Day 58 + Guest Blog Day Today!

 

 I have a special treat for you today - a GUEST BLOG by Beth who blogs here http://bethbutcher.wordpress.com/  

I met Beth at a "Crochet Get Together" in April last year & we have been in touch with each other via our blogs or on Twitter ever since!

You are going to really enjoy this as there is a full pattern in UK Crochet terminology too!

 

I started to crochet about a year and a half ago and I have to say, I loved it from the first moment I put hook to wool, as it were. 

I have done many projects since but I think the ones I'm most proud of are my wavy blankets. Now before we start, let me just say, please don't be scared of wavy blankets! In one way they are tricky to get started but they only use a couple of stitches, and the pattern is repeated so many times that once you get in the swing of it, you'll be doing with your eyes closed! 

When I started to crochet, I decided that repetition would be the best way for me to learn, so I decided to crochet a blanket to go on the sofa (to snuggle up under). 

Now I'm not going to share with you the pattern for this as it was an epic project! What I thought
you might like was a smaller, more manageable pattern to get you started! I made this for a friend
who was expecting a baby and loves rainbows. You can obviously use whatever colours you like.

The size of this is ideal for a buggy/car seat or as a lap blanket for you. You can use the basic
pattern and add to it to make it bigger if you like. 

The 'wave' is worked over 12 stitches, so make
sure you add the number of stitches you want, in multiples of 12. If you want to add a border, then take off at least one set of 12 stitches (depending on how big you want your border to be).

I used an acrylic wool (oh I can hear the groans already! Bear with me I have a reason, I promise!).

I chose this wool particularly because, in my experience, it’s good to have a buggy blanket that you can throw in the wash as much as you like; that muddy water practically rolls off (not to mention anything else that might end up on it); and you don’t mind throwing in the back of the car/buggy/bag etc. It's also nice to be able to give someone something that they don't mind using.

I promised you the pattern and here it is:

I used 3.5mm hook with DK wool and 5 different colours. 

I'm using UK terminology

 
Abbreviations: tr = treble, ch = chain, tr3tog = treble 3 together, st = stitch

Chain 112
Row 1: 1tr into third ch from hook, 1tr into next ch, *1tr into ch of next 3 ch, tr3tog over next 3ch,
1tr into next 3ch, 3tr into next ch*. Repeat *to* until you get to the end (with one ch remaining). 2tr
into last ch.
Row 2: 3ch, 1 tr into first st. *1tr into st next 3 st, tr3tog over next 3st, 1tr into next 3st, 3tr into next
st*. Repeat *to* until the last 3st. 1tr in each st and 2tr into top of turning chain.

Repeat Row 2 until the blanket is the length you want.

If you want it stripy, like mine; this is what I did:
Row 1: Colour A
Row 2: Colour E
Row 3: Colour A
Row 4: Colour A
Row 5: Colour B
Row 6: Colour A
Row 7: Colour B
Row 8: Colour B
Row 9: Colour C
Row 10: Colour B
Row 11: Colour C
Row 12: Colour C

Row 13: Colour D
Row 14: Colour C
Row 15: Colour D
Row 16: Colour D
Row 17:Colour E
Row 18: Colour D
Row 19: Colour E
Row 20: Colour E

Of course you could do whatever stripy pattern you fancy! As I was working this out as I went along, it took me a couple of rows to work out that you get a better ‘hole’ if you crochet into the chain space from the previous row and not into the chain (I know, it should be obvious). I’ve never been good at following patterns, hence why, after making my massive sofa blanket earlier this year, I just decided to try my own thing. I have been inspired a lot by the lovely work that Attic24 does and first saw the blanket with the small holes there (I have since seen it all over the place, it’s a classic, in fact the ladies at one of my ‘knit and natters’ have been doing it since before I was born).

Anyway, I saw it and thought, ‘that looks really nice, I’d like to give it a go.’

To work out my colours and because I’m much more of a visual person, I actually drew a few ideas on a piece of paper, coloured them in (you still need coloured pencils when you are an adult!) and then chose which one I liked best (this is something I learnt from doing my big blanket, I really should have done that then and I didn’t – learn from my mistakes people!). In the end I decided on the 18 Row pattern above, as my favourite. 

The EPIC Sofa Blanket!

I hope you enjoyed my little pattern and it's inspired you to have a go yourself! Happy crocheting!

Isn't that a lovely 1st Guest Blog to get my Guest Blog Spot rolling?

If you would like to Guest Blog here then do get in touch.

*******

Day 58 is this very vibrant green

which is thanks to @knitknurse from Twitter who kindly sent me a HUGE bag of wool, so that I can achieve my aim of getting a different colour for every day!

 And I have also been busy working on the next set if eLearning lessons in Course 2

This is a little gift to you.....

Get Hooked - A Taster

Yes, you can get a sneak peak at what is in my eLearning Courses if you click on the link above!

And finally

 

I have perfected my "roses" and will be making more tonight.