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Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Irish Wave Baby Blanket

Irish Wave Baby Blanket Pattern

by Elizabeth Mareno





If you don't want to copy and paste the pattern or deal with the advertising,
it is available as a PDF download on ETSY, Ravelry, and my website!

This pattern includes instructions for both a scarf and a baby blanket.

NOTES: The baby blanket can easily become an adult blanket by simply continuing to add waves. Also, changing yarn weight and hook size will significantly change the way the afghan looks and what size you can achieve. If you want to add motifs to make it wider this is the math I would use: 1 motif = 14 chains. Each motif is approximately 3” wide. So decide how many more inches wide you would like your blanket (original is 32”) and add that many chains per motif to the original chain count. You may have to play with it a little.

It is a simple and lovely four row repeat that I hope you’ll try! 

Materials:
Light worsted like Yarn Bee Soft Secret  or a DK weight 40.25 total ounces of yarn needed for a baby blanket with 23 four-row repeats. 
Each color stripe** used approximately 1.75 ounces each.
1,450 yards for total blanket. 
Approximately 65 yards for 2 complete color stripes**.
**color stripes are a complete 4 row repeat

G hook Large Eye needle for weaving ends.

NOTES: The ch 2’s and ch 5’s at the beginning of the rows count as hdc and trc, respectively. However, chain 1 does not count as a sc.
Gauge is not necessary for this project.
Finished size for the baby blanket is approximately 46” long x 32” wide. The “soft” yarns have a great deal of stretch to them.
Scarf width is approximately 7”.

Specialty Stitches:
2trc cluster: *yo twice, insert hook into st indicated, yo, pull up loop, (yo, pull through 2 loops) twice, * leave the last loop on the hook. Repeat * to * once in the same space. Yo, pull through three loops left on the hook.
3trc cluster: *yo twice, insert hook into st indicated, yo, pull up loop, (yo, pull through 2 loops) twice, * leave the last loop on the hook. Repeat * to * twice in the same space. Yo, pull loop through four remaining loops on hook.
Sm sp = “same space”
Turning chain= the chain you made before you turned your work.

Scarf:
Base Row: ch31, hdc in 4th ch from hook and each across (29)

Row 1: ch5, trc in sm sp, ch3, 3trc cluster in sm sp, ch2, sk 6, sc in next, ch2, sk 6, (3trc cluster, ch3, 3trc cluster, ch3, 3trc cluster) in next st, ch2, sk6, sc , ch2, sk 6, 3trc cluster in turning ch, ch3, 2trc in sm sp.

Row 2: ch2 (cts as hdc), hdc in sm sp, 3hdc across ch3, * hdc in next cluster, 1 hdc in next ch2 sp, hdc in sc, 1hdc in ch2 sp *, hdc in cluster, 3hdc in ch3 sp, 3hdc in cluster, 3hdc in ch3, Repeat * to * once, hdc in cluster, 3hdc in ch3, 2hdc in last trc, sk ch5.

Row 3: ch1, sc in sm sp, ch2, sk 6 hdc, (3trc cluster, ch3, 3trc cluster, ch3, 3trc cluster) in next hdc, ch2, sk 6, sc in next, ch2, sk 6, Repeat ( ) once, ch2, sk 6, sc in turning ch.

Row 4: ch2, hdc in ch2 sp & next cluster, *3hdc in ch3 sp, 3hdc in next cluster, 3hdc in ch3 sp, hdc in next cluster, hdc in ch2, hdc in sc, *hdc in ch2, Repeat * to * once.

Continue working Rows 1-4 for as long as you would like the scarf to be. The typical scarf length is anywhere between 50-60” long depending on how much you want to be able to wrap the scarf around you.

Picture below is a step-by-step picture tutorial for working rows 1-4 if you need help. 


Baby Afghan:
Base Row: ch171, hdc in 4th ch from hook and each across (169)

Row 1: ch5, 2trc in sm sp, ch3, 3trc cluster in sm sp, ch2, sk6, sc in next, *ch2, sk 6, (3trc cluster, ch3, 3trc cluster, ch3, 3trc cluster) in next st, ch2, sk6, sc*. Repeat * to * ten times more (11 full clusters), ch 2, sk 6, 3trc cluster in turning ch, ch3, 2trc in sm sp.

Row 2: ch2 (cts as hdc) hdc in sm sp, 3hdc across ch3 (picture 1), *hdc in next cluster, 1 hdc in next ch2sp, hdc in sc, 1hdc in ch2sp (picture 2), hdc in cluster, 3hdc in ch3sp, 3hdc in cluster, 3hdc in ch3 (picture 3)*. Repeat * to * ten more times. Hdc in next cluster, hdc in ch2sp, hdc in sc, hdc in ch2sp, hdc in cluster, 3hdc in ch3sp, 2hdc in last trc, sk ch5.

Row 3: ch1, sc in sm sp, ch2, sk 6 hdc, *(3trc cluster, ch3, 3trc cluster, ch3, 3trc cluster) in next hdc, ch2, sk 6, sc in next, ch2, sk 6*. Repeat * to * ten more times. Sc in ch2 from row below (otherwise known as turning chain).

