Another Magic Blanket

The squares for the SEASIDE WINTER BLANKET went through quite an evolution. A lot of frogging and pulling back was done before they starting looking like parts of a whole rather than just a collection of odd squares.  The bits and pieces of yarn that result from this are thrown into a little basket I keep next to my chair. 

Every evening I do a quick little tidy up before calling it a day. The little scraps are wound together to make what I call "MAGIC YARN".   Lately I have been dividing the yarn into two spectrums - red, orange, yellow in one and green, blue and purple in the other (neutrals are shared out between the two spectrums).   

I love making these MAGIC BLANKETS.

The row after row of double crochet stripes makes for very therapeutic crocheting.   Perfect as a take-along project or something to calm the heart and mind during times of stress or grief! 

The superchunky yarn (16ply) and 8.00mm hook give you a cuddly, thick and warm fabric, which makes a wonderful COMFORT BLANKET

Because the yarn is knotted together there are no pesky ends to work in besides the start and finish ends of the blanket and the start and finish edges of the border.  These blankets are fairly robust too - which makes them a good "charity" blanket - either for baby blankets or lapghans for the elderly.

Add an extra bit of "love" to the blanket with a few RUFFLE FLOWERS!

The little balls of magic yarn have already started growing again and I intend to use the next batch to make some beanies and scarves for charity.

What do you do with your scraps / leftover yarn?   Please post photos of your scrap / stashbuster projects on my Zooty Owl Facebook Page!

I had best get back to work now - finalizing the "bonus" square and the "Umtentweni" Square for the Seaside Winter Blanket CAL!

Happy hooking until we meet again!

A little help: Scottburgh Square

Hello lovelies

The Seaside Winter Blanket CAL is slightly more challenging than my usual patterns.   I tried to make it interesting as well as adding stitches and techniques which will help us grow our skills.    The overlay and textured stitches add impact to the squares.

A lot is lost in translation when trying to give an instruction in "pattern-speak"  - I have added more info to the photos that incorporate and / or lead up to the more complicated stitches.    I do hope this will be of help to those who are new to these stitches and techniques.

The "crossover" overlay stitch is very tricky (even for me). Just make sure that your second round stitches are worked carefully into the back loop of the first round and that there are twelve front loops. Each 3hdc grouping forms the "line up" for your round 4 stitches. So under each 3hdc group you will have 3 open "front loops" (in round 1)

Rounds 1 and 2

Rounds 1, 2, 3, 4

The "long" stitches in Round 5 are worked into the 3hdc cluster on either side of the crossover. No stitches are worked into the crossover itself. Before blocking the stitches do tend to "pucker" on the photos it does appear that this is a "different" stitch. I have followed the pattern exactly for my tutorial square. Once you block the square the stitches open up and the pattern becomes clearer.

Round 5

Comfort Blanket for Dad

I cannot believe my mom has been gone for just over a month - it still feels so unreal!

I have been working through MOM'S YARN STASH - what a wonderful gift from the "afterlife" as it were.      A beautiful way for me to meditate, grieve, reflect and remember my precious Mommy!

When I received the stash I decided that I would not "hoard" it but would immediately set about making meaningful things from it!

So far I have made a few baby blankets, a "MAGIC" COMFORT BLANKET for my brother, for each of the girls I have made a super chunky ROAD TRIP SCARF!, and this HUGE comfort blanket for my Dad. 

We are scattering Mom's ashes on Saturday and I wanted to have these comfort gifts finished by then (I nearly crocheted my fingers off!)

Yarn:  Acrylics, Courtelles, Acrylic / Wool Blends

Yarn Weight:  16ply (Super Chunky) - obtained by winding strands of odd weights together to get 16ply (eg 2ply + 2ply + 4ply + 8ply = 16ply)

Hook Size:   8.00mm

Colours:   Blues, Turquoises, Greens, and a few odd colours in between

Foundation Chain:   180 plus 2 (this gives you 180dc)

Number of Rows:   102 rows of Double Crochet

Border:   1 round hdc,   1 round dc.

Edging:   A simple half shell made as follows (2ch, 2dc, skip 2 spaces, sl st into next space) repeat all around the blanket ending with a sl st into the base of the start 2ch.

The blanket will fit very comfortably on a double bed.  

It's soft and thick and warm and was made with loads of love with good memories of my mom in every stitch!

"Magic" Comfort Blanket

I wanted to make "meaningful" things with the YARN STASH mom had left me:      baby blankets to donate;   a comfort blanket each for my brother and my dad;   and a scarf each for all the girls.

My brother's favourite colours are red, grey, black and white so when I sorted the stash I kept aside these colours to make my brother a "MAGIC" Comfort Blanket!

Last week we went up to Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) in the Limpopo Province,  for a few days R&R

  The reds, blacks, greys and whites went with so that I could make my brother's blanket!

Yarn:   Acrylic, Courtelle, Acrylic / Wool Blends (less than 30% natural fibres)

Yarn Weight:   2ply, 3ply, 4ply, 8ply, 10ply and 12ply - strands wound together to give me 16ply (super bulky) yarn.      (eg 2 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 16)

Hook Size:   8.00mm

Foundation Chain:   170 plus 2 (172)

Stitch:   Double Crochet

Size:   Three Quarter Bed

Border:   a few rows of double crochet around the blanket.  I measured the blanket so that the stripes would be vertical and added a few extra border rows at the top and bottom (my brother is a big guy!)

