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Posted By: plants 'n pots Warm up America? - October 24th, 2006 at 10:30 AM
Does anyone knit or crochet rectangles for the Warm up America program? There are chapters all over the country - supposedly Michaels craft stores participate. They already had the knitting part of it in some Michaels, but the sew up of the afghans is coming up. We have a very new Michaels store here - just a few weeks opened - I am going to call tomorrow to see if they are participating, and if it's too late to knit up some pieces.

Just wondering if anyone has ever done this?
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - October 24th, 2006 at 10:47 AM
I have never heard of that one Lynne. Will have to look into it.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - October 24th, 2006 at 06:44 PM
The thing I'm wondering, Triss, is that they've already had the knitting/crocheting part of it in October, and the next thing is supposed to be the sewing up of the blankets. But I was wondering if this is an "on-going" project elsewhere, that one might be able to participate in - it doesn't really say on the website.

Warm Up America

Every knitter and crocheter most likely has yarn leftover to make at least 1 or 2 rectangles for a blanket, right? What better use for it than something to keep a needy person warm?!?

I decided to go to the store today while I'm out - hopefully SOMEONE there will know what I'm talking about! I'm going to print out the page that I found involving Michaels stores and bring it with me. I'll let you know what they say. thumbup
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - October 25th, 2006 at 02:49 AM
I sent an email off to see if there is a group working in my area.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - October 25th, 2006 at 04:00 AM
I went into Michael's this morning and met the young woman who is in charge of store activities. She was excited to see my interest, and said they are definitely doing it. They will have the "sewing day" sometime in November - she wasn't sure of the date yet, but took my name, number and email address.

Of course I bought a skein of yarn while I was there, to start! I chose the one that loz had mentioned a few months ago - Blueberry Pie - it has such pretty colors. I'm about 3 inches done on my first piece - it needs to be 9 inches long. Can't wait to meet up with other people there who are also intersted in doing this!
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - October 25th, 2006 at 04:45 AM
You will have to let me know how it goes. I hope there is a group in my area. I have all kinds of yarn I can use to a project like that and it will be a good thing to do once I am done with my current project.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - October 25th, 2006 at 07:43 PM
Here's the first rectangle that I finished last night.
I keep wanting to call it a square, but it's not! laugh thumbup
Posted By: Patty S Re: Warm up America? - October 25th, 2006 at 10:17 PM
Hey, that looks pretty cool, Lynne! (Oops... I mean "warm"!) How many are you planning to make?

(I don't know anything about knitting... but I don't see any "purls" there... are they blueberry pie colored?) grinnnn
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - October 25th, 2006 at 11:51 PM
Looks good Lynne!!! 1 down ??? to go.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - October 26th, 2006 at 01:38 AM
Patty - aren't you just the jokester! p

Not sure how many I'll make - I'm 1/3 done with #2.
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - October 29th, 2006 at 07:05 AM
Here are my first 4 squares.

[Linked Image]
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - October 29th, 2006 at 07:16 AM
Those are REALLY nice, Triss!
What stitch are you doing there? I really need to find out how to crochet, and I really like that stitch.

What yarn is the lighter one with white?
I don't think I've seen that around here - such pretty colors!
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - October 29th, 2006 at 07:23 AM
It is what I call a triple crochet. I have no idea if that is its true name or not. The multi color is an old yarn from my box. I am shocked I still have the holder. Keepsake Sayelle Peach Ombre. It is a multi color yard with the peaches and white colors. The others are BRIGHT orange but do not look so bright with the peaches against them. I just decided to start these with my scraps so I can empty out my yarn bin.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - October 29th, 2006 at 07:27 AM
It is a pretty mutli color.
I just did a google search and only 3 sites on ebay came up - guess it's been discontinued.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - November 21st, 2006 at 09:32 PM
Thought I'd update with my latest rectangles.
These are numbers 10-18. I've already dropped off 1-9.

The first 3 on the right are crocheted, and I had to place the scissors on them because they won't stop curling. The rest are knit if different stitches.

