Crochet changes lives; be a part of that change.

Allow me to personally thank you for your participation in the Crochet Challenge for Warm Up America. Every afghan completed through this challenge is a life touched and I am humbled to have the opportunity to work with such an incredible organization, Warm Up America! Foundation. If you would like to learn more about Warm Up America and their mission, have a look at their Introductory Post here at B.hooked Crochet or check out their website here.

Together with my sponsors, Red Heart Yarns, Clover USA and Yarnspirations, we bring you the first of many challenges here at B.hooked Crochet.

#challengeforwua

Begin Here

Use this page as a guideline for your participation in the challenge. There is a lot of information contained in this page. It is organized in the following way:

Challenge details, prize information and rules for entry

How to get involved and share your crochet challenge experience

Printable forms and help sheets

Supplies

Color Planning

The Pattern: Written Instructions & Diagrams

Video tutorials to help you through the pattern

Afghan Assembly

Afghan Submission Instructions

Winner Announcement Details

Final Words

Challenge Details, Prize information and Rules for Entry

The Challenge is open worldwide to anyone who would like to participate. Each participant will complete the afghan pictured above (in the colors of their choice) to donate it to Warm Up America! Foundation.

Please join our Facebook group if you wish to participate! It gives you the opportunity to share your pictures and progress!

This pattern is beginner-friendly! Having a little crochet experience helps, but is certainly not required. You will be provided with four detailed video tutorials, diagram and written instructions to help you through this process.

If you can double crochet, you can make this afghan!

TIMELINE

The challenge begins August 1, 2015. On that date, all information including challenge entry details, written pattern, video tutorials and diagrams will be posted here at B.hooked Crochet.

The challenge ends on August 31, 2015. Your afghan must be postmarked (scanned at the post office) by September 1, 2015 to secure your entry and be eligible for the prizes.

Prizes

Six winners will be selected at random from the pool of entries to receive a fantastic prize pack from our challenge sponsors, Red Heart Yarns, Clover USA and Yarnspirations!

Red Heart Yarns Prize Pack: Yarn & Tote $50 value!

Clover USA Prize Pack: Clover Amour Hook Gift Set $90 value!

Yarnspirations Prize Pack: Yarn and Knit & Crochet Calendars $60 value!

Challenge Rules for Entry

Anyone can participate, worldwide. To qualify for the prizes, you must meet the following requirements:

Your completed afghan must be sent to WUA and postmarked no later than September 1, 2015

Your afghan must be shipped with the WUA Challenge Entry Form filled out and enclosed.

You must send an email to challenge@bhookedcrochet.com including your full name, shipping address and a photo of your completed afghan.

You must crochet the afghan following the pattern listed here on this page.

Keep reading for a full description of each requirement.

How to get involved and share your crochet challenge experience

Don’t be shy!

Post your pictures and afghan progress updates to the Crochet Challenge for Warm Up America Facebook Group Page!

I will be featuring your progress photos at B.hooked Crochet’s Facebook Page.

Be a part of the fun!

Instagram, Twitter & Tumblr Users

Tag your challenge progress photos and posts using #challengeforwua so we may follow your progress and experience!

Printable Forms and Help Sheets

WUA Challenge Entry Form

Printable Pattern

Block Diagram Printable

Afghan Color Planning Chart

Afghan Assembly Chart

Supplies

We will be using Red Heart With Love yarn for this challenge. Here’s what you’ll need:

1, 390 yards (4 large skeins) – Background color (peacock shown above)

620 yards total (2 large skeins) – Accent(s) color *see color planning below

6.5 mm Crochet Hook

Darning Needle

Scissors

**Important note: Red Heart With Love comes in two different skein sizes. Please use the yardage information as your guideline rather than the skein numbers to avoid running out of yarn!

With Love is one of my favorite acrylics to work with. It’s soft yet durable and easy to maintain. That is why it’s perfect for this challenge. If you have never used With Love before, you’re in for a treat. Check out this video for more details about Red Heart With Love yarn.

Those of you participating in parts of the world where Red Heart Yarn is not available may substitute with another worsted weight yarn of comparable quality.

Color Planning

This afghan is 9 blocks long by 7 blocks wide. Each row has 5 blocks with accent colors in them. The idea is that you use only one accent color on each row. You may repeat the colors (as seen in my afghan) but keep it to one accent color on each row.

You are free to use up to 10 different colors (9 different accent colors, one for each row and a background color) but no fewer than 2 (one background and one accent).

You must pick one color for your “background color” and the remaining colors will be accents. For my afghan, I used 6 different colors total: peacock as the background color; aran, iced aqua, lettuce, boysenberry and pewter all as accent colors.

Red Heart With Love yarn comes in 40 different colors…Be creative!

To help you plan your afghan colors, I put together an afghan color planning chart. I recommend that you print a copy to keep track of the colors you will be using and how you wish to arrange them. You can view/print the chart here:

Afghan Color Planning Chart

Each square marked with an “A”, means that section must be crocheted in an accent color. Note that some “A blocks” are not full size. This means you will only do 1 or 3 rounds with that color.

Requirements

You have the freedom to choose your color palette! Please choose at least 2 colors but no more than 10 total. Have a look at the colors that are available:

With Love Color Selections

Example: My Color Palette

This is an example of how I filled out my color planning chart. I used this chart as reference to assemble the afghan in the later steps.

Background Color: Peacock

Accent Colors: Aran, Iced Aqua, Lettuce, Boysenberry and Pewter.

