Let It Snow!

Temperatures in north central Pennsylvania have been unseasonably mild this month.  In fact, yesterday we had a record high of 66 degrees!  Something tells me that these crocheted snowflakes are going to be the closest we get to snow this Christmas.  If you would like to crochet your own blizzard, the instructions can be found at Attic 24.

(Make sure to note that the instructions are written in UK terms.  For this pattern the only difference is that "dc" is actually worked as a single crochet.  Work the rest of the pattern as written.)  

Fleece - Right Side Or Wrong Side?

With most fleece prints, it is apparent which side is the right side, but with solids and some prints it is hard to tell (especially after the selvages have been removed).  An easy way to tell the right or wrong side of fleece is to hold your fabric by the horizontal cut edge (this is the edge with the most stretch) and pull slightly. The cut edge will curl to the wrong side of the fabric. 

Another Fleece Blanket

It's still cold.  Freezing below zero cold, so I'm still working on fleece blankets!  Most of the blankets that I am making will go to our local foster care program.

Fleece Blanket Weather

It's January in Northern Pennsylvania.  It is cold.  Really cold!  So cold that all I want to do is sit by the fire and crochet edgings on fleece blankets!

A Little Knitting And Crochet

I finished a baby boy set not long ago, so I've been working on one for a baby girl in-between working on Christmas gifts.  Just one more little sock to go and this set will be finished!

For this set I used the Basic Baby Hat pattern and Susan B. Anderson's Jelly Bean Baby Socks pattern.  My instructions for the crocheted blanket edge can be found HERE.

Little Boy Blue

I love knitting and crocheting baby things!  They are usually easy and fast to finish, plus it's always good to have a few extra on hand for when you need a quick baby gift!

Put A Flower On Top!

I knitted this simple rolled brim hat for our youngest granddaughter, but it needed something to dress it up a bit.  Because her new snowsuit is bright pink, I thought a bright pink flower right on top would be just about perfect.  Much better (and easier) than a pom-pom!  The free pattern for this double crocheted flower can be found at Treasures For Tots.

OK...Just One More

While shopping at Michaels the other day, I spotted this hot pink Flamenco ruffle yarn on clearance for $1.99!  How could I not get it and make just one more scarf for the Pink Scarf Project?  I was all prepared to knit this scarf, like I have with other ruffle yarns, but the directions inside the wrapper called for crochet.  Let me tell you...crocheting these scarves is even faster than knitting them!  I had this scarf finished, photographed, and ready to mail in a matter of a couple of hours!

Fleece Time!

Fall has definitely arrived in my part of the country, so that means it's time to break out the projects that are too big and warm to work with during the summer months, such as this cozy fleece throw that I am making for a friend...it's the perfect project for a chilly evening!

Just In Case...

I like to have handmade gifts on hand for baby showers and such that I may not get a lot of advance notice for, so here's another "just in case I need a quick baby gift" all finished!

I used the free pattern Quick Baby Hat & Socks from Double Ewe Yarn Shop.  My pattern for the crocheted edging on the fleece blanket can be found HERE.

Lots Of Crochet

It was cold here this weekend.  Not only was it cold, it was snowing and blowing too!  We haven't had a whole lot of snowy weather this winter, so it was the perfect weekend to sit by the fire and work on a cozy fleece blanket or eight!

You can find my crocheted edging patterns HERE and HERE.

Fleece Blanket Time

It's been awhile since I have made a fleece blanket for Project Linus, but the last few evenings have been chilly enough that I wanted a warm project to work on.  Not only does a fleece blanket keep you warm while you are working on it, but it also warms your heart once it has been passed on to a child in need.

You can find full instructions for making fleece blankets like this one at www.skipstitch.com/instructions.

Cherry Bomb

Yarn Bombing - The activity of covering things in public spaces (e.g. lampposts, trees, statues etc.) with knitted materials.