Edging:   1 row of single crochet

Washed and tumble dried the blanket as soon as we got back from our little vacation!

My brother loves it!!!     Made me feel so happy that I could make something from mom's yarn to give a bit of comfort to my baby brother (he is 18 years younger than me)!

Sunshine and Happiness

My son moved to Cape Town in March this year - 1399.6km as the Boeing flies.

Cape Town has really wet and windy winters so I thought I would make him an extra "warmie" for his bed or to keep him warm while watching telly or working on his computer.

In the evenings while he still lived at home he and I would make dinner together.   We would crank up the stereo up and listen to all sorts of good tunes (choonz - as we pronounce it here in SA).      One of our favourite "karaoke" songs was Rod Stewart's "Forever Young"

So this blanket is called "Sunshine and Happiness" (to surround you while you are far from home)!

I make heaps of odd granny squares during LOADSHEDDING and then join them together when we have power again.

For this blanket I made 48 squares - worked around 12 with "Bright Yellow";   12 with "Banana" and 24 with "Red".     I then joined them using the VISIBLE JOIN.

I then worked two rows of dc around each 4 x square block - "Dark Brown" around the yellow blocks and "Chocolate" around the red blocks.

The centre HAD to be special - a variation of my POPCORN OWL

The crochet "Sun" and granny hearts were appliqued on, and the eye feathers are "tassels".

I worked a few "patterned" rows around the Owl Square, and then joined the completed 4 x square blocks to the centre block.

I did not add a border; just a sweet little pompom edging - the same edging used for my POPCORN OWL CUSHION

Now all that remains is for me to box it up (with some other home treats) and have it couriered to my son!

A "Magic" Blanket

..... and the lessons my Grandparents taught me! 

 

My Oupa (grandfather) and Nanna (grandmother) lived in a big old rambling house when I was a little girl.

I spent most of my waking hours with my Nanna and a lot of time with my Oupa (who was semi-retired).

Oupa and me in the garden

Nanna was a true lady, and Oupa a real GENTLEman and from their example I learnt some valuable lessons:

My grandparents in Johannesburg

Always have self-respect:
Never disrespect yourself by being untidy, unruly, rude or improperly dressed!

Me - in my school uniform

Always treat others with respect:
No matter what their station in life! 

Manners Maketh Man (or woman!)
There is absolutely no excuse for rudeness or discourtesy!

Diligence: 
Anything worth doing is worth doing well!

My Grandparents - At a Police Service Awards Ceremony

Prepare Food with a Happy Heart:
Having food to prepare and eat is a blessing!   Show your thankfulness for that blessing by preparing and eating your food with a happy heart. 

I always have a good giggle when they speak of "cross-contamination of food" on Food Network - I always tell my children this means that you must never make food in a bad mood!! 

Be grateful for every meal!
Eat your food mindfully - never shovel food into your mouth!

Me - at breakfast time!

Never put off till later what you can do now:
When you are done sleeping, make up your bed!    When you are done bathing, clean the bathroom!
When you are finished using something, pack it away!
Tidy and clean the kitchen as you cook or bake!
Pack away your laundry as soon as it is done! 
Wipe your shoes and allow them to air after wearing them (they last longer and NEVER smell!!)

Doing things this way actually gives you a lot of free time to do the things you love (Crocheting!!!!!!) 

Calm Down:
If you are fretting about something make yourself a cup of tea and drink it mindfully!! 

Think before you speak or act:
Once the words have passed your lips or the actions have left your hands they can never be taken back!

Don't wait for life to happen to you:
Get out there and participate!!!

On a "Big Walk" with Oupa to raise funds for charity

Don't look for someone to blame:
Take responsibility for your own actions!

Sorry is just a word:
It means nothing if you do not atone and change your behaviour! 

About sloth:
Lazy people look for excuses - industrious people find solutions! 

Waste not - want not!
My grandparents grew up through the depression and lived through WW2.     They knew what it was to go without.   

My grandfather was taken prisoner by German Forces at TOBRUK IN EGYPT and spent many months in a Concentration Camp

Oupa - During WW2

They taught me to use my imagination to turn scraps (paper, wood, yarn..... almost anything) into fun and useful projects!

(There is a great little tutorial on You Tube if you have never used the   MAGIC KNOT)


I never was (and still never am) bored - I just need to apply a little imagination to whatever is to hand and "magic" happens!! 

Idle Hands are the Devil's Workshop
Keep your hands busy doing something constructive (knitting, crocheting, baking, cleaning, gardening, being helpful).   

When you sit around doing nothing trouble comes looking for you!!

Don't let Evil Sully you!
No matter how evil or horrible the world around you maintain your own goodness! 

Always be kind:

These blankets are a great side project to keep going and when winter comes you will have quite a few blankets to donate to your favourite cause!

The end result is a super snuggly, soft and warm blanket!   

Each and every blanket is unique and you can use up your scraps as you go!!