details of the blanket project are here and it directs you to the Crafting Guide on Woolly Hugs, with specific sections for crocheters and knitters. I am still maintaining the original document mostly because I haven't got around to separating out the stuff that's already on Woolly Hugs now from the newer suggestions we've had in the last few weeks. So please, by all means do send me suggestions for new patterns or ideas.

For those of you on Ravelry and participating in the Ravellenic games, I think squares could be entered under a number of categories such as balance beads, doubleknit boxing, lace longjump among possibly some others.

'Tis bee-yoo-ti-fool!! :):)

Do we not need to do two? If so, you could send me the wool and some beads (and the pattern) and I'll have a go too.

If someone else has already done t'other one, I'll do the pretty apple tree instead, as I think that would look lovely in that colour of wool.

Minnie, the candle square is lovely and is more than good enough as it is x

Woohoo to the beaded heart, Trib and um yep, we need two!

soremummy has done another, I have to say much better, one - although I dare say Her Knottiness could be persuaded on this matter with appropriate inducements I'm happy to send you some beads, though, as I bought about 4 gazillion in preparation for the square - although the apple tree would be fantastic in this shade.

tree tree!!

If you send me the wool, I'll do the tree as long as the powers-that-be ignore the fact that we've gone beyond the deadline

What about a tree for 3girlies??

You guys are too kind? ok, I'll send as is (might attempt a little behind-the-scenes tinker first). I know it's 'ok' but it's just frustrating when a) I know I'm capable of better and b) I've given myself this idea it should be perfect because it's for something so important.

Love the beaded heart. Love trees!

Knotty If you want another one of the hearts doing same as tribpot pm me let me know I can meet with Tribpot and collect beads and wool x. I'll message you tomorrow trib re needles

Or if you want me to do the tree I have tablets. Although I've done one before just let me know what you lot need as long as its not crochet ! :)

Haha, I've got it Sussex! I'm sticking to rows, and it's much, much easier for me. Next time I'm in town I'll scout out the local wool shop and get some wool, and get cracking on some squares. :)

As an estimate, in single crochet how many stitches do I need in a row, and how many rows for a 6 inch square? :)

Sorry, meant I've got it sussed

Stupid iPad...

Crochet a chain that's 6"/15cm long. Ch1 extra and turn. Then crochet back across, ch1 and turn. I do about 4 stitches to the inch, so 24+1 :)

Thank you :) I'm just sad I can't take my crochet on holiday, because of it not being allowed on the plane :( Don't like flying if it's bumpy so something to occupy my hands and mind would be great.

Ah well, ipod and talking to my mum will have to suffice.

Lollipop,well done for cracking crochet

You can get plastic and wooden hooks which might be worth considering for crochet on planes .

Buy yourself a plastic or wood hook, mine has been to Latvia and back!

prettybird can you link to the heart pattern you used please on the fb pic? Love the cables too! :o

Which heart one? The blue and pink one or the yarn-over "lace" one? Both of them are from my Big Fat knitting book (the lace one adapted from a sock pattern, the other a fair-isle one) but I could copy them for you.

The fair isle one please. I've been looking for one like that but the were all either too big too small or just one heart and I couldnt workout how to adapt it!

Ooh, I feel enormously inadequate massively on awe of the skills on display in this thread!

I have finished two squares - a diamondy pattern one & a flowery number, will try to finish two more to send with em.

Lentil - and others - please please please don't underestimate how important every single square is to this project. For someone with plenty of time and experience, a complicated pattern shows their support for the blanket recipient. For someone with less time/experience, the same amount of effort will produce a plain garter stitch square.

All squares show 3girlies that she and her family are loved.

This is my first square using my donor wool and some blue that I already have. I'm really pleased with how it's turned out and I hope I've done my donor proud.

Beautiful, Somersaults!

That's beautiful Somersaults . Lovely colour combination. I'm in awe of people who are able to do such lovely delicate shapes in crochet. :) resolutely refuses to look at left-handed videos on how to crochet

These are my latest squares which will go in the post today as they are for Expat, Giraffes and Mumto3Boys' blankets

I'm loving the hearts and the cable Prettybird. Cable is something I've never tackled, as is knitting with more than one colour (apart from some dodgy stripes I did recently!)

Cable really is the easiest "next step" Somersaults . I taught Hairypotter over coffee at the Glasgow Blanketeers meet-up. It's so easy, yet looks so impressive.

You just need to get a cable needle (a wee short, double pointed needle).

Here are some simple instructions: Start with a purl row. On Row 2, purl a few stitches, then, to twist one way, (say, a twist 6 stitches wide), you slip three stitches on to the cable needle (pretend you are going to purl them with the cable needle and then just transfer them on to it) and leave it at the front (for a twist to the left - this is called C6F) or the back (for a twist to the right - this is called C6B). Knit three stitches and then knit the three stitches on the cable needle, purl the next few stitches (depending on your pattern) Purl the whole next row. Next row, purl when you purled in the cable row and then knit when you knitted (ie the cable row). Repeat these last two rows (ie simple knitting and purling, no cable) another 5 times. On the 14th row, repeat Row 2 again. Repeat rows 1-12 until required length is achieved.

You need more than 33 stitches in order to achieve the requisite 6" wide, as the cables pull it in. It's also better to put a stabilising column of rib on either side of a cable, if you are doing simple ones.

For this square, the instructions would be (from memory: I adapted it from a cushion pattern I had). I've changed it ever so slightly, as in retrospect, I think the twists would have been better the opposite way round. I've also widened it slightly, as from memory it was a bit narrow. This pattern creates a garter stitch background to the cables which I think is quite attractive.

Cast-on 39 stitches.

Row 1: Purl
Row 2: Purl 3, knit 3, purl 3, knit 6, purl 3, knit 3, purl 3, knit 6, purl 3, knit 3, purl 3.
Row 3: Purl
Row 4: Purl 3, knit 3, purl 3, C6B (slip 3 stitches onto cable needle, leave in front, knit 3 and then knit the 3 stitches on cable needle), purl 3, knit 3, purl 3, C6F (slip 2 stitches on to cable needle and leave behind, knit 3 and then the 3 on the cable needle), purl 3, knit 3, purl 3.
Rows 5 to 12: Repeat rows 1 and 2.
Repeat Rows 1 to 12 until 6" long.

You can finish on any row except a cable row (which would make the cast-off a bit difficult/twisted).

Hope I've written that down OK! :)