Diamond Stitch Crochet Baby Blanket

Today I bring you a rare finished yarn project.

This soft and snuggly blanket is for the same friend [and baby] recipient of the log cabin quilt I made a little while ago. I crocheted a blanket for baby numero uno, and apparently he liked it very much, so baby dos can't be left out, can she?

The colors are the same ones I used for the quilt, which were chosen by mama-to-be, so I can't take any credit there. The darkest color is reading as black but it's actually navy. For the pattern, I followed this tutorial. I wish I could tell you how long I made my foundation chain, but I have no idea and I didn't write it down [so helpful, I know].

I used all acrylic yarn for washing machine and baby compatibility. The white yarn is from one of those giant mega skeins they sell at Joann's. I've used it for several projects and it has barely gotten any smaller. It is so large and fuzzy and creature-like that my knitting group decided it needed a name.

So his name is Frederick. I should have taken his picture, but I didn't. Don't worry - he'll probably be around for a while.

The tutorial was super easy to follow, although for some reason one of my edges looks really crazy and the other one is nice and straight and even. I'm not sure why because I was changing colors at both sides. Also I accidentally made the blanket one or possibly two double crochet[s] wider about halfway through.

Artistic choices.

So after a wash and dry cycle [I use a lingerie bag] this blanket will be shipped across the Atlantic on the heels of its matching quilt counterpart.

I don't think I'm done with the baby projects yet, though...this is the first friend-baby since I started sewing knits, and I'm suddenly eyeing all my half yard remnants and realizing the baby wardrobe potential...

What are your favorite knit things to sew for babies?

Works in Progress

As usual, I suddenly find myself in the midst of a million different projects. I sometimes wish I had the discipline to finish one project before starting another. But, I mean, yeah right.

One is this fun crocheted ripple blanket that I am making for a crochet-along with the wonderful and talented Cheryl Cambras. She crochets things like life sized unicorns. Right up my alley.

My color inspiration comes from this Modcloth dress, which I really really wanted, but mustered up enough self control not to buy:

So I thought, oh I'll just crochet a blanket version of that dress. Because that's what everyone does, right?

If only I had a dollar for every time I started a blanket. I would have a lot of dollars.

But I WILL finish this one. I WILL.

I've also been busy quilting my rainbowlicious fabric project. Both of these projects look very similar in these pictures, which was not intentional. Maybe I am just on a slightly-off-primary stripe kick?

Kool-Aid Dyed Yarn Tutorial

When I was a kid, nothing said summer like a tall, strong glass of Kool-Aid.

Grape was always my variety of choice. That intense fake grape flavor with a few ice cubes clinking around in the glass...oh man. Bring on the purple mustache.

But did you know, since Kool-Aid is actually colored with all synthetic dyes, you can use it to [very easily] dye yarn and other natural fibers? You don't even need to add anything to make the dye colorfast, it's acidic enough on its own. It actually dyes so well that it makes me feel strange that I used to drink the stuff. And bonus - it makes your yarn smell like it was marinated in liquid Starbust.

The Neverending Blanket

Somewhere, in a deep, dark, infrequently visited corner of my least opened closet lies a graveyard of abandoned, unfinished craft projects. Spools of wire. Tangled embroidery floss. A dried out bottle of tacky glue.

Don't lie. We all have them.

 I'm doing everything I can to keep from surrendering this project to that closet. When I started crocheting this blanket out of wool yarn, the temperature was low and my nesting instincts were in full swing. The yarn was so cozy, the colors so beautiful, the pattern so simple. Just double crochet, over and over and over.

Six months later, and what I have amounts to [at best] a chunky scarf.

Must press on.

Hopefully someday I will finish and I'll be able to prove it by posting some pictures.

Until then...

Crocheted Peppermint Pillow

I have to do a show and tell picture post about this christmasy crochet project I made in a class at the UCC taught by the talented Cheryl Cambras. I'm a sucker for any rendition of food in the wrong size - whether it be miniature or giant - so I was all over this huge peppermint.

With one of Cheryl's patterns, we crocheted a flat piece that cleverly swirled itself as we sewed it up into a circle. She has written all sorts of cute crochet patterns that you can check out her etsy shop. She also made an amazing front window display for the UCC with life-sized crochet figures that you can see on her blog.

Christmas is only five days away...I need to finish getting ready!

Crochet Key Monster - Free Pattern!

This is one long craft famine.

I've been ransacking the internet in search of any cute fabric or yarn stores within an hour's drive of Bainbridge, but I've been coming up empty. When you're used to having a gold minelike the Urban Craft Center a mere ten minutes away, and when you grew accustomed to going there five days a week for the better part of a year, well...there's really just one word for what's happening right now.

Withdrawal.

At least I had the sense to panic and stuffed some yarn and crochet hooks in my carryon at the last second. I'm glad I did. I crocheted this little guy over the course of a few nights because I just needed to make something.

Then I realized he would be the perfect keychain for my single office key.

My car keys are at home, so the key to the production office has just been kicking around at the bottom of my purse. Now that it's tied to the key monster's tail, I can always find it right away. Thanks, monster!

The full [free!] pattern for this little guy after the jump.