Blue "Drops" Blanket

I finished my "Drops" blanket for Traci, who is due March 24! I love this girl - we had the same due date, the same husband's name, the same baby's name...it's so fun!

I found this beautiful pattern on Pinterest (ok...I love Pinterest, what can I say). It comes from a website that I mentioned in an earlier post, and for some reason, it is in their group of patterns called "Drops" patterns. Anyway, the name stuck with me and I will now always refer to this particular type of blanket as my "drops" blanket.

I should have realized this was going to be such a huge undertaking. You have to make 20 individual squares, much like a granny square blanket, and sew them all together. I have never made anything like that before, so to stay on the safe side, I slipped stitched the squares together with my hook. It turned out with a beautiful ridge, but it really pulled the squares together more than I wanted it to. Unfortunately, the blanket does not lay as flat as I would like because of it (you have to really smooth it out on the floor to get a good look at it), but I think it still turned out alright.

I will also say that in sewing together squares, don't do it the way I did it! I would combine two squares together and cut the yarn! Then I would add another square and cut the yarn! DON'T DO THIS!!! If you want to save yourself any sanity, sew all the way through the row and then cut the yarn. It might seem weird, but trust me, it will save you a lot of time in the end when you're weaving everything in.

But all in all, I think the blanket turned out really well. Small, but well.

I used size G hook and Caron Simply Soft yarn, Country Blue. Beautiful yarn, but rather annoying that it came unraveled so easily.

Here it is! I hope she enjoys it!

Show & Tell

Since none of my current projects are finished, I'll take a time to have a little Show & Tell!

Today's little gem comes from a blog called "Alli Crafts" (link to free pattern here). I had just started picking crochet back up (around April/May last year?) and decided I really needed something to store all my hooks in. My mother-in-law actually has this really nice case with a zipper, but I didn't want to spend any extra money on this. So I did some Googling, picked up some old yarn that I had, and started to work!

These are just phone pictures, so sorry they're not the best!

Alli Crafts, like a lot of other people, came up with her design by using the star stitch (found on The Crochet Spot Blog). It's basically just a rectangular block full of star stitches!

I added the border just to give it a little more of a finished work. I LOVE this case because the holes are perfectly lined up and just snug enough to hold even my smallest hook (size 6). It even holds my tapestry needle!

I also love that now all of my hooks are in one place. I love the bold/dark color, making it easy to find and stands out against most of the yarn I usually have.

Like I said, I love my crochet holder and am so glad I made it. Check Alli Crafts out for her free pattern - you'll be happy you did!

Beautiful

I've never done this kind of crocheting before. I've always stuck with the simple, bulky-type looks. I've never ventured into the lace side of crochet before. Not that this is really lace, but it is closer than anything else I've ever done. I found this pattern on Pinterest and it can be found on this website www.garnstudio.com. The direct link is here. Anyway, it took me a couple practices to get this right. Before I had the yarn for the blanket I am going to make, I only had crochet thread. Which still worked out very nicely! Here is a sample of one of my practices. I did finally get the yarn and I'll hopefully be done with the blanket around Wednesday next week.

Isn't it beautiful??

And now I just can't help myself whenever I see a beautiful lace alter cover! I'll admit that I was a little focused on that during last night's session. But come on, haven't you ever wondered how those covers are made, too??

Also learning this makes me want to learn tatting. I wonder if I know anybody that can teach me...

Having Fun!

What do you do when the house is messy and your daughter is happy? You crochet! And take pictures of it, of course!

If you're wondering what I'm making - it's the backing of a throw pillow! I am so excited about these pillows!

I just love her face here!

Such a happy girl - we had such a fun time that morning!

To My Faithful Follower...

...you are so great to follow me.

I actually finished another blanket/beanie a week or so ago! It is a beautiful denim blue with a grey edging. My friend loved it so much that she said she wanted to use it for her baby photos! How awesome is that! Since I don't know what happened to the pictures I took and put on the computer, I'll wait until she has her baby and maybe show off those pictures!

I also joined Ravelry. HOW COME I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE BEFORE?? I love it. I am in love with it. Or maybe lust. It's hard to tell the difference. But anyway, I have found SO many adorable patterns that I want to buy and make for Hailey before winter is over, my favorite being this sweater!

                                     

And yes, it is knitted. I love it so much. I could do it!

Been a While

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while! Times have been pretty busy, and I haven't had much time to crochet like I would like to.

I have been working hard on a small baby afghan and matching beanie for a pregnant friend of mine who is due in January (or is it February?). I am way behind on the blanket (it's been about a month since her baby shower...oops!) but the last few days, I have been able to play a lot of catch up. I am still working on the beanie, so once I have that done, I will take pictures of the set before I hand it off to the soon-to-be mama!

I have also been knitting lately. Like, a lot. As in, I really, really, really like knitting. My only problem is, I taught myself, and right-handed at that (I'm left handed, I crochet left-handed), so I am horribly and awkwardly slow at knitting. I don't know how to hold the needles or yarn for tension at all. Anybody out there want to help me??

My main "obsession" right now would be dishcloths. My sis-in-law has several knitted cotton dishcloths and I love them. I have a crocheted dishcloth, but it's not cotton, so it's not super awesome, but it works, and I actually really like the textures and ability to hold water and soap while washing dishes. Walmart, bless its awful heart, has Peaches 'n Cream cotton balls of yarn for under $2!! And so many fabulous colors. I have to save my money so I don't buy them every time I go to the store. I bought black (good dark, solid color for dishcloths) and have been working on one. My only problem is, I keep changing the pattern. I make one for a few good rows, then find another pattern I like better, so I unravel everything, and start all over. It's taking me forever. I am also "practicing" a dishcloth with normal worsted weight yarn at work, and I am actually really liking how it is turning out!

Ooh, I also REALLY want to make socks. And a stocking like this great video I found online!

However, that requires special needles that I don't have, but would love to some day acquire. Oh, someday!!

That reminds me. Anyone know of any good ways to store yarn??? I looked it up online and people were saying things like, "You never need to keep leftover yarn" or "Give the rest of the yarn with the blanket/gift so that if anything happens, they'll have matching yarn to fix it" or "Why the heck would you save leftover yarn you're crazy." What! I mean, some of the projects I've made have barely used even half a skein! I have soooo much yarn left over, and over my dead body will I just throw it out. I just need to find a better way to organize it than throw it in a box in the same plastic grocery bag that it came in.

Anyway, no pictures today. I'll keep working and crocheting and knitting. And spending hours watching knitting and crocheting videos online. And drooling over crochet and knitting books at the store.

Christmas is coming up, so have fun with whatever fun things you are making for Christmas! What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Share!