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Arts & crafts

Just finished this blanket!

(144 Posts)
Indinana Fri 11-Sept-15 12:01:36

I saw this idea online of crocheting around a piece of fleece to make a baby blanket and had to give it a go!

rosequartz Tue 22-Sept-15 22:58:38

They are all lovely, Galen, I like the rainbow one particularly.

Now, if I thought I could do that (and presumably no stitching up, do you just keep going?) I will have another go.

Galen Tue 22-Sept-15 22:42:24

Dgd's !

Galen Tue 22-Sept-15 22:41:55

The rainbow is dcd1's comfort when she's feeling poorly

Galen Tue 22-Sept-15 22:38:39

Some of the crochet things I've done.
The big white one I've given to the Penny Brohn to raise money. The large granny square one is for my 93 yr old aunt as a bed cover

janerowena Tue 22-Sept-15 22:26:33

I have just seen the darning loom - that's a first for me! I probably would have liked having one when I first started, but now I don't even have to think about it. I have even darned torn lace, so that no one could see where the darn was, I have to admit I was very proud of that.

Indinana Tue 22-Sept-15 20:32:41

hilda grin

hildajenniJ Tue 22-Sept-15 18:25:22

Indinana, I am now bi-lingualgrin. I took "Crochet Today", a US magazine, from 2011 until it went out of publication last year. I have yet to find anything as interesting, or affordable.

rosequartz Tue 22-Sept-15 17:59:40

Yes, perhaps I will start with a fleece like yours (I'll get DH to punch some holes).
I have a small fleece baby blanket, so could practice on that.

However, I have just bought a new knitting pattern hmm

Indinana Tue 22-Sept-15 17:50:22

Thank you NotTooOld. I'm about to start the second one tomorrow (having had to buy a metre of fleece, I have enough for two blankets). This time I'm using a ball of Patons Smoothie DK, which has been vari-dyed in shades of pink, blue, yellow, violet, green. It is gorgeous! Can't wait to start it.

rosequartz you must persevere with crochet - once you've got the hang of it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it smile. Just beware of US patterns as their crochet terms are different than the UK. Well, not different, but they call Double Crochet 'Single Crochet', and their DC is what we call Half Treble, and so on. If I use an American pattern I tend to copy it all out first using UK terms so I won't make a mistake!

rosequartz Tue 22-Sept-15 17:43:54

I think I bought last week's edition today with the folder and nice bright pink wool (and £1.99, not £2.99).
The first week's was there too (99p) but I already have that.
They're stacking up on the shelves .....
120 issues in all hmm

NotTooOld Tue 22-Sept-15 17:30:12

Oh, thank you, rosequartz! I didn't think of that. No, I hate housework although I probably prefer it to cooking. I looked at The Art of Crochet thingy in Tesco this morning. I can already crochet so I wasn't thinking of buying it but it did occur to me that the colour of the wool 'given away' with the publication (a horrible muddy pink) would not encourage anyone to put wool to hook.

A while ago I bought myself a book that shows how to crochet flowers and leaves. For anyone crocheting for hospital shops or craft fairs, crocheted flowers only need a safety pin sewn on the back to make very attractive (and fashionable) brooches or even necklaces when attached to a crocheted chain.

rosequartz Tue 22-Sept-15 17:20:34

NotTooOld I should imagine that the dreaded h.....w.....?
is dreaded housework?

but perhaps you enjoy it grin

rosequartz Tue 22-Sept-15 17:16:32

I bought the 2nd part of The art of Crochet this morning, I bought the 1st part; however, I probably won't buy any more as the cost is prohibitive (for me, anyway).

Just looking at it makes me believe I can crochet hmm

NotTooOld Tue 22-Sept-15 16:53:14

Indinana - your blanket is beautiful.

NotTooOld Tue 22-Sept-15 16:52:51

Gracesgran - please, what is the dreaded h.....w.....? confused

Indinana Tue 22-Sept-15 16:08:31

Now that sort of granny square I can live with hilda - it's got some style.
About a year ago I bought this book of knitted and crocheted blocks. I haven't even got round to trying any yet because no sooner had I bought it than my DD became pregnant and all my time was taken up making things for her and the baby. Don't think it's going to stop any time soon, either grin

hildajenniJ Tue 22-Sept-15 15:58:46

Here's another variation on the granny square. I made a bag for DGD with 16 red and blues ones. It begins as a circle and ends as a square.

jinglbellsfrocks Tue 22-Sept-15 14:57:49

Excellent! smile

mcem Tue 22-Sept-15 14:42:43

Just an afterthought - this is the end product. A rug for the dolls' house!

rosequartz Tue 22-Sept-15 14:38:14

DGD asked if she could try knitting.

After a couple of rows, she decided it was much better to do it 'Mummy's way with just one needle'! grin

mcem Tue 22-Sept-15 14:35:27

Hexagons are lovely! 5year-old DGD is showing an interest in knitting but when we start on crochet we'll definitely try those. Comment on Saturday as she sat between my knees wielding needles for the first time " Gran, it's fun watching you knitting but it's funner doing it by myself".
I was so pleased that I didn't even correct the grammar!

Falconbird Tue 22-Sept-15 10:24:30

Love the hexagons HildajenniJ - love this thread grin no pun intended.

Indinana Tue 22-Sept-15 09:45:47

I love your granny hexagons hilda, much nicer than traditional ones which, I have to confess, I have become somewhat bored with over the years.
I made a knitted blanket to use up all my stash. Didn't quite work out that way, though, because I found myself thinking "ooh a nice dusty pink/soft brown/grass green would look good there" and ended up buying more wool grin.

shysal glad that link helped. I'm looking forward now to a photo of the finished blanket smile

Grannyknot Tue 22-Sept-15 09:35:54

I love darning too! I've said before - my grandmother was the "invisible mender" in our town and I think I got the love of it from watching her save and restore many a gossamer dress; or a favourite jacket made good for another year. Her skills were legendary.

hildajenniJ Tue 22-Sept-15 09:26:49

I made this knee rug from oddments of wool from other projects. It's a bit different, as I made Granny hexagons instead of squares. I had no idea how to square it off though, so I just edged it in two rows of trebles.smile