Whats On My Hook

I have been totally engrossed these past two weeks in yet another stitch along this time it's one hosted by the Crochet crowd, The Spring Garden Afghan, everything else has been put on hold as I want to try and keep up with this, it only runs for Five weeks and today is the start of week three.

Week one consisted of 22 plain squares..

The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn but I used Dk so I had to do an extra round to get the squares 5 inches, I also used smaller stitches for the corners so that the holes weren't too large.

Week Two consisted of 20 squares..

Week Three

Just out today, I've been playing around with this, the flower is much bigger in the pattern but I have used smaller stitches to make it smaller and neater, just 20 more to go! 

Is anyone else following this too?

I love a project like this, one that's not too difficult and totally engrosses me, the housework and everything else has gone out of the window 😂 

Whats on your needles or hook?

Blanket Round Up Five

Yes can you believe it, the blanket round ups are still on going because I really love making blankets, and it's just as well because there is always a great need for them, from the tiniest preemie blanket to  bed sized blankets, Loving hands members have even made huge sized blankets for orphan elephants 

This particular blanket is much smaller than that, it's just the right size for a lap blanket, but I have to be honest I love it so much I haven't had the heart to send it on yet.

Sometimes when I'm visiting my favourite blogs I come across something that I just have to make and this was one of those things.  The reason I liked it so much was because I was intrigued by the corner to corner join as you go method which was shown along with a great a tutorial on The Patchwork Heart. Can you imagine hardly any ends to sew in and no joining! 

I then had to search through my scrap yarn and decided that this particular blanket  would be a great contender for the coned yarn that I have stashed up in my loft. As always throughout the making of a stash blanket you are never sure if you'll have enough yarn to complete it, luckily I had enough to make it to a decent size.

Coned yarn is usually 3 or 4 ply so I used three strands together which works out more or less as an Aran weight and wound it into lovely yarn cakes with my yarn winder. I'm sure I took a photo of that lovely yarn all ready to be used but if I did I can't find it anywhere.  It's always a great feeling when you get to the middle of one of those cones because they seem to be never ending. 

You can find..
The corner to corner tutorial here
Who needs your blankets here

Have a great weekend! 😊

You can see all the great parties I'll be linking to in my right side bar.

Aiden Baby Hat Pattern

Aiden Baby Hat.

This hat pattern was designed with little boys in mind as it has a lovely texture without it looking too feminine, although little girls would look lovely wearing it too.

This particular stitch is also ideal for premature babies as it has a closed texture.

Materials

Dk Yarn approximately 18 grams of soft baby yarn for the largest size.

4.5mm crochet hook.

Abbreviations

This pattern is written In UK crochet terms.

Htr = half treble crochet.  (hdc US)

Tr = treble crochet.           (dc US)

dc = double crochet.          (sc US

fphtr = front post half treble.   (fphdc US)

bphtr = back post half treble.    (bphdc US)

ss = slip stitch.

Rib stitch is usually made by using fptr and bptr for this hat I have used front and back post half treble which I found works much better when making tiny sizes. This is worked in the same way but instead of pulling your hook through 2 loops twice, you pull through all 3 loops to compete the st.

Newborn 

Crown.

Make a Magic ring

The 1ch at the beginning of each round does not count as a stitch. 

Round one - 1ch, 6dc into the ring, ss to 1st dc, = 6sts.

Place marker to mark the beginning of each new round as it's so easy to pass it without realising.

Round Two - 1ch, 2 dc in same space as ss and in each st round = 12sts

Round three –1ch, 1dc in same space as ss, 2dc in next st, *1dc in next st, 2dc in next st rep from* to end of round. ss to 1st dc of previous round = 18sts.

Round four -1ch, 1dc in same space as ss, 1dc in next st, 2dc in next st, *1dc in next 2sts, 2dc in next st rep from *to the end of  round, ss to 1st dc of previous round = 24sts. 

