Suggestions Needed For Church Afghan (PICTURE ADDED)

[BarbaraJean]

(This originally started as a thread looking for help with naming this afghan. I've changed to title to get help with some other aspects of the project.)

 

I want to get the ladies of my church who crochet to make a granny square and give it to me. I will stictch each square together to make an afghan. The afghan will then be auctioned as a fund raiser. I'd like to have a warm and friendly name for the afghan. I've thought of:

 

~Heart of Family Afghan

~Pieces of Our Heart Afghan

 

What do you all think? Or do you have a suggestion?

[Hounddog]

Sounds good either one of them.

[chickpea67]

Our church is real big on being a community--

 

So a Community of Hearts?

[double2]

How about

 

Angels United

 

Double2

[crochetmama]

Good ones! How about "A Gift of Our Hearts" (...or from our hearts?)

 

It sounds like it's a great project! Be sure and post a picture when you're done. How many ladies are contributing?

[Aggie May]

"Embraced by Love" "Forever in our Hearts" "Cuddle Comforter"

"Comfort from the Heart" "Heartfelt Comfort"

 

Colleen:hug

[BarbaraJean]

Oh my! Such a wonderful selection of suggestions!

 

Thanks so much!

[double2]

Hi Barbarajean...

 

Please let us know which name you picked.

They are all good.

 

double2

[BarbaraJean]

Good ones! How about "A Gift of Our Hearts" (...or from our hearts?)

 

It sounds like it's a great project! Be sure and post a picture when you're done. How many ladies are contributing?

 

I'm not sure just yet how many ladies will participate. I'd like to have about 10 ladies with some of us making 2 squares. I'd really like to find a 12 inch square heart pattern for the center.

Perhaps I could use these suggestions and let the ladies who participate vote on their favorite.

I wanted to have the information out to the ladies this Sunday but my mother is very sick and in the hospital so I'll be traveling 6 hours tomorrow to be with her. It will probably have to wait at least another week, perhaps two.

[BarbaraJean]

Unfortuantely, I've not yet put the information out for this project. I'm working on it today.

I think I'm going to go with Heart of Family for the name of the afghan.

Does anybody have a 12 inch heart square pattern for the center square?

[theresa smith]

that is very nice of you ,im sure squares from our heart would be a nice name .where i go to mass they dont crochet much ,but some make table doileys for the altar but they wont share with me .would you know where i may find nice religios patterns to make for the altar and table in church.God bless you and the ladies for youre time. I would like to make a request a name for the afgan ,squares made by angels with love ,just trying to help .Thank you nice to meet you ,theresa:hug

[BarbaraJean]

I did a search for altar doily and came up with this page:

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/celtwich/Runners.html

Scroll down a bit and you'll see a section titled "Altar and Church Lace". Would any of those work for you?

Nice to meet you too!

[BarbaraJean]

Another question - I originally planned on requiring all squares to be made with the same color and brand of yarn. I think that this will make it easier for me when it comes to stitching it together. I am also concerned about getting too much of one color or colors which really don't look well together.

But I'm now seeing so many different kinds of 12 inch squares that it seems a shame to restrict them as to color. Yet, I'm still afraid to just let them go at it when it comes to color for the reasons I've mentioned.

Perhaps I could restrict them to 2 colors such as ecru and burgandy or ecru and navy or ecru and hunter green?

Help please!

[princsstrish]

In my experience, it's usually good to set a color restriction. Sometimes shades of one color, or sometime three colors that go together. It all depends on what you want it to look like in the end. Think about what color you will use to join and edge it too..white/black/another color. comfortghans look wonderful no matter what kind of squares you get. It's the thought that everyone came together and made a blanket! What a wonderful though, huh?

 

 

Here are a few 12 inch squares that incorporate hearts into them.

 

http://www.heartmadeblessings.org/patterns/heartsandshells.asp

http://www.geocities.com/cdjsimon/cableheart.html

http://www.heartmadeblessings.org/patterns/caringhearts.asp

http://www.heartmadeblessings.org/patterns/Centerheart.asp

http://pandacrochet.8m.com/crossmyheart.html

http://pandacrochet.8m.com/heartofUSA.html

 

Good luck!!

[theresa smith]

i think you should give them the colors to use so it will make it easier for you .thanks for the altar patterns i found one to use .you are a great help .theresa:manyheart

[BarbaraJean]

princsstrish, you're an angel! Thanks!

Theresa, so glad I could help!

[nucki]

I'd like to ditto the thought that it would be GOOD to restrict the color scheme... you don't want to make it so that the person who gets it gets a headache from looking at it!

 

Personally, I would say limit it to any shade of a certain color or colors. That way no matter what SHADE they happen to use, it'll still all go together.

 

[head2toepets2go]

Just a suggestion:

 

A charity I donate stuff too suggests this (a great scrap user, no need to buy yarn) - to make a basic granny square changing colours every row & the last row is black - the squares are joined in black & 2 rows of black edging are done to finish the blanket. Of course, if you wanted to choose a colour scheme, every row could be a different shade of blue (for example) and then edged in blue. The afghans look bright & cheery even with the black edging.

 

Hope this helps!