[Linked Image]

Anyone else besides Triss joining in?
Triss, have you been able to make any more?
Posted By: penny in ontario Re: Warm up America? - November 21st, 2006 at 09:51 PM
Those are pretty colors....both of you thumbup thumbup thumbup
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - November 22nd, 2006 at 01:43 AM
Lynne, I have a total of 16. Have not been working on any this week.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - November 22nd, 2006 at 04:56 AM
That's great, Triss - they will surely help keep someone warm!
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 10:09 AM
Triss, or anyone else who crochets...

why did my edges come out scalloped?
When I look at Triss' the edges are all nice and straight and even.

[Linked Image]

Should I not have chained 3 at the end of each row?
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 10:55 AM
The chain 3 is what gives you the height leading up to the next row and counts as the first stitch of that row. I think that is what the difference is Lynne.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 10:56 AM
I'm not sure I'm following you, Triss.
I DID do the chain 3, so why are my edges scalloped and yours are not?
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 11:02 AM
The next stitch does not go into the last stitch of the last row, but one in from that. It looks like your 1dc of that next row is in the last dc of the row before when the 3 chains should be counted for that stitch.

Does that make any sense at all?
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 11:29 AM
uhhhhhhhhhhh... not sure?
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 11:34 AM
Ok let me try this again.

Say you end your row at 36

chain 3 and that is 1 of the next rows 36 so #2 would go into 35.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 11:56 AM
wow - still not sure, but I'll check it out tomorrow when I start a new one - too brain dead right now...

but thanks for helping me - I know it must be frustrating. :rolleyes: Duh kissies
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 12:07 PM
Trying to find the right words is difficult. I will try setting up the web cam in the morning and if you cannot get it, I can SHOW you! OK?
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 12:15 PM
wow - you are too kind, Triss!
I hope it doesn't come to that - let me see what I can work out tomorrow.
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 5th, 2006 at 12:27 PM
Ok sounds good! Either way works for me though and it would give me a chance to try out my webcam over MSN!
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 6th, 2006 at 02:02 AM
Ok Triss - I get the idea now, but it's still not lining up neatly along the edges like yours does - could you please post a close up picture of one of your edges so I can see if I am doing it right?
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 6th, 2006 at 02:37 AM
I had a really hard time getting a good pic. Hope this helps.

[Linked Image]
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 6th, 2006 at 02:49 AM
I LOVE that color!!!

It is hard to see though.
I was reading some websites, and they said you are supposed to do a stitch in the loop of the chain below it at the end? Do you do that? They have great videos for going straight across, but I haven't found one yet for turning the piece.
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 6th, 2006 at 03:16 AM
No I do not think I do that. I do the last DC and then 3 chains, turn and do the next DC in the 2nd to last DC of the row before.
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 6th, 2006 at 04:18 AM
interesting - two of the websites I saw said to do that. When I do it your way, I still do not get a straight edge?
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 6th, 2006 at 04:45 AM
Hmmm, I dunno then Lynne. Maybe tightening up the chains?
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 10th, 2006 at 11:16 AM
I think I've got it worked out now - it was the picking up the last chain in the previous row and making that the last stitch that was hanging me up - at least I hope!

The bottom few rows are after I figured it out.
[Linked Image]
Posted By: SpringFever_dup1 Re: Warm up America? - December 10th, 2006 at 11:17 AM
thumbup
Posted By: Triss Re: Warm up America? - December 10th, 2006 at 11:19 AM
Looks great Lynne! Awesome!!
Posted By: Shirley4 Re: Warm up America? - December 28th, 2006 at 09:07 AM
We are starting a knitting class at church in Jan. to teach us 'how-to'. I will look into this Warm Up America and suggest 'strongly' that we be part of this. Thanks for the info. thumbup
Posted By: plants 'n pots Re: Warm up America? - December 28th, 2006 at 09:12 AM
Shirley - that would be terrific!

I hope you enjoy learning how to knit.
It's really pretty easy, once you get the hang of it, and there's soooooooo much info online about it too! If you have any questions, I can try to help you find the answers online if I don't know them - I have bookmarked several "how to" sites.
Posted By: Shirley4 Re: Warm up America? - December 28th, 2006 at 09:15 AM
Thanks a lot! I appreciate that thumbup
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