New pattern-Made with Love, Heart Baby Blanket, a STASH Buster!

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STASH: to store in a usually secret place for future use

Stash Buster Pattern

Use a mix of similar fiber yarn in colors that blend well together

For those who crochet, STASH equals possibilities.  Will this skein be a hat or scarf to keep your son warm while he plays in the snow?  Maybe a market bag for weekend shopping?  How about a baby blanket for your co-worker’s newest family addition?  But sometimes a crocheter’s stash becomes overwhelming.  Do you have boxes or bags full of lone skeins or partial skeins?  Not enough for that sweater you’d like to make or not quite the right fiber for a hat?

Beautiful use of bright colors with Caron Simply Soft.

I’d like to introduce my latest pattern, the Made with Love, Heart Baby Blanket.  I designed this pattern to be a “stash buster”.  I’m a collector of sale or clearance yarn.  It’s hard to pass up a good sale.  Eventually the skeins build up and a stash of yarn ends up taking over the closet.  This blanket is designed to use only 1 or 2 skeins of each color.  If you don’t have full skeins, you can substitute different colors in place of 1 color.  For example, the pattern is written using 2 full skeins of Vanna’s Choice solids as the darker background color.  You can substitute the 1 color with 2 or 3 or more colors of similar shades.  As long as the colors work well together, you can use your stashed yarn to make a lovely blanket for someone special.

Here is a beautiful example.  Jennifer had only partial skeins of 2 different darker blue yarns.  So she combined the 2 and ended up with enough yarn for the darkest background color.  She alternated the 2 shades where the pattern called for 1 and used up some of her leftover yarn.  The result is gorgeous!

Jennifer’s stash for Patchwork Heart Baby Blanket.

Adorable! Jennifer subsituted 2 colors for 1 (background dark)

This beautiful pattern can be found on Ravelry, Etsy and Craftsy.  Intermediate skill required as you must be familiar with changing colors mid-row.

Thank you and Enjoy!

Darleen

Handmade Holidays-Winter Crochetvolution is a great place to start

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If you are like me, and if you are reading this blog about crochet, it’s likely you are, you like to include handmade items in your holiday gift giving.  I’m always looking for something unique to make and to give.  It’s also nice to be able to gift something special that didn’t cost an arm and a leg.  One great place to start looking for gift pattern ideas is Crochetvolution (it’s FREE!).  This “new” eMag has been growing over the last 14 months; both in readership and in pattern offerings.  The latest issue, Winter 2012 is fantastic (yes,  I’m a little biased as I contributed an article and a pattern).  But I’m talking about the other fantastic patterns, beside mine.

There are too many patterns to highlight them all here, so you’ll just have to take a look yourself, but here a few of my favorites and the ones I hope to incorporate in my gift making this holiday season.

Mitten Bookmarks!  Adorable!!!! 

I’m making 4 sets of these to give as teacher gifts.   Best part, each one uses only about 5 yards of yarn!

Anastacia’s Textured Scarf is a unique twist on a warm winter scarf.  The yarn she chose for this project is gorgeous and works wonderfully with the pattern.

Sarah Jane’s Cowl is gorgeous too!  How can I choose which one to make???  And she has a fingerless mitt pattern to match  (see above), both can be made with just one skein of yarn, fantastic!

Last, but not least, my contribution to the issue, the Snowflake Ice Scraper Mitt.  The mitt part is made from a damaged wool sweater (instructions on felting here) and the snowflake can be made with just scrap yarn. Upcycle an old sweater and give a great gift!

This issue is jam-packed with fantastic gift giving ideas, from quick projects to larger ones for the very special individuals in your life.  Check it out, read the articles too and sign up to be on the mailing list (it’s FREE).

Oink! Oink! Piglet, Piggy

Crazy for Earflap Hats!

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Are  you CRAZY for EARFLAP hats?  I am!

When I started making them, I wasn’t sure how to attach the braids just right.  It took a lot of practice but I believe I have perfected the look.  Follow the tutorial below and you can too.

Tutorial-earflap braid

Tip-When I complete the earflap, I leave a long tail and rather than work the ends in, I work it into the braid.  Two less ends to work in!

RS=Right Side      WS = Wrong Side

1)            For 10” braids, cut 11, 22” pieces of yarn.  Fold in half.Insert hook from WS to RS of earflap and pull the yarn through.  (I find it easiest to use a large hook, size J or larger)

2)            Pull the ends of yarn through the loop and tighten.  Make sure you even out and tidy up any loose strands.

3)            Braid, tie off and trim ends.  Repeat on opposite side making sure braids are the same length.

 Enjoy!

Candy Corn Earflap Hat,
Crochet by Darleen Hopkins