Fran

[BarbaraJean]

I'll be making this information available to my congregation tomorrow so still have time to make changes so I'd like to hear any other input. You all have been so great! This took a lot more thought to put together than I expected but I believe it is going to be worth it! Here's what I came up with for the guidelines on colors:

~ Since this is my first time doing a project like this I'm restricting the colors to be used. This will hopefully prevent us from getting too much of one color and not enough of another or a variety of colors which really don't look well together. You may use either Red Heart Ecru or Navy. You may incorporate both colors or just one into your square. I'm hoping that I will get an even amount of both as I don't wish to restrict it to just one color.

I'm still nervous though and still may end up restricting it to one color. Somebody convince me to take a risk here and leave it at 2 colors.

[countingsts]

Suggestions: Blanket Of Blessings

Blanket Of Many Colors (you Get It)

Grannies Squared Blanket

Count The Squares Blanket

Like I Said, Just Suggestions

[mason204]

BarbaraJean:

 

I did something similar in the Spring and invited members of the congregation to learn to crochet and make a granny square. Many thought it was too ambitious - having newbies make a granny square. To my surprise, we had 15 people participate. I charged each $15 to cover the cost of a crochet hook and yarn. I went out myself and bought the yarn needed (I chose various shades of blue). I gave each person a hook, instructions and yarn. We were hoping for 12 - 12" squares to make a lapghan. In the end, the group crocheted about 30 - 12" squares. I was very surprised (and pleased). I've just finished sewing together the squares and made 2 lapghan-sized. I have a few squares left over and I think we'll pick up again in the Fall.

 

By buying the yarn myself, I was able to get a "deal" by buying it all at once. The leftover $$$ will be used to buy more yarn in the future. No one balked at the cost and, in fact, thought more should have been charged. I had about 5-6 different shades of blue and, miraculously, they all blended together. I think because there were so many squares, I was able to move them around to complement each other.

 

Here's our blog, if you're interested.

 

I hope your mom's okay....

 

[Vickietoria]

I was wondering, I've never done anything like this before, but might soon if it makes sense... I'm a member of a large church, but a new member, and it's kinda unlike me to go out on a limb like this and start a project. Anyway, when you go to join the squares, how do you account for the different sizes of hooks? Should I set a gague (sp?) or does it come out in the end? I know you could do a row of black, but it might look goofy if some people used G hook, and others J, you know, and the stiches were much different sizes. Just wondering, would love to hear some advice!! I've made squares for Warming Up America, and I just wonder how they use them, but they make beautiful blankets. Anyway, thanks!!

[Vickietoria]

Oh! Another quick question... Advice from anyone doing something like this... Do you think it's better to have lots of small squares (where the difference in stich size might not be as noticeable) or some large squares (having fewer squares means fewer people can make 1 blanket)? Just wondering from practical aspect. Thanks!

[lighttoe]

I haven't heard anyone mention "Give it to God". It is a church project and he will lead you to the right answers if you let him. I feel you are on the right track and I don't want to sound pious, so take what you have been given and ask him. We are all his servants, right?

[BarbaraJean]

BarbaraJean:

 

I did something similar in the Spring and invited members of the congregation to learn to crochet and make a granny square. Many thought it was too ambitious - having newbies make a granny square. To my surprise, we had 15 people participate. I charged each $15 to cover the cost of a crochet hook and yarn. I went out myself and bought the yarn needed (I chose various shades of blue). I gave each person a hook, instructions and yarn. We were hoping for 12 - 12" squares to make a lapghan. In the end, the group crocheted about 30 - 12" squares. I was very surprised (and pleased). I've just finished sewing together the squares and made 2 lapghan-sized. I have a few squares left over and I think we'll pick up again in the Fall.

 

By buying the yarn myself, I was able to get a "deal" by buying it all at once. The leftover $$$ will be used to buy more yarn in the future. No one balked at the cost and, in fact, thought more should have been charged. I had about 5-6 different shades of blue and, miraculously, they all blended together. I think because there were so many squares, I was able to move them around to complement each other.

 

Here's our blog, if you're interested.

 

I hope your mom's okay....

 

 

I've bookmarked your site. It sounds wonderful. I might try that next time if this one goes well.

 

 

 

I was wondering, I've never done anything like this before, but might soon if it makes sense... I'm a member of a large church, but a new member, and it's kinda unlike me to go out on a limb like this and start a project. Anyway, when you go to join the squares, how do you account for the different sizes of hooks? Should I set a gague (sp?) or does it come out in the end? I know you could do a row of black, but it might look goofy if some people used G hook, and others J, you know, and the stiches were much different sizes. Just wondering, would love to hear some advice!! I've made squares for Warming Up America, and I just wonder how they use them, but they make beautiful blankets. Anyway, thanks!!

 

This is my first time doing this so I'm not sure if I'm the best one to give you advice but something I mentioned in a "guideline sheet" is that the contributor needs to measure her/his square before submitting it. The square should measure within a quarter inch of 12 inches.

 

I haven't heard anyone mention "Give it to God". It is a church project and he will lead you to the right answers if you let him. I feel you are on the right track and I don't want to sound pious, so take what you have been given and ask him. We are all his servants, right?

 

A wonderful point, Liz! I really put a lot of time into the research and prep for this project and will also put prayer into it. I believe it will truly be a blessing to the church. You didn't sound pious at all.