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crochetime

~ So many patterns, so much yarn, so little time: story of my hooky life.

crochetime

Tag Archives: crochet

Identity Crisis blanket Ta Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

07 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, My ramblings, Pattern, Ta-daah!

≈ 77 Comments

Tags

afghan, blanket, crochet, Lionbrand

It’s a long “dah” today, but that’s because it’s proportional to length of time it took me to finish this bad boy*. To wit, 2 years, 1 month, 25 days in the making. Or to put it differently, 785 days / 67,824,000 seconds / 1,130,400 minutes / 18,840 hours / 112 weeks.  (*The link takes you to the post that explains where I got the name Idenity Crisis from. You’ll see… It makes perfect sense.)

To be fair I couldn’t work on it, or should I say “under it”, during the Summer and it a very big blanket. The point is: I finished it and I’m proud of it!

Blanket statistics are as follows:

Yarn: Stylecraft Special DK. I think I used roughly 5 skeins of each colour, but it may be more.

Colours: Plum (maroon), Meadow (green), Denim (dark blue), Parchment (off-white), Cloud Blue (light blue) and Mocha (brown).

Blanket pattern: Spicey Delights by Lionbrand yarns

Border pattern: Border #112

Layout: 72 rows of stripes, one row of 21 4-round granny squares, 20 rows of stripes, one row of 21 4-round granny squares, 20 rows of stripes, one row of 21 4-round granny squares and a final 72 rows of stripes.

This is where it all started. I took this photo on 21 November 2009 – one day after starting the blanket. I can hardly believe the blanket was ever this small!

It hasn’t always been an enjoyable journey though… Here is what I wrote in the Notes of this project on my Ravelry page.

I’m making this afghan to match the Granny and Grandpa square cushions in our bedroom. I had to promise hubby that I won’t use any pink, but that’s a small price to pay to get my hooky way 🙂

I’m using Biscuit and Jam’s Random Stripe Generator. What an amazing tool!!!

31 December 09: I am really getting tired of working on this ginormous blanket. The only thing keeping me going is seeing how it changes as I add more stripes. Thank goodness for the stripe generator!

5 January 2010: I’m starting to resent this blanket cause it just doesn’t want to get bigger even though I already have 72 rows! I hook and hook and hook and it still looks like a really big scarf.

29 May 2010: I’m starting the blanket again, but I’ll be doing 4 round granny squares for the middle section.

30 August 2011: I’m baaaack….

31 December 2011: All rows are finished and the blanket is the size I wanted. Weaving in of the ends and edging left to do.

1 January 2012: All the ends are woven in.

2 January 2012: Added Around the Corner Crochet Border # 112, and I’m done, finish, kaput! 20 November 2009 – 2 January 2012 in the making.

It was all worth it in the end though. Here’s why.


Thank goodness we have only one double bed in our home, otherwise I might just be tempted to make another huge blanket because, all things considered, I would do it again.

Crochet in the movies (Smurfs)

06 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by Natasja in As seen on TV, Other people's crochet

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

babette, blanket, crochet, movie, smurfs

In the latest Smurfs 3D movie there is a crochet afghan and a circular tablecloth in the livingroom. Have you seen? Isn’t the blanket just totally amaaaaazing?!

The blanket definitely has a distinct Babette blanket look to it. You can recreate it with the free Babette pattern on Interweave’s website.

If you don’t feel like crocheting the blanket, you can buy the blanket here. The link comes from a comment by Regina Graves, who was the set designer for the movie, on the Knit One Knit Two blog, so you know it’s the real deal.

As for the circular tablecloth, try Crocheting with Raymond’s pattern for a circular granny mandala and just keep on going until it’s the right size. To get the shabby look like in the movie, use a too big hook for your yarn, for instance a no. 6 with DK, or a no.4 with fingering, that way it will be very open and drape nicely. When you’re done crocheting the circle, add pompoms. Sarah London recently blogged about her pompoms here.

So there you have it – you can buy or recreate the blanket and you can recreate the tablecloth as used in a Smurfs movie.

Who would have thought that the Smurfs and crochet would ever be mentioned in the same sentence?!

Krochet Kids

05 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by Natasja in Other people's crochet

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

charity, crochet, Krochet Kids

While on holiday in Santa Monica, I came across these beautiful crochet beanies in Nordstroms.  You have no idea how incredibly soft these hats are. It feels like silky rabbit hair. Honestly! After closer inspection I became intrigued by the label “Krochet Kids” and the tag line “Buy a hat change a life”.  

Now that I’m home, I finally got round to Google-ing “Krochet Kids”. What an amazing find!

Please do yourself the favour and read their story here. This may be a spoiler alert, but the Krochet Kids are three guys! Three men who know how to crochet, and in this case, start a non-profit organisation to teach women in Northern Uganda to crochet so that they can support themselves, really is something very special!

When you buy your hat you will see a label showing you who crocheted it.  You can then go to the Krochet Kids website to find out more about the lady who crocheted your hat and then send her a message to thank her!!!

