Watermelon Candy Crochet Beanie

This hat took me far longer than it ought to have taken.  But I am still pleased with the results.  And sadly, I have put my crochet hook down for a bit because every time I crochet I seem to aggravate the knot behind my left shoulder.  I've tried my tips and tricks.  And you can find them here!  But for some reason that knot is relentless.  My hands, while they do get fatigued after long use, were fine.  This time it was just the dumb knot.

If you have any tips or tricks please leave them in the comment section below.  Do you use ergonomic crochet hooks?  Let me know what ones and if you think they help.  There's also a posture corrector that I keep seeing online and I'm curious if that could help.  It looks like the thing my son wore when he broke his collar bone.  Has anyone used one of those to correct posture while crocheting?

Anyway, here are some pictures of the hat on my head (with extremely poor lighting!).  It is a simple beanie and should work up quickly if you don't take a thousand breaks.  Do you like the little pompom I put on top?  I hesitated about that, but in the end decided to go with it.  How about the flower?  In the future I'll have to include instructions how to make that simple creation.  It's super easy and very fast.

Here is a post with a link to directions on how to make this simple crochet beanie.  For this hat I used a J-hook, but I'm sure you can work with many other sizes depending on the thickness of your yarn.

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Watermelon Candy Granny Strip Afghan
Bright and Fun Granny Square Bag

Chunky Stripe Double Crochet Blanket

It took me around six months to finish this one, but even with the relentless knot behind my shoulder blade, I was determined to press on.  And I finished it!  What do you think?  I was a little hesitant about adding the gray in with the nice, bright pink and teal, but I think it looks good.  This time I decided to go with big chunky stripes, each making up a quarter of the blanket.

Overall this blanket took 8 regular sized skeins of yarn.   And besides the months long breaks I took, it really does work up quickly.  Click here and you can see the great yarn deal I got at Michaels.  This blanket cost me less than $15 to make!  I was itching to use this bright and cheery yarn for a project last fall and just before this summer rolled around I finished it up.  I think that's pretty good yarn turnover time!  Just ask a friend who knits or crochets.

I do have a question to ask of any fellow crochet bloggers.  How do you photograph your blankets?  I've tried several different ways and I just don't love any of them.  I found it difficult to take pictures of a blanket with stripes this big.  None of my pictures really portray how warm and cuddly it really is.  If you have any suggestions, leave them down below.

Here is a link to the pattern I used.  It's a pattern that doubles up on the yarn holding two strands and using them as one strand.  This time I used Craft Smart yarn in turquoise, white, fuchsia and gray.  Instead of switching out for the stripes on that pattern, just work two whole skeins (holding a strand from each and crocheting as one) of yarn then switch to the next color.  If you browse my page I'm sure you can see this is one of my favorite patterns!

Now I'm off to make a hat and figure out what I'm going to enter in the fair this year!


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Fall Haul
My Favorite Granny Afghan So Far!
Watermelon Candy Strip Afghan

Fall Haul

This is a shopping haul from my recent trip to Michaels.  With skeins of yarn at $2 and a 20% everything including sale items, this was one major deal.  $16 for 10 skeins of yarn!!  And this isn't old yarn from a dusty thrift store.  This is brand new!

Now I have to think of what to make.  Any ideas?  I'm sure I could whip up a few more granny squares.  Those are fun.  And there are so many things to do with granny squares. I could make another scarf or a blanket or maybe I could try something new altogether.

I would like to make the Halloween Garland I mentioned in my 14 Awesome Autumn Pins post.  I would need to use some orange and green from my stash, but I could use the black and white for the ghosts and spiders.

The white, blue and pink would be perfect for the Owl Mug Cozies I pinned.  The original poster did not use those colors, but I think they would work out great.

What do you think I should make?  Comment below for ideas.  Also, do you have a favorite yarn?  Comment below with the yarn you love.

As a reminder, I'm participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge!