Row 4: ch2, *hdc in ch2sp, hdc in cluster, 3hdc in ch3sp, 3hdc in next cluster, 3hdc in ch3sp, hdc in next cluster, hdc in ch2sp, hdc in sc*. Repeat from * to * 11 more times

Repeat Rows 1-4 until you achieve the length you want for your afghan.




One of the many beautiful things about this particular pattern is that you don't have to put a border on it when you're done, unless you want to. I chose not to, because the sides sort of finish themselves off. Plus, there is so much movement going on inside the bulk of the blanket, I didn't want anything to take away from it's beauty, or make it an eyesore.  I hope you enjoy this pattern!

© Bizzy Crochet and Design 2014


Thursday, May 01, 2014

Chutes and Ladders Infinity Scarf Pattern

Chutes and Ladders Infinity Scarf Pattern

by Elizabeth Mareno



Bulky yarn and a big hook give you an adorable, snugly winter accessory in an afternoon. Perfect for gifts, or sprucing up your wardrobe. It incorporates easy crochet stitches into a fun and simple scarf that lacks nothing in warmth and style! Dress it up with your favorite buttons, flowers or pins!



You can purchase an ad-free PDF on ETSY or my website








6 oz Bulky yarn 
Multicolored- “Rainbow Classic” in the Multi-Citrus colorway
Gray: Yarn Bee- “Tender Touch”- Rain colorway
J Hook 
Large Eye needle for assembly 

Infinity scarf: 
Row1- Ch26, sc in 2nd ch, (ch1, sk ch, sc in next ch) across. 
Row2- ch1, turn, sc in first sc and first ch1 space,(ch1, sk sc, sc in next ch1) across, sc in last sc. 
Row3- ch4 (cts as dc and ch1), turn, (dc in next ch1, ch1) repeat across, dc in last sc. 
Row4- ch1, turn, sc in dc and ch1 space, (ch1, sk dc, sc in next ch1) across, sc in dc. 
Row5- ch1, turn, sc in first sc, (ch1, sc in next ch1) repeat, ch1, sc in last sc. 
Row6- ch3, turn, dc in ch1, (ch1, dc in next ch1) across, dc in last sc. 
Row7- ch1, turn, sc in dc, (ch1, sc in next ch1) across, ch1, sc in last dc. 
Repeat Rows 2-7 
End with a dc row when it is about 5 feet long. 
Leave a long piece for sewing ends together. 

© Bizzy Crochet and Design 2014

African Flower Afghan

I wanted to show you my latest afghan accomplishment. I'm pretty proud of the way it turned out. I think my newly 16 year old niece will like it too. :)

I struggled trying to make another afghan with squares, but the motifs were flat and lifeless and I just couldn't do it. I really wanted to make a flower style afghan, and I kind of knew I wanted to do something like an African Flower motif. I didn't want a raised- poofy flower. I felt like that might be too much material, if you understand what I mean. She is also in that transition between little girl and woman, so I wanted something that could grow with her. 

It took me forever to find an African Flower motif pattern. I don't know why I was so "challenged". lol When I finally located an English version of an African Flower, it made almost no sense if I didn't have a picture sitting right there. So, I am going to share the simple pattern with you in laymen's terms. 




Easy pattern instructions: I used worsted weight (RHSS) yarn and a J hook.

R1: ch5, join to make a circle, ch3 (counts as a dc), dc in the circle, ch1, (2dc, ch1) in the circle 5 more times, sl st to first dc to join. (6 ch1 sp, 12 dc) cut color.

R2: join with next color in a ch1 sp, ch3, (dc, ch1, 2dc) in same ch1 sp, (2dc, ch1, 2dc) in each ch1 sp around skipping everything else in between them, join with a sl st to the first dc. (6 ch1 sp, 24 dc) do not cut color.

R3: sl st over to the next ch1 sp, ch3 (cts as dc), put 6 more dc in the same ch1 sp, put 7 dc in the remaining ch1 spaces skipping everything in between, join with sl st to first dc. (6 "petals) cut color.

R4: Using the first color, join with a sl st to the first dc of a petal, ch1, sc in join sp and next 6dc, in the space between petals make a long dc around the "bridges" created by the skips in rows 2 and 3, repeat this pattern around. (42 sc, 6 long dc) cut color.

R5: With a border color, join with a sl st to the center sc on a petal, ch3, 2dc in the same space, (dc in 7, 3 dc in next) repeat until you reach the last 7 stitches, dc in the last 7, join with a sl st to the first dc. cut color.

I usually leave a long end for whipstitching my pieces together. 

The next pictures just show my afghan progress until I finished. I chose not to make half motifs, but left the edges open. I did finish with a simple border. 






The blanket finished out at 50" long by almost 40" wide. I think, from start to finish, it took me a week and a day to finish it. 

The colors I used were Red Heart Super Saver in Dark Orchid, Medium Purple, Purple Tones, and Melonberry. The Melonberry is what made the whole thing pop. 


Crafting Memories: Section 5 of the Memories Blanket CAL

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