I find it very easy to get set in my ways and never more so than when I’m knitting or crocheting. It’s so easy to pick up yarn and needles/hook and embark on a familiar pattern or stitch without really thinking, so I’m always pleased when something comes along that gives me a bit of a shove. One such thing was the Sixty Million Trebles (SMT) project, for which lots of the participants are making ‘corner to corner’ blankets. These blankets are made using a technique I hadn’t encountered before, but I noticed that it was described in my new crochet squares book, so I decided to give it a go. It turns out that it’s very easy and really fun to do, and it looks rather nice when done:
I have been working on projects recently all aimed at using up yarn that I have left over from past work or that has been given to me, but I still have quite a lot of that I want to get through, so I’m planning a corner-to-corner square for SMT using random yarn… I’ll start a ball and carry on with it until it’s done (or I get bored with the colour), then join another and do the same. There will be no planning, no worrying about what goes, just randomness. If nothing else it will result in a warm blanket, and it may even look good too!
-oOo-
If you can knit or crochet or stitch squares together (or raise funds), SMT is looking for more volunteers, here’s what it’s all about:
The UN at the end of 2015 estimated that there are approximately 60 million refugees Worldwide
Just think about that for a moment. That’s like the population of the UK being without a home
The objective of this group is huge and it’s two fold
We want to create a yarn blanket containing 60 million trebles to represent the 60 million refugees. #onestitchonelife
Then because we have gone that far we want to continue and create the largest yarn blanket the world has ever seen.
To create a yarn blanket with 60 million trebles or equivalent we need around 8,000 36 inch squares, to take it on to become the largest blanket in the world we need around 13,000…
This will be a blanket to represent everyone who cares about the millions who are homeless, stateless and on the move
Running alongside this we are going to be raising funds #onetreble1p. If we raised just 1p for every stitch that would be a massive amount of money.
There’s a Facebook group and an Instagram account and a web site with all the details. This is my little pile of SMT blankets so far:
Five blankets so far, no yarn bought specially for them
The Snail of Happiness 
Ellen
/ January 11, 2017It’s a great project with wonderful crafters getting involved from all over the world.thank you for your help.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 11, 2017I love the atmosphere associated with it – kindness, generosity and compassion
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Isn't She Crafty
/ January 11, 2017Those look so soft to touch.
It’s really good to see you raising awareness of the project. My mum used to knit squares for them, although she’s currently making newborn outfits for babies in Africa
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 11, 2017I also knit and crochet for other charities, but I’m mainly focusing on SMT at the moment because it’s time-limited 🙂
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wscottling
/ January 11, 2017I’m busting through my stash too. 🙂 Right now, I’m working on a shawl with crochet thread.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 11, 2017I have several balls of crochet thread… can’t decide whether I can be bothered to struggle with them – me and crochet thread don’t really get on!
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nanacathy2
/ January 11, 2017Lovely project, lovely use of spare yarn and always good to try something new
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 11, 2017I’m rather surprised I’ve never encountered corner-to-corner before… I wonder what other exciting techniques I will discover this year?
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anne54
/ January 11, 2017A what a wonderful idea — you are such a generous soul. It’s too warm to use yarn at the moment, but it one of the joys of winter.
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Emma
/ January 11, 2017Doing a corner to corner blanket with lots of random yarns works perfectly. I’ve made one last year with yarn I found in second hand shops and it turned out so nice and warm. If you’re using different weights of yarn though, I’d suggest you use the finest yarns double stranded, otherwise your tension might be really off when you go to a bulkier yarn 🙂
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katechiconi
/ January 11, 2017I’m too far away to be useful, I fear, but I can stand on the sidelines and cheer you on. I may also have a scuffle in the bottom of my Cupboard of All Colours and see if I have any useful yarn remnants to send you. There won’t be much, but what I have you’re welcome to.
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