Like most of you, I had a big bag full of partial skeins of yarn – my scraps – and I wanted to use them up. I have done scrap blankets before, but this time I wanted to try something new and different. And so I made the Squiggly Square Blanket!
I found the pattern for the square here: http://hooksandyarns.blogspot.com/2011/10/wiggles-square-for-sibol.html and I used a join-as-you-go (JAYG) method to put the whole thing together. If you have never tried joining squares this way, I will tell you that it’s worth learning because there are only two ends to weave in. The cute squiggly squares are super easy to make and really fun. Happy crocheting!
You know that mohair-like yarn? Like it’s soft, but also kind of rough? I didn’t know if I could make a blanket with it because it’s so airy and light, but I gave it a try and you know what? It is so cozy! Here’s the free pattern:
With color A ch 150
Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hk and in each ch across
Row 2-20: Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st here and throughout), blohdc in 1st st and each st across
Row 21: Ch 3 (counts as dc), *sk 2 st, v-st in next st, rep from * to last 3 st, sk 2 st, dc in last st, changing to color B on last yo, do not break yarn for color A
Row 22: Ch 3, v-st in each v-st across the row, dc in last st, pull out a big loop to save your work with color B, do not turn
Row 23: Go back to the beginning of the row, pull color A through the 3rd ch in the ch 3, ch 3, v-st in each v-st across, dc in last dc, turn
Row 24: With color B, ch 3, v-st in each st across, dc in last dc
Repeat rows 23 and 24 until you have 4 v-st rows of each color. Break yarn for color A.
Row 29: Ch 1, hdc in 1st st, *hdc in 1st dc of v-st, hdc in sp bet dcs of v-st, hdc in 2nd st of the v-st, repeat from * across, hdc in last st, turn
Rows 30-49: Ch 1, blohdc in 1st st and each st across
Continue in this manner until blanket is desired length, throwing in a color C if you want.
Border:
Round 1: Using the color B, sc evenly around, doing 3 sc in each corner.
Rounds 2-5: Sc in each st around, doing 3 sc in each corner. Fasten off
Round 6: With color C, {puff st, ch 2 (ch 1 to finish puff plus 1 more ch), puff, ch 2, puff} in corner, sk 2 st, *ch 2, puff in next st, sk st, repeat from * to end, sk 2 st, repeat corner and sides 3 more times, fasten off
Round 7: Using color A, join in 1st ch 2 sp of corner. Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st), *3 sc in same ch2 sp, 3 sc in next ch 2 sp, 2 sc in each ch 2 sp on the side, repeat from * 3 more times
Round 8: Sc in each stitch around (in corner spaces, sc, ch 2, sc)
Round 9: *(In corner sp 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), crdc across side, repeat from * 3 more times
Round 10: Sc in each st around, (sc, ch 2, sc in corners)
Round 11: Repeat round 9
Rounds 12-13: Repeat round 10
Round 14: With color C, repeat round 6
Round 15: With color B, repeat round 7
Rounds 16-18: Sc in each st around, (in corners sc, ch 2, sc)
Round 19: In corners do 3 picots, along sides, 2 sc, picot, repeat from *
This blanket is called Lilliana and the pattern is by Vanessa Smith from Hooked on Sunshine. I used a cotton yarn (that I found on sale) in a dusty mint and a cream color.
The pattern is fun – not too repetitive and not too complex. I could watch tv while crocheting this.
It’s funny. I realized that I buy yarn (in this case 7 balls of yarn!) and then I look for a pattern to make with that yarn. Wouldn’t it make more sense to do it the other way? Like find a pattern that I want to do and then specifically buy yarn for that pattern? I’m sure there are many people that are together enough to do just that. 😏 Oh well, as long as I’m crocheting I’m happy!
Mosaic crochet is a beautiful niche crochet technique in which you use single crochets, chain stitches, and special double crochets to create a interwoven pattern.
I had never attempted this type of crochet before because it looked complicated and downright difficult, but when I saw the pattern for this Chic Modern Mosaics Blocks Throw on marleybird.com I knew it was time to give it a try. The reasons I chose this pattern to try mosaic crochet for the first time were twofold…
1. The pattern was written out in the standard crochet language that I am used to, as opposed to being just a graph, as many mosaic crochet patterns are. (Though once you get the hang of mosaic crochet, I’m sure the graphs are easier to read.)
2. The throw is done in only two colors which can be carried up the side as you go, rather than having to break the yarn and weave in ends (ugh) every time you change colors.
