Wedding Blanket Square Thirty-Nine

Fountain of roses by Shan Sevcik

I have seen the roses or sometimes named tulip pattern several times and have always thought it was a bit difficult, but when I started this I realised it was super simple.

It looks great too. 

We did contemplate red roses but we hadn't bought any red yet so we used the dark purple, even though red is the colour of love purple have always been a more exclusive so purple fits too.

I love how the colours in my square turned out. The little white flower in the middle is adorable.

Other things I like in this square is the octagon shape it has after the first purple row and the green straw like things in the squares in the row after that, I love the roses of course and I like how everything after the roses are a bit more easy-peasy. We could have made a second row of roses but I do sometimes like simplicity.

*Kio's square. 

I love her blues and when most is in one colour the roses get the front seat they deserve. 

Also her square looks a bit like ice which I really like.

Wedding Blanket Square Thirty-Eight

Spring Fling by April Moreland

Another fairly easy but still interesting square. It looks harder than it is and with the photo walktrough I think this is something a starter stitcher with some experience and ready for a challenge can do. After row five it was super wobbly, but a few more rounds and it was straight and square, and after blocking in the end no one would think this square started out as a round thing.

This is a square I would like to do again someday. :) Maybe as a potholder, I have after all decided to make some potholders for Christmas this year.

21x21 cm and 30 grams of yarn.

*Kio's square, I adore that light lilac with turquoise, but my green goes good with the colour palette too. I like both our squares, but I do think some more white on my square would have made it even more delicate. Instead of spring fling both squares look like they are a winter thing, with some thin cracking ice and frosty air...

Wedding Blanket Squares Thirty-Seven

Easter Day square by Donna Mason-Svara

I did my square as the photo walkthrough so my centre is also rotated 90 degrees as to how the pattern was, *Kio followed the pattern dutifully so her cross is a cross and not an X. Regardless I think both looks good, although the cross might make it more Easter-y than an X.

The rest of the pattern was super simple and I enjoyed making it. I think the greens and darker purple work together quite well with the blue and the receptiveness of the pattern.

With the lighter purple coming again between the darker ones it makes it easier to spot the X.

29 grams and 21 x 21 cm

*Kio's square.

It seems this square is out at sea and I can see the waves crashing upon the shore with the colour palette here. I like it.

Wedding Blanket Squares Thirty-Six

May Pole by Shan Sevcik

I adore this square and I adore it's techniques, it was clever fun and I love the colours I chose for this square, I wish we had more of that soft lilac but I think we only had one ball of that colour each.

I love how the spirals are done, quite clever.

It was a time consuming square and I had to read the instructions very carefully but I do think it was worth it. This is another square I might make as a potholder, perhaps those poles would look good red with a with background and they would resemble candy canes for Christmas? Or am I just more in a Christmas mood than a May-mood?

34 grams and 21x21 cm.

*Kio's square

 I love how pale *Kio's square is, and I can't quite decide which of our colours schemes are the best, but I do think they are both good and that they look very attractive together.

Wedding Blanket Squares Thirty-Five

Frostbloom by Shan Sevcik 

In the cal this block is block 36 since we never made block 32 the Crocodile Flower by Joyce Lewis because this is one of the blocks that were not free anymore. I have always wanted to try the Crocodile stitch but since there were so few days left until we had to give the blanket away I felt that I didn't have time for a whole new technique. But that block looks stunning.

But this post is about Frostbloom and we did learn a new technique in this one too, although it was not quite so daunting since the new technique was only in the ruffle and seemed doable.

Frostbloom was squarely easy and straightforward up until row 16 which is the ruffle part, it looks very complicated and while I was doing it I felt that there surely had to be more to it, but it is all sc into the front loops only leftover from another round.

And the petals were also added in the end which made it a lot simpler.

So, this is a square that looks complicated but is very easy, just stick with it!

*Kio´s square, I adore her colours, not that I don´t like mine too, it is just her colours really suit the name of the square, these colours look like a frostbloom on a lake somewhere. Dainty and fragile whereas my colours area bit more screaming, but maybe my square got a frostbite...

Sorry about the post being late, I have been very busy helping out at my mothers place this past week, but we are almost done clearing out clutter, but better late than never. Also I am busy with Gacha Stitches and something fun for next year...

Wedding Blanket Squares Thirty-Four

Peppermint Mocha Frappe by Donna Maso-Svara

I adore this square, at first I changed colours on the second row of the hearts but thought it near impossible to see that they were supposed to be hearts then so I ripped it out and did the heart all in one colour and I love the effect of it.

This is I think one of my favourite squares in this whole blanket. I want to make a whole blanket using just this square. Or another blanket with just the heart squares.

Love those hearts!

29 grams and 21x21 cm, this square were one of the faster ones to crochet.

