I'm just a giant hooker :)

Apologies for the gap between posts.. the school summer holidays got in the way! Anyhoo, the holidays are over and peace prevails, well, for a few hours a day!

I haven't stopped hooking during the summer - oh, no indeedy! Want to have a look at what I've been up to...?

This is the Sunfire waistcoat I finished last night. I made it for my youngest daughter and she adores it already! I made it using my giant hook (approx 35mm) and three strands of DK yarn. For the edge, I replaced one of the strands with a strand of eyelash yarn. I am really pleased with it and am trying to work the pattern out so that I can share it on here. I am making one for myself, but without colour changes.

Above is a sneaky peek of the one I am making for me.  Again, I am using my giant hook, with three strands of DK yarn and one strand of sock yarn.

Actually, I've been using my giant hook a lot recently. This is partly to do with the fact that I love it, but mostly due to the fact my hands have been very achy and it's easier to hold than a smaller hook! One of the reasons for loving it, is that I can make things so quickly with it..

Take this blanket, for instance. It took me 3 days to make the bulk of it. And I love it! I can't explain how lovely it was to make.. it just seemed to 'flow', if that makes sense?

Even though it's not fully finished yet, (border needs completing and threads need sorting), I use this blanket every evening.. it's so very snuggly!

I think this is my favourite part of the blanket. I used two shades of grey, along with a strand of colour. I love the way it works and am going to make a few things using this technique.

I especially love the way the blues and purples interact with the grey. Makes them pop, in my humble opinion, that is!

I can't wait to be able to get my hands on some more yarn - I will definitely be buying a load of grey shades, as well as some popping colours!

Mog's Rainbow Baby Blanket - Pattern

 

Right, as promised, here is the pattern for Mog's rainbow baby blanket. This was my first ever crochet design, and apart from my slightly wonky edges, (it was only the second or third thing I had ever crocheted), I am very, very proud of it! I hope you enjoy making yours as much as I did mine...

(Oh, and please don't be put off by the ruffled edge.. it is surprisingly easy!)

(The yarn I used for this was Patons Smoothie DK, apart from the deep purple yarn, which was Patons Fab DK. It would have been better to have used the Smoothie DK throughout, but I couldn't get the right purple at the time I was buying it all.) I used red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple,  teal, a variegated lilac and a variegated cream.

UK terms are used.
(US terms in [italics])

(This pattern makes a blanket which fits nicely on baby while they're in their car-seat. Of course, you can make it wider if you wish, but remember, you will need to increase the amount of stripes you make.)

Using the RED yarn, make a foundation chain of 88.

Row 1 - 1tr [1dc] into fourth chain from hook and then 1tr [1dc] into each chain until the end. Turn.

Row 2 - Ch 3, then 1tr [1dc] into second stitch from hook. 1tr [1dc] into each stitch until end. Turn.

Row 3 - Ch 3, then 1tr [1dc] into second stitch from hook. 1tr [1dc] into each stitch until end. Turn and fasten off.

Row 4 - Join the CREAM yarn into the last stitch made. Ch 1, then 1dc [1sc] into each stitch until end. Turn.

Row 5 - Ch 1, then 1dc [1sc] into each stitch until end. Turn and fasten off.

Row 6 - Join the ORANGE yarn into last stitch made. Ch 3, then 1tr [1dc] into each stitch until end. Turn.

Row 7 -  Ch 3, then 1tr [1dc] into second stitch from hook. 1tr [1dc] into each stitch until end. Turn.

Row 8 -  Repeat as for row 8. Turn and fasten off.

Row 9 - Join the CREAM yarn and repeat as for row 4. Turn.

Row 10 - Repeat as for row 5. Turn and fasten off.

Do you see the pattern here? Continue in this way until you have 13 coloured stripes, (RED to PURPLE, 1 stripe of LILAC, PURPLE back to RED).

Ruffled border

Join the CREAM yarn in any edge stitch except a corner one. Ch1, then 1dc [1sc] into each stitch, apart from the corner, in which you need to work 3dc [3sc]. Join the last stitch to the first stitch with a slip-stitch. Work another row like this, join with a slip-stitch and fasten off.

Join the TEAL yarn in any edge stitch except a corner one. Ch3, then 1tr [1dc] into each stitch, apart from the corners, 5tr [5dc] are needed in these. Join to top chain of ch3 with a slip-stitch. Fasten off.