*UPDATE - I previously said $16 for 20 skeins of yarn.  I meant 10!  That would have been a crazy deal, though!

You might also like:
14 Awesome Autumn Pins
Cute Handbag for Little Girls
Watermelon Granny Stripe Afghan

Cozy Fall Granny Scarf

What better time to whip up a nice warm and cozy scarf than BLOGtober??  I thought of this idea a little while back and figured I'd make it for a post this month.  I just finished it up the other day and I think it came out so cute that I am keeping it.  Sorry, friends, this one's staying with me!

This has been the year of granny squares for me.  There was my Vibrant Granny Square Afghan that I entered in the fair.  Click the link to see how I did!  That afghan took a while and a lot of grannies!  I also made a ton of other granny squares for other projects.  Pretty soon you'll see a pocketbook I made using granny squares.  They are so versatile.

Here you can see me wearing the scarf.  You like my dusty mirror?  Wow, I should have cleaned that first.  Oh well.  Anyway, I think, in hindsight, I would have made the scarf one square longer.  I thought with the extra stitching lining the squares it would have been a little longer.  This length is pretty good, though. 

Here's a closer look at the details.  You can see I used four colors for this scarf.  I arranged them randomly for a not-so-perfect look.  The granny squares were made using a size J hook.  I did two rounds and outlined each in the off white using a single crochet.  Then I stitched them all together with a single crochet in the same off white.  You can see the full pattern below.

It was a lot of sewing and tying loose ends to complete this project, but it was worth it.  I really like how it turned out.  The colors look perfect for fall and yet I know they'll work just fine for winter.

Materials:

size J crochet hook
scrap yarn in red, green brown, purple and off white

Instructions:

Make 28 small granny squares in four colors. You can divide the colors however you like.

Chain four.  Place hook in first chain and slip stitch to create a circle. Chain two.  Then double crochet two into circle.  Chain one.  Double crochet three.  Repeat two more times until you have four clusters.  Then join with slip stitch.

Slip stitch to corner.  Chain two.  Double crochet two.  Chain one.  In the same corner, double crochet three, chain one.  Double crochet three into next corner, chain one, double crochet three into the same spot.  Repeat until you have two clusters in each corner.  Slip stitch to finish.

Outline in off white using a single crochet stitch.  Sew in all loose ends.

Make 28 granny squares total using the four colors.

Join squares using single crochet.  This is a great video showing how to do this if you need a visual.  Make sure to sew in the rest of those loose ends!

Any questions?  Type them in the comment section below.


I'm participating in the Ultimate Blog Challenge!  Are you?  It might be too late to join now, but you can always join the next one!

What I Love About Fall

Some of the best things of the year happen in fall.  It's my favorite season.  Can you blame me?  I live in beautiful New England where we wait for fall all year.  There's apple picking, pumpkin picking, pumpkin carving, pumpkin-flavored everything, crisp walks, jumping in the leaves, Halloween, Thanksgiving and so much more!

Here's a roundup of some of my favorite activities and recipes that are just perfect for fall.

Brookfield Orchards

One of the things we do to kick off the fall season is a family day at the orchard.  Last year we spent time at a couple orchards, but this one is my favorite.  I buy apples here throughout the season and make many recipes with these tasty local fruits.  Click the link above to read about one of my favorite places of all time.

Apple Recipe Roundup

These recipes are time-tested and family approved.  Try any one of them and you surely won't be disappointed.   I'm always looking for new recipes, so if you have a good apple one you think I'd like, share it in the comment section below.  Healthy recipes are a bonus!  I may even do a recipe review and let you know if I like it!

Pumpkin Roundup

Not long after the apples have appeared pumpkins steal the show.  Unlike my recipes made with fresh apples, most of my pumpkin recipes call for canned.  I do cook with fresh pumpkins as well, but they are much more tedious to deal with than fresh apples.  Typically I start making pumpkin recipes long before we head to the pumpkin patch in mid October.  In fact, I made this bread just the other day!