Into this square we made clusters and small picots in between regular dc-stitches which is the last medium turquoise row, and I sort of think those too look like hearts. I opted to stitch trough my picots to attach them, and I think *Kio chose not to. Either way looks good, I just thought less things to stick up would mean less chance of something getting entangled into the blanket later...

We used a variations of the heart rows from this square when making the border around the blanket.

*Kio's square.

I Love her colours, her square looks so crisp and clear and inviting.

Wedding Blanket Squares Thirty-Three

Embracing Variety by Aurora Suominen 

I loved the start on this, so much fun. It was good I was working from the photo guide from lookwhatimade because then I found out that this piece curled into a bowl around row five but that it straightened itself out later. If I had not known that I might have given up after frogging several times and finding a bowl shaped square again and again, so that was good. Now that I have made several squares and they always turn out square after blocking so I would probably not worry as much.

My popcorns on this actually look good.

and looking back I think ending the square after row eight might look good if you want a smaller square with less popcorns. Row eight is where my last dark purple row is.

I like both mine and *Kio's versions of this actually, might be because my popcorns look good and that with blocking this square stays perfectly square.

29 grams and 21x21 cm and it didn't take me too long to make this square so perhaps three hours up to the popcorn row?

*Kio's square

Look how her popcorns pop, I know why they are called popcorns. (or bubble-stitch, but I think popcorn is more descriptive)

Wedding Blanket Squares Thirty-Two

This weeks Wedding Wednesday comes a bit later than usual because little bunny is sick, he is much better now (Friday) but Wednesday was rough.

Flower Burst Square by Chris Simon

Another easy square, but still it does not look too easy, it looks interesting and there are several stitches which makes it more fun to do, but still this pattern is well written and there are no weird parts of the pattern just to make it fit like a few of the other squares.

I do like that after row three it seems like a solid row and then on row four you add sc into the chains and suddenly the circle is not quite so dense.

Love the green and blue on this and the purple in the middle seems to fit, it does seem like a flower burst now.

*Kio's square.

I love her colours, she has used a lot of white in this and it looks good, mine seem a bit squashed in the last picture but I think that is only because it is not completely flat. *Kio is very good at blocking and I think she blocked her squares a lot more than I did so her squares are a bit more square than mine, so I feel inspired and will do my best at blocking from here on.

Other than that, I love *Kio's colours.

Wedding Blanket Squares Thirty-One

We are getting closer to the end, this pattern is another one that is no longer available for free, but as with Firenze I made it anyway following the photo tutorial here since I really liked the pattern and wanted the wedding blanket have something that would bind the flower and sea motifs together with a lovely waterlily.

Waterlily by Julie Yeager

I love waterlilies, when I was younger my grandparents cabin had a small lake where we used to row a lot, and I remember the waterlilies and it fascinated me how long their stems were, they seemed to go on forever...

Me and my mother out rowing on the lake one summer, I was allowed to row the smaller boat out by myself but I didn't have a photo of that nearby so you get this little gem. I loved rowing and today Miss Evi and I went to the gym and I did some rowing there and I had a lot of fun but there were no waterlilies there.

Mimle for size comparison, both bunnies were super interested in the blanket and had their opinion about where the squares should be placed, obviously we didn't listen XD

It does look like a waterlily don't you think? And I could not resist using the dark green to make a leaf and some purple and white for the flower on top of the turquoise water.

I want to go rowing again, I wish I had a lake to do so in, and a boat.

 Waterlily had a lot of interesting stitches and I had to keep my tongue in check whilst reading the walkthrough, I have no idea how well the pattern is written, but I had to frog this a couple of times and start over, I might have fudged some parts but I was adamant to finish this as I loved it so, since this pattern is no longer free it is on my to-buy-list, I just have to wait a little longer as we spent rather a lot in Japan XD

The wedding blanket finished, can you spot the waterlily?

Wedding Blanket Squares Thirty

Cygnus by Chris Simon

I love my colours in this one, I guess turquoise is a colour family I really like which might have contributed to the slippery slope of actually starting to like green. But anyway, this square was fun and my favourite part is those back loop only that happens at round eight which makes it pop around the turquoise square part.

*Kio's square

Again, our squares look complete different but somehow they match, it might be because we yet again have chosen to switch colours around the same rounds but I don't know.

I look forward to seeing the wedding blanket in the new bedroom of the happy couple once they actually tackle that part of the house, apparently they had already decided on colours before they got the blanket and the colours were blues that matched the blanket. But I love interior decorating so it might not come as a surprise that I wonder how it will look in the interior of the recipients....

Fast and easy gifts sort of in the last minute and shameless self promotion

I don't really have anything new and exiting to show, because most of the things I am working on at the moment are Christmas presents, even though we have bought loads there are still plenty to make... And making takes time, even something as simple as a knitted hat.



