KAS Knitalong & Gallery
Our Knit-A-Square Challenge and KnitALong is over, and we have a winner! Twila of California, USA, won when her 3oth square was chosen by Michael Daniel’s Random Number Generator. Congratulations, Twila, and thank you all for so many beautiful squares! They’ll keep children warm so beautifully.
Must say thanks also to our three designers: Diana Troldahl, Lucy Neatby, and Kristeen Griffen-Grimes, who so graciously designed beautiful squares specially for KAS, and to Kirsty Clarke of Wharfedale Woolworks for her generous (and gorgeous) contribution of her hand dyed yarn.
Thanks also to Byron Bennett, the author of the PhotoSmash plugin that runs the gallery — he helped me get the thing set up so it actually worked!
And many special thanks to Dawne, who was willing to follow up on an idea — it was a lot of work, I know, so many kudos to you, Dawne! Your generosity and love for these kids who need so much help shines through.
Now I have to figure out how and when to do the next one. :)
Here’s all of the posts thus far associated with the KAL, including the posts with our special designer squares.
Each finished square (with the exception of mine, Dawne’s, our square designers, and staff or employees of Knit-A-Square) was also an entry into a drawing for an exciting knitterly (or crocheterly) prize, which was drawn using an online random sequence engine. One lucky stitcher won the prize after our deadline of February 14th March 15th when all the squares had been entered into the gallery.
Thanks for helping the kids, to all the stitchers, designers, and dyers!
Zina that is a wonderful square. I bet get crackin’ a finish a new one myself!
Thanks! I don’t know why, but I’m feeling quite proud of it all out of proportion to what it is. Maybe because of what it’s for, and because I’m trying to think beautiful thoughts for the eventual receiver! :)
Hi Zina, it is just LOOKS warm. These small squares have taken on a life of their own, each a ‘currency of hope’ as coined by my husband, Roger. Sorry I would have wished to comment before, but I have been slow to navigate my way around your great site. We are SO excited at what has been started here. Hope the gallery just grows and grows and really look forward to seeing the designer squares. I am in awe of this design, can’t imagine how it is done!
Oh, it’ll be lovely and warm — it’s made up of the skeins and balls of Donegal Tweed yarn that I have left from six months in Ireland! The square itself is based off of Mason-Dixon’s Moderne Blanket — the free PDF is at http://images.amazon.com/media/i3d/01/log_cabin.pdf . (The errata is at http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/pottercraft/errata/masondixonknitting.html , in case anyone wants to make the actual blanket!)
Basically, I started off with a 2″x2″ garter stitch square and just kept adding until I had 8″. It was, frankly, easier than figuring out my gauge. :)
I can hardly wait to see more squares here too — people claim that they’re knitting and crocheting, so I live in hope. And…I know Diana is working madly on her square for us, both knit and crochet. I can hardly wait to see that, too!
Ooh, lovely square, Dawne!
Yay! Excellent square, Kathleen!
Do you want photos of each of our 30 squares? The reason I ask is I’ve knit about 7 squares in the same yarn and all in garter stitch so they all look the same.
Hi Twila — yes, because each pic is your entry for the prize, you see! I want to make sure you have as many chances as squares. :)
Gotcha! Will do. :-)
Twila, you rock! Those are gorgeous, I especially like the Woven Seed one and the diagonal one, and the garter squares will be so useful! I really have to motor through the rest of these Christmas presents and get back to squares!
SO do I Twila. Thank you so much, what a gorgeous contribution to a blanket these will make, Sandy
Twila your squares are wonderful! Thank you for sharing them.
Oh dear, my squares showed up yesterday when I posted the pictures but now they have disappeared :-(
Wonder what went wrong?
Nothing wrong — I just had to approve them, and only got back to my computer today after a weekend away! Those are beeeeeyoooooooteefull squares!
Thank you :-)
I didn’t realise, I thought it was me, hope you had a good weekend.
Modelwidow – wonderful squares! Nice addition to our gallery.
Twila, it’s gorgeous! I have GOT to try out this square too!
Twila,
Great Lucy square! I love it. My camera cord seems to have walked away so I can’t share the pic of mine yet. Glad yours is here as an example. Wasn’t it fun??
I enjoyed it. In fact I couldn’t stop until it was done! I stayed up to 1:30 a.m. last night to finish it–not my usual bedtime :-)
Twila,
Somehow I figured the 1:30 am wasn’t your usual bedtime :) It is engrossing knitting, isn’t it?? I like the colours you chose.
While I was writing Lucy’s Spotlight, I was promising myself that I would practice the Neatby Hole — this square looks a perfect way to do it!
Zina,
You do have to do the square. It is so much fun. I plan to do another as ‘after Christmas, just for me’ knitting.
