crochet blankets Archives - Page 3 of 12

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Karen Stewart

2 Crochet Baby Blankets

I seem to be on a roll these days crocheting baby blankets. I started this blue and white one before Christmas and then moved on to this grey one. They are both beautiful but I have to admit that I prefer the blue and white one. I have no idea why, well, it might be because I was using a new pattern with the grey one and had to frog it back 9 rows a couple of times.

I do like the almost houndstooth print of the this grey blanket. I also like that it could work with either a boy baby or a girl baby. This makes it a perfect gift for someone that doesn’t know which gender they are having. Â They are both crocheted out of soft acrylic yarn and will wash well. You will be able to find them at ChocolatesBabyShop on Friday of this week!

These are also crocheted out of my stash and will make items 16 and 17 for the Use Your Stash Challenge. So I did make progress last week and things are marching on with the challenge. I also spent some time carefully cutting out some quilt projects. I was being careful of my back so I didn’t get much sewing done but I am working on other projects.

I started a new baby blanket yesterday and I have made good progress. I hope to get it finished this week as well. It is in shades of purple. If you are following me on Instagram you have seen that it looks like this.

The colors are a bit off as I took this photo with my cell phone after dark. Which really changes how the colors look.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Karen Stewart

4 Blocks a Week Sampler Blanket- Week 5

This is week 5 but when I count the blocks for the sampler blanket there are only 18 in my bag. Two blocks have escaped. I need to take Â minute and find them. Here is the next installment in the 4 blocks a Week. These are a variety of different styles from 100 Colorful Granny Squares to Crochet.

I have included affiliate links to Amazon and I will receive a small percentage of the any purchase you make.

A flower block.An An An octagon that ends up square.

Another floral block

A texture block. I think I forgot to count this one and it looks wonky. I will need to go back and fix it. The problem is right at the beginning of the square, as always. I guess the tv was too interesting or was it when one of the kids had huge questions. I did count louder but it didn’t seem to help! :0)

You can find last weeks blocks here!

I am incredibly late crocheting these and I must head to bed.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Karen Stewart

The New To Do List

This to do list has so much marked off as I have been super productive this week. It has been good to finish up or get so much done on several of my projects. I am pretty happy about following my to do list. I started work on several super hero capes that I am working on for a show this summer. It is on the To do list as it will use up a ton of satin that I bought two or three years ago.

I also finished these little Valentine envelopes that I crocheted for a friend. She has a booth at a craft/antique mall. So, it was a whole sale order for her booth. These are a perfect size for gift cards.

I finished up this shawl/scarf. The colors are wonderful. I am pleased that it is finished as it only lacked about three rows and the red border.

I have added 8 inches to this blanket and will probably finish it up later this week.

I am pleased that it is working up so quickly.

I still need to work on these items as I haven’t gotten to them yet.

Finish the quilt (there is probably only 2-3 more hours of work.)
Sew 3 coffee press cozies
Sew 20 coffee cup sleeves
sew 3 bibs (already cut just need to be sewn)
sew up 4 flannel blankets (already cut just need to be sewn)
sew 10 more paper pieced quilt squares

If I break this list down into easy to accomplish steps. I would rewrite the list like this.

~~Â Iron flannel blankets and pin~~
~~Iron satin~~
~~Iron quilt cottons~~
arrange sewing by color thread
sew items by thread color: blue, white, red, black and pink thread
cut out capes
~~cut out quilt cottons~~
Press all seams and completed projects for photography

I hope all of this helps. I tend to be easily discouraged by the mountain of work standing in front of me. I am still wishing for some snow. It would be nice to be snowed in for a day or two.

talk to you later,

Karen

You can visit my shop here:Â https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChocolateDogStudio

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Karen Stewart

4 Blocks a Week – Week 4!

Another installment of 4 crochet blocks for the crochet sampler afghan! I love these 4 blocks from this book 100 colorful Granny Squares to Crochet. This bobble block has such a different look to it and was really pretty easy to crochet.

Block 13

Block 14

Block 15

I like the flower center in this one but the block needs blocking terribly as it looks a little wonky.

Block 16

This one also has a flower in the middle. The petals on this one stand up from the back of the square. The directions on this one was a little difficult for me to understand but with the chart and the written directions I finally figured it out.Here are is week one, week two and week three.

It has been a busy week with some appointments and new projects in the works. I am working on a new sewing pattern for some satin that I bought last year. I have been afraid to branch out in this new direction but fear is just a stupid reason to not try. So, I have been making some prototypes and trying them on the family. I know that I would have thought they are fun when I was a little person and our kids would have loved them when they were small. So, we will see if they make it to the shop. I am not real thrilled about some of the finishing that is happening and I think that they could be improved before they make it to my shop.

