Help Make Blankets AND Win Stuff 2008!

I have this originall posted here, for the sake of reference. Be sure to email me at purplespirit1{at}hotmail{dot}com with email titled '8 inch squares' or 'charity blanket' for my mailing information so you can send the squares. I'm now accepting squares measuring 8 through 10 inches.

I'm still looking for knit or crochet squares. I have started a few blankets, although they need to be finished. I'm trying to peice together same- or similar-coloured squares to have matching blankets, so more squares are needed.

These completed blankets are going to be donated to local shelters in the Toronto area. I'm also planning some road trips to visit friends in Edmonton, Alberta and Kelowna B.C. some time in the future, so some completed blankets will be taken with me on these trips and donated to local shelters in those towns as well.

Contest: Every 3 months in 2008 (March, June, September, & December) I'll do a random draw for people who've sent me 5 squares in the same envelope. That person will win a knitting-or-crocheting themed prize valued at around $20. Every 5 squares that you include in your envelope will add your name again into the draw. (So, if you send 25 squares, you'll get your name in the draw 5 times for that 3 month period.) If you want your name re-entered in the next 3 month draw, send another 5 squares. Be sure to include your name, email, blog address, and full address so I can send your prize, if you win. At the end of the year, I'll include everyone's name who has not won that year but has sent their minimum 5 squares for a second prize, valued at around $15. (I haven't decided yet what the prizes will be, but I promise it'll be good and knitting or crocheted themed.)

Warmth is needed. Every knitter and crocheter has scraps. There's that one pestering ball of yarn that you just don't know what to do with. Those can be made into squares. Please destash your scraps, combine 2 or 3 colours or different yarns together to make ecclectic squares.

The type of yarn(s) you use is not important. Neither is/are the colour(s). Nor the tension. I don't care if it's sock yarn or the bulkiest chunkiest yarn in your stash, or anything in between, it can be made into a square.

Basic knit square pattern: Check your yarn's knit gauge over 4". Using recommended needles, double it so you're knitting across 8". Stockinette stitch the whole square or knit every row until you've reached 8" long, then cast off.

Recommended 8" Square Patterns, Knit or Crochet

(although feel free to use your own too!)

log cabin square 9", knit

knit 9 inch square

cabled knit 9 inch square

some sort of lacey-leafy 9 inch knit square

interesting cabled 9 inch square

cabled border 9 inch square

another granny in the middle square 8", crochet

arches 8", crochet

circle of friends 8", crochet

stained glass 8", crochet - great if you've got variegated yarn

circle in a square make the 8" version, crochet

daisy in a square also 8", crochet

Again, feel free to make the design you wish. I just put these in as easy-access links to this partigular blog. Prizes will be distributed as long as I get a minimum of 2 people sending me 5 squares before end of march, june, september and december of '08, starting today. So get stitching. Post your questions and comments below. Extra scraps you have beyond this that are sent will help stitch squares together.

Prizes for those who've signed up for my yarn swap!

Alright, I've decided to join the bandwagon in rewarding some of the people who've signed up for my first organized swap with some prizes. I initially decided to do this via email rather than blogging it to make sure that it gets read, but then I changed my mind and thought I'd post it here too!!

There is actually a chance to win 2 - yes, two! - prizes!

Here's the deal: The FIRST person to RECEIVE their yarn swap package in the mail, please email me at purplespirit (at) hotmail (dot) com letting me know the name and address of the person who's sent it to you, as well as (if you can read it) the postmarked date on the package. If the date is ON or BEFORE June 30th, as stipulated in the swap on the blog when packages ought to have been mailed out, then the person who has sent it to you will win a knitting-related prize of some sort. (It's not a million dollars or anything, but I'll try to keep it a decent enough little prize nonetheless.)

Second prize: once everyone has received their packages, even if it's postmarked after the 30th, please notify me then as well (your sender's name + address). I'll do a random draw and send a little gift for that person too, but that draw won't be done until I know for sure that ALL swap packages have been received.

Oh, and by the way, I won't do the draw either until everyone has posted on their blogs that they've received and have thanked their swaps too, so be sure to include YOUR blog info, for me to double check! It'll ensure your name in the draw as well.

As I wrote recently, all packages SHOULD HAVE been mailed/postmarked by last saturday, but for those of you whom are still straggling, please make it a point to have your boxes mailed BY THE END OF THIS WEEK please! There are people relying on you to have sent out your stuff! (and yes, I said please twice, I want you to sense my urgency!)

Please email me with any questions or concerns asap! Thanks again, you guys, for participating! This was a lot of fun!

Be sure to check back at my blog during the summer - due to the success of this swap, I'll be organizing another swap to my fellow knitters, crocheters, and bloggers!