Bunny Scarf with Pockets

This little scarf worked in soft acrylic chunky yarn can be made for either a girl or a boy.  To make a little boy bunny, remove the flower and add a tuft of yarn hair.

The pocket behind the bunny face will keep little hands warm on a cold day, and are the ideal place to hide a few extra Easter treats.

The pattern is available in my Ravelry Store (HERE)

Circles in Square Grannies Blanket

Blanket made for my brother's birthday!

 COLOURS:

Top Left to Right:      
Maroon and Saxe Blue;    Jade and Teal;   Orange and Cream;  Red and Dark Grey

2nd Row Left to Right:
Lime and Avo;  Turquoise and Baby Blue;   Lime and Avo;    Rust and Beige

PATTERN:  CIRCLE IN A SQUARE GRANNY

Each block is made up of four Circles in Square Grannies joined using the join-as-you-go method with a 3 row border in light grey; 

The blocks are then joined using my  VISIBLE JOIN

 

YARN:  100% Acrylic (mostly Elle).

I love crocheting with Acrylic - it is very easy on the hands and the end product is very easy to wash.    Provided the blanket is cared for properly it holds its shape for many years!    I have blankets made in the early 90's that still look new!

I use a gentle washing liquid (NOT powder as that is inclined to leave a residue) and baby fabric softener to machine wash my crochet blankets.      Set the machine to the full delicate cycle (including spin), temp 30 degrees C.   Hang on the line to dry - fold the blanket in half over the line, rather than pegging the corners as this stretches your blanket!

I always pop the dried blanket in the tumble dryer for half an hour (on the coolest setting) with an anti-static tumble dryer sheet.      This fluffs up the fibres and makes the blanket smell super fresh!

I buy a few bars of delicious smelling soaps, wrap them in white tissue paper and pop them in between the blankets when I pack them away.  

BORDER:  Four rows of block stitch;    1 row single crochet

EDGING:  One row blanket stitch

Circle in a Square Granny: Wade's Blanket CAL (Part 1)

Hello and welcome to Part 1 of the Wade's Blanket CAL, hosted by Zooty Owl and Kokopelli Design!  

This blanket was made from scraps a while back with the patterns that we will be posting over the next few weeks: 

Today's pattern is:

CIRCLE IN A SQUARE GRANNY

PATTERN TERMS:    US

YARN WEIGHT:   DK (8PLY / LIGHT WORSTED WEIGHT)  

HOOK SIZE:   5.00mm

SQUARE SIZE:    12cm x 12cm

Zooty Owl's Colourway:   Denim Blue, Blue, Turquoise, Lime, Bright Green, Lemon and White.

Start with a MAGIC RING
(alternatively crochet 3ch, sl st into 3rd chain from hook to form a circle)

Row 1:  3ch (counts as 1dc);  11 dc into the magic ring;  sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch to close round (12dc);    Pull the beginning tail to tighten the ring

Row 2:  sl st into first space between dc; 3ch (counts as 1dc) 1dc in same space as join (2dc grouping);  [2dc into each sp between dc on the previous round (2dc grouping)] x11;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round (24dc)

Row 3:  Sl st to centre of 2dc grouping;  3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into the centre of the 2dc grouping;  [3dc into centre of next 2dc grouping (3dc grouping)] x 11;  sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round (36dc).   Break off yarn.

Row 4:   Join yarn in space between any 3dc groupings;  3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into same space as join;   3dc into next space;    (3trc, 3ch, 3trc) into next space (corner made);   [(3dc into next space) x2;  (3trc, 3ch, 3trc) into next space] x3;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round.

Row 5:  Before you start Round 5, turn your work, so you're facing the wrong side;  3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc into space between 3dc groupings;  (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch;   [(3dc into next space) x3;   (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch)] x3;   (3dc into next space) x2;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round;   turn work.   

Now your square should look like this from the wrong side:

 

Row 6:  Before you start Round 6, turn your work again, so you're facing the right side;  3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc into space between groupings;  (3dc into next space) x2;  (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch;   [(3dc into next space) x4;   (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch)] x3;   3dc into next space;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round.    Break off yarn.

Use your favourite joining method to join your squares in a row - I am using my VISIBLE JOIN to join mine!

Have fun making your squares and see you again in two weeks with Part 2 of Wade's Blanket.

Circle in a Square Granny: Wade's Blanket CAL (Part 1)

Hello and welcome to Part 1 of the Wade's Blanket CAL, hosted by Zooty Owl and Kokopelli Design!  

This blanket was made from scraps a while back with the patterns that we will be posting over the next few weeks: 

Today's pattern is:

CIRCLE IN A SQUARE GRANNY

PATTERN TERMS:    US

YARN WEIGHT:   DK (8PLY / LIGHT WORSTED WEIGHT)  

The amount of yarn required depends on the size of the blanket you would like to make. The one pictured in the photo is 110cm x 110cm - I used just over 600g (1800m) of yarn. A 150cm x 150cm would probably take 800g - 900g. 