I have also been working on an order for a friend. It is a wholesale order and takes very little time to make so I am pretty sure that these are going to be great additions to my Etsy shop and since I am using up my stash they count to the huge Use Your Stash Challenge that I started in January. I feel that I have been slacking off but the days are filled to overflowing and I have finished quite a few large time commitment projects.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Karen Stewart

Pink is finished!! #3 in the Use Your Stash – 2015

I finished Pink (the crochet afghan) this weekend. I am so pleased with it. It looks so cuddly and warm. I found some lovely yarn at the shop. It was soft and washable. It is variegated with a long color change in the yarn. It was really similar to a Lion Brand wool yarn that I love to use. It is primarily pink and red and the colors called to me.

I started it in the Linen stitch but it turned out horribly stiff and thick. It looked lovely.Â I was also having some problems seeing where to put the stitches. I may need new glasses. I have named this blanket Pink but you can see the other beautiful colors in the yarn. I love working with variegated yarn. You never have to change or sew in many ends. It makes a nice change from Granny Squares that change color every row.

I love the bobbleÂ border. It adds a little whimsy to the whole blanket. I added a nice gray border on either edge of the bobbles. It adds some definition to the edges. Pink is a bit larger afghan than I normally crochet. It is 51 x 62 inches long. The stripes run lengthwise. I think it will make a great Valentine’s Day gift to someone special. It is available in the ChocolateDogStudio shop!

I am also adding this to the Use Your Stash Challenge – 2015! This is #3 for me to have finished this week. It is a huge project and I spent a bunch of time on it. I am really pleased with the finished product. I just knew that yarn would make a beautiful blanket.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Karen Stewart

4 Blocks a Week – Week 3!

Here are this weeks 4 crochet granny squares for the 4 blocks a week crochet sampler blanket. I am enjoying picking out each block and trying something new.

Block 9

Block 10

Â Block 11

Block 12

I can’t wait to start putting them all together. I think that I will need to join them all at the end as they are all different sizes.

They look quite beautiful all together and so very intricate and lacy. The book I am using is 100 Colorful Granny Squares to Crochet.Â

I have included Â some affiliate links and I will receive a small percentage from any purchase that you make.

The weather this week promises to be frosty, a bit misty and possibly some snow. I am ready for to be snowed in for a couple of days. There is so much that I want to do. I am deeply into the Use Your Stash Challenge and I would dearly love a chance to sit and create. I have been working on it steadily and have finished a couple of projects already. One has been in the works since before Thanksgiving.

Our daughter is back a college and we are back into the routine of daily life. I am working on de-cluttering and cleaning. I have loads of laundry waiting to be completed and I already feel very productive this morning. Our son was up yesterday to take some photos of more of my Mom’s vintage stuff. I will be adding them to the shop after I write up descriptions and get them priced.

The dogs have been quiet today. They really do not want to get put out as it is a bit misty and cold. DaisyÂ is getting pretty big and has passed up the leader of the pack, which is causing a struggle for power between the two. I am confident that they will work it out sooner or later. We really need to work on her training as I do not need the huge dog jumping up on people.

Here are the links if Â you want to see week one and week two of the 4 blocks a week crochet sampler blanket.

See you later,

Karen

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Karen Stewart

4 Blocks a Week – Week 2

Here are my four blocks for this week.

This one desperately needs blocking.

Â Here we go with number three. I am using a different book for the squares this week. Leonie Morgan does a great job showing the different rows in different colors. I hope they look great in one shade of yarn.

This one also needs blocking. I will have to steam block them and see if they improve.

The week is proving to be a challenge in many ways. I keep skipping around on different projects and it seems like my progress on one any of them is slow. I have a Minion hat to get out in the mail and then two or three projects that I seem to be working on more seriously than the others. I hope to get them finished pretty quickly as well. Â I am also working on some organizing.I have been sorting through Christmas ornaments and decorations. It appears that we have a bunch that are old and not used. The cleaning and organizing progress in the studio has also slowed down as I am waiting on some parts for some shelving. The parts should come in the mail this week. Then I can get more work done. My studio is up under the eaves and I am putting up shelving so that I can stack my tubs on them. I think it will help me get to them more easily.

The quilting class that I am taking with friends is starting in March instead of this week. I am going to try to get the fabrics gathered together for that class this week. We are making a log cabin quilt and I hope to sew it entirely out of stash fabrics. I also start my Use My Stash Challenge next Monday. I have been thinking about different projects to start and WIPS that need to be finished up. These will all be part of the Use Your Stash Challenge. I am also thinking about my rules for the challenge.

Our daughter heads back to school this week and the rest of us will try to get into a schedule of sorts. I just feel really scattered in my thinking and that time to think is in extremely short supply.

Talk to you later,

karen

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Karen Stewart

Tuesday’s Project Progress – week one

It has been such a long time since I told you Â my project progress and list of things to doÂ for the week. I hope to keep this up over the year. It is so hard to do.
Here is my list of works in progress with photos whenever possible.

