It has almost been a year since I posted about Lady A's Star Burst Crochet Stitch Blankie and it is time to share my latest one with you.
I am so excited. Lady #2 will be joining us in April so I got it done just in time. The yarn I like to use for the little ones is Caron Simply Soft Yarn because it is just that, nice and soft for their soft skin.
Like the Star Burst afghan I pulled a stitch from my go to book and turned it into an afghan again.
Since I only used three colors I was able to leave the different skeins attached instead of constantly cutting and re-attaching the next color with every row. For example, as I finished up the row of purple and would need to move onto white, I simple grabbed both yarn strands to create my chain. Then let go of the purple and carried on with the row of white.
When placing the grey binding around the sides where the two yarns were used to create the chain, it was covered up nicely. So it was a win win!!
Does that make sense? I hope so. If not please leave me a comment and I'll try to re-explain it.
Items needed for this project: 'Handbook of Crochet Stitches'by Betty Barnden Hook I/9-5.50MM Scissors Colors used for this blanket. White Sunshine Orchid Grey Heather {I used about 8 oz of the first three colors, so 1 1/3 skeins of each and just enough Grey Heather to go around for a binding}
Good luck on your next project. Be sure to share with me if you decide to make one. I would love to see it.
I always used to dread binding. My mom ~ well I do not think she loves binding but she LOVES the trick she learned to make binding that looks fantastic. Today I am sharing with you the steps and tricks I use to bind quilts, table runners and other projects. I use it all the time. Hopefully this picture tutorial will be just as useful to you as the one my mom gave me.
The notes in blue are a different way of doing the binding so that you can machine stitch the whole project instead of doing the hand blind stitch at the end.
Follow these steps to bind your quilt.
Step 1: Trim the excess batting and backing even with the quilt top.
Step 2: Fold your material for the bias binding. Cut the width you would like your strips along the folded side. I like to cut mine 2 1/4". If you have a puffy quilt you will want to cut it wider. Cut the point off of the ends of the strips so it is a rectangle.
Step 3: Sew your ends together to make one long strip. Place the strips right sides together at right angles and pin. Draw a line from the upper left-hand corner to the lower right-hand corner. Stitch on the line. Trim to a 1/4". Press the seams open. Press the long binding strip in half lengthwise, with the wrong side together {I usually skip ironing the strip in half lengthwise}.
Step 4: Place the raw edges of the binding strip next to the raw edge of the quilt leaving a 4"-5" tail {I suggest 7"-8" if there is room and for larger projects, it will be easier to finish}. Start in the middle of the bottom of the quilt on the front {I like to start on the back side, this way when I do my version of step 7, I am able to watch the front binding as I sew it to make sure it is nice and straight}. Pin in place with the tail hanging out. Sew along the edge with a 1/4" seam.
Step 5 {Corners}: As you come to the corner stop stitching 1/4" from the raw edge. Remove the quilt from your sewing machine. Fold your binding strip up at a 45 degree angle. Fold the strip back down so there is a fold at the upper edge. Begin sewing at the top edge of the quilt, continuing to the next corner. Go around all four corner. Once you get familiar with this step you can also lift the presser foot without fully removing the quilt to do the corners. {Once you get familiar with this step you can also lift the presser foot without fully removing the quilt to do the corners. It might be the fact that at this point I am ready to be done or that I found it faster for me to do this way, but I choose to keep it all right there on my machine}.
Step 6: After turning the last corner, stitch until you have about 7" to 8" open from the beginning and stop stitching {I find it easier, especially on bigger projects, to leave about 11"-12" of open space}. Make sure that your ends overlap. You will overlap the binding 1/4" smaller than the width of your binding. {If you did a 2 1/4" binding you will want it to overlap 2"}. Cut the binding strip straight across. Lay the quilt flat with whatever side has the binding sewn on it up. Place the unfolded, unstitched tails right side together at right angles and pin. Draw a line from the upper left-hand corner to the lower right-hand corner of the binding. Stitch along this line. Lay flat to check to make sure that it fits correctly. Carefully trim the seam allowance to 1/4" and finger press the seam open. Refold the binding in half. Pin binding to quilt. Finish stitching the binding to the quilt.
Step 7: Turn the binding to the back {or front in my case} of the quilt and blind stitch the folded edge in place, covering the machine stitches with the folded edge. Make sure you take a small blind stitch. {I like to finish the quilt by folding the binding to the front and then finishing with a serpentine stitch on top of the binding.}
Step 8: ENJOY!!!
Here are some blankets I made a while ago using this binding technique. I love how they turned out and the serpentine stitch gives it a great finishing touch.
This is a pretty intense tutorial and I tried to add as many photos as I thought would be helpful to fully explain the steps. If you have any questions leave me a comment and I will be sure to get back to you. I have my copy printed out and put in my binder with all the patterns so it is always available whenever I need it. If you would like a PDF version to print, you can find it here to download.