Round five -1ch, 1dc in same space as ss, 1dc in next 2sts, 2dc in next st, *1dc in next 3 sts, 2dc in next st rep from * to the end of  round, ss to 1st dc of previous round = 30sts

Round six -1ch, 1dc in same space as ss, 1dc in next 3sts, 2dc in next st, *1dc in next 4sts, 2dc in next st rep from * to the end of  round, ss to 1st dc of previous round = 36sts

Round seven -1ch, 1dc in same space as ss, 1dc in next 4sts, 2dc in next st,*1dc in next 5sts, 2dc in next st rep from * to the end of  round, ss to 1st dc of previous round = 42sts

Round eight -1ch, 1dc in same space as ss, 1dc in next 5sts, 2dc in next st, *1dc in next 6sts, rep from *to the end of  round, ss to 1st dc of previous round  = 48sts

Body of hat

Consists of two pattern rows using Up and down stitch

Round 1 - 1 ch, 1dc in same place as ss, *1 tr  in next st, 1 dc in next st, rep from * to end of round. Ss to dc of previous round.

Round 2 - Ch1, 1 tr in same place as ss, * 1 dc in next st, 1 tr in next st, rep from * to end of round. ss to tr of previous round.

Repeat these two rounds until the body of hat measures four and a half inches.

Rim.

The rim of the hat is worked in front and back post half trebles to form rib. (see abbreviations)
Foundation round - ch1 and 1 htr in same place as ss, 1 htr in each st around, ss to 1^st htr of previous round. 
Rib = ch1, 1htr in same place as ss, *fphtr in stitch below, (see picture below) bphtr in next st, rep from * to end of round, ss to htr of previous round.

Repeat this row 3 times.

Break yarn and weave in ends.

Large preemie.

crown = as above to round seven = 42sts 

Body of hat = as above until hat measures 4½ inches from beginning.

Rim = as above but repeat rib row twice.

Medium Preemie.

crown = as above to round six = 36sts 

Body of hat = as above until hat measures 3½ inches from beginning.

Rim = as above but work rib row once.

Optional Heart

Magic ring

3ch, 2tr, 1htr, 1dc, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1dc, 1htr, 2tr, 3ch, ss to centre, pull up tight.

To make the heart bigger go up a stitch size or use a larger hook.

Copyright © 2019 Linda Solaiman  All Rights Reserved.

The Other Sweater.

Regular readers of my blog will remember I started the year with two works in progress, I was actually indulging myself by making not one but two sweaters all for me, one knitted which I finally finished and showed you here and the other was a crochet sweater.

Now this was a definite first for me, I have made almost everything there is to make in crochet but I have never made a sweater for myself, I made a sleeveless top which you can see here and I also made this cardigan, I can show you the pattern only as the actual cardigan was frogged, now maybe I'm a peculiar shape but that cardigan just didn't sit well on my frame, it looked quite hideous to be honest but strangely enough I wasn't sad when I pulled it all out, all those hours of work you may think were for nothing but I enjoyed making it so it really didn't matter and the yarn was put to better use in the form of many charity makes. 

So what about the sleeveless top I can hear you asking well yes I wore that.... once! and that was really just to try it on, it eventually went into the charity bag where I hope that someone liked it better than I did. 

Now you would think that after that I would have learnt my lesson but oh no not me I wanted to make a crochet sweater and that's what I did....

I have to say the fit is loose but I can stand that, a big blowsy sweater like the knitted one but the problem is the yarn, it's so heavy I need a crane to lift it and once it's on, it brings me to my knees, Eskimo's could wear this sweater it's so heavy and warm but they would probably sink in the snow,😮 it weighs in at 850 grams!. Now that it's made up I don't like the colour or the way that the variegated colours have come together it hurts your eyes to look at it😵 I wont be using this particular type of yarn for sweaters again.




So lets find some positives.. I made it without a pattern and it does actually fit! I know, I know I wont wear it but I'm quite proud that I was able to do that.  The yarn was in a sale and very cheap so I don't feel too bad about it not working out.

So what shall I do with it? shall I pass it on to a charity for the homeless perhaps or one that supplies clothing to countries with sub zero temperatures or should I frog it and use the yarn for hats and scarves. All suggestions gratefully received. 

Have a great weekend.😊