Carving and decorating pumpkins is also one of our family's favorite traditions.  Here are the one's we made last year.  Can you guess who made each one?

Crochet

Autumn is the perfect time to crochet.  With a slight nip in the air, you can cuddle up with your current project on the couch.  Here's a blanket that works up quickly and easily, and could be done by Christmas with time to spare.  Follow this link so you can see how it's made.  If you've never crocheted before, fall is the perfect time to learn!

Try these for your Thanksgiving Feast!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I think it might be beat out by Christmas, but just barely.  We have some fun Thanksgiving traditions in our family.  Some are typical like turkey and pie.  Others are not so typical, like Bingo.  Everyone in our family has a great time on Thanksgiving!

Here in New England winter rolls around just about the time Thanksgiving finishes up.  Christmas gets me through the cold season and hopes of spring once the new year begins.  But fall in New England will always be my favorite.

Do you have any favorite autumn activities?  A favorite fall recipe to share?  Pumpkin spice or anything nice?  Share it in the comment section below!

Also, today is day two in the Ultimate Blog Challenge!  Check it out!  I think there's still time to join!

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30 Days 30 Recipes
Ultimate Blog Challenge
Ultimate Blog Challenge Facebook Group

Results From The Fair!! Were We Winners?

Are you ready for the results?!?

My kids, as I mentioned in the other post, thought it would be fun to enter Veggie Varmints in the creativity class at the fair.  We saw some friends who entered last year and decided to give it a go.  

A week ago, my daughter, son and I scoured Pinterest for ideas.  Pinterest has everything, you know!  My son didn't want to be boxed in by anyone else's design and decided to go freestyle. We purchased a variety of vegetables and he just went for it.  In the end he created the Lobwhale.  It was a very cute sea creature-looking creation.  He had a lot of fun making it and was happy with his result.  Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures when it was fresh, so you only get to see a wilted version after three days of being unrefrigerated.  So use your imagination and rehydrate those carrots!  My son didn't quite make the prize circle, but he had a great attitude and was very pleased that he had entered.  I even think he wants to do it again, so that's a win in my book!

My daughter found inspiration on Pinterest and had it in her mind for days that she was going to do this one specific thing.  She was almost swayed by her brother's free-styling idea, but in the end went with her original plan.  And it paid off!  She got the blue ribbon!  She won first prize for the eggplant penguin she named Happy Feet.  My daughter was so excited and very proud of herself.  I was happy for her as well, especially because there was a moment in there where I thought she might just throw in the towel.  But she persevered and in the end came out with a win!  

And me?

I did it!!

I got a blue ribbon, too!

I'm so excited.

Ok, there were only one or two other afghans in the class, but I won!!  I know it's quite the small victory, but I can't lie, it was gratifying to see that blue ribbon pinned to my project.  It makes me want to do it all again next year.  I'm already coming up with new ideas! 

So have you ever entered your project in a contest?  This was a first for me and it was so much fun.  It was motivating to have a goal to work towards.  Just like I talked about in my series, 30 Days 30 Recipes, having goal and accomplishing it is so incredibly rewarding.  And the win is just icing.

I've discovered some things about myself this year.  I need goals!  They don't have to be lofty goals or even anything I share with other people.  I just need something to strive towards. Contrived or not, goals create purpose and make me happy.  And I think that might be the secret for everything.


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30 Days 30 Recipes Wrap Up
My Favorite Granny Afghan So Far
Blanket Roundup

My favorite Granny Afghan so far!

Last year we went to the fair.  As usual, we checked out the exhibit hall and saw all the homemade creations displayed.  From jams and jellies to Lego creations and fantastical creatures constructed of vegetables, it was there.

Later that night, I saw on Facebook a friend of mine had pictures of her kids holding up their entries and blue ribbons.  That was awesome!  I asked her how hard it was to enter and she directed me to the page for the fair entries.  I read it and found out it was a cinch.  So this year my kids are planning on entering.  Fun!