For those of you who haven’t tried mosaic crochet patterns before, I will tell you that once you understand the “rules” it’s really not that bad. I’ll explain the rules in one sec, but there’s also a special stitch that you’ll need to know. The mosaic double crochet, sometimes called the special double crochet is a double crochet (dc) that is made in the single crochet (sc) that is three rows down and in front of chain stitches from the previous two rows. So really just a double crochet that’s just a little longer than normal.
Now for the rules – which are basically pretty simple:
⁃ For two color designs, you will be doing two rows of each color, and carrying the other color up the side of your work.
⁃ The first row of each color will consist of sc’s, chains, and mosaic double crochets (mdc).
⁃ The second row of each color will consist of sc’s and chains. The sc’s will go into all stitches from the previous row and the chains will be made above the chains from the previous row.
⁃ Mosaic double crochets will be made in front of the chains from the previous two rows into a sc of the same color three rows down.
That’s basically it! If you’re up for trying a new crochet technique that looks more difficult than it is, then you really should give mosaic crochet a try!
Atlanticus is a beautiful pattern designed by Vanessa Smith of Hooked on Sunshine. It’s a mixed stitch blanket with a stunning mandala center that was surprisingly easy to crochet. (The blanket pictured above was made by me in a really short amount of time considering the large size.) The pattern can be found for free on Ravelry, along with pictures of completed blankets in every imaginable colorway. Happy crocheting!
Ruffle are my favorite thing to crochet! I don’t know why – they’re just so much fun for me to do. I don’t particularly love frilly ruffled things and ruffles are total yarn-eaters, but for some reason I could just sit and mindlessly crochet ruffles all day long, stopping occasionally only to run my hand back and forth over the ruffles. It’s therapeutic! If you’ve never tried crocheting ruffles before, I hope you try it soon, because it just might be your new favorite way to relax!
I adapted the Ruffled Rainbow Throw from the Rainbow Ruffle blanket at https://www.dadasplace.com/2017/03/free-rainbow-ruffle-blanket-tutorial.html for two reasons – my absolute love of crocheting ruffles and the fact that I had almost a whole skein of each of the rainbow colors left over from doing the Rainbow Sky Baby Blanket. I only had to buy one skein of black yarn for the ruffles. This throw is so quick and easy to make and can be done in any color scheme or size that you want!
Here’s the free pattern:
Abbreviations:
Ch – chain
Dc – double crochet
Hk – hook
St – stitch
BLO – back loop only
Sl st – slip stitch
Ch 135 (or whatever number of chains give you the desired width of your throw)
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hk and in each ch across, turn
Row 2: Ch 1, dc in first st and each st across to end, changing color on last yarn over of last dc, turn
Row 3: Ch 1, working in BLO, dc in first st and in each st across to end, turn
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until throw reaches desired length, changing colors every two rows, and ending on a row 2. (Number of rows should be a multiple of 8.)
Edging (big ruffles):
Join in any corner st, ch 3, 7 dc in same st as ch 3. Make 4 dc in each st around and 8 dc in the corners. Join to beg ch 3 with a sl st.
Front (little) ruffles:
You will be working on the front surface of the throw in the unused front loops of every eighth row.
Join in the first front loop, ch 3, sl st in same loop
Sl in next loop, ch 3, sl st in same loop, repeat to end, break yarn
Do your little ruffles in the front loops every eighth row.
I needed a quick way to use up some scrap yarn before my closet became overrun with those little colorful yarn balls, so I started making these beanies and basically couldn’t stop for several days. I really found making them to be quite addictive! I made all different sizes and color combinations. Some of them were given away as Christmas presents, and those pictured are the ones I have left.
These beanies were made from the bottom up – I made the brim by going back and forth in rows, slip stitched it together, then worked in decreasing rounds until I reached the top. The pom poms are the cherry on top and were made with my pom pom maker. (You can get a set from Walmart.com for under $4, and they’re so much fun to make!)
These striped beanies are a great scrap buster and super fast, so get creative with your colors and get crocheting!
Here’s the free pattern:
Yarn – worsted weight, 2 colors, small ball of each
Hook – 5.00
Abbreviations:
Ch – chain
Sc – single crochet
Hk – hook
St – stitch
Sl st – slip stitch
Hdc – half double crochet
Hdc2tog – half double crochet two together
In color A, Ch 8
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hk and in each ch to end, turn
Row 2: Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st, here and throughout) Working in back loop only, sc in 1st st and each st across, turn
Repeat row 2 until band matches the circumference of the head.
Sl st last row to first row
Now you will be working in the round, slip stitching the last stitch of each round to the first stitch.
