FREE PATTERN: The Blanket Stitch, Squared

Hey everyone!

I'm so excited to share a new free pattern with you today! I've been hankering for an easy evening crochet project and decided to make another Wrap with Love blanket. I wondered - could I make this easier for myself and do the same lovely squishy stitch pattern in the round rather than back and forth?

With a bit of experimentation and maths (I never thought I'd do this much maths in my life), I've got it! 

Without further ado, The Blanket Stitch, Squared :D 

Queue or favourite it on Ravelry here: 

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-blanket-stitch-squared 

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FREE PATTERN: THE BLANKET STITCH, SQUARED
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Finished size: 10" / 25cm 

Materials

40g DK/8 ply yarn
4.5mm hook
Scissors
Yarn needle

This pattern uses all US terminology

MC - magic circle (tutorial from Every Trick on the Hook)

st - stitch 
slst - slip stitch

ch - chain

sc - single crochet

hdc - half double crochet

dc - double crochet

Blanket stitch block: (sc, 2dc)

Directions:

Make a magic circle.

Round 1 - Into MC, (sc, 2dc) 4 times. slst to first sc, ch1 and turn. (1 block on each side)

Round 2 - In the stitch you just joined to in the round below (so just behind your working yarn), (sc, 2dc, sc, 2dc). *Skip 2st, (sc, 2dc, sc, 2dc) into the next st, which is the sc from the previous round* Repeat * to * 3 times. slst to first sc, ch1 and turn. (2 blocks on each side)

NOTE: Each stitch that has two blocks in it (i.e. sc, 2dc, sc, 2dc) is a corner! In the next row, the corner is worked in the central sc which is bolded above.

Round 3 - In the stitch you just joined to in the round below (so just behind your working yarn), (sc, 2dc). *Skip 2st, (sc, 2dc, sc, 2dc) into the next st, which is the sc from the previous round, skip 2st, (sc, 2dc) in next stitch* Repeat * to * around your square. slst to first sc, ch1 and turn. (3 blocks on each side)

Rounds 4-14 - Repeat Row 3, adding one more blanket stitch block (sc, 2dc) in between the corners of each row. Measure your square after Row 14 to see if you're close to 10"/25cm; if not, do another row or two! 

Round 15 - (make sure you turned at the end of Row 14!) sc in each stitch. In corner sc, work (hdc, ch2, hdc). slst to first sc to finish, cut yarn and weave in ends.

Summer Mosaic & Around the Bases CALs - Update #3

Hello everyone! 

It's that time of the week again - see how my CALs are going at the moment :) 

Around the Bases CAL by ChiChi Allen

This week was popcorn week! ChiChi suggested doing the popcorns in a different colour to the rest of that row/section, and who am I to refuse to learn a new skill. Since I'm doing this CAL as a stashbuster, the popcorns were a great opportunity to use up some smaller scraps. 

Lots of popcorn colours! Green, three different purples, and blue :) 

I really love how this afghan is coming out so far - bring on next week!! 

JulieAnny's Summer Mosaic Mystery CAL

This week we paused work on the large circle motifs to make some squares! I did have to make one little change to the pattern - in Row 5 I had to change the long stitches in the corners to dtr, otherwise there was no way the poor thing was going to sit flat.

I haven't done any blocking yet - I will just do that at the end when the blanket is all put together (or not, it might even out nicely by itself!). 

I suspect at this point that the circular motifs will become octagonal, and then the squares will be in the centre two positions. We shall see if I'm right over the next 4 weeks! 

And the rest

I've put aside the CALs and the order pile for the moment to try and get a prototype baby blanket done! Cross your fingers for me that I can work fast enough, and also get the instructions written in an understandable way ;) Photos soon!

What projects have captured your attention this week?

Summerdays in Dortmund

Hi from Germany!

You might have noticed that there was no blog post last week - which is unusual as Michelle and I aim for two posts a week. The reason for the no post week? Well, we planned to publish two patterns last week and write about it on the blog with discount codes and such.

Due to unforeseen problems with paypal, the publishing did not happen. We tried to set up a joined account as we would like to use the little money from the patterns for the blog; that is give aways, promotions and such. Who would have thought, a joined account could be so complicated?! Certainly not us. Well, right now we are waiting for paypal to reply to our request. Fingers crossed it will happen soon!

On a lighter note: Summer has arrived in Germany! With full force. We have degrees above 30°C this week and for Thursday they are talking about close to 40°C. Ouch. I love the sun but I am not good with hot weather. It makes me exhausted and everything feels harder to do. Even crochet! Gasp! Germany isn't prepared for the heat like other countries (i.e. Australia), so there are hardly any air cons or even fans in the bedroom. 