HOOK SIZE:   5.00mm

SQUARE SIZE:    12cm x 12cm

Gauge is not too important with this blanket. Yarn thicknesses vary somewhat from brand to brand as do the tensions of individual crocheters. The most important thing is that your tension remains even throughout the blanket - this will ensure that your squares will always be the correct size, for example if this square measures 14cm x 14cm then the next two patterns will also measure 14cm x 14cm (instead of my 12cm x 12cm) and the fourth one 7cm x 7cm (instead of my 6cm x 6cm).

Zooty Owl's Colourway:   Denim Blue, Blue, Turquoise, Lime, Bright Green, Lemon and White.

My blanket will be 110cm x 110cm in size - so I made eight of these squares.

Andrea is making a larger blanket so she is making more squares!

Start with a MAGIC RING
(alternatively crochet 3ch, sl st into 3rd chain from hook to form a circle)

Row 1:  3ch (counts as 1dc);  11 dc into the magic ring;  sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch to close round (12dc);    Pull the beginning tail to tighten the ring

Row 2:  sl st into first space between dc; 3ch (counts as 1dc) 1dc in same space as join (2dc grouping);  [2dc into each sp between dc on the previous round (2dc grouping)] x11;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round (24dc)

Row 3:  Sl st to centre of 2dc grouping;  3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into the centre of the 2dc grouping;  [3dc into centre of next 2dc grouping (3dc grouping)] x 11;  sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round (36dc).   Break off yarn.

Row 4:   Join yarn in space between any 3dc groupings;  3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into same space as join;   3dc into next space;    (3trc, 3ch, 3trc) into next space (corner made);   [(3dc into next space) x2;  (3trc, 3ch, 3trc) into next space] x3;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round.

Row 5:  Before you start Round 5, turn your work, so you're facing the wrong side;  3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc into space between 3dc groupings;  (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch;   [(3dc into next space) x3;   (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch)] x3;   (3dc into next space) x2;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round;   turn work.   

Now your square should look like this from the wrong side:

 

Row 6:  Before you start Round 6, turn your work again, so you're facing the right side;  3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc into space between groupings;  (3dc into next space) x2;  (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch;   [(3dc into next space) x4;   (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch)] x3;   3dc into next space;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round.    Break off yarn.

Use your favourite joining method to join your squares in a row - I am using my VISIBLE JOIN to join mine!

Have fun making your squares and see you again in two weeks with Part 2 of Wade's Blanket.

Wade's Blanket CAL: Introduction

Wade's Blanket CAL, hosted by Zooty Owl and Kokopelli Design. I am delighted to present my third blanket CAL (crochet-a-long)to you. The multi-talented Andrea of Kokopelli Design will be hosting this CAL with me!!

Here are some details to get you started:

Why are we calling it "Wade's Blanket CAL"?

Wade is a very brave little boy who is undergoing chemo at the moment.   While we were planning the CAL I told Andrea that I want to make Wade a blanket for comfort.   So we decided to name this blanket "Wade's Blanket".

The CAL will be over 16 weeks and we will post a pattern and a photo tutorial on both blogs every two weeks on Friday, starting March 20th.

There will be four square patterns, three stripe patterns, and a border. By the end of the CAL you will have a beautiful blanket in the size you want (depending on how many squares you make and how wide you make the stripes).

I made this one a while back using oddments of colour left over from other projects:

The patterns are written for DK (8ply / light worsted) weight yarns and a 5.00mm hook.  You can make the blanket from an assortment of different colours, or you can choose a specific colour palette - whatever you like!!

I will be using Elle Pullskein DK (100% Acrylic yarn) from our South African Mill, Saprotex and have chosen colours which are available in most acrylic yarns - Denim Blue, Blue, Turquoise, Lime, Bright Green, Lemon and White.

Andrea has chosen Stylecraft Special DK in a "Peacock" palette:

If you need a few ideas to help you choose your palette BE INSPIRED BY COLOUR!
Andrea and I look forward to having very many of you join us for this CAL on 20 March 2015

"Gorgeous Granny" Bag: Print Friendly Version

 The "Gorgeous Granny" Bag pattern is now available in my RAVELRY STORE

"Gorgeous Granny" Bag

I have made quite a few "FAT BOTTOM" GRANNY BAGS using a "modification" of a pattern I found on the internet.  

I wanted a bag that didn't look quite as casual, with a separate lining that could be worked into the bag without sewing through the crochet square, with neat, sturdy handles.

I am quite chuffed with the bag I came up with.    Went to the shops with this bag yesterday, and quite a few ladies stopped me to admire my bag.    "Gorgeous" was the most popular comment, hence the name "Gorgeous Granny Bag"

 I made quite a few of these with a mix of variegated and solid colour yarn.

They make lovely thoughtful gifts - each and every one of my "girlfriends" will be sporting one of these this winter!

Pattern can be found in my RAVELRY STORE