By sending her a thank you note…

 You have a powerful opportunity to encourage, instill confidence, and further empower women around the globe that are rewriting their futures.

How amazing is that?!

If would like to get involved with Krochet Kids, you can do so in four ways. Read about it here.

Empowering people to rise above poverty = powerful crochet!

 

On the edge

03 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, My ramblings

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Around the corner crochet, blanket, border, crochet, crochet border, crochet edge, edging, Edie Eckman, free pattern

If you follow me on Facebook, you would have seen that 31 December 2011 was a HUGE day for me: I finished crocheting the (what felt like millions of) rows of the Identity Crisis blanket!!!! No more shells. No more rows. No more colour changes. Done – blanky reached double bed proportions.

This meant that on the first day of 2012 I was weaving in ends. Loads of ends. Luckily Hubby lent a hand in his own, ever so practical, way:

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we really could leave loose ends nicely tied into bows? Unfortunately no 😦

2 January 2012 was all about edging along Edie Eckman’s book Around The Corner Crochet (get it, edging along, crocheting an edge :-)). I chose border #112. It’s a nice and simple pattern that wouldn’t draw attention away from the rows and grannies, but still finishes off the blanket nicely. A border is so important for blankets I think. Strangely enough, Lionbrand doesn’t say you should add a border to the Spicy Delights Afghan pattern. I can’t imagine leaving the blanket edge like this: Can you?


First thing I had to do was create a base row of sc all round. Edie suggests three sc for every two dc on your vertical edges. Horizontal rows are easy, you just do a sc in each stitch of the row. For the corners, use three sc and put a stitch marker in the second/middle sc of the group of three.

The second row of my edging, which is in fact the first row of the pattern, I initially had in maroon, but had to undo it all because the maroon was just too dark to stand out between the navy rows. See what I mean?

This is the white row that replaced the maroon.

Then, the last row of the pattern is dc’s in the sc of your previous row, and three dc’s in each space between.

This is the result. Border #112 done and dusted. However….. I felt it needed something extra. Just something to finish off properly.

So this is what I did. A simple sc row of maroon. It just pulls everything together and I get to use the maroon that I had to undo earlier. Result!

That’s it. With the border on, I was done!!!!

If you want to see the finished product you can have a look at the Facebook page. It’s not the best photo (it’s a bit yellow due to the electric bedroom light) but I was so excited I just had to take a picture. This weekend I will make blanky pose for its photoshoot in lovely natural light and take loads of pictures of all angles. I will also recap the pattern and yarn that I used.

I never thought I’d see the day when I can blog about woven ends and border for this bad boy. I’m so happy it’s done, proud of myself for seeing it through, and I love to see the blanket being used.

I definitely want to make another blanket – smaller!!!! – because I like the idea of crochet blankets to keep friends and family warm and cozy. There are such a lot of patterns and yarn to choose from…..

What am I saying?! Another blanket?! This one isn’t even 24 hours old! I think I just got a shot of the hormone that mothers release straight after childbirth. You know, the one that makes you forget all the pain and agony of childbirth so that you only focus on your beautiful baby? I think it applies to huge crochet projects as well.

I must be….

on the edge of crochet madness.

On the edge

03 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, My ramblings

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Around the corner crochet, blanket, border, crochet, crochet border, crochet edge, edging, Edie Eckman, free pattern

 If you follow me on Facebook, you would have seen that 31 December 2011 was a HUGE day for me: I finished crocheting the (what felt like millions of) rows of the Identity Crisis blanket!!!! No more shells. No more rows. No more colour changes. Done – blanky reached double bed proportions.

This meant that on the first day of 2012 I was weaving in ends. Loads of ends. Luckily Hubby lent a hand in his own, ever so practical, way:

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we really could leave loose ends nicely tied into bows? Unfortunately no 😦

2 January 2012 was all about edging along Edie Eckman’s book Around The Corner Crochet (get it, edging along, crocheting an edge :-)). Tou can find a link to the book on the right of this page. I chose border #112. It’s a nice and simple pattern that wouldn’t draw attention away from the rows and grannies, but still finishes off the blanket nicely. A border is so important for blankets I think.  Strangely enough, Lionbrand doesn’t say you should add a border to the Spicy Delights Afghan pattern. I can’t imagine leaving the blanket edge like this: Can you?


First thing I had to do was create a base row of sc all round. Edie suggests three sc for every two dc on your vertical edges. Horizontal rows are easy, you just do a sc in each stitch of the row.  For the corners, use three sc and put a stitch marker in the second/middle sc of the group of three.

The second row of my edging, which is in fact the first row of the pattern, I initially had in maroon, but had to undo it all because the maroon was just too dark to stand out between the navy rows.  See what I mean?

This is the white row that replaced the maroon.

Then, the last row of the pattern is dc’s in the sc of your previous row, and three dc’s in each space between.