Join CREAM yarn in any edge stitch except a corner. Work a row of dc [sc] in each stitch, 3dc [3sc] in corners as before. Join and fasten off.

And now for the ruffle. If it's your first time, just take a deep breath and then begin. You'll soon realise how simple it is to work. Trust me, I'm a hooker.. ;)

Join the TEAL yarn in what you wish to be the bottom left-hand corner of the blanket. Now,  ch3, work 2tr [2dc] into the first stitch, then work 3tr [3dc] in every stitch along the bottom edge, including 3tr [3dc] in corner. Do the same again up the side, 3tr [3dc] in the corner again. Work 1tr [1dc] in each stitch along the top edge. 3tr [3dc] in corner and then 3tr [3dc] into each stitch along final edge. Join and fasten off.

I hope that all made sense! If you find any problems with the pattern, please let me know and I will amend them.

Please feel free to use my patterns to make items for yourself, as gifts, or to sell. All I ask is that you do not republish the pattern as your own, and if you post pics of items you have made from my patterns, then please mention me and my blog. :) Thank you!

Sunshine on a cloudy day... and a delivery... :)

Oh, my! It has been quite a week for me. I've had over 700 views of the Rainbow Granny Stripe pattern since I put it up, which has been a wonderful and muchly needed confidence boost for me. It has also stirred me on to get more of these ideas out of my head - the inside of which resembles an extreme hoarder's house - so, expect to see more patterns very soon. Thank you to the those first couple of people who asked me how I did the colour-way. I'm not sure I would have had the courage to write the pattern out if you hadn't asked.

As you can see from the first photo, the sun has been out this week! Yes, it was only for a day, but it was such a beautiful one, which brought with it some dramatic skies..

 

I don't think the hubby is too pleased that the sun has been out, because along with sitting on the doorstep, I have been doing this...

 

... when I should have been doing this...

Ah, well, what can I say? Is it my fault that the sun has suddenly become bashful and prefers to hide for most of the time these days? Is it my fault that I was given some new yarn that I had to desperately make into a poncho? I think you'll find it is not. The Law of Crochet states that when an idea takes hold of your head, then your hands must take hold of a hook and some yarn! Did I make the rules?

To be honest, there isn't much hope of me doing any housework soon, because today, this arrived...

... and when I opened it, I found this!

 

Lovely jubbly!! I love it when new yarn arrives!! I know already what is happening with the King Cole Rainbow 4-ply - PONCHO! - but I am still doodling and pondering what I'm going to do with the other balls, (which happen to be my first lot of Stylecraft DK Special). Whatever I end up doing, I am pretty sure that there will be a granny or two involved...

And now, because I'm looking at the photo of all the yarn, I have to go and look at it for real. Again. :)

 

 

Rainbow Granny Stripe Blanket - Pattern

Ok, so here is my first 'proper' written crochet pattern. Please let me know if you have any problems with it.

Obviously, you can choose whichever colours you like, but for the sake of explaining the colour-way properly, I am going to stick with the rainbow colours.

(All crochet terms used are UK terms)

(US terms in [italics])

Using the first colour (red) make Foundation Chain. It needs to be a multiple of 3, plus 1 extra stitch.

Row 1 - Work 1dc [1sc] into 2nd chain from the hook. Work 1dc [1sc] into each chain. Turn.

Row 2 - Ch 3, then work 1tr [1dc] into the first stitch. *Skip 2 st, then 3tr [3dc] into next st*. Repeat from * until last st. Work 2tr [2dc] into last st. Turn.

Row 3 - Ch 3, then work 1tr [1dc] into the first chain space. Then work 3tr [3dc] into each ch sp, apart from very last one. Into this one work 2tr [2dc], then work 1tr [1dc] into the top ch of the ch 3 of the previous row. Turn.

Row 4 - Ch 3, then work 1tr [1dc] into first ch sp. Work 3tr [3dc] into each ch sp, as row 3. Finish row as before. Fasten off. Turn.

Row 5 - Join second colour (orange) and follow as row 4. Fasten off. Turn.

Row 6 - Join first colour (red) and follow as row 4. Fasten off. Turn.

