Heart bag pattern - heartsease

This is a little bag pattern which I have devised in order to make heart-shaped bags for a charity event, (details of which are below the pattern).

You can use whatever hook and yarn you prefer. Obviously, a small hook and thin yarn will yield a small bag, whereas a large hook and chunky yarn will make a larger bag. I used an 8mm hook and extra chunky yarn, which made a bag measuring 6 inches across.

Heart Bag Pattern (UK terms)

Make a foundation chain of 4 chains
Row 1 - DC into second ch from hook, 1DC into each of next 2 st. Turn. (3)
Row 2 - Ch 1, 2DC in first st, DC in next st, 2DC in last st. Turn. (5)
Row 3 - Ch 1, 2DC in first st, DC in next 3 st, 2DC in last st. Turn. (7)
Row 4 - Ch 1, 2DC in first st, DC in next 5 st, 2DC in last st. Turn. (9)
Row 5 - Ch 1, 2DC in first st, DC in next 7 st, 2DC in last st. Turn. (11)
Row 6 - Ch 1, 1DC in each st. Turn. (11)
Row 7 - Ch 1, 2DC in first st, DC in next 9 st, 2DC in last st. Turn. (13)
Row 8 - Ch 1, 2DC in first st, DC in next 11 st, 2DC in last st. Turn. (15)
Row 9 - Ch 1, 2DC in first st, DC in next 13 st, 2DC in last st. Turn. (17)
Row 10 - Ch 1, 2DC in first st, DC in next 15 st, 2DC in last st. Turn. (19)
Row 11 - Ch 1, 1DC in each st. Turn. (19)
Row 12 - Ch 1, 1DC in each st. Turn. (19)
Row 13 - Ch 1, 1DC in each st. Turn. (19)

Now, for the top of the heart, which is worked in two parts.

Row 14a - Ch 1, work 1DC in next 9 st. Turn. (9)
Row 15a - Ch 1, DC2TOG, 1DC in next 7 st. Turn. (8)
Row 16a - Ch1, DC2TOG, 1DC in next 4 st, DC2TOG. Turn. (6)
Row 17a - Ch1, DC2TOG, 1DC in next 2 st, DC2TOG. Turn. (4)
Row 18a - Ch1, DC2TOG, DC2TOG. (2) Fasten off and weave in end.

Put slipknot on hook.
Row 14b - DC into 9th st from LEFT side. 1DC into each of next 8 st. Turn. (9)
Row 15b - Ch 1, 1DC into first 7 st, then DC2TOG. Turn. (8)
Row 16b - Ch1, DC2TOG, 1DC in next 4 st, DC2TOG. Turn. (6)
Row 17b - Ch1, DC2TOG, 1DC in next 2 st, DC2TOG. Turn. (4)
Row 18b - Ch1, DC2TOG, DC2TOG. (2) Fasten off and weave in end.

Make two and join together along sides using slip stitch. Chain a
handle and join on each side.

I hope that the pattern makes sense. Please contact me if you find any errors and I will rectify them!

Here is the 'heartsease' information..

We need 1.5million hearts bags knitted (or crocheted or sewn!) for all the children that are in need of care in the UK...

YOUR heart will go to ONE special little person in the UK. Please knit one (or more) and send to us...
BEGINS: Seventh February 2013 (Thursday)
ENDS: We will gather all the hearts and take to Parliament on Valentine's Day 2014 Friday*

* and on that day Kids Company, the UK Hand Knitting Association and the knitting design duo/company 'Ruth and Belinda' will take the hearts to Parliament. A declaration to the world that there are children in the UK that really need our support, love, care; emotional and physical.

Please knit a heart bag
for the children,
that in Camila Batmanghelidjh's
inimitable words,
"... are not properly cared for".

Little heart bags - made by people like you, with big hearts, to encourage and delight children at Kids Company.

Please send to:
heartsease, Ruth and Belinda HQ - 26 Queens Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 9ER, UK

http://www.ruthandbelinda.co.uk/designevents/heartsease.html

Please spread the word about this. And if you have the spare time and yarn to make a few, please do! I would love to see photos if you do make some!

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!

Bring it on, 2013!!

My, oh my! How the bloomin' heck can it be 2013 already?!? Time really does fly.. whether you're having fun or not! ;)

Once again, apologies for the delay in posting. Since the last post, we have moved, and whilst it is taking a little while for us to settle, I know we are now in the right place, after a few years of moving around. Once I've gotten my yarn storage situation sorted out, (more on that another day), I will feel even better!

At the last count, I had ten WIPs in my basket*, which is a few too many, I feel. I have a bit if a problem with having too many ideas and not enough hands to hook with! I also have a bit of a yarn addiction - not sure if anyone can relate to that? - which means there are always lots of yummy colours and textures screaming out to be transformed into a beautiful object.

I have finished a few things, but the temptation to start something new overtakes me, especially when I get my hands on some new yarn, and becomes even greater if that new yarn happens to be variegated! Speaking of which, I am sure there is a Noro-esque blanket a-calling my name. Toodle-pip for now! :)

*Basket = strewn in corners in bags

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.