I noticed that a few of the ladies I follow are doing a crochet-a-long for the month of February and I thought this would be great to get in on. There are a couple of projects that I am wanting to get done {and soon} before Lady #2 gets here.
For the #ProjectCrochet this month I need to do a blankie for Lady #2. I think I have finally decided on colors and a pattern, now to just buckle down and do it. I am going to make a floor pouf, boot cuffs and little booties ~ maybe a matching ones for big and little sister. I'll be making up these patterns as I go, if they work out I will be sharing them later when all the projects are done.
This past weekend an email was sent out from our Relief Society President asking for donations. A family {not members of our church but within our ward boundaries} were at the hospital welcoming their second baby boy into their family while at the same time, the house they had just rented and moved into, was on fire. They lost everything! Could you even imagine the highs and lows they experienced in one day.
Lady A is the right age that we could have donated some items for their older boy but her stuff is girly and pink. A lot of the new born items we have are items we will be using in just a few months when Lady #2 gets here. So, I went to my scrap pile and decided to spend the weekend sewing.
Luckily I had one blankie left and plenty of scraps that could be used to make other items.
I love these self-binding blankies, they come together so fast, are the perfect size and handmade items are so nice to receive.
These pouf squares are fun little sensory toys. Colorful patterns, soft fabric and ribbons with different textures. I like to leave the ribbons as loops and let moms decide if they want to cut them, they would simply cut then singe the edges to keep them from fraying.
This is our nephew thoroughly enjoying his square. It puts a smile on my face when I hear about my handmade items being loved.
And finally...burp cloths. These cloth diapers from Gerber make such great burp cloths, they soak up everything. They are not much to look at so I simply dress them up a bit.
Everything was not too matchy-matchy but they all turned out great. There is something about being able to serve others, I always get so excited. Knowing/hoping that I was able to help lift someones burdens is makes the late nights worth it!
At Church on Sunday there was a corner of the Relief Society room with stacks of bins. Families donated tons of items, clothes that their boys had grown out of, diapers and items for the new born, toys for the older brother and on and on. How wonderful that everyone was able to come together and help out. It will never replace everything they lost but hopefully all this will help take some of the sting away. All the best to this family as they mover forward.
In the coming few weeks I will work on getting up the simple tutorials for all these items so you can make and share your own.
Lady A has a blankie that she absolutely loves. This thing has been all over with us and the white yarn is more of a gray color now. I made her a new one but it was the wrong type of yarn, she used it a couple times but doesn't really cuddle with it like she does the original.
I found this Star Burst pattern on pinterest, loved it and so I wanted to give it a try. The stitch came from the 'Handbook of Crochet Stitches' by Betty Barnden. A very reasonable price for a book of 200 stitches. To make the stitches a bit more loose I used a hook one size larger than the suggested hook on the yarn packaging. I simply repeated the stitch until it was the width I wanted and just kept going, row after row, until it was done. Because I wanted the scallop to frame the entire blankie, once I finished the last row, I continued doing the same stitch pattern around the entire piece.
As I was going along with the stitch I noticed how similar this stitch was looking to one I had designed. I will share my stitch with you but you will have to get the handbook if you want the Star Burst stitch that I used for Lady A's blankie.
I got the yarn type right this time but it is super thick compared to her favorite one. Great for cuddling and keeping warm. Now I think I will move onto making one for the summer, a simple one that she can wrap around her like a shall or scarf, the same way she uses the one she has now.
Items needed for this project: 'Handbook of Crochet Stitches'by Betty Barnden
Hook I/9-5.50MM
Scissors
Colors used for this blanket.
White
Sunshine
Pistachio
Grey Heather
{I used one 6oz. skein of each}
Half Shell Stitch
Key:
CH ~ chain
ST ~ stitch
SC ~ single crochet
DC ~ double crochet
TOG ~ together (this is done like a decrease stitch but with more than just two stitches)
{} ~ from precious row
* ~ repeat
Foundation: ch st in multiples of 4, +1
Row 1: Skip 2 CH, *5 DC in next CH, skip 1 CH, 1 SC in next CH, skip 1 CH* end with 1 SC in last st, turn.
Row 2: 3 CH, skip SC, 2 DC TOG, * 2 CH, 1 SC in next DC {center of 5 dc}, 1 CH, 5 DC TOG {over 2 dc, 1 sc, 2 dc}* end 3 DC TOG {2 dc, 1 ch}, turn.
Row 3: 4 CH, 2 DC {in top of 3 dc tog}, *skip 1 CH, 1 SC {in sc}, 5 DC {top of 5 dc tog},* end 3 DC {top of 2 dc tog}.
Row 4: 2 CH, skip DC, *5 DC TOG {2 dc, 1 sc, 2 dc}, 2 CH, 1 DC {center of 5 dc}, 1 CH,* end 1 SC {in 4th of 4 ch}, turn.