What do you crochet during summer times? I am busy making lots of blankets but the larger they get, the warmer they become on my lap. Hm. I might switch to making toys for a while. Or making a sun hat. I would love to have a straw sunhat but so far I have found none that I like. Perhaps I should crochet my own?!

Did any of you crochet with straw yet? I imagine it being pretty hard on the hands but really, I have no idea!

My favourite crochet spot in the evenings!

I hope the summer sun isn't bothering you too much (or the winter cold) wherever you are!

Take care

Anne

Projects, WIPs and UFOs

Hello everyone! 

I can't believe how fast this year has flown by - how can it possibly be June already!? Hopefully after next weekend life can slow down a little bit, and we can get into a bit more of a routine... The fatigue doesn't like an exciting life at all! 

This week I'm going to tell you about some of my projects, WIPs and UFOs, to try and inspire me to get some of them done soon and out of the "to do" pile (and also to try and stop me picking up more new projects for a bit)!

Market Day

It has finally arrived! This Saturday is the Eastwood Uniting Church Annual Market Day, raising money for the Exodus Foundation. I am having a stall at the market, selling scarves and beanies (and hopefully taking some orders for more animals!). 20% of my sales and orders is going to support Exodus, so if you're in Sydney and want to check out my stuff, and get some super cheap toys, jam, cakes, books, clothes and white elephants, come on down!

My cousin Tracey, also a crochet artist, has sent me some very cute wool beanies and headbands to sell as well! You should definitely go check out her work at Cooper's Craft Corner :) 

My amazing Mum has been making me some organza bags for my customers - what do you think? A nice touch?

And, because everything we do is a family effort, my talented sister has made me a new set of tags for my wares. Don't they look good!

So, hopefully that goes well. I've decided if I sell 5 things, it'll be considered a success :) Any more is just a bonus!

Coming Full Circle Cardi

You know how you have those moments sometimes, when you see something and your brain just stops and shouts "WOW! MUST HAVE/DO THAT RIGHT NOW!!" Wandering through Ravelry about a week ago, I stumbled across the Coming Full Circle Vest by Lily Chin, and wow! I had to make it for me, right then. It's published in a book rather than online, but thankfully (?) there were so many errors in the published pattern that the whole thing is in the errata notes on Interweave's website! It feels a bit naughty, but the book is very expensive to buy when I just want the one pattern. 

Using Moda Vera Fayette in Pastel Mix (my favourite self-striping yarn is back in Spotlight! Yay!), I've been happily v-stitching round and round in circles for the last week or so :) It's not quite finished yet in this photo, but I wanted to try it on!

I'm up to the border now. The pattern asks for a shell/picot border, and.. well, after my Sunday Poncho I just don't think I can face more picots just at the moment. After a little Google image search (such a great way to look at lots of pictures!), I think I've decided on this two strand braid. What do you think?

Lily Pond CAL

After a slow start, I'm starting to enjoy the Stylecraft/Jane Crowfoot Lily Pond Blanket CAL. I'm not quite up to date at the moment though! The colours are just beautiful - very reminiscent of a pond. I'm glad I chose to do mostly Stylecraft Special DK with a few Life DK colours thrown in when there wasn't a Special DK to match, as it seems to be lighter and brighter than the original while retaining some deep colours for the deep waters of the pond.

The Order Mountain

I'm slowly working my way through my crochet orders. Fortunately my clients give me lots of notice so I don't have to be stressed about getting things done. Next off the rank is a cute pink and tan hippo, and then some Crocodile Stitch Booties in lovely Moda Vera Fayette Jewel Mix! Just like these ones, but adult sized ;)

Tumbling Blocks Baby Blanket - New Pattern

In between everything else, I've been steadily working on my Tumbling Blocks Baby Blanket Pattern - both writing up the (sometimes very odd) instructions for the squares, and crocheting away on the prototype. It's looking really good so far, if I do say so myself! I'm hoping to get it done and published by the end of July, but that really depends on the order list, work, the fatigue monster and whatever else falls in my lap in the next few months!

Overlay Crochet Purse - "Turkish Doorways" - New Pattern

Somewhere at the bottom of my cotton yarn bag is a half-done, half-written, half considered new pattern for a little coin purse (or pencil case or phone case or clutch - so many options!). I really need to pull it out, get it finished and written up, and then published, to get it out of my hair! 

And... don't even ask me about my cross-stitch. It hasn't been out of the bag in at least a month!

Do you have any projects that just feel like they will never end? 

How do you inspire yourself to finish them off?