The war in Ukraine has now created over ten million refugees. Not all of them have left the country, but all of them have had to leave their homes, often with little more than a suitcase and a couple of plastic bags. They have to start again and have very little to help them do so. This conflict is no different from any other and there is a great need for those with knitting and crochet skills to help.
Squares for Ukraine
The British-based charity www.hopeandaiddirect.org.uk says it takes aid not sides to areas of conflict or disaster where people are suffering and in need through no fault of their own. It has long experience in providing what refugees need and has worked in many complex and different emergencies from Kosovo to Syria. It now has regular convoys going out to the countries surrounding Ukraine with very specific supplies that are needed by Ukrainian refugees. Amongst those supplies are blankets knitted by volunteers. You can either knit an entire blanket yourself or as a group, or you can simply knit a square and it can be made up into a blanket later. You do not have to be in the UK to do this, you can be anywhere in the world – as long as you can post your blanket or your squares.
I’m assured by Sue Hoskinson, who is one of the organisers of this initiative, assisted by her neighbour Linda Driscoll, that the squares are pretty simple to knit and within reach of most knitters. Here is the pattern designed specifically for these blankets and supplied by Sue.
Barbara Robinson’s (Best Ever) Diagonally Knitted Squares.
This pattern makes a stable very reproducible square with a slightly patterned edge which is easier to join particularly if using crochet.
You will need:
Double knitting yarn (acrylic is best) 4mm (UK 8) needles.
Cast on two stitches.
Knit 1, then increase one stitch by knitting into front then back of 2nd stitch.
Continue increasing one stitch on every row like this until work measures 8” alongside the edge and you have approximately 60 stitches depending on tension.
Knit one row without increasing.
Then on the next row knit 1 and then begin to decrease by knitting 2nd and 3rd stitches together, then knit to end.
Continue until 1 stitch remaining. Cast off and work loose ends in.
To increase the production of blankets please consider getting together with your friends and making up single blankets
Squares can be sewn or crocheted together in strips and then strips joined.
Finish off with a border of crochet – two rows and a row of little loops or whatever takes your fancy.
Single Blankets require:
6 x 8 x 8 inch, diagonally knitted squares, with 6 rows of crochet around the edge makes an adult single-sized blanket.
Quick Crochet Method of joining/incorporating loose ends.
Take two squares wrong side together and crochet together along the top edge (hook through pull wool through) x 2 then hook through the two loops to the end.
Take two more squares and using the same continuous wool, do the same across and continue adding pairs until 6 pairs of squares are joined. (Like a washing line!) Break wool.
Go back to the beginning and similarly join one square to one of each of the pairs again with continuous wool.
Carry on adding rows until you have 8 rows altogether.
Then turning the blanket 90 degrees work each join across the other way.
Sue then usually crochets a border/frill and includes the loose ends in this.
Crochet
If you would prefer to Crochet Squares, here are some basic instructions, but feel free to use your own pattern as long as squares end up as 8ins x 8ins.
Step by step process to make basic granny square. You’ll need DK yarn, preferably acrylic as it washes well. 5.5mm crochet hook.
Terms used: ch= chain, dc= double crochet, sl st= slip stitch. One cluster = 3 double crochets.
Round 1 make a slip knot. Ch 4. Join to the first ch with a sl st to make a circle/loop (or alternately make a magic loop).
Ch 2, 2dc into the loop (this forms the first cluster), ch 2, * 3dc, ch2* three times. Join with a slip stitch to the starting ch2. This completes the round and forms a square shape with 4 clusters.
Round 2: ch2, 2dc, ch2, 3dc into the ch 2 space below from round 1, ch1 *3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1 into next ch2 space* three times.
Join with a slip stitch to the starting ch2. This completes the round and forms a square shape again with 8 clusters.
Round 3: ch2, 2dc, ch into the ch 1 space below from round 2, ch1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into next ch2 space, ch1 *3dc into the ch1 space below, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) into next ch2 space below , ch1* three times
Join with a slip stitch to the starting ch2. This completes the round and forms a square shape again with 12 clusters. Continue until square measures 8ins along edge
Completed Blanket
If you have completed squares or you need further information please contact suehosk@icloud.com for an address to send them to her.
If you have completed blankets they should go directly to Hope and Aid Direct at 18, High Street, Ingatestone, Essex, CM4 9EE, or, if you are in England, you can drop them off at one of the charity’s local Drop Off Points – a list of which can be found here.
If you would like to find out more about Hope and Aid Direct here is its website www.hopeandaiddirect.org.uk
Happy Knitting! And send me any pictures of any squares that you make, I’ll post them here, or on Instagram, with pleaure!