Not to be left out of all the fun, I checked out the list of options for adult exhibits.  I saw granny square afghan there and I thought, perfect!  So this is what I came up with to enter into the fair this year.  I'm excited to see how I do and check out all the other items people enter.  I'll show you what the kids made as well in another post, so stay tuned!

Check out this post to see how we did!
Results From The Fair!! Were We Winners?

6 Ways to Avoid Crochet Pain

I'm not sure about you, but if I go on an all day crochet marathon, my hands stage a revolt!  Not to mention the large knot that forms between my left shoulder blade and spine.  Some might say it's time to take it easy, and they'd be right.  But that doesn't mean I can't crochet anymore.  I just have to do a few things to keep everything healthy.

Here's a list of six things you (and I) can do to keep on crocheting!

1.  Pace yourself.  Do not crochet all day every day.  Just like anything else, take periodic breaks and do something different with your muscles.  Crochet is a sedentary sport, so get off your hiney and move a little.

2.  Stretch every now and then.

• Hand Stretches for Knitters and Crocheters
• Wrist Exercises for Crocheters and Knitters

3.  Massage your knots and sore muscles.  I get knots in my forearms.  A simple massage with the other hand really helps.  For knots in my back or a sore neck I call on my husband or use my handheld massager.  This really helps, but be cautious not to go overboard!

4.  Posture is key!  Check how you're sitting and see if you can improve.  Can you add a pillow behind your neck, under your arm?  If you have your elbow propped up it can really help with fatigue.

5.  Prioritize your activities.  When I spend hours on the computer, I can't crochet as long.  Or if I color in my coloring book for hours, I am not able to crochet much at all.  Any activity that involves fine motor skill is going to affect your crochet game.

6.  Take your vitamins and supplements.  This might sound like a strange thing but taking vitamins and supplements can help your joint health, which will make crocheting less painful and more enjoyable.  Deficiencies can lead to pain and that can cause more trouble with crochet.  Do a Google search and see what you come up with.  I find all my joints feel the best when I take turmeric.  I also take D, fish oil and a multivitamin.


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Multicolor Scrap Blanket
Simple Crochet Beanie

Blue, Brown and White Giant Granny Square

I've been gone for over a month!  But I haven't been sitting idly by.  Here is a blanket I finished up in January that I just hadn't gotten around to sharing with you.  It's a giant granny square much like this one.  I started it without a grand plan, just some yarn that I already had around from other projects.  I hope you like it!

Giant granny squares are so versatile.  Plus they're quick and easy.  They also lend themselves nicely to using up leftover yarn because the pattern possibilities are endless.

I'm on a bit of a crochet hiatus at the moment.  It's been busy around here!  I've been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.  And after that, well, just getting rid of stuff!  Just before things got busy, I started making a blanket comprised of small granny squares.  I plan to post that in the coming months.

I have probably thirty granny squares worked up but I have yet to join them.  I was going to use a continuous join, but I think I'm opting for the single crochet join.  Do you have a favorite join for the classic granny square afghan?

If you want to see things I'm doing regularly, join me on Instagram @homecookedandhandmade.  Just type that in the search bar and you should see my page.

Anyway, here's the pattern from my giant granny square blanket.

Classic Giant Granny Square Afghan

Materials:

3 jumbo-sized skeins of yarn (you will have some extra but not too much)

size I hook

needle to weave ends

Shell -three double crochets together in one space

1.  Begin by chaining four.  Put your hook in the furthest chain from the hook and slip stitch.  Pull to make a circle.

2.  Chain 2.  Double crochet two into the space.  Chain two.  Double crochet 3, chain two.  Repeat this two more times.  Once you have four groups of three double crochet chain two, slip stitch to connect.  Slip stitch to the corner.  

3.  Chain 2.  Double crochet two, chain one, then double crochet three.  Chain two and make two shells in each corner followed by chain two.  Slip stitch to join and slip stitch to corner.