Row 7 -  Join second colour (orange) and follow as row 4. Fasten off. Turn.

Row 8 - Join first colour (red) and follow as row 4. Fasten off. Turn.

Row 9 -  Join second colour (orange) and follow as row 3. Turn.

Row 10 - Ch 3, follow as row 3. Turn.

Row 11 - Ch 3, follow as row 3. Fasten off.

Row 12 - Join third colour (yellow) and follow as row 4. Fasten off.

Row 13 - Join second colour (orange) and follow as row 4. Fasten off.

Row 14 - Yellow

Row 15 - Orange

Row 16 - Yellow

Row 17 - Yellow

Row 18 - Yellow

Row 19 - Green

Row 20 - Yellow

Row 21 - Green

Row 22 - Yellow

Row 23 - Green

Row 24 - Green

Row 25 - Green

I think it should make sense how it goes now.

You see how simple it is? And how wonderful it looks? Aaahh... grand... :)

 

Please let me know if you have a go at making one.. I would very much love to see the results!

Please feel free to use my patterns to make items for yourself, as gifts, or to sell. All I ask is that you do not republish the pattern as your own, and if you post pics of items you have made from my patterns, then please mention me and my blog. :) Thank you!

Rainbows, stripes & grannies!

Firstly, apologies for it being so long since my last (and only!) post. My router blew up during a storm a few months ago - it really did go 'BANG!!!' - and it has taken me a stupidly long time to sort out obtaining a new one. I haven't stopped hooking, in fact I've been doing a lot more, and I am enjoying it more than ever! I have definitely found my 'thang', after a long time looking..

I started and finished a blanket for my new nephew, Mog. He does have a 'real' name, but his 'bump' name appears to be sticking, for the moment anyway! I'm not that good at following patterns, so I devised my own, using rainbow colours in rows of treble crochet, with a row of cream in double crochet between each colour. I then added a border of cream, with three teal ruffled edges. I left the top edge unruffled. It's just the right size for Mog when he's in his car-seat. My sister said it's the blanket they use the most!

Mog with his blanket. You can just make out the ruffled edge.

I used Patons Smoothie DK to make it, and let me tell you, I have fallen head over heels for this yarn! It's an acrylic, yet feels like cotton. It is lovely to work with, and the 100g balls seem to last forever! I highly recommend it, especially if you are new to crochet.

I am also using the Smoothie DK to make another rainbow blanket, this time in a Granny-stylee! This is my Attic24-inspired 'Rainbow Granny Blanket'..

I have to say, this is my favourite piece of work thus far! It is so easy to get lost whilst hooking this and I find it very hard to put down. I posted a photo of it today on Ravelry, and have had a couple of people ask how to do the colour-way, so I decided I would make this my very first 'proper' written pattern. I will put it in a separate post, so that it will be easier to print out.

And we begin..

I had to start a crochet blog. There is no way I can keep all of these ideas, designs etc to myself and the hubby is sick to death of me talking about crochet. Say the word once, and his eyes will glaze over. Say it twice and he'll twitch. Say it three times, and we're talking full-blown seizure territory..

So, I think it's about 2 weeks now since I decided to have yet another go at learning to crochet. I love the look and texture of crocheted items - always have - but have had so many failed attempts over the years and thought that being able to learn was beyond me. Then I came down with this cold bug, developed a flippin' awful cough which kept me awake all night for days on end, so I thought I'd try again. And I am so very glad I did! For some reason, this time around it has all clicked and now I am hooked! (Pun intended and made with no apologies.)

I have three or four projects on the go at the moment - I get bored sometimes of the colour I'm working with, so like to have something else in a different colour in progress too. I finished my first project last night - WHOOP WHOOP!! GO ME!! - and I am very, very proud of it. It's a bag that I've made for my daughter's 18th Birthday, and for a first go, I think it's bloody good (even if I do say so meself).

And now, I have to go and do some more hooking, as I am beginning to get withdrawal symptoms, (I haven't crocheted at all today - bad Flippity). This is what I am going to get on with..

It is going to be a cowl/snood type thing. I originally started making it for me, but have realised that it probably isn't going to be big enough for my liking, so if that's the case, it will go to my 8 year old daughter. I'm loving the effect I'm getting from using the four yarns together and can't wait to get experimenting with more colours and yarn mixes.