I will admit it, I am fascinated with the idea of yarn bombing!  When I read that a group was seeking help to yarn bomb a cherry tree at the historic Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver I thought it would be a fun project for my oldest granddaughter and I to do together.  We did a bit of research and found out some interesting facts about one of Canada’s most beloved writers, Joy Kogawa.  After learning about the importance of this special cherry tree, we both agreed that it would be fun to contribute to this project!  We each crocheted a small flower from some sparkly pink yarn that will help Joy's historic cherry tree bloom just a little early this spring and we had so much fun making these flowers that we may crochet a few more to encourage an "early spring" here at home too! 

If you would like to learn more about this project or yarn bombing in general, visit yarnbombing.com.

A "New" Use For Ric-Rac

We're starting the process of sorting through my husband's aunt's belongings. It's going to be a long and difficult job, but we are discovering many little treasures along the way, which makes the task a little easier. Hazel was well known for her beautiful crocheted lace and she has quite a collection of dresser scarves and doilies. This dresser scarf caught my attention when I noticed that she used ric-rac as a foundation for the crocheted lace! Pretty ingenious, don't you think?

Blanket Report

Back in January I purchased a stack of fleece on sale with the plan of making it all into blankets for Project Linus. I'm happy to report that I just finished the last blanket from that batch of fleece and 12 more blankets have been donated to Project Linus! Hmm....I guess this means that it's time to go fleece shopping again.

Fleece, Fleece And More Fleece

The last time I was at Joann Fabrics they had lots of fleece remnants all marked at 50% off the regular price. I also happened to have a coupon for 20% off of my total purchase, so how could I not stock up? I have cut all of the fleece to size and used the skip stitch cutter on all the edges, so now I just have to work at crocheting around each blanket...the perfect project for these cold evenings! Once they are finished, they will all be donated to Project Linus.

One For The Boys

Here's a nice crocheted edging that isn't too lacy...perfect for a little boy's blankie!

One For The Boys Crocheted Edging

Materials: I used Caron Simply Soft (White) and a size H crochet hook, but any worsted weight yarn will work for this edging.

Foundation Row: Sc in a hole, ch 1, *sc in next hole, ch 1, repeat from * around, join with sl st to first sc. (For corners, sc, ch 1, sc, ch1, sc, ch 1 in each corner hole.)

Pattern Row: *Sl st in the "V" space, dc in the ch 1 space, repeat from * around, join.

(The "V" space is my "technical term" for the space above the single crochet done in each hole during the foundation row where the yarn forms a "V" on the blanket edge.)

Picot Blanket Edging

This crocheted blanket edging doesn't require a foundation row, so it works up very fast!

Picot Blanket Edging

Materials: I used Bernat Softee Baby yarn (Pink Parade) and a size G crochet hook, but any baby or sport yarn will work for this edging.

*3 single crochet in each hole, chain 3, slip stitch in last crochet made (this forms the picot), repeat from * around, join and fasten off. (For corners, work 3 single crochet, chain 3, slip stitch in last crochet made, 3 single crochet in each corner hole.)

Skip Stitch Madness!

I am crazy about my new skip stitch blade, but I feel it necessary to post a warning that making fleece blankies is highly addictive! Skip stitch madness has not only infected me, but it has spread to several of my friends as well. It's not a bad thing though because Project Linus and the local NICU are going to benefit greatly from our new obsession. The latest blankie that I have been working on is shown in the photo. It is made from the softest pink fleece and edged with baby yarn in a simple crocheted shell stitch (hdc, dc, hdc, sl st, repeat). This pattern works up quickly and will make a sweet blanket for a baby girl.

Leftovers

A few weeks ago I asked for suggestions for how to use up odds and ends of leftover yarn. One of those suggestions was to make a Project Linus blanket by crocheting an edging around some fleece. It's a fast easy way to dress up a yard of fleece, especially if you use a skip stitch blade in your rotary cutter to pre-cut the holes. The yarn that I am using for this blanket is called Bliss by Caron. The label says that it is "plush furry softness" and they aren't kidding...it's just about the softest yarn I have ever worked with and it makes a wonderful fuzzy binding! You can find full instructions for this blanket at www.skipstitch.com/instructions.