Christmas Baubles

Christmas is definitely coming!

 Patchwork House is like Santa's workshop this week

 with dishes and bowls of Christmas baubles everywhere.

 Oh what a gorgeous sight they are too

 they would be just as nice in a bowl as on a tree!

It all began with the arrival of this beautiful yarn

Rico Essentials Cotton DK

I had so much trouble choosing my colours

 as there is an amazing range of 42 colours!

It is a beautiful soft yarn with a rich sheen. 

These gorgeous little balls contain 50g and 130m of yarn.

Some people use polystyrene balls

 and others use clear plastic baubles

 but I chose just a cheap pack of baubles

 which can be easily found in many shops right now!

When I started making I didn't have a pattern

so I just experimented by making 2 identical granny circles the same size

 Any experienced crocheter will be able to read a pattern

 just by looking at these circles.

 I started with 12 UK trebles in a magic loop for round 1.

 Round 2 and 3 increase as you normally would

 to keep the circle flat, but after that do not increase

as you want the circle to turn into a hemisphere.

I used a 3mm hook as I wanted the crochet to be fine and close.

Leave a long tail when you finish the 2nd half

 and then use it to sew the 2 hemispheres together around the baubel.

Finally I made a chain of 30 to use as a hanging loop.

There are many patterns available to buy on Etsy

 and if you follow this link to my Pinterest board

HERE

 you will find many pictures to inspire you and links to follow

For most of my baubles

 I have used 5 different colours for the 5 different rounds

but as you see here it is also effective with 2 shades.

Be warned these are addictive and you wont be able to stop!

Happy weekend friends

Heather

X X X

My Crofter Blanket

It seems a good few weeks now

 since the first excitement of starting my colourful Crofter squares.

 They have now been edged and joined with cream

 and the blanket finished off with a deep straight border.

I was inspired by the lovely blanket made by
Anita Mundt
and have made my own version here

So here as promised is how I made my

 Crofter Blanket

it has 81 squares and measures approximately 115 x 115 cm

Yarn

 7 balls of cream Sirdar Snuggly DK

8 balls of Sirdar Baby Crofter DK

2 Elsie

2 Kaitlyn

2 Mimi

2 Maypole

you can buy the yarn
HERE

(Edit :: Elsie has now been discontinued, but can be replaced by Winnie) 

I am using a 3.5mm hook and UK crochet terms,

 for American terms you will find a conversion chart HERE

The Solid Granny Squares

Round 1 ~ Make a magic loop, you can follow a tutorial HERE

Round 2 ~ 3 chain 2 trebles, 2 chain

* 3 trebles 2 chain *

repeat from * to * twice

slip stitch into top of 1st 3 chain 

      

Round 2 ~ Make 3 chain for 1st treble then

 1 treble into the top of each treble of previous round

In each corner make 2 trebles 2 chain 2 trebles

So each side of round 2 has 7 trebles when complete

Round 3 ~ Make 3 chain for 1st treble then

 1 treble into the top of each treble of previous round

In each corner make 2 trebles 2 chain 2 trebles

So each side of round 2 has 11 trebles when complete

Round 4 ~ Make 3 chain for 1st treble then

 1 treble into the top of each treble of previous round

In each corner make 2 trebles 2 chain 2 trebles

So each side of round 2 has 15 trebles when complete

I made 10 squares from each 50g ball so that made 80 squares in total.

 This would make a rectangular blanket 8 x 10.

 I fancied a square blanket though

 and had enough yarn to make 1 more square 

giving me 81, which made a 9 x 9 arrangement.

If you missed the original blog post

 about the making of the squares you can read it HERE

The squares were all edged in cream and the ends sewn in.

If you missed the previous blog post about edging 

you can read it HERE

To join my squares I worked from the back

 using dc through both loops

This makes a good strong join

 and creates a nice neat look from the front

You can read last weeks blog post about the joining method

 HERE

With the blanket now in 1 piece it was time for the border.

After much procrastinating and trials of several borders,

 I finally decided (with the help of my Instagram friends)

 that the joy of this blanket is the colourful squares.

 The purpose of a border is to frame

 and in this case

 it must not detract from the beauty of the squares.

So

and I kept it simple

 with a continuation of the same rows of trebles into each stitch.

To help the border lie flat

 I did 2 trebles then treble 2 together 

all the way round on my 1st round of the border.

 This decreases the stitch count and removes any frillyness.

I am totally in love with my finished Crofter Blanket 

and it is already feeling very much a part of Patchwork House!

This yarn has been a delight to work with.

 Its is smooth and slightly finer than most DK

 creating beautiful stitch definition.

The colours in the Baby Crofter are stunning making every stitch a joy.

This blanket is a keeper and will become a family treasure.

I hope you have enjoyed the watching

and maybe fancy having a make yourself?

Happy hookin!

Heather

 X X X

Joining pleasures

Today is a lazy Saturday here at Patchwork House

with lots of

 sitting and hooking

 and

 recharging our batteries!

It has been such a delight

 joining these pretty squares together. 

My hook just glides through this yarn

 like a knife through butter!