Row 5: 1 CH, skip SC *skip 2 CH, 5 DC {top of 5 dc tog}, skip 1 CH, 1 SC {in sc},* end SC {first of 2 ch}.
As I walked out to my living room the other day I suddenly realized how many blankets we have, and it is such an eclectic bunch. Blankets from far off places, ones that I have made for my husband and daughter and many more that others have made for us. I think giving someone a blanket is a wonderful way to say 'I Love You!' They are warm on a cold day, comforting when you need to curl up, perfect to take out side and lay on the lawn during a wonderful summer evening. We have them all over the house for whenever the moment calls for a nice cuddly blanket.
After seeing all the wonderful handmade blankets our little girl received from family I decided I wanted to help share that love that a handmade blanket can bring. Check out my ETSY store for the latest and great deals. Find that special blanket that says you love them.
Well I have to apologize right off the bat today. When I was making this quilt I was just trying to get it done before I had to pack it up to move and so the pictures I took were just for me to remember how I made it for future blankets.
I
made this blanket during this past summer and have not had time to post about
it with the craziness of moving and trying to get settled. But here we are now.
Classes have started for my Husband and I am at home with Bentley
anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little angel.
But I can not keep it to myself, I LOVE how it turned out and so I wanted everyone to see it, and if you want, to make your own. I sure hope it's my little girls favorite, or at least one of them, she has plenty of hand made blankets from family that love her!!
Since
things have calmed down a bit and before they pick up again {my due date is in
TWO weeks} I thought now would be a good time to post the baby blanket and
list the tutorial.
The tutorial is going to be a bit long and wordy, especially since I don't have pictures for every step. If something is not clear or if I left something out, be sure to leave me a comment so I fix it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First thing is first. You need to pick out your material.
I had picked out this material with a different type of blanket in mind
but then changed my mind on what type of blanket to do. To do it as I have my
blanket you will need:
Five pieces of flannel, if you get the 44” you
will need 25” cut. {It’s always a good idea to get a little bit more} Try as
they may, we all know that material does not get cut straight at the cutting
table. This will give you a little room to work with when you take it home and
lay it out to cut your squares.
Obviously I was not planning on using this as a tutorial so the next
step I didn’t take any pictures of but hopefully I can explain it well enough.
Leave your material folded and lay it out vertically, one at a time, and cut
five {5} inch strips, you should get five {5} strips from each piece of
material.
With the strips I squared up the edges by
cutting the ends off. Keep your material folded in half {this will help so can
cut two squares at a time}, turn it so it is horizontal, and cut out 5” {five
inch} squares. By the time you are done cutting all your material you will have
80 squares from each of the five {5} different materials.
The
hardest part for me was the layout of all the squares. I finally took out a
piece of graph paper and sketched out the design. The blanket will be 10
squares by 10 squares.
I went through and ordered the squares from left to right for each row.
{This made it easier once I started sewing. I could just pick up the next piece
and go, I didn’t have to keep looking back at my pattern.}For the back to turned my graph paper a quarter
turn and ordered the squares from right to left {I wanted to try and make the
pattern more random and not have the same piece of material for the squares
line up on the back that were on the front.}
Now to start all that sewing!! This is where it can get a bit confusing, if I had pictures it would make perfect sense, so I will do my best to explain it.
Take the stacks of row one for the front and back. With the first
squares from each stack put the two wrong sides together. Now take the second
squares from each stack and put them wrong sides together. Now you will stack
all four pieces together and sew a straight down one side leaving a ½” {half
Inch} seem. Open up and separate the first squares from the second squares.
Continue with the third squares from each stack and put them wrong sides
together. Place them under second squares from that row and sew on the opposite
edge from the first seem {make sure that when they are sewn together, the ½”
{half inch} seem is facing the same way as the first one.} By the time you are
done with that row you will have 10 squares across.
Follow the same steps to make the next nine
rows.
Now you are going to sew the rows together. Make sure to stack row one
and row two with the back sides together. Do this for all 10 rows.
I also sewed a ½” {half inch} straight stitch
around the outside edges of the blanket to keep the outside squares from
opening up. Now you will snip the ½” {half inch} seam allowance from each
square to help fray the edges.
Wow,
that looks like a lot of work once it is all typed out. You can definitely tell
I was not planning on making a tutorial out of this one.
Finally you need to take a pair of scissors and snip all of the
½” {half inch} seams so that it will fray {also trim off the excess thread from sewing all the squares together.} Now all that is left to do is wash it to get all the loose fray off of the blanket.
AND Ta Da!!! A wonderful hand made quilt full of love.
because it is just that, nice and soft for their soft skin.
by Betty Barnden. A very reasonable price for a book of 200 stitches. To make the stitches a bit more loose I used a hook one size larger than the suggested hook on the yarn packaging. I simply repeated the stitch until it was the width I wanted and just kept going, row after row, until it was done. Because I wanted the scallop to frame the entire blankie, once I finished the last row, I continued doing the same stitch pattern around the entire piece.