Round 1: Ch 1 and sc evenly around – one sc for each row
Round 2: Ch 1, Hdc in each sc around, changing to color B on last yarn over of last st
Round 3: Ch 1, Hdc in each stitch around, changing back to color A on last yarn over of last st
Round 4: repeat round 2
Round 5-6: ch 1, Hdc (color B) around, changing to color A on last yarn over of last st of row 6
Round 7: repeat round 2
Round 8: repeat round 3
Rounds 9-10: ch 1, with color A, Hdc around
Round 11: ch 1, hdc2tog in first 2 st, *1 Hdc in each of next 4 st, hdc2tog in next 2 st, repeat from * to end
Round 12: ch 1, hdc2tog in first 2 st, *1 Hdc in each of next 3 st, hdc2tog in next 2 st, repeat from * to end
Round 13: ch 1, hdc2tog in first 2 st, *1 Hdc in each of next 2 st, hdc2tog in next 2 st, repeat from * to end
Round 14: ch 1, hdc2tog first 2 st, *1 Hdc in next st, hdc2tog in next 2 st, repeat from * to end
Round 15: ch 1, hdc2tog in first 2 st and each 2 st across
I found the pattern for this stunning Wintertide throw on mamainastitch.com, and I thought it was so cool! The pattern calls for eight balls of bulky weight yarn, but I decided to use a gray worsted weight yarn that was leftover from other projects. To make the throw a reasonable size with the lighter weight yarn, I doubled the starting chains that the pattern called for.
The Wintertide Throw is made up of three special stitches – bobble stitch, bean stitch, and granite stitch (all explained on the pattern page) – and also makes use of front loop only stitches and back post stitches.
A beginner crocheter will find this pattern both workable and educational. And the end result will be a beautiful, cozy throw perfect for hibernating under all winter!
The Grandma Spiked My Ripple Blanket is a pattern by Darlisa Riggs that you can find for free on Ravelry. (Thanks Darlisa!)
I’m one of those people that feels like the basic granny stitch looks old-fashioned and even boring, so I love when people come up with new and different applications of granny stitch patterns.
This pattern is gives the basic granny ripple a modern twist by making the middle double crochet in each triplet a spike stitch. It’s a relatively small adjustment, but it makes such a difference! The ripple ends up looking a little fuzzy, hence the name.
If you are like me and find the traditional granny stitch boring, or even if you love the granny stitch but are ready to try something just a little different, you should give this wonderful pattern a try!
These fingerless gloves are the perfect winter accessory! They are done with the super simple Seed Stitch, which is nothing more that alternating single and double crochets. The Seed Stitch creates a nice dense fabric perfect for keeping your hands warm and cozy. The wrists are extra long to keep you nice and warm.
Here’s the easy pattern!
Wrists:
Chain 20
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hk and in each ch across, ch 1, turn (ch 1 doesn’t count as a stitch here and throughout)
Rows 2 – 24: Working back loops only, sc in 1st st and each st across, ch 1, turn
Sl st the two short sides together. Do not end off.
Hands:
Round 1: Ch 1, Sc in same sp as ch 1, 25 more sc evenly spaced around, sl st to 1st sc
Round 2: Ch 1, dc in same st, *sc in next st, dc in next stitch, repeat from * around to next to last st, sc in last st, sl st to 1st dc
Round 3: Ch 1, sc in same st (in top of 1st dc from round 2), alternate dc and sc around, sl st last dc to 1st sc
Round 4: repeat round 2
Round 5: repeat round 3
Round 6: repeat round 2
Round 7: repeat round 3
Round 8: Ch 1, dc in same st, (sc in next st, dc in next st) 4 times, ch 3, sk 3 st, *dc in next st, sc in next st, repeat from * around, sl st to first dc
Round 9: Ch 1, Sc in same st, dc in next st, continue as usual until you get to the ch 3, sc in each of the three chains, *sc in next st, dc in next stitch, repeat from * to end, sl st to first sc
Round 10: repeat round 2
Round 11: repeat round 3
Round 12: repeat round 2
Round 13: repeat round 3
Round 14: repeat round 2
Round 15: Ch 1, Sc in same st, sc in each of next 3 st, sc2tog (scdec) over next two stitches, *sc in next 4 st, sc2tog over next two stitches, repeat to end, join with st st, break yarn.
Thumbs:
Round 1: Join yarn anywhere in thumb hole. Ch 1, sc in same st, 8 more sc evenly around, sl st to 1st sc
Rounds 2 and 3: Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in each of next 8 stitches, sl st to 1st sc
Becca’s Crochet Journey 