A Baby Gift

By: Unknown on 1:16 PM

Share it Please

Tweet

As you know my posts in this blog are completely random, so it should come as no surprise to you that this post is about crocheting.

After walking through the Haymarket Farmer's Market one Saturday this summer, I saw numerous crocheted headbands, baby outfits, scarves, and gloves that looked so cool! I previously taught myself to knit using a Teach Yourself to Knit kit. I learned the stitches, but never really took it any further. After seeing all the neat items that could be crocheted, I decided I wanted to learn how. I went to the craft store, bought some yarn and a Teach Yourself to Crochet kit and went home to learn.

Learning didn't take too long as there are only about 6 main stitches you need to know to make most anything: chain stitch; single crochet; half double crochet; double crochet; treble crochet; and a slip stitch.

Knowing I had a new little niece or nephew on the way, I figured what better way to put my newly acquired skills to use?  I found an amazing looking baby blanket tutorial on a blog (here) and decided that's what I wanted to do!

First, I had to pick out three types of yarn. Since the baby's room is yellow and grey, I chose a super bulky baby yellow, a bulky grey, and a super bulky fuzzy white. I wanted to be sure the yarns were a type that could be washed and dried regularly being that they were going to be a baby blanket and babies aren't known for being the cleanest people around. =)

Purl Essence in Grey

Bernat Softee Chunky in Baby Yellow

Bernat Pipsqueak in Whitey White

Second, I had to get a larger crochet hook. My starter kit included 4 hooks, but none of them were big enough. I needed a size P, which was the largest size offered at Joann Fabric in Lincoln. The hooks are only about $2 each and considering I've used that hook for several subsequent projects, I would say it was a great investment!

Next, I went to work crocheting. There weren't many tricky stitches for this project, just a chain stitch and a single crochet.

Basically, holding all three yarns together, I chained until it was 36" long.

Then, skipping the first chain, I single crocheted in each stitch moving back across the foundation chain.

At the end of the row, you chain one and turn the work so it's to your left (if you're right handed). Then, you continue to work single crochet stitches for as many rows as length you would like the blanket.

As I got about half way through the project, I noticed that my edges were not even with each other. I attribute this to starting with loose stitches and then gradually getting tighter and tighter as I found what style I liked better. That being said, if I would have continued, the blanket would have been very lopsided. So...I took it all apart and started over. That was frustrating, but I wanted it to look good. This time, I took extra care to make sure I was using the same tightness on my stitches.

Before starting this project, I didn't know how long I wanted the blanket to be. I didn't know how big baby blankets were supposed to be, and there were a lot of differing opinions out there. I just decided to work until I thought it looked "right". In the end, it ended up being about 36" x 36".

All in all, it took me about three months to finish. However, that's with only working on it on weekends for the most part and starting over about 50% of the way through. I honestly think this could be done in a couple weekends if you really worked at it.

Here's the finished product.

I worked my stitches a little tight, so it didn't turn out as loose and flexible as I wanted, but I think it will still work great as a winter blanket or a mat to put on the floor for tummy or nap time.

I hope Baby Calvert gets as much joy out of it as I did while creating it!