4.  Continue pattern with two shells in each corner separated by chain one, and one shell in each chain two space, separated by chain two.

This is a throw-sized blanket measuring approximately 53" X 53"

Here's a great YouTube tutorial if you would like to see a visual.  Videos like this one are how I taught myself to crochet a few short years ago.  Her pattern is a tiny bit different, but really, you could follow her and end up with a blanket basically the same as mine.

Thanks for stopping by!


Join me on Instagram @homecookedandhandmade



You might also like:

Giant Granny Square Blanket
Watermelon Candy Granny Strip Afghan
Multicolor Crochet Scrap Blanket

Bright and Fun Granny Square Bag

I was in the middle of making another blanket and I decided I needed to put it down for some more instant gratification.  Besides, I had someone in mind who I thought would really enjoy this bag!  The idea came from Pinterest, of course!  You can find the idea here.  I couldn't find a pattern so I used the picture for inspiration.

I worked up four identical granny squares using Red Heart Spring Green, White, Pretty n' Pink and Pink.  I also worked one granny square of the same size in just green to use as the base.   I had most of these colors left over from a blanket I had been working on.  I love using what I already have.  Check out this Little Girl's Handbag in the same colors.  Another project using leftover yarn!

My idea was to put a stuffed animal in the bag as a gift.  I thought it would be a fun place to store other animals as well, almost like a storage bin.

As mentioned above, I simply made 5 identically-sized granny squares.  To make it more stiff, I used two strands of worsted weight yarn as one.  Then I single-crocheted the squares together, a solid green one as the base.  After connecting the squares, I outlined them with one more layer of pink yarn. to make the pattern pop.  I found that the bag was a little floppier than I would like, so I added a square of cardboard at the bottom and sewed the top corners together a bit.  This helped a lot.  This is not a stiff bin, however.  It definitely does have structure, but if you wanted a more solid form, you could line it with a box.

Bright and Fun Granny Square Bag

Materials:

Less than one skein of each color- Red Heart Pretty n' Pink, Spring Green, White and Pink

Directions:

1.  With one strand of Pretty n' Pink and one strand of Pink, chain four.  Put your hook in the furthest chain from the hook and join with a slip stitch to make a circle.

2.  Chain 2.  Double crochet two into the space.  Chain one.  Double crochet 3, chain one.  Repeat this two more times.  Once you have four groups of three double crochet chain one, slip stitch to connect.  Slip stitch to the corner.  

3.  Chain 2.  Double crochet two, chain one, then double crochet three.  Chain one and make two shells in each corner followed by chain one.  Slip stitch to join and slip stitch to corner.

4.  Continue pattern, with two shells in each corner separated by chain one, and one shell in each chain one non-corner space, separated by chain one.  To make the color pattern I have, do three rounds of pink, two rounds of green and one round of white, always using two strands instead of one.  Make four squares this way and make your fifth square all green.  *you can really do any color pattern, just make sure each square is identical in size*

5.   Using single crochet, join each square with white yarn to make a open-topped cube shape, making sure to keep the green square as the base.  Once all squares are joined in the correct shape, outline in one more round of single crochet using Pretty n' Pink.  

6.  To make handles, join green yarn about one inch in from one square, and single crochet four into the top of the bag. continue until handle reaches desired length and join, using single crochet, about one inch from the other side of the same square.  Repeat on opposite side.

7.  If needed, pinch corners together and sew with white yarn to give more structure.  

8.  Cut out a square piece of cardboard and place in bottom.


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Watermelon Candy Granny Stripe Afghan
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10 Homemade Gift Ideas

Image found here.

I like to give homemade gifts.  It's fun to think about the person you are giving to and come up with ideas on how to make it personal, just for them.   I have had some homemade gift fails in the past.  I won't mention any here, as some of you might have gotten them!  It's not that I didn't try, it's just that when I actually gave the gift, I thought to myself, hmmm, maybe I should have thought that one through a little bit more.  I know you know what I mean!  Try these gifts for some no-fail solutions.