Every stitch has been a pleasure.

I love the rhythm

 and the perfection of hooking each 2 stitches together.

I have been joining from the back

 with right sides together

 using UK double crochet through both loops. 

I join in rows

 linking from 1 square straight onto the next.

All the rows going in the same direction are joined first.

This leaves gaps in between the squares

 going in the opposite direction.

 At this point the blanket is rather difficult to hold

 but don't worry it will all come together soon!

Next the rows are joined in the opposite direction.

Again using double crochet through both loops. 

When I meet the ridge

 I make 1 dc in the corner loop either side of it.

I really like this joining method

 as it produces a good strong join with an attractive finish.

When joining is complete

 there is a ridge on the back

and neat lines on the front.

There is an added bonus

 of a pattern made by the holes

 which I also think is very attractive

 adding another dimension to the blanket.

I am totally in love

 with the arty and colourful look of this 

Crofter blanket inspired by Anita Mundt.

I have used 4 shades of Sirdar Baby Crofter DK for the squares

and joined them with cream Sirdar Snuggly DK

If you missed the previous posts

 about the yarn and square making you can read it

 HERE

Do come back next week for the

 BIG REVEAL

 when I will be blogging about

 the pattern details for the square joining and edging!

Have a lovely weekend my hooky friends

I'm off now for a wonderful evening of border making!

Heather

X X X

Sunday afternoon treat

Hello my hooky friends

 happy Sunday to you all!

Oh there is so much excitement 

here at Patchwork House this week

 as the gorgeous colourful squares of my new blanket

 have been surrounded with cream.

The lovely people at 

 Deramores 

gave me this pretty

 Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter DK

 to work with.

 If you missed the previous post you can read it

  HERE.

To be honest at first

 I wasn't liking the random effect

 as much as I thought I would.

 I adore the yarn

 as it is so soft and finer than I am used to.

 It produces beautiful even stitch definition

 and the colours are just fab!

I am using

 Elsie

 Kaitlyn

 Maypole

 and 

Mimi.

However when I made the border of each square

 in cream Sirdar Snuggly DK

it just made the colours

 POP

 and I totally fell in love!

It is a frequent sight

 here at Patchwork House

 to find piles of squares

 as ornaments on tables and window sills

 in baskets and on trays

but oh what a pleasure

what a wonderful sight 

when the ends have been sewn in!

So today I have rushed home from church

 and am going to delight in

 an afternoon of joining!

Imagine 

my delight

 to be

 home in daylight hours

 in a quiet house

alone with this pile of yarny goodness!

Do come back next week

 for an update on the joining progress and border!

Till then have a happy hooky week my friends

Heather

X X X

Half term hooky

 Half term for me

 has been a wonderful time of relaxation

 in my favourite part of the world

  

The Yorkshre Dales

 we spent time enjoying

 sheep pheasants sunshine autumn leaves and lovely walks

quality time

 in a lovely cottage in a quiet village 

was just what the doctor ordered

breath taking scenery

special time together

 away from busy jobs and lives

 brings us home

 feeling blessed and recharged for the next 2 months!

Of course there was hooky

lots

and lots

of wonderful yarny therapy!

Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter

 is a variegated yarn with amazing colours.

 It is very soft and fun to work.

Random or self striping yarn

 is the ideal portable yarn for taking on holiday,

 one ball, hook and scissors fitting very neatly in my bag everywhere I go!

I was inspired by the

 Crofter Blanket

made by the very talented blogger

 Anita Mundt

if you dont know her blog

 A Creative Dimension

 you are in for a treat ... pop on over!

As a change I chose to make a baby blanket

 so I am working with the softer brighter colour palette of 

Sirdar Snuggly Baby Crofter DK

I am now very brave and hook in public most places I go

on trains

in the car

on picnics

and in cafes and pubs

 it is wonderful when people stop to talk

 and ask about what I am making

Well as you know I have many OCD tendancies

 and love nothing more than planning my crochet.

 Matching hooks and mugs

lining up colours

counting equal amounts of each round

all make it perfect and appeal to my Mathematical brain!

So when I first started with this random yarn

 I must admit that I wasn't too keen!

But as the week progressed it has grown on me!

 I am now loving the arty look of these variegated squares

 and they come with the added bonus of no ends from changing colours!

I have used

 2 x 50g balls of each of the following 4 colours

 and made 80 squares.

These are now being edged with cream Sirdar Snuggly

 and I am liking them even more as the cream makes the colours pop!

Do come back next week

 for a progress update of my variegated blanket!

When complete I will be writing up the pattern for you

 and joining and edging instructions

 to be published with the final tadaa photo in a few weeks!

My final treat of the holiday

 was a morning spent with a wonderful hooky gang at the 

Skipton Knit and Natter group.

I was so delighted to be invited and had a wonderful time

 with lovely ladies who speak the same yarny language!

 Thank you all for making me so welcome.

So now after a heavenly week of hooky and countryside

 it is time to get ready for back to school.

Here at Patchwork House

 I am enjoying a new thrifted jug for my flowers. 

Wishing you all a happy Sunday!

Heather

X X X