Monochrome Spiked Ripple Blanket

Both my girls got an 'Heirloom' blanket when they moved out so when my son left I thought he should have one too!

I discussed colours and it was going to be shades of blue. I also wasn't planning on granny squares this time as I wanted to have a go at the spiked ripple I had seen on the Internet . 

I found a pattern for free ( LOVE free patterns!!) called Grandma spiked my ripple by Darlisa Riggs. This had a diagram of the stitches... Always very useful and she also had a YouTube video on the spike stitch.. A win win all round!

Then I changed my mind on the colours and decided on a monochrome palette of  black, white, silver, grey and graphite.

My finished blanket and cushion.

 All Stylecraft DK two balls of each colour (100gms in each ball)

I used a 5mm hook and worked out I needed 187 chain to start which would give me 10 pattern repeats which I thought would be a decent size.

This pattern is easy to follow and grows at a good pace. I tried to do one colour repeat most days and fell in love with how the pattern looked. It was really stunning!

I did 8 colour repeats which gave me a blanket approx 100 x 150cms

I shouldn't have stopped there as when I laid it on the bed later I realised if I had done 3 more colour repeats it would have draped nicely over the end of a double bed!!! Arghhh! So if you have bought the yarn to do this pattern go for the three extra rows... it will look fab and you won't be disappointed!! Unless of course its a single bed ...job already done!!

As it was I only used a small amount out of  the second ball and would have had plenty to carry on! Never mind hind sight is a wonderful thing!

The border was crab stitch. I have  never done this before and after watching some confusing videos on YouTube found this one which I found simple to understand.

You can't see very well in this picture but the stitch makes little bobbles and looks like a twisted rope.

I loved this pattern so much and had plenty of yarn left over so I decided to make a matching cushion.

This was to be a 16" x 16" cover so had a starting chain of 79. Due to the points made by the pattern it would be an envelope style cushion.

I did 8 colour repeats. 

Then dc around the whole piece but not the last row of points... It doesn't need it. I did 2 dc in each side of the treble and 3 dc in each chain space.

It is probably best to block the points now... Not like me who had to try and do it after I had started making up the cushion...doh!

I folded it over my cushion insert until I was happy and marked where I was joining. I joined in two parts... First I slip stitched the bottom two sides then the top two sides. Don't forget to leave a flap to put the insert in easily!

Then I chose 5 random grey buttons from my stash and sewed them in place then put in the insert.

Just a note for a cushion 16 x 16" you will need an insert of 18 x 18" to make it plump!

I have loved making this pattern and will be trying out some different colourways.

Happy crocheting xxx Eirawen

Nia's patchwork blanket

For two years my daughter and lovely son in law have lived with me... plus their unsociable cat...well he's lovely, beautiful to look at but not a people or other cat person and I have two other cats so things have been a bit fraught at times!

Awww doesn't he look sweet! Do not be fooled! Anyway they are moving out this week so when I was first told I thought it would be nice to make them a blanket to snuggle under.
Off I went and delved into my yarn basket and decided on autumnal colours all muted and warm.

I added two extra colours to this... burgundy and khaki.
So this blanket uses Stylecraft Special DK in gold, khaki, meadow, grey, graphite, mocha, burgundy, parchment and copper.
For a while I have wanted to make a blanket using blocks from Jan Eatons 200 Crochet Blocks so chose 6 of my favourites

... though after I had taken this picture my daughter decided to use the parchment for the joining and not in a block!

The blocks chosen were:

Centred square no 55
Seville no74
Willow no189
Wisteria no113
Gothic square no 94
Criss Cross no 137

So 8 colours and 6 patterns made 48 6 inch (15cm) squares.

( Picture is missing the  graphite colour squares as I hadn't done them yet!)

With this project and the type of squares I was making I needed to block each one as I went to shape them and make it easier to join.

Now who would have thought that blocking would be such a topic of conversation... well it is!
Blocking is so satisfying for turning a wonky looking wiggly block into a professional looking handmade block!
It straightens out the stitches, sets the shape and helps lock in the ends.
I spray the blocks with water and pin them onto a Boyes crochet blocking board  with brass rustproof pins and leave about 24 hrs to dry.

The top one has been blocked.

This is the Gothic square mid block.

 This is one of the hardest parts... setting out the pattern so no two colours are next to each other and achieving a pleasant looking random pattern blanket...this took an hour with the help of my husband who kept spotting things I had missed! Once happy the joining can begin. Solid grannies are harder to join I think than granny squares and one of my favourite methods is the 3 or 5 chain flat braid. Bethinx1 has a great tutorial on Youtube about this. I used a 3 chain braid.

It is a very pretty join and quick too!

Half way... and loving it!