1.  Candy
A tin of homemade candies.   I suggest fudge, peanut butter balls and chocolate covered pretzels or mint patties.  Be sure not to package mint patties with other candies that you do not wish to taste like mint.  The same goes for peanut butter.

2.  Cookies
A plate of homemade cookies.  Focus on one or two varieties that you make well instead of piling on multiple different kinds.  This is kind of a pet peeve of mine as flavors tend to mingle and none of the cookies taste distinct.  Try to pair cookies that go together in flavor as well as look.  Here's (LINK) a recipe for some allergy-friendly and totally delicious gingerbread cookies.  Put these on a plate with some nice gingersnaps and you're in for a win.

3.  Jams and Jellies
Make some jelly.  Get bottle of juice, bag of sugar, pectin and some jars.  You'll have some homemade jelly in no time.  If you want to make jam, grab a bag of frozen fruit.  Check out pickyourown.org for instructions.  Once cool, arrange a few jars nicely in a basket and you've got a great gift.  For a smaller gift, pop a bow on the top of a jar.

4.  Beauty in a Basket
Make a variety of scrubs, soaps or lotions.  Attach instructions and ingredients for the receiver so they know what each product is for and so they can make any of the beauty products themselves once they run out.  Put them all in a nice basket and add a facecloth or two.  Here's a link to my Pinterest page that might help you out.

5.  Blanket
A blanket is a thoughtful gift and the person can think of you every time they use it.  I've made many blankets in my few years crocheting and I think many people enjoy receiving them as gifts.  Here's a link to a crochet blanket roundup (ADD LINK) to give you some ideas.  And here's a link to my crochet blanket Pinterest page.

6.  Hat, Scarf and Glove set
This is great for kids.  They can never have to many of these winter necessities around.  Find out what color the child you are giving to likes and make a set in a short amount of time.  Each individual piece works up quickly, but if you've got multiple people to give to, you might want to start this project earlier in the year.  Here's a beanie and here's a granny square hat.  I didn't do it, but you can make matching gloves and scarf to go with these hats.

7.  Homemade Cleaning Supplies
Many people have been turning back to simple homemade cleaning supplies.  Check out my Pinterest page for some ideas.  Add to that my homemade laundry soap in a pretty jar and you have something someone would love to receive.

8.  Homemade Seasoning Mixes
One of my favorite homemade seasoning mixes is taco seasoning.  I use it all the time and I'd never go back to packets.  It's so inexpensive, but not only that.  It's delicious and you can mix it according to your family's taste preferences and nutritional needs.  Other mix ideas can be found at Budget 101.  This is a great site and I get a lot of excellent ideas here.

9.  Cloth Napkins
Get some fabric to match your friend or family member's kitchen and sew up some simple cloth napkins.  Get some napkin rings and you have a nice, personal gift.

10.  Kitchen Basket
You can fill a basket with homemade and store-bought kitchen supplies.  Purchase a towel or two and put them through this towel ring.  Make some simple washcloths and add some dish soap and potholders and you've got a great gift!  To spice it up a little, add in a scrubby sponge and dish wand. You really can take this wherever your hear desires.


So there you have it!  I hope you found some great ideas for this Christmas.  If you like what you see,  subscribe to my page on the right of this post.  And as always, feel free to share this with your friends!

Blanket Roundup

Looking for a personal gift idea?  Most of my blankets are very quick to make so you should be able to whip one up before Christmas.  Here's a roundup of many of the blankets I've crocheted and featured here on my blog.  Check it out, you might be inspired!

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Do you have scraps of yarn laying around?  Check out these scrap blankets!  They are the perfect solution if you have time and yarn but not a lot of money.

