We hope most questions can be answered here, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, please feel free to reach out to our team, and we will gladly get back to you as soon as possible.
Shipping Hacks/Reducing Costs:
We have figured out a way to reduce the cost of shipping squares. Put the squares in a Ziploc bag, with the info required, and slide the bag into a brown 8. X 11 plain envelope, you can get 2 squares if laid flat, and send as an oversized letter. The stamp for those is $1.94. Thank you to the knitters who passed this info along to us. I’m sure it’ll be helpful
Needle Size and Gauge Variations:
We have had a few people who’ve messaged us about the gauge not working with a 4.5mm needle. Our best suggestions are as follows.
If the square is too big, go down to a 4.0mm needle
If the square is too small, go up to a 5.0mm needle
If needle size adjustments doesn’t work, you can remove stitches. Please however, keep the garter stitch border (as that’s what we use to make any adjustments if needed)
Deadline for Squares:
There is currently no deadline for squares, as the need continues, we will continue to accept squares until we can complete the project.
CAN WE MAKE MORE THAN ONE SQUARE?
This question has been asked a lot lately! Absolutely, if your heart wants to share more than one, we gratefully, and humbly accept all squares.
Who can participate in making squares?
Anyone who can knit a square. If you are an individual, knitting group, or local yarn shop, your support is critical to achieve this project. Knitters from around the world are welcome to knit a square.
What Yarn and Colours should we make the squares?
For the Main squares, we are requesting Berroco Vintage to be used, it’s readily available throughout Canada and around the world, and it’s washable. We also need to standardize the blanket.
Any colour can be used. There are just over 80 to choose from. We have reserved the colour Aquae #5125 to represent front line and essential workers.
Where can I get Berroco Vintage?
We encourage you to check with your Local Yarn Shop for Berroco Vintage. If they do not carry it or you don’t have any hiding in your stash, you can find it here.
I crochet, how can I help?
As part of the project, we will be constructing small individual blankets as well. These will ensure, the those who’ve passed, can comfort someone who is need. These will be distributed to various agencies, for example, homeless shelters, women’s shelters, long term care facilities, indigenous communities, etc.
We are requesting 12 inch square blankets for these as well. The only requirements are that they be made of a washable worsted weight yarn. We will be posting a pattern for a solid granny square, however, any stitch is fine, and appreciated.
Where do we send the squares?
Squares should be mailed to:
Covid_19 Memorial Blanket
111 Cable Road
Fenelon Falls, Ontario
K0M 1N0
What information do you need sent with the squares?
Please include the following information with your square.
Name
Address
Contact Information email/or phone number
If you wish to include a message of hope, love, rememberance, please do so. These will be included in the memorial book as well.
***please note, addresses and contact information will only be used internally, so we can send thank you notes, and update, they will not be published anywhere***
When do we need to have the squares done by?
The sooner the better, assembly can begin as they start to arrive, but we are hoping to collect all 9000 by mid November 2020. We will continue to add to this project until the need is no longer a need to add squares. This is meant to represent all of Canada.
I am not a crafter, how can I help?
Spread the word, like and share our Facebook and Instagram Posts, tell people about the project.
We are also seeking volunteers who need not be crafters. We need online moderators for our social media sites, and if you are in the Kawartha Lakes region, we also require volunteers for assembly evenings, to provide assistance to those assembling the blanket. Please fill in the volunteer form, and we will organize opportunities with you.
We’ve also set up a gofundme page, to help assist in the cost of transporting the blanket, the care, curation and storage of the blanket, production of the memorial book, shipping costs for smaller blankets, production of name badges for the squares, and rental space to assemble a 9000 square foot blanket.
WHAT ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL SIZED BLANKETS?
As part of this project, we understand that many have stash yarn they wish to use, and crocheters who would also like to participate.
We thought it would be a kindness to create individual sized blankets that can be sent to various agencies, for example, homeless shelters, women’s shelters, long term care facilities, indigenous communities, who have also been impacted by Covid_19. It helps to believe that the memory of those we’ve lost can still provide comfort to someone who has also been affected.
This provides a financially inclusive option for crafters who have also been impacted.
The names of all crafters, whether the main 9000 square blanket, or the individual blankets will be recognized in the memorial book.
We just ask that the squares be 12 x 12 inches, they can be any stitch, knit or crocheted, made of any machine washable worsted weight yarn.
HOW WE MADE OUR YARN SELECTION
There were several factors that we had to consider when deciding which yarn to use for a project of this size.
Here’s our list of factors
A yarn that was likely to be in someone’s stash, we searched the most popular yarns, and Vintage was in the top 3.
A yarn that is carried in many LYS’s, they have been impacted greatly by shutdowns, and we wanted to make sure in this project we were supporting as many components as possible.
A yarn with a large number of various colours, that had a consistent reliable supply chain.
A yarn that has been long proven for wearibility, as this will likely be displayed in outdoor venues.
Machine Washability, without piling-due to the travel requirements and laundering, we had to ensure the yarn would take the wear and tear.
Weight – the shear physicial weight of a blanket that is 9000 square feet is hefty. Approximately 1500 pounds.
An inclusive price point.
Those were the main considerations. I agree there are many amazing Canadian yarns, and that would have been our first choice as well. But putting all factors together, there wasn’t one that checked all the boxes.
Trust me, as a Canadian yarn maker, sheep producer, and LYS owner, I am the first to promote Canadian products.
WHERE WILL THE BLANKET TRAVEL TO? WHERE WILL IT END UP?
Our goal is to display the blanket in each and every province and territory throughout the country. Our goal is begin displaying it in January 2021. However, if the virus would make that unsafe, we will wait until it is safe to do so.
We are in conversations with various organizations about where the blanket will be displayed permanently after it’s travels. We will keep you posted as this part develops.
HOW MANY SQUARES WILL I GET FROM ONE SKEIN?
You will get one square per skein, with approx. 40 grams left over.
If you have a bit of stashed worsted weight, use the left overs and make a multi colour square for the individual blankets. It’s a win win.