Yarny things:

Granny circle thing

Crochet shawl

Â I love the colors in the scarf/shawl. It will be big enough to be a shawl Â and yet small enough to wear with a coat. It matches my winter coat and most of my clothes so when I take off the coat I can still wear it.

Crochet shawl/scarf

I am making another one of these scarf/shawls. This one is out of sock yarn. I finally decided that I am never knitting socks. The double point needles keep slipping out of the yarn and I would drop stitches because of it. I have had the yarn for ages. It is a Â lovely, grey, red, and blue self striping yarn. It is washable and will make a great scarf.

greyÂ diagonal

I have had this in a partial state for at least a year. It is time to finish it but I just don’t like what it is turning into. So, I need to either frog it or finish it. What do you think?

blue and whiteÂ Stripe

This I will finish as it is for ChocolatesBabyShop. I love the combination of colors and it will make a beautiful baby blanket.

multicolor granny stripe

crochet hats of various kinds

Sewn things:

Various cup cozies
coffee press cozies
hot pads or pot holders
2-3 aprons
a quilt that needs the machine quilting

I am also in the middle of cleaning/de-cluttering/ organizing the studio. (I am rearranging the furniture to make it more useable.)

That is a huge list and doesn’t include my home school mom duties, my housewife chores or just daily life. I am overwhelmed with everything that is on my plate right now. I need to take it one thing at a time. I know that I can get the important things done and the little things will melt away. I can also delegate some of the daily chores. Three things in my favor this week.

I have a menu for the week.
I have a calendar with appointments listed on them
The post office will pick up from my mail box!

Well, I should let you go as I am needing to get on with my list for today.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Karen Stewart

Some New Crochet Square Circles

My newest yarn order was delivered in the midst of crocheting hats for Christmas orders. It sat unopened for a week. Which I know is the wrong thing to do, as I should have checked to see it it was all there. Then I Â opened it and let it sit on the crocheting couch for a week. It didn’t even make it to a basket! I was wondering what it would be needing to be crocheted into. Then last week, I knew. It was the day or two before Christmas and a quiet moment of tv watching turned into this compulsive crochet-a-thon. I created these little beautiful crocheted square circles.

You can tell that this photo is from before Christmas as there is a Christmas ball cap thing in the middle of the pretty crochet square circles. They remind me of this blanket that I crocheted a year or two ago.Â Then they morphed into the squared circles. Little small square circles that look like little jewels. These squares are about 4 inches square. I have about 100 of them crocheted now. I have only been crocheting them and it has been a compulsion as not one of them is like another. I have started the blocking process and it is coming along great. Except that I do not have 400 pins to block them with so this is going to take awhile.

Here are the beautiful edges of the square circles and you can see the beauty of them. Some have bright centers and some don’t. I love the randomness of each square. The yarn is a soft lightweight wool/nylon blend. Â I haven’t decided whether to crochet a blanket or not. Â 100 squares at 4 inches is only a 40 inch blanket unless I put an edging around it and I am not sure if I want to do that.

Anyway, this is what I have been doing besides crocheting Tardis hats or Dr. Who inspired scarves. I am keeping really busy, when I’m not cleaning and organizing. I have to admit that the organizing bug has hit pretty seriously. I am determined to get things a little more orderly before I start my Use Your Stash Challenge on January 12! I haven’t even been thinking of the rules yet!

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Karen Stewart

4 Blocks a Week – Week 1

I am starting a new project this year. I am going to crochet 4 blocks a week from some Granny square books that I have here at home. I will need at least 200 blocks to create a useable sized blanket. I wantÂ this blanket to a samplerÂ blanket. All the squares will be crocheted in a cream yarn and at the end of the program I will put them all together and have a nice sampler blanket.

Here is block number one!

Block number 2

Block number 3

I left off the picot edge on this block above as I want to join them all together with relatively flat edges.

Block number 4

These are all taken from the same book 100 Colorful Granny Squares to Crochet and are crocheted out of Stylecraft DK yarn. The color is cream. Joining them all might take some fancy stitch work but I think it will all work out. I really want a blanket that shows off the stitches in each square. The texture should be simply gorgeous! This is also a step out in a different direction for me as it will require me to do two things. Stretch out my work over a long period of time and work in one color. As you can tell I prefer to work with a wide variety of colors and to stick to one color is sometimes just a bit boring. These squares are all un-blocked as you can tell by the curvy edges. I will block them and see if that improves. These blocks are from the book Beyond the Square. I found mine on Amazon.com.

I have included affiliate links to Amazon. I will receive a small percentage from each purchase.

This project might fit in the Use Your Stash challenge as I am using yarn that I already have on hand. The yarn stash seems endless right now. I think this is going to be a great project and I can’t wait to keep it going. Join in with your own Beyond the Square book.

Talk to you later,

Karen