Woolly Thoughts Gallery Creations Publications Afghans for schools South Tynedale Tregarth West Jesmond St. Alban's St. Oswald's Beckermet Earth School Activities and workshops Interactive Local tour Needle gauges Links Order Form What's new? Mental Blocks Dolls and toys Commercial patterns for sale	Pupils from South Tynedale Middle School making an afghan May 2000. Click here for Julie Gibbon's account of the activities. An afghan is a small blanket or throw. They are extremely popular in US and are rapidly gaining in popularity here. They can be of any size and are really intended for keeping you warm or sitting on at a picnic, etc., but with the addition of a simple channel and a pole any afghan can become a decorative hanging for a large space. We were asked to help the British Hand Knitting Confederation (BHKC) to promote knitting in schools because our afghan designs can also be used in Maths lessons. The five designs here are all based on afghans we have made before. They have been selected for the ease of construction and for the amount of Maths work which can be generated by each one, in the planning, construction and finished item. Click here to read Helen Jones' account of the activities at Tregarth Primary School. These afghans are made from a number of similar squares, all of which are knitted diagonally until they fit a template determined by the teacher. Each square can be made by a different person and the squares are guaranteed to fit together. We are willing to give mathematical advice to any school wanting to tackle these, or any other, afghans. Your afghan does not have to have a mathematical basis. It could be made purely for its technology or artistic merit. A completed afghan could be hung on display in the school, or perhaps used as a teaching aid for younger, or subsequent, classes. If you prefer, it could be made with the intention of giving it to a favourite charity. It could also be used for money raising purposes by the school. The decision is entirely yours but we, and BHKC, would like to hear news and see photographs of your work. Click here to read about West Jesmond Primary School's afghan design. We would also like to hear from you if you have any ideas for ways in which knitting could be used in schools. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to provide free yarn. Tilting at windmills This is just one of the many ways in which 96 similar squares can be arranged. Other numbers of squares could be used instead. You can now create your own patterns from these basic squares using our on-line afghan designer. Instructions for creating this afghan can be downloaded in .pdf format here. This afghan was made at St. Alban's R.C. Primary School in Warrington. Click here to read extracts from some of the letters from the children. This banner was made at St. Oswald's School in Alnwick, Nothumberland. This afghan was made at Beckermet C of E School in Cumbria. This banner was made by the Earth School in Yorktown, New York.