Purple Rain Granny Square Blanket

After posting about Phi's rainbow granny square blanket a friend in Illinois asked if I could make her one but in purples. I was happy to do it. 

This time I used thick more wool yarn and a more holey square pattern. I used 3 different colors, 2 skeins. I used purple, dusty purple and eggplant. I was able to make 36 squares in all with 3 made up of all 3 colors combined. 

Here are the squares begging to be joined. 

I went with a 6 x 6 and random pattern. The only hard part is making sure the same colors are not touching each other. I used a dark charcoal and a single crochet join. I like the raised line it makes.

I needed to bulk up the size of the blanket to make it big enough for an adult lap blanket so I added a thick strips in between each row of squares.

After joining with thick strips and adding a border. After a gentle wash and a overnight of blocking it was ready to pack up and send off to its new home in Illinois.

I am still loving these granny squares!

Phi's Neon Cube Blanket

This blanket was a real labor of love and took 2 years to get done. A few years ago when I was buying yarn for a baby blanket Phi showed me these new neon colors and loved them. She asked me to make her a cool blanket with it. 2 years later I pulled out the yarn again. I have been wanting to work on a bigger granny square blanket. I love how productive you feel when making granny squares. I started in December. I used 5 skeins to make a total of 90 squares. 

After the squares were all done it was time to put them together. I wanted a black border around each square so I went with a crochet stitch to connect them together. Each row is 9 squares.This process took me awhile. I could do about 2 rows a night. Then it took another night to sew in and trim all the edges.

I made 10 rows of 9 to give the blanket more length than width. After all 90 squares were done it was border time. I went with a single stitch black border with a few rows of a mixed neon yarn to give it more color.

A wash and a block overnight and the blanket was ready for its new owner.

This is the most difficult blanket I have done and is now one of my favorites. 

Granny Square Blanket

I have always wants to do granny squares. Early in my crocheting career (haha) I attempted one and I think I was a bit overconfident. I started with a square that was way too complicated for me. My buddy Crystal is having a baby boy in a few months. I have a big bag of this gorgeous brown and cream colored yarn that I wanted to use but I wanted something a little different. I have been doing a lot of chevron type blankets. I needed a change and I wanted a challenge.

I searched my usual places (Ravelry and Pinterest) and found a super basic granny square pattern. It took me about 4 attempts to get the pattern down. Once I mastered the joining into a circle it is all double crochets and chains.

What I loved about this was that, even though it took me a month or so to make all the squares, I felt productive. Each square took about 5 minutes to make so it felt like I was finishing something. I made the blanket 5 squares by 6 squares so I made 30 in all. 15 brown and 15 cream. It was very satisfying to see the piles of squares grow.

The squares may be easy, but this pattern gets back at you with all the sewing in ends and sewing the squares together. Each square had 2 tails that had to be sewn in. This is tedious work, but I kind of love it. I just fired up my tablet with an episode of "Hart of Dixie" (my new favorite show) and got to work. Once the ends were taken care of I was left with nice and neat squares.

Now it was time to sew them together. I used my big crochet sewing needle and the cream colored yarn

First I sewed each row. Place the squares back to back and all the stitches should line up. I did a simple mattress stitch across the entire edge. There a a few different ways to join squares together. I alternated colors and sewed together 5 for each row. Then I did the same thing when I sewed each row together. I was worried that it would not lay flat but it totally did!

I am super happy with how it came out. It is a great size for a brand new baby!
 I can't wait to give it to Baby Jameson! (coolest name ever!)

Broom Lace Stitch Scarf

My daughters teacher recently let me borrow Downton Abbey Sesaon 3 on DVD. Don't get me started on the ending. I decided to  make her a scarf as a thank you. I wanted something quick but different. I have been working on chevron blankets forever and wanted something a little more challenging. After a quick search online I found the Broom Lace Stitch. 

2 skeins of yarn a crochet hook and the biggest knitting needle I have, a week or so and it was done. This stitch is so fun and looks really cool.

This would make a really cute blanket but I would need a really long knitting needle! I hope the teacher likes it!

Coral and Turquoise Chevron Blanket

At Baby Matthew's baby shower I gave him a grey and black chevron blanket that I had made. When my cousin opened it my Tia Grace grabbed it, and said how much she liked and and that she wanted one. So a few days later, while at Michael s Craft Store I called up my Tia Grace's kids and asked them what colors she liked. Her son said blue and her daughter said coral. I found some amazing coral, turquoise and tan color soft Impeccable yarn on sale and grabbed what I needed.

I took about 2 months and I used the basic chevron crochet stitch.

I love the colors and pattern of this blanket! The dimensions ended up being about 4 feet by 2.5 feet. If I could do it all over again I would make it wider. After the body was done I added side borders to give it a little more width.

It will make a nice lap blanket.

When my Tia said she wanted a blanket I saw it as an opportunity for me to say thank you to her and to tell her how much I love and appreciate her. Almost a year ago my Grandparents moved out of their home because it was time for them to move in with someone so that they could be taken care of. Between medications and dialysis appointments things were getting hard for them. So my Tia Grace opened her home to them. My Nana and Tata moved only down the street from their old house and into my Tia's house. I know what a big deal this is and I am so thankful that my Nana and Tata have a wonderful place to stay.

So this blanket is just my way of thanking my Tia and telling her how much I love her and her big heart!

Ombre for Pearmama

After I made a pink ombre blanket for baby Charlotte my friend Pearmama mentioned she would like one in turquoise. I was more than happy to oblige. It took me a long long time. I went with the generic chevron double stitch. I loved the colors. This blanket was big. Like twin comforter size. But I knew that Denise, a true artist, would appreciate the love and time I put into the blanket.

Office Supply Angel Ornaments

This year I was invited to participate in an ornament exchange. After combing Pinterest I found a really easy and cute ornament. AND it involved office supplies. I LOVE office supplies. So here is what I used:

• Large Butterfly clips (also called idea clamps)
• 1/8 inch ribbon
• 15mm bells or beads

Assembling these are super easy. Cut 12 inch pieces of ribbon. Cut the ends at a angle!
The hardest step is getting the ribbon through the bell! Loop at the bottom.

Then pull the loop through the back middle of the clamp.

Use a lark heads knot to secure.

Next time a knot at the top of the bell or bead. 

Then knot the top!

These are really easy and cute. I think they would be easy to embellish too. Adding a halo or flowers in her hands, lace to the wings. The possibilities are endless!