`επειδη όλα βρωμάνε πλέον και οι εποχές είναι περίεργες, μήπως υπάρχει διασύνδεση των anonymous με την acta με σκοπό τον πλήρη έλεγχο του ιστοχωρου? Ο καιρός που επέλεξαν να δράσουν ειναι κακά τα ψέματα περίεργος… Δινουν πάτημα σε αυτούς που θέλουν να ελέγξουν το διαδικτυο να ισχυριστούν οτι υπάρχει μια νέα μορφή “τρομοκρατιας” αυτή του διαδικτύου και να λάβουν άμεσα τα “μέτρα καταστολής” της… Κατι μου βρωμάει, όχι ότι δεν συμφωνώ 1000% με την δράση τους απλά έχω γίνει πλέον πολύ καχυποπτος με οποιοδήποτε “κίνημα”…
Oops sorry, the red Crochet basket weave square went on twice and I didnt know how to cancel it. I’ll get the hang of posting pictures of squares properly at some point ;0)
Sorted! Very pretty…I so admire you guys still knitting squares right before Christmas…I’m struggling just to get the presents knitted, however are you managing squares!? You’re amazing!
Zina,
I finished a square the other night which I will soon post now that my camera cord has been found. I only ‘started’ my Christmas knitting mid-December. There must be something wrong with my brain!!
Oooh, be brave. :) I’m still frantically knitting…one of the cardi’s does NOT want to be done!
Modelwidow,
I love your newest squares! I have got to play around with top stitching a motif, like your heart on the blue square, so I can teach the kids in knitting club. Would make very good KAS squares for February. I love the texture of the cabled and the basketweave squares.
Thank you Zina for sorting me out, and I have to keep knitting to keep me sane at this time of year, and as no one appreciates my handknits, they all get boring bought pressies instead :0)
Thank you for your comments Dawne, I thought I’d add a little something to the plain square – it was quick and easy, just chain stitch, I should think the kids would like to do something like that.
K, the dotty one is my favorite of this batch!
Okay, who did the square entitled “My version of Ocean Waves”?
Okay, now we have TWO unknown Ocean Waves blocks!
Sorry Zina – the second, pink Ocean Waves is mine. It was my first picture post – will know to add my name next time!
There, Diane — now you’re entered for the prize, too!
Diane, I LOVE those flower squares, do you have a pattern for those?
Thanks! I love it too, which is why I’ve done so many! I found it on Ravelry – it’s Grannie’s Red Flower Square by Melanie Stiles and it’s also at http://www.kaleidesigns.com/crochet/patterns/archive/gran012.html
They’re so cute! Maybe I’ll get the chance to do some of them — stand by, though, Kristeen Griffin-Grimes’s pattern for a square appears soon. She’s having a bit of trouble due to a very bad injury to her hand a few months ago (involving an immersion blender), so we may be a couple of days late. :(
Sorry to hear about Kristeen’s injury but I have to say I’m loving Diane’s squares!
33 squares! Let’s keep it up folks!
I just had to try one of Dianes flower squares.
(sorry I am having such trouble uploading pictures, I keep getting a message that it has not been successful so I try again and end up with two!)
Omigosh, that is SO cute. I’m in the middle of doing the sample of Kristeen’s square, but as soon as I am done, I am SO doing one or more of those.
Modelwidow I love the newest squares you’ve added to our humble, but beautiful, gallery! Thank you. They are all lovely but I think my favourite is the diagonal in the dark and light blue. so striking!
Diane, GORGEOUS choices on the colors of Diana’s squares!
And welcome, Steph — love to see some more crochet squares!
Lovely squares Steph & Diane!
Whoa, Twila — you RAWK!
Aww, it twarn’t nothin’. I love to knit and it makes me feel good to know there are kids that will be warmed by my knitting.
Yeah — I think that’s really the best part about the whole thing, isn’t it!
Twila,
Thanks for your newest squares! They really will help a child to stay warmer at night.
:)
The gallery is looking wonderful folks! Thank you all. :)
Squeeee! LOVE our first square of French Brocade, Twila! And the picked up border looks amazing!
Thank you, Zina! It’s a little difficult to pick up along the side because the two colors of yarn cross over each other but I like the solid border it creates.
My compliments to each of the designers who donated patterns for this contest. Each pattern created an attractive square and, best of all, they were each easy to knit.
I’m so pleased with them! And so awed by our designers…and I think that hopefully it’s given Sandy and crew some ideas about more designer squares!
Twila,
I love your newest additions, both in quantity and in quality! bravo.
thank you :)
Diane, that wonky square is FABULOUS!
Thanks Zina! It was actually a lot easier to do than I thought it would be. The pattern is at http://tiggerbee.blogspot.com/2010/01/on-huh-crochet-square.html
And I love the yarns/colorway you used for the Lucy Neatby square too!
Wow! Great squares, Diane. I particularly like the spiral granny and your Neatby square.
Diane,
What lovely squares! I can’t get my head around how you did that spiral granny but I love it.
thank you :)
Steph,
Welcome to our KAL and thank you for the lovely crocheted squares!
:)
Cheryl, those are beautiful log cabin squares! Absolutely scrummy colorway…
Cheryl,
Log cabins with variegated yarns – awesome! Thank you.
Modelwidow — you rawk! The square in square ones will make awesome looking blankets!
Love the newest squares Modelwidow! They’re all very cool. I really like the lacey cross square.
