Warm up America! WS Rectangle
If you’d like to learn more about Warm Up America, including their current needs, recommended yarns, and rectangle guidelines, be sure to visit their website. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram to see inspiring photos of donated blankets and the incredible afghans assembled from these handmade 7″ × 9″ rectangles.
January 30, 2025
Wattle Stitch Rectangle for Warm Up America
At the beginning of the year, I started thinking about a crochet project I could work on throughout the months ahead. Making squares for my Granny Scrapghan was such a fun experience, and I loved having an easy project to take along on long car rides, flights, or while waiting for appointments. After organizing my yarn stash, I moved on to my craft drawers and came across a flyer I had picked up at the DFW Fiber Fest the previous September. (If you ever have the chance to attend the DFW Fiber Fest, I highly recommend it—it’s always a wonderful event for fiber lovers!)
The flyer introduced me to Warm Up America, a nonprofit organization that provides handmade knit and crochet blankets, clothing, and accessories to people in need across the country. One of their ongoing projects is collecting 7″ × 9″ crocheted and knitted rectangles, which volunteers join together to create beautiful afghans. I loved the idea of contributing one small piece at a time, knowing that each rectangle helps provide warmth and comfort to someone else.
Warm Up America makes it easy to get involved by providing recommended yarns, hook sizes, and free patterns for their rectangle projects. While they already offer several wonderful patterns, I wanted to design one that was simple, relaxing to crochet, and suitable for crocheters of all skill levels. That’s how the Wattle Stitch Rectangle came to be. Using basic crochet stitches, the Wattle Stitch creates a soft, textured fabric that’s both beautiful and practical, making it an excellent choice for charity blankets.
My goal is to crochet 10 to 15 rectangles each month throughout the year. If time allows, I’d also love to make a few baby blankets or beanies to donate as well. Of course, life has a way of changing our plans, but having a meaningful crochet project like this is a wonderful way to use my yarn stash while giving back to others.
I hope you’ll join me in spreading a little crochet love, one rectangle at a time. Grab your favorite yarn, crochet a few Wattle Stitch Rectangles, and together we can help create blankets that bring warmth, comfort, and kindness to those who need it most.
Have a hooky day!
Lynne
*All images are copyright by Lynne Samaan and D60 Crochet, please do not use without permission, Thank you*