But I do have another finish here are the headbands I finished for two small boys (well, eleven and nine years old so rather big small boys). I made them simple since I didn't have much time and the boys really don't care that much for soft things. Both are the made the same way, except the darker one is a bit bigger.

Well, anyway, both boys get some money, a star wars rub-on tattoo and a reflective headband. 

When the pattern is simple I think it is important to use some yarn with a flair, and things that glow when the cars drive by so they see you is kind of nifty I think. And maybe the boys think it is kind of cool? I don't know, I have never been a ten-ish year old boy so I have no idea what they think is cool.


I also want to talk about packaging a bit. You know those leftover threads that are too small to really do anything with? I use them to wrap gifts in... And suddenly the two gifts are different.

I do sometimes buy real wrapping thread, but I do think it is somewhat wasteful so I try to buy the paper or twine ones rather than the plastic ones. But I think using up leftovers is nice.

*

How I made these super simple headbands? I can tell you, however remember that I am no knitting expert so these are super easy and don't really need a pattern, but hey, at least then I will know what I did if I have trouble remembering.
These are also so easy that a child can make their own ear warmers, but these boys are even less interested in crafting than wearing something handmade so it is better to make things for them.

I finished one during a movie this weekend so they are easy, fast and fun to do, if you ever need a quick present.

I used a 6mm needle and cast on 10 stitches for the small one and 13 stitches for the slightly bigger one, then I knitted ribbing back and forth for about 30 cm (or as big as the head that will receive the ear warmers) and cast off and sewed the ends together. (If you leave your ends a bit longer than needed you can use them to sew your headband together.) And Voila, a finish or two, in time for autumn and darker days.

Also, don't forget the competition over at gachastitches, you can win both the pattern and a pair of lovely crochet wrist warmers V for finurlig. And there is a free rabbit crochet square pattern up too.






Multe the rabbit is a free pattern, but we at gachastitches are in the process of making a baby blanket using several other bunnies. If you do want to make a bunny blanket using only Multe you can, but here we made a potholder using the pattern...

Multe is Norwegian for cloudberry.

Wedding Blanket Squares Twenty-Nine

Mystery Anticipation by Margaret Mcinnes

 Another week another square, but we are almost done now I think, around ten to go from this cal and then some more that we added, like the letters and heart in the last picture. Here is the whole blanket in case you have forgotten what it looks like^^

I have misplaced my notes so I can't tell you how much it weighed, but it was 21 x 21 as all others and took about four hours. *Kio helped a little with this square as I didn't trust myself in that the white was on top of the other rows... I was so done with frogging that I would rather ask her what she did than try myself and fail.

But can you see the hearts? And that this square is really 3d?

*Kio's square

There wasn't any good pictures of this square, I guess I somewhat forgot, but above the D is *Kio's square, her is in purple and blue tones whereas mine is in green and white, with the darker purple under the white which I think made the white stand out more.

Bunday and a post

It is bunday again and time for some shots of the little trolls.

Around the internet I have some friends and one of them were saying she wanted to give away some of her stitching things as she had stopped stitching and I kindly volunteered to receive some and in exchange she will get some Norwegian yarn.

Here is the parcel and Valmin would not leave the box unopened and was giving me the look to get it open.

 He even tried jumping on top of it and scratching it open himself, so I took the hint and started opening it, wondering what on earth this little guy was so keen on.

Nose hard at work.

Come on human, open iiiit!

And inside I could see why he was so interested! Some lovely herbs that smelled wonderful, I almost fancied a bite myself.

But look at all that stuff! Some magazine cut outs with bunnies (I had none of those), some patterns, some small freebie kits, and lots of beads and fabric, thread and thread keepers! 

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I feel like stitching again!

*

Other than that, me and *Kio started doing water gymnastics again this week, we attended a book reading at the local pool which was fun, I had forgotten how much I like Roald Dahl, maybe that will be this months reading (which I have not forgotten, I am just a little behind, more on that soon), Mister M and I did some house chores and started cleaning our new (old) grill and we have watched 3/4 Jurassic Park films.

Also since it is bunday, here was a sweet picture of Mimle with Valmins ear protectively over her head, but I disturbed them so I got this picture instead. But they do look adorable nonetheless.

Also I have started the gifts, you might be wondering why there have been so few post with me ranting about gifts yet, but we did buy loads in Japan, and I have finished quite a few already. But in a few days we will be attending my cousins two boy's birthdays so I needed something quick and fun. I am knitting ear warmers to go with their presents, just because I found some reflective yarn on sale!

I am thinking making a few of these, in varying difficulties, but we will see, I have promised to make some more of those bearded beanies this year so I need to start that soon, I am not the fastest knitter...