Stash Busting Baby Blanket

Well, I think it's fair to say that I've now reached the end of my seventeen balls.  The final project has been this stash busting baby blanket.  

Using a traditional granny square, I simply used it ball of wool until it ran out, then carried on with the next ball.  It resulted in quite a random pattern, and the colours are very eclectic, but at least its bright and colourful!

It measures 24" x 24" so would make a lovely pushchair, pram or car seat comforter.

Cushion Crazy!

Anybody who knows me and my crochet habits knows that I LOVE making granny squares.  I love how you can use different stitches to make them look like flowers, colourbursts, or traditional granny squares....and I love using different combinations of colours and seeing how they develop and fit together.

Until now, I've only used granny squares to make blankets, but I fancied a project that wouldn't take too long, so decided to try my hand at cushion covers.  I completed two different cushion covers in one weekend, which I think is pretty good going.

The basic method is to make 2 big granny squares - I had to make 18 rounds to fit this particular cushion - crochet them together, leaving an opening big enough to remove the cushion (for washing when your 6 year old spills juice all over it).  I was going to use buttons to close the opening, but seeing as I didn't have any, I simply wove some fancy thick yarn through the holes and fastened the ends - perfect.

Side one is a traditional granny square - with 2 rounds per colour

Side 2 is a traditional granny square using oddments of yarn, so instead

of a uniform pattern, the colours change randomly.

Side one is a traditional granny square in 2 colours

Side two is a never-ending granny square in 3 colours

This is my first attempt at a never-ending granny square, and once I had it started, it was really simple to do, and grows really fast!  If you want to try your hand, take a look at Mikeyssmail's video tutorial: 

Pastel Baby Blanket

I've nearly come to the end of my seventeen balls project.  My latest item is this pretty baby blanket.  The colours are mainly pastels and it would be a lovely comfort blanket for a Moses basket, pram, car seat etc.

Another granny square blanket finished!

Recently somebody got in touch with me through my Facebook page because she was looking for a traditional crochet blanket for her little boy.

As I  haven't made a blanket for a while, I decided to make her one, and as I have tons of yarn left still for Project: Seventeen Balls, I had plenty of lovely colours to choose from.  It's made up of 42 squares, the main colour of which is a lovely bright blue, and I confess I cheated and bought an extra ball of this colour...but I had to, in order to complete the blanket without compromising the design.  I think it looks lovely and it feels lovely too.

Flower Power

Do you remember the flowers I made as part of my Project: Seventeen balls? Well, I finally managed to make them into something pretty.

Obviously, I made a garland.  I did this by chaining 2 strands of contrasting green yarn, and slip stitching the flowers in at regular intervals.  Simple!  It looks very cute, and will make a lovely little housewarming present (I hope!) for someone who has recently decamped to Scotland...

The garland used up half of the flowers, so I made the remaining 10 into another garland for myself, and used it to pretty up a bit of a dark corner.

This corner contains a dis-used bedroom shelving unit, which holds a whole array of items, including some photos of my eldest son taken when he was very young (ahh), numerous children' books, a couple of pottery items the boys made at a local paint-a-pot cafe, a beautiful fabric owl hand-made by my very good friend, and a few proper old fashioned miners' candles - essential for the winter as the area we live in is very prone to power cuts.

I think the addition of the flowers cheers this corner up no end.

Back to square one...

...and two, three, four....

After the granny stripe marathon, I'm going back to my first love - granny squares!  These are going to be a lovely traditional blanket for a little boy, so I'm taking great care to mix up the colours from my seventeen balls.  Trying not to add too many pinks...!

Granny Stripe Blanket

Finally, at last...I've reached the end of yet another item for Project: Seventeen Balls.  My rainbow granny stripe throw is done!  It's taken just under 3 weeks to complete, although it feels like longer...............

It's finished off with a simple pink shell edging.

Flowers

I've taken a small break from my granny stripe to make some lovely flowers for my project: seventeen balls.

They were missing a little something, so I added some bamboo buttons, and I think they look fab!

Fancy Scarf

Number 3 on my Project: Seventeen Balls is an open-work scarf.  It took me a couple of days to do, and quite a lot of unpicking, as I kept losing my place on the pattern and doing it wrong!

The pattern itself I found in this book, that my good friend picked up for me at a charity shop.  It's very dated, but is full of different stitches and techniques so makes a very good reference point, and I always find something interesting every time I pick it up, although I recoil slightly each time I turn to the "His and Hers Crochet Cardigan"....

Much as I love crochet, the 1970's certainly have a lot to answer for....imagine if I made one for my partner and me - do you think he'd look as pleased with his cardi as the model in the book?  I don't think so!  Still, this page always makes me chuckle in a "thank goodness I was only a kid in the 70's" way!

The pattern I used to make the scarf is a large "diamond" pattern, although I think it actually looks more floral, and even with the unpicking, it was quite enjoyable to make - a real challenge for a person like me who's not too hot on reading patterns.

I'm not sure it's the height of fashion for now or even in the 70's ....  I wonder what the citizens of the 2040's will make of it....?

Wrist Warmers

The second of my Project: Seventeen Balls creations - a pair of stripey wrist warmers!  Now, I know it's officially the middle of summer, so why do I need these?

My home office where I sit and slave away all day, is on the "dark side" of the house that gets no sun whatsover.  My desk also happens to be in the draughtiest area of the house, situated in a very cold pocket  of air in front of a boarded up fireplace.  So even in the height of summer, I can be literally (almost) freeeeeezing!

These wrist warmers are perfect for me, because while they keep me warm, my fingers are still free to type away and pack orders.

The pattern is based on the lovely wrist warmers designed by Lucy at Attic 24.  I may have to do mine again because there are so many loose threads still and they are ever so slightly baggy!

Summer Bag

The first item completed on Project: Seventeen Balls is this gorgeous summer bag.  Made up of 16 solid granny squares in assorted colours, which are joined together to create a stunning pattern, I really love it.

It did take me quite a while because it meant following a written pattern (not my forte!), and with respect to the designer, there was a slight error in the English language version, but I got there in the end, and the result was well worth it.

If you fancy making your own, you can find the pattern here.

Project: Seventeen Balls

A couple of weeks ago I made an impulse purchase of 17 mixed coloured balls of Stylecraft DK yarn.  When they arrived on my doorstep I was blown away (well, not quite, but almost) by the gorgeousness of the different colours and how well they all went together.

Now, my favourite yarn type for crocheting is chunky, so the Double Knit is a bit thinner than I'm used to, and my first thought (once I'd got over admiring the balls) was "what am I going to make with all this wool?".

And so began Project: seventeen balls!  I've been trawling Ravelry and my favourite online crochet pattern sites, and now have a huge amount of ideas!  I'm going to see how many different projects I can complete with my 17 beautiful balls, and of course I'll be sharing them with you along the way.