Total: 6 Colors; 1 Background; 5 Accent

MY SHOPPING LIST FOR THE ABOVE AFGHAN

4 (large) skeins RH With Love, Peacock

1 (large) skein RH With Love, Aran

1 (large) skein RH With Love, Iced Aqua

1 (large) skein RH With Love, Lettuce

1 (large) skein RH With Love, Boysenberry

1 (large) skein RH With Love, Pewter

Estimated Cost based on this color scheme: $35

The Pattern: Written Instructions and Diagrams

WUA Challenge Afghan

Crochet Pattern by B. Hooked Crochet, Copyright 2015.

Please do not copy, sell, redistribute or republish this pattern. If you wish to share this pattern, link to this page only. You may sell items produced using this pattern. Do NOT use the copyrighted photos for your product listing.

This pattern is written in US crochet terms

For a printer friendly version: Printable Pattern

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Gauge and Sizing

Each square will measure 7″ x 7″. Your finished afghan should measure approximately 49″ wide by 63″ long.

Abbreviations

Ch(s) – Chain(s)

Dc – Double Crochet

Sts – Stitches

Slst – Slip Stitch

To print a list of all crochet abbreviations to keep in your crochet notebook, check out my quick guide here:

Crochet Abbreviations Quick Guide

Crochet 18 using your background color and 9 using your accent color(s). Refer to your Afghan Color Planning Chart filled out before you began this challenge for guidance.

Round 1: Ch 6 (counts as a dc, 2 chs and one chain for the center ring). Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 2 dc in first chain and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (12 sts)

Round 2: Ch 5. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 3 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (28 sts)

Round 3: Ch 5. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 7 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (44 sts)

Round 4: Ch 5. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 11 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (60 sts)

Round 5: Ch 5. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 15 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (76 sts)

Bind off and weave in your ends.

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Crochet 18 total. Refer to your Afghan Color Planning Chart filled out before you began this challenge for guidance.

Begin with accent color(s)

Round 1: Ch 6 (counts as a dc, 2 chs and one chain for the center ring). Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 2 dc in first chain and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (12 sts)

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and 2 chs). Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 3 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (28 sts)

Round 3: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and 2 chs).. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 7 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (44 sts)

Bind off accent color and weave in your ends.

Bind on Background color.

Round 4: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and 2 chs).. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 11 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (60 sts)

Round 5: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and 2 chs).. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 15 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (76 sts)

Bind off and weave in your ends.

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Crochet 18 total. Refer to your Afghan Color Planning Chart filled out before you began this challenge for guidance.

Begin with accent color(s)

Round 1: Ch 6 (counts as a dc, 2 chs and one chain for the center ring). Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 3 dc in the first chain. Ch 2. Make 2 dc in first chain and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (12 sts)

Bind off accent color and weave in your ends.

Bind on background color.

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and 2 chs).. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 3 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (28 sts)

Round 3: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and 2 chs).. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 7 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (44 sts)

Round 4: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and 2 chs).. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 11 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (60 sts)

Round 5: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and 2 chs).. Make 2 dc in the ch 2 space. *1 dc in the next 15 sts. 2 dc in ch 2 space, ch 2, 2 dc in same ch 2 space. Repeat from * around the square. In last corner, dc once in ch 2 gap space and join with a slst to the 3th chain. (76 sts)

Bind off and weave in your ends.

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How to Crochet the WUA Challenge Afghan

This video is also available in a left handed version. Click here to be directed to the left handed tutorial on YouTube.

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This video is also available in a left handed version. Click here to be directed to the left handed tutorial on YouTube.

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This video is also available in a left handed version. Click here to be directed to the left handed tutorial on YouTube.

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Afghan Assembly

Use this chart to aid in the assembly of your afghan. In the video, I reference which blocks I am sewing together by a number. This chart represents the block numbers. Click this link to print: Afghan Assembly Chart

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Afghan Submission Instructions

Once you have completed your afghan, there are just a few more things you need to do.

Snap a photo of your completed afghan. Send an email to challenge@bhookedcrochet.com including only the following information: Full name

Shipping address

Photo of your completed afghan (please keep the file sizes at a maximum of 2 MB if possible)

Please note that this email address is for completed submission entries only. Any questions must be directed to the Crochet Challenge Facebook Group Page. Print the WUA Challenge Entry Form. You will notice that there are two sections to this form. Please fill out the top section (above the dotted line) with the requested information. This information will only be used by myself and Warm Up America to verify your afghan submission if your name is selected to win a prize pack. The bottom section of the entry form is for you to fill out a personalized note to the family who will receive your blanket. Be creative! Include information such as how long you have been crocheting, how long it took you to crochet this afghan, etc. Cut the entry form on the dotted line and secure both pieces within your package. Ship your afghan to:

Warm Up America! Foundation

3740 N. Josey Lane, Suite 102

Carrollton, TX 75007

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Winner Announcement Details

The winners will be announced on September 25, 2015 on B.hooked Crochet’s Facebook Page and each winner will receive a personal email from me with instructions on how to claim their prize. Each winner will have until September 28, 2015 to reply to my email. If the winner does not respond within the given time, a new winner will be selected at random.

Final Words

Please direct your challenge and pattern related questions to our Challenge Facebook Page.

On behalf of B.hooked Crochet, Red Heart Yarns, Clover USA, Yarnspirations and Warm Up America! Foundation, thank you very much for your participation in this challenge. Your afghan will brighten someones day!