Double Crochet Scrap Blanket

Multicolor Crochet Scrap Blanket
This yarn came mostly from a bag of yarn a friend gave me.  It was so fun to go through and see what potential could come from a jumbled trash bag full of yarn.  I was happy with how it turned out!

Striped Double Crochet Blanket
This one is another double crochet blanket in stripes.  I love stripes!

Here are some blankets that work up super quick.  They combine two strands of yarn to make something nice, thick, quick and comfortable.

Coffee and Blue Jeans
This one is probably my favorite.  I gave it to one of my nephews as a gift.  You might recognize it from the homepage of my blog!

Boyish Stripes

I really like this one too.  I made it for another of my nephews and gave it to him for Christmas last year.  It's so warm and comfy!

Pink and Gray Double Crochet
This is a more recent one.  It's the same idea as the others just different colors and a different pattern of stripes.

Neapolitan
This one reminds me of the ice cream that you always seem to find at birthday parties: strawberry chocolate and vanilla.

These next ones are granny square and granny stripe blankets.  They are crocheted as just one giant granny square that continues to increase in size each round.  When you get to the size you like, just stop!


Giant Granny Square Blanket

Watermelon Candy
This next one is also a favorite of mine.  I gave it to my niece for Christmas last year.  I just love how all the colors came together.  It is a granny stripe as opposed to a granny square.  I also added a ruffle edge to make it just a little more special!

If you want to see more of my crochet items, just check out the Crochet/Knit page found on this blog!



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Neapolitan Double Crochet Blanket

I think my favorite crochet blanket to make is a striped, chunky double crochet blanket.  It's quick, easy and I love the result.  Here's the latest one I worked on.  As a reminder, to achieve the chunky look, I use a larger hook and crochet with two strands of yarn together.

It's such a simple design but I love the simplicity of it.  Double crochet is such an easy stitch, but you can do so much with it.  As I've said in the past, I learned to crochet using YouTube tutorials and I am so very grateful for the people who put out videos to learn new skills.  Who needs to pay for classes when everything is free on the internet!?!

Well, I suppose you do need to be discerning for some things, but I say if you can learn a skill that's a win in my book!

For the stripes on this blanket, I crocheted 8 rows of each color.  This made for a nice wide stripe.  I do like most any size stripe, but for this I was thinking of the box of ice cream and I thought the wider stripes gave it that feel.

To make one of these for yourself, simply chain until you reach the desired width of your blanket.  then, skipping the first chain, double crochet into each chain, repeating until you change colors.  Then continue, repeating the pattern until you get to the desired length.  

I purchased my yarn at Walmart for less than $6 per skein for the jumbo skeins.  You will need a total of two skeins for each color, or one jumbo skein and one regular sized skein.  Results may vary based on the tightness of your stitch.

Materials:

Red Heart Super Saver Cafe Late

Red Heart Super Saver White

Red Heart Super Saver Perfect Pink

Hook size: L

Click here for instructions on how to crochet a blanket just like this!

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More Crochet Washcloths

You can never have enough washcloths.  Here are some I recently worked up with cotton yarn in a variety of colors.   The cotton yarn can be purchased at Walmart or your local craft store for under $3.  I can usually get two washcloths from one skein.

I thought it would look nice to do cloths in coordinating colors and vary the border design.  These would make a great gift when paired with nice dish soap, towel and crochet towel holder.  Here's a link for a crochet towel holder I made, and a pattern for one you can make yourself.

Above are some I worked up with white and green.  I put a ruffled edge on the white one to give it a little flair.  The bottom one is white with a multicolor cotton yarn as a border.  I had a very small amount of this multicolor yarn laying around from a bag of yarn a friend of mine gave me.  This border was a perfect solution to use it up!

If you want to make one yourself, check out the pattern here: The Humble Washcloth
You can add a different color or fancy border.  Or you can keep it simple as in the original pattern, with a single crochet border in the same color as the body of the washcloth.



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The Humble Washcloth
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Cute Handbag for Little Girls