As I mentioned several weeks ago, I'm in a crocheting mood. It's my craft of choice right now. I tend to knit and crochet in fits and starts: I'll go to town on a project for a month or two, then I'll put it down for a year. But I have a goal for this year, which is to make a blanket for each of my kids.
It all started at Thanksgiving, when my sister-in-law, Emily, learned to crochet (she is already a skilled knitter). As she asked me a few how-to questions and as we browsed patterns online, we both got interested in a book of 200 different crocheted squares. And because the bug bit both of us, I thought it'd be a nice plan to put together some yarn and materials so that we could crochet some squares whenever we're all together for a holiday. Then, after a while, we can put all the squares together and have a holiday blanket we have all contributed to. (I use the term "all" loosely--of course, not everyone crochets or wants to, but there is a handful who do.)
To that end, this was my handiwork over the Christmas holiday:
After all was said and done, I realized what a great thing it was to purchase the book we did. Not only does it provide a variety of styles so that anyone who wants to contribute to our little project can find something they'd like to work on, but I also found that by making several different types of squares, my skill level made a real jump. I was able to try out a new skill for a short period of time, rather than having to make an entire blanket out of it, for example.
My favorite new skill was learning how to make a 3D flower. I knew right away that I was going to be making flowers for Jane's blanket, that's for sure! So I combined a couple of patterns, going for a 5-petal flower in a small square, and this is what I came up with:
I love it. And although she doesn't know it's for her, Jane loves it, too.
She wants to hold the flowers any time I pull one out to work on it. "Mommy, can I have this one?" "You may look at it, baby, but it's mine." Little does she know....
I did take a little break from Jane's blanket to make a special little Valentine's Day project.
A heart garland! I love this one, too.
Next time I take a blanket break, I'm going to make a few knitted Easter eggs. If I get them done, I'll post about them.
I hope my enthusiasm for crochet doesn't leave me any time soon, because I'm really enjoying feathering my nest with it.
1 comment:
Very cute!
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