Thank you, I’m having fun :0)
Well, that’s it for me! I mentioned on another post that I thought we were each supposed to knit 30 squares and since I didn’t discover that was wrong until I’d knit 20 squares, I went ahead and knitted 30–well, 31 because apparently I can’t count! It was fun!! Thanks for the motivation.
Twila, those stripey squares are totally made of awesome! And so are you!
:)
Oh Twila! I am so sorry that you felt you had to knit 30 squares! But very happy that you have as they will provide warmth and friendship to a child who needs it.
The KAS project has no end date. If you’ve enjoyed knitting for the orphans please continue to do so – at perhaps a slower pace. :)
Thank you again Twila, for all those beautiful squares.
You’re most welcome for the squares. Dawn please don’t feel sorry for me! I assure you it was my pleasure to knit 30 squares and I’ll definitely continue. I have a couple of sweaters that need sleeves that I’m knitting for another charity and some socks to knit for yet another charity but I’ll be back to KAS.
Twila – you ROCK!
Oops, I need to read instructions. I just uploaded a photo showing 2 squares, not 1, and didn’t put any caption with it. D’oh.
Zina, would you be kind and remove the photo showing an orange and a green square side by side?
I’m going to crop the rest of my already-done squares and upload them, then I’ll photograph future squares one-by-one. :)
Your squares are wonderful! So many great patterns, and such lovely colours. I’m intrigued by the Kauni in the round. Is that started at the center point and worked outwards?
Thank you for so many beautiful squares!
The Kauni square is indeed knitted in the round from the centre outwards. I need to write up a pattern for that one, and will put it on the Yarnomat blog when it’s done.
Clever you!
That would be fun to play around with. I’ve seen some people doing similar things, or what I imagine you’ve done, but I didn’t have time to ask them about it.
Here is a pattern for Square in the Round: http://yarnomat.com.au/2010/02/square-in-the-round/
Wow, Lisa, you rock! :) FanTAbulous!
Diane, I am SO going to have to keep an eye on your squares…you find the best patterns for them! Love that Castle square in particular…
Kathleen, your square picture didn’t come through – if you want to have another go, just try it again and I’ll delete the first one!
Wowee, guys! You all are totally awesome! I feel like making a bag for all of you! :)
Diane, I am intrigued by your chain gang square. Is this from a published pattern? Could you share your source?
Cheryl – the chain gang square came from Jan Eaton’s 200 knitted blocks – hope that helps!
[...] every square that you knit, photograph and add to their KAS gallery before 15 March 2010, you’ll receive an entry into their prize draw. They’ve collected [...]
You ladies are *fantastic*!
Sorry Zina, I’ve done it again, please could you delete the duplicate of my aran treble 5. Thank you and I promise to try and pay attention to what I am doing next time. Mw.
No problem! :)
I put in a few squares on behalf of my Mum, Joan — is that okay?
No worries — if she wins, I’ll email her via you, yes? :) Getting close now!
Is it just me or do we have more than 150 squares here???
Perhaps I need a morning cup of tea?
I know, I know! Isn’t it exciting? I wish I had a prize pack for everybody!
You are very generous Zina!
I think most of us would just ‘content’ ourselves with one of those knitting bags you designed. If you ever make more than one please say so on your blog! I would certainly love to buy one.
I just can’t express how awesome it is to come to our humble/beautiful gallery and see new squares each visit. It really, really makes me happy and smiley!
Agree (1,000,000)
I’m scheduled to teach a designer knitting bag class once I get back to Cambridgeshire. Should be fun! But yeah, I’ll be making more eventually.
No pressure but dear husband of mine has gift giving occasions (for little ole me) in May, Aug. and December. So any time you’re ready… you just say so and I’ll send him the link!
Won’t happen in May — that’s when I’m due to fly back to the UK. After that, though… :)
Love all the latest additions! Diane, that pyramid square is lovely. I haven’t seen that before.
Thanks Dawne – that’s another one from Jan Eaton’s 200 knitted blocks.
Get your squares in today, guys! You have ’til the end of the day on the 15th!
Thank you, Zina and Dawne!!! I’m thrilled and really looking forward to the goodies you’ve so generously supplied for this. I’m sure KAS is thankful also for you bringing their organization to the attention of more knitters and crocheters.
Thanks again!!
You are so totally welcome, and thank you for the lovely squares going out to help these children who need them so badly!
Oh my gosh, I have just revisited the site after a while. What a host of truly gorgeous, squares to look at. Thank you everyone for your time, talent, effort and participation. How lovely to know that we can just pop into this beautiful gallery anytime, for a dose of visual stimulation but also knowing that these beautiful squares will all be warming children by now or very soon. Thank you so much Zina for making this possible, Sandy
Hi Sandy! No trouble — I truly enjoyed doing it, and I’m pretty sure Dawne did too. :) I’m in the middle of immigrating to another country, but once I get settled again, I’ll be doing something similar, I’m sure. :)
[...] support of the Knit-A-Square project. 180 squares were made as part of her KAL. You can see them here. Those squares became blankets for six children. Six more children in the world have been reminded [...]
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