I always have to look at the blanket and then decide on the border. For this one I thought I would do a pattern of shells for 5 rows and then added a final row of  3 chain and double crochet.

Ta'Dah!

Finally after two weeks work I have the most amazing blanket I am so happy with... I love it!!( More importantly so does my daughter). It has a lovely 70s retro feel and the most fantastic drape from the Stylecraft yarn! Love, love, love!

Oh and the final size was approx 153x115 cms

xxx Eirawen

P.S. Made a reversible cushion to match.

The Big Bang Theory Blanket Part 2

Ok so having chosen the colours which I think I can see in the blanket and ordered more black for joining I am ready to begin. If you haven't seen part1 it is here.  Just a recap on the colours:

I am going to use Stylecraft willow, parchment, lemon, aster, pale rose, gold, wisteria, lipstick, plum and black.

Looking at  my pattern I worked out that I needed 18 squares in plum and lipstick and 18 squares in  lipstick and plum for the triangle patterns on the blanket and 8 squares in parchment and black for the corners. They are the definite elements you see in the picture of the blanket.

143 granny squares later...

This was not as difficult as I anticipated as once I started laying the squares the pattern seemed to form by itself... I did not in the end follow my grid pattern to the letter.

After all the squares were carefully picked up in the order they would be joined the fun begins!
( The 'post it's' have the number of the rows on.)

I used the join as you go method and it took an hour for each row of 11 squares!

Half way!

Approx 40 hours of work and 12 balls of Stylecraft later I had a blanket 110x130cms which I am very pleased with.

The border is 5 rows of tr (granny stitch), 3 rows of tr (granny stitch) in black, 1 row in lemon and last row in black.

This blanket is as close as I could get to the original. I have tried to incorporate the pattern elements, style and colours I could see but it could never be identical. I also made it smaller in size as that size blanket Sheldon is under was quite a daunting prospect on top of trying to replicate something that did not have clear pictures.







 xxx Eirawen

Big Bang Theory Crochet Blanket Part 1

We love the TV show Big Bang Theory in our house. Now I started watching it a few years ago on late night TV then it became  tea time TV and the Beloved became hooked so we could watch it loads!!
Who doesn't love Amy Farrar Fowler's crochet blanket and of course Sheldon x

I have literally spent hours and hours looking at the few pictures out there trying to work out a pattern to make the blanket.

It will be by no means an identical replica of the blanket, that I think is impossible, but the most important bit I think is to have the red triangle shapes on the four sides.
Hopefully it will look similar  and be recognisable as a homage to the original blanket.
This will be one of my biggest projects to date! Approx 143 squares!!! Or more.
I have ordered some extra yarn for the colours I was missing... mainly red and we are good to go!

Thinking at the moment black, lemon, parchment, willow, aster, pale rose, gold, wisteria, plum and lipstick in Stylecraft Special DK and a 4mm hook.

Classic granny square design.

Apologies for the quality of the picture!

Wish me luck and hopefully not too long to the next instalment!

xxx Eirawen

Frozen Stars

I love the flowers in the snow pattern by Solstrikke. It is simple yet very effective and can look very different depending upon whether you use few or many colours.
Its a while since I made anything with this pattern so decided it was time for a revisit!
I decided on a cool colour palette.

Stylecraft Special DK in white, bluebell, silver, graphite and sherbet and a 4mm hook.

This is the finished circle to square. I will be omitting the final round of turning the circle to square as I will join as I go. The flowers in the snow pattern by Solstrikke is here.

48 circles later...

I used three different pattern colour ways:
Top-2nd and 3rd row same colour.
Middle- 3 different colours
Bottom-2 diffent colours

I went for a random pattern... always so difficult as it doesn't matter how much you scan the rows you are bound to find one in the wrong place after joining! I am also a symmetrical girl and this made my eye twitch but I persevered!

Ok all ready to join. Join as you go here we come... Attic24 has a good tutorial on this.

 It is just so neat!

I did a block stitch border of 11 rows and then a 3 chain braid to finish. Simples!

This was going to be a very exciting blocking moment as my new blocking boards had arrived. I had ordered 12 as they are sold individually and at a cost of £4 a block not a cheap investment but they did not disappoint! These are Boye Crochet Dude blocking boards.They have a grid and are 12x12" square. I got mine from http://www.carolescraftsuk.co.uk/  with free shipping.

Sooo much easier than running round the table with a tape measure and it seemed to dry much quicker too... result!!

Ta'Dah!

Blanket size 100x80cms. I wanted to give this blanket a 'cool' name and toyed with arctic sea, winter's night, snow queen etc then it was suggested on Instagram to call it Frozen Stars... I liked that :)

xxx Eirawen