A simple baby blanket

The simplest way to make a blanket is a granny square - either a big one for a square blanket or a number of small ones to make a rectangular blanket.  Here are instructions on making a simple baby blanket from 12 squares.

Materials:
 50g ball DK yarn in three colours:
MC (I used white)
Yarn A (I used pink)
Yarn B ( I used blue)
3.5 mm hook

A granny square is worked in the 'round'.  For this blanket, you will make 6 squares with Yarn and 6 with Yarn B

Start with MC, make 4 ch and joining with a slip stitch.  Work 3 ch (counts as tr here and throughout), 2 tr into ring, ch2,*3tr into ring, ch 2. Rep from *twice more. Join to top of 3 ch at begining with slip stitch.  This is your first round and you should have 4 3tr groups and 4 ch spaces.


Round 2 Ch 3 2tr into ch space, ch2, 3 tr, *3tr ch2 3tr.  Rep from * twice more. Join with slip stitch to top of ch3. FO

Round 3 Attach Yarn A to space between any tr group.  Ch 3 2tr into space, *(3tr ch2 3tr) in corner ch sp, 3tr in space between tr groups.  Rep from * to complete the round slip stitch to top of initial 3 ch.

Round 4 3ch 2tr into spce between tr group. Work as for round 3, (3tr ch2 3tr) in corner each ch sp and 3tr in space between tr groups.  Join with slip stitch to initial 3 ch and FO.

Join MC to any space between tr group and work as for round 3, (3tr ch2 3tr) in corner each ch sp and 3tr in space between tr groups.  Join with slip stitch to initial 3 ch and FO.

When you have completed all your squares, arrange them in a 3 x 4 pattern alternating colours.

I have used a dc seam to join the squares together because it gives a nice textured look to the finished article.  To work a dc seam, place two squares WS together and attach MC at a corner space.  Work 1 dc into corner space of both squares and then on dc through each stitch of both squares all along the edge.  

Join your squares into strips of 3 and then join the strips together to complete the blanket.  You can finish your blanket with a fancy edging if you want.

Blankets and more blankets

There seems to have been a maternity outbreak at work over the last 6 months and that has kept me busy making gifts for the new arrivals. So, here are selection of my favourites from the last 6 months.

 But it's not just babies that need blankets.  In our sometimes drafty house I have used my lap blankets a lot to keep me warm

My favorite winter blanket is this one that I made from a book I was given for Christmas,  Easy vintage and retro Crochet from Nikki trench.  The blanket was made with Aran weight wool with a lovely openwork center to the granny squares and was remarkably quick to make, perfect for someone like me who is easily distracted.  The bright colours and thick soft wool made it perfect for brightening up a gloomy winter evening.

Life...

Well, life sometimes gets in the way of good intentions.  My good intentions was to keep up with my blog but life scuppered that for a while.  Issue with work and family took up all my time for a while but a recent spell of absence from work has got be back on track and have loads of things to upload to my blog.  so here goes...

Back to Blogging...

Well, it has been a long time since I have posted on my blog. Work and life have been very busy and it isn't always easy to find the time and energy to do anything extra.

so, what has been keeping me so busy?  Well, an awful lot of crochet for a start and hopefully I will be able to keep you up to date a bit more now.

More flutterby's...

I asked my Facebook friends for suggestions on how to use yesterday's butterfly motifs and inspired by their answers, I dug into my workbox and came up with some improvements to the designs.

First thing was how to stiffen the body of the ones made from pearl cotton and also how to come up with a convincing antennae (is that what you call them on butterflies?).



So, out came the florist wire and the needle nose pliers.  With the addition of some seed beads I now had a beaded body, convincing antennae (still not sure that is right) and a stiffer body. 









Add a brooch back and you have a lovely embellishment for jeans, jacket or bag :)

The smaller butterfly made with four ply cotton are now lovely, little bag/phone charms with addition of a jump ring and chain with a lobster claw fastening.

Butterfly, flutterby

I have been experimenting with butterfly motifs. I want to decorate my next tea cosy with flowers and butterflies, so searched the Internet for butterfly patterns.

Then the experimenting begins to find the right yarn and hook size.  I tried a four ply cotton yarn first.  The butterfly came out a bit bigger than I wanted.

Anchor Pearl embroidery cotton was my next choice, in orange and brown and the result was lovely.

The third pattern makes a much smaller butterfly that was just right for what I want. 

 I also tried a half butterfly so it looks like it wings are folded.

Time for tea and cake...

I have made another tea cosy.  Themed tea cosies are becoming 'my thing'.  Today's theme is afternoon tea appropriately enough.

I decided to go with the body of the cosy in blue and white stripes like Cornish Ware crockery, which is a favourite of mine. 

The cupcakes were made in 4 ply yarn, a pale brown cake bottom with a freeform top to look like big fluffy icing, one in pink and one in lemon.  

Then I  sewed lots of little bugle beads on - to look like sprinkles!

The tea cups were made in pink and white and lemon and white.  I sewed the cups and cakes on to the cosy, pink cake, yellow cup and vice versa

Add a blue ring and embellish the top with a wreath of little pink flowers and it is done!