This is the result. Border #112 done and dusted. However….. I felt it needed something extra. Just something to finish off properly.

So this is what I did. A simple sc row of maroon. It just pulls everything together and I get to use the maroon that I had to undo earlier. Result!

That’s it. With the border on, I was done!!!!

If you want to see the finished product you can have a look at the Facebook page. It’s not the best photo (it’s a bit yellow due to the electric bedroom light) but I was so excited I just had to take a picture. This weekend I will make blanky pose for its photoshoot in lovely natural light and take loads of pictures of all angles. I will also recap the pattern and yarn that I used.

I never thought I’d see the day when I can blog about woven ends and border for this bad boy. I’m so happy it’s done, proud of myself for seeing it through, and I love to see the blanket being used.

I definitely want to make another blanket – smaller!!!! – because I like the idea of crochet blankets to keep friends and family warm and cozy. There are such a lot of patterns and yarn to choose from…..

What am I saying?! Another blanket?! This one isn’t even 24 hours old! I think I just got a shot of the hormone that mothers release straight after childbirth. You know, the one that makes you forget all the pain and agony of childbirth so that you only focus on your beautiful baby? I think it applies to huge crochet projects as well.

I must be….

on the edge of crochet madness.

Crochet on TV (Digital Switchover advertisement)

01 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by Natasja in As seen on TV, Other people's crochet

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blanket, crochet, granny square, TV

More crochet spotted on TV: a very pretty, brightly coloured granny square cushion in the advertisement for the digital switchover Help Scheme.

I wish I could find a better image of the cushion, because it really is very pretty and sweet (but only half as sweet as the lovely lady sitting next to it).



 

Pickles and jams to end off 2011

31 Saturday Dec 2011

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings, Other people's crochet, Pattern

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

crochet, Cute and Easy Crochet, free pattern, jam jar cover, jam pot cover, Nicki Trench

Thanks to a free magazine (albeit from September 2010) at my local train station ticket office, I have the pattern for Nicki Trench’s Jam Pot Covers which is on the cover of her book Cute and Easy Crochet, to share with you today!

Inside this little ticket office…

was this magazine…

with the pattern for these beauties…

To print the pattern, click here and it will open in Acrobat as a .pdf file.

Happy New Year all!!! I hope the only pickles and jams you find yourself in, are the ones you crochet covers for.

May it be a hooktastic 2012 for one and all!

Monkey business

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings, Other people's crochet

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

accessorize, crochet, keyring

I was at Accessorize in Waterloo station this morning (buying myself a new handbag – ’tis the season to be jolly after all and what better way to jollify yourself than with a new handbag) when I saw the cutest little crocheted keyrings at the till.

They are on sale at the moment – half price no less!  They’re just adorable don’t you think?!!!

This is Polka Monkey:

 
This is French Monkey:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
And here we have Union Jack Monkey:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: accessorize.com via Natasja on Pinterest

I think I’ll pop back in at Accessorize on my way home tonight…

Crochet on TV (Dexter)

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by Natasja in As seen on TV, My ramblings, Other people's crochet

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

blanket, crochet, Dexter, granny square, granny square afghan, joining method, TV

More crochet spotted on TV!

This very pretty granny square afghan is in one of the Dooms Day Killer’s victim’s houses in Dexter Season 6, Episode 12.

I really like the off-white and shades of blue, with just a touch of yellow. Whoever made this afghan also chose not to join the squares in the traditional way where the squares are seamed together, but rather used an open, lacey way of joining the squares. I think they used Crochet Cabana’s Lacy joining method which you can find here.

Le Monde Sucrette describes a similar method here, although hers is a single row of zigzag.

You can also create this effect with rows of shells to join, like Carina does on her Craftblog.

You can also have a look at Robyn Chachula’s sample pattern from her Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia for the written and diagramatic pattern for joinging grannies.

I’ve had an off-white-with-bright-colours project on my To Hook list for a while now. After seeing this beautiful afghan, the project has moved up the list! Traditional joining methods have however moved down the list somewhat…

If yarn were meth

21 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by Natasja in My ramblings

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

cafepress, crochet, hooks, slogans, yarn

My friend Cornel of Craftshare recently posted a picture of a “Keep Calm and Carry Yarn” tote bag on her Facebook page.

Source: cafepress.co.uk via Natasja on Pinterest

 

It reminded me of my own “It takes balls to crochet” tote bag that I bought on Cafepress a year ago. Cafepress don’t sell my tote bag anymore but they do sell these….

Source: cafepress.co.uk via Natasja on Pinterest

Source: cafepress.co.uk via Natasja on Pinterest

Source: cafepress.co.uk via Natasja on Pinterest

I can relate to this:
Source: cafepress.co.uk via Natasja on Pinterest

 

…and to this. I’m forever looking for lost crochet hooks between couch cushions.

Source: cafepress.co.uk via Natasja on Pinterest

Off you go to Cafepress, I know you want to 🙂

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