White Pullover

So, I was between squares on my Avatar blanket when I decided I just wanted to do something quick, easy, and for myself.  I don't usually make things for myself these days.  So I looked through my Queue on Ravelry and found this pattern.

The pattern itself was easy enough.  I tried it on about a zillion times to make sure it was fitting the way I wanted it too.  I made minor adjustments to it, such as chaining less around my torso and more around my boobs.  It's very snug, but I wanted it that way.  I also made the sleeves 3/4 length instead of full.

I'm not entirely happy with this project.  For one, the yarn I used, Red Heart Super Saver, is itchy.  Big surprise there, right?  It's known for being a value, not being soft.  But I was trying to use up some yarn in my collection, which didn't even happen because I had to buy more midway through.

But the biggest problem I had was the left sleeve cuff turned out bigger than the right.  I knew of this problem while I was working on it, but I couldn't figure out what I did wrong.  Both cuffs have the same number of rows.  I was afraid of taking away rows on the left cuff because I thought it would mess up the number of 'holes' in the sleeve, so I just left it and hoped it would work out in the end.  Now, I wish I had improvised a little, because the cuff is much looser than the other one and it bugs the crap out of me.  Perfectionist problems.

My favorite part of this pullover is the flower, which I derived from this pattern.  I wasn't going to put it on even though the pattern had lots of flowers attached, but I'm so glad I did.  I think it really adds style to the piece.

I used Red Heart Super Saver for this piece, color Soft White.  I think I used an H hook, but there was so much adjusting going on with the pattern that I don't think it matters much.

Oh!  I almost forgot!  It was another first for me: my first piece of clothing (other than gloves or hats).  It turned out... okay.  I'm not thrilled, but I don't hate it.

Twins' Swaddle Me Blankies

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, my cousin Carey is having twins!  Actually, she's at the hospital right now on bed rest.  They're monitoring her day by day to decide when to deliver little Max and Maddie.  I'm thrilled for her.

About a month or two ago was her baby shower.  I wanted to make something for my new cousins-once-removed, so I found this pattern for a swaddling blanket.  It even came with an adorable instruction tab that made the blanket look so... gift-y.  Perfect for a baby shower!  I got to work right away.

This project was the first time I've ever worked corner to corner on something, and I actually found it quite enjoyable.  Without a foundation chain to tighten up the first row, there was no curling of the corners to worry about.  Motivation-wise, it's a perfect way to work a pattern.  At the beginning, you're so happy to be starting something new, and the rows go quickly so you see a lot of progress, which just adds to your enthusiasm.  That energy carries you through to the long rows and gets you up to the top of the metaphorical hill.  And just as you're reaching the point where you hate crocheting and you hate the world and you just want to quit, the rows start getting shorter.  And your enthusiasm comes back.  Corner to corner is the best.

Since I was making two blankets, I worked on them at the same time.  One day blue, one day pink.  I think it would have been too depressing to finish one completely and knowing in the back of my head that I hadn't even started on the second.  I would have been discouraged and not as motivated to work on the second one.

The pattern was easy overall.  I took some advice of some other Ravelers (friend me, btw) and didn't break yarn when I started on the hood, instead working it all in one piece before whipstitching them together.

The only thing I don’t like about this pattern is the border. If I were going to do this pattern again, I’d do a different border. It’s just not dramatic enough for my taste, even after I used 3 dc in each ch 3 space instead of 2. I also sc instead of sl st in the dc. I still wasn’t completely happy with that, but they looked fine.

One of the biggest struggles I had while making this blanket was deciding how big to make it.  The pattern comes in two sizes, premie and baby.  On the one hand, I wanted the blankets big enough so the children could be able to use them for a long time.  On the other, these are twins, and would most likely be premature and tiny.  After doing a little internet research, most moms said swaddling blankets should ideally be at least 40" square.  42" to 47" is even better.  Otherwise, the baby would just kick free.  I believe mine turned out 40" square, which I think is a nice compromise.

Final step was washing them, of course, since these blankets are for infants and I worked on them at work on the plane.  They were probably covered in all kinds of nastiness.  Bleh.  The yarn didn't seem to shrink or lose its texture in the wash, so I expect the blankies to last for years to come.

Carey was so excited to see the blankets.  They were supposed to be a complete surprise, but I think since I gave her sister a baby blanket a few days before, she suspected they were coming.  They turned out adorable, though.

The yarn I used was Bernat Baby Coordinates, colors Soft Blue, Baby Pink, and White.  This yarn has a little texture to it and a strand of white running through it, so it kind of sparkles without compromising softness.  I loved it and it was easy to work with.  I used an H size hook.  These two blankets took me two and a half weeks.

UPDATE:  Now that the twins have arrived, I wanted to share a picture of them enjoying their blankies.  I'm told they were used in the hospital and all the nurses loved them!  I was also told that the twins used them on their way home from the hospital.  Hearing these things means the world to me.  To think, something I made kept these gorgeous babies warm during their first days on earth, on their first trip home!  I feel so honored to have contributed to their early lives, even though I live 2,000 miles away.  <3

Baby Tyson's Basket Weave Blanket

So, this was a long running project that got picked up and put back down several times.

With all the posting I had been doing about my crocheted work, it was only natural that my cousin Kelly asked me to crochet her something for her unborn baby.  I was more than happy to oblige... at first.

Sadly, the first roadblock I encountered was Baby Tyson's blanket took a backseat while I worked on all my Christmas presents.  Then, after picking it up again and working on it for a week straight, I realized I was using the wrong hook size and the blanket's edges were uneven.  I frogged all that work because I'm a perfectionist, and by then I was too discouraged to continue.

Fast forward six months, and my other cousin, Carey, invited me to her baby shower.  She was having twins!  I found a pattern I loved and started working away at two swaddle blankets for her babies.  But I felt incredibly guilty.  Kelly's son, Tyson was already almost 7 months old!  How was she going to feel when I gave her sister two blankets when I couldn't even manage her one?  So I picked up the basket weave blanket again and began work.  I'm happy to report I FINALLY finished and the Herr family was thrilled to receive it.

I originally wanted to do this basket weave pattern because it looked so darn cool.  It was very simple to do, and I didn't have a bit of trouble with it.  Other than the whole 'wrong hook' thing.  I learned a valuable lesson that day, to say the least.

I decided to add a few stars from my Starry Sky Blanket to the corner.  I think the yellow complements the blue very nicely.

I used a size G crochet hook (you hear that, past me?  SIZE G!).  The yarn was Snuggly Wuggly, color Cobalt.  I loved that color.

Since the blanket is no longer in my possession, I don't have the measurements.  But it was certainly big enough for Tyson's five-year-old brother, Dylan, to use as well.  Are my cousin's children not the cutest?