Ta Da - Baby Pastel Blanket

A few months back a very close friend told me that she was expecting a baby in September... my response was to go straight to my stash as I was determined to make her a baby blanket in crocheted granny squares... something I had never undertaken before!

I had managed to get some wonderful yarn from Black Sheep at Westpoint in Exeter that had been reduced from £4.99 a ball to £1.50 a ball at the show... a bargain!! I promptly purchased 6 balls without knowing really what I was going to make with them but knew the right project would come along for such a lovely yarn. When Rachel told me about her baby then I knew this was the right project. Originally I had also purchased a very bright pink but left that out until I knew what gender the baby was going to be! Luckily so as it turned out at the scan that she is expecting a boy... another ball of blue was promptly sent off for.

I started by working out a pattern of colours on squared paper as I wanted to get the correct number of squares. I worked the correct amount in the first colour and made 10 squares - just the correct amount for each ball.

The pattern is as follows: (in UK terms not US):


Chain 4 - join into a ring with sl st into first chain.

Rnd 1: 1 tr, *ch 2, 3 tr into ch ring; repeat from * 2 more times and end with ch2, 2 tr.

Rnd 2: *(3 tr, ch2, 3 tr) into ch loop of previous rnd, ch1; rep from * 3 more times.

Rnd 3: 1tr, ch1, (*3tr, ch2, 3 tr) into next chain loop, 3 tr, ch1 into next ch loop. Rep from *2 more times and end with (3tr, ch2, 3tr) into ch loop, ch1, 2tr.

 


 I love the colour combination of this blanket... I have tried to make it suitable for a Moses basket or pram. The baby is due in 3 weeks time so this should get plenty of use in the cooler weather of Autumn!

 

I chose to add a border of two rows of double crochet all the way around in the same blue yarn as in the main body of the blanket.

This is a shot of the back. I joined all the squares together using double crochet in the green yarn that had been used for the green squares. I like the contrast that it has made on some of the squares and the blending it has on others.

 

I am off to the post office to post this to Rachel this afternoon as we had planned on meeting last week but my Dad's illness has prevented this. I am hoping that her reaction is going to be favourable.

 

I am now working on the next blanket project... one for Jellybean! Reveal of work in progress later!

 

Until then.... 

 

A long time since the last visit!

I must first apologise for the time between the last post and this one! There have been several big events in our lives from either end of the emotion spectrum and so blogging has been the last thing on my mind! I feel that I am back now and the mojo has returned! :)

The first major event happened the day after the last post... on a routine visit to the GP I was discovered to be pregnant with baby number 2! To say that this was a shock is an understatement!! I had recently been told at Christmas that my chances of conceiving another baby were at best, very slim... but lo and behold... a little blue line appeared in a test!! I was over the moon but have had a very up and down pregnancy so far - all is well with us both - just not the easiest pregnancy!

Then my Dad has been very ill since Christmas really with a heart issue that they cannot seem to regulate... this resulted in a major stroke two weeks ago. This has hit us all hard as at 64 years old he is very young to have this. His age has rescued him recovery wise and he seems to be on the best path now.

These wonderful summer holidays have passed so quickly and are too fast! DS begins school in a weeks time... a poignant moment that is both happy and sad for me! My little baby boy is growing up rapidly and at a pace that I can't seem to keep up with but at the same time I am excited as he enters a major stage in his life. The uniform buying has been staggered and so not too traumatic.

We have had a variety of different days out over the holidays (in local area as one of my problems is that my pelvis has become partially dislocated)... fun and laughter has abounded and we have loved it... here are a selection of pictures detailing our adventures:

Painting a wooden train that we built.

 

Cooking a variety of things has featured very heavily on the list of activities!

Gingerbread this time!

 

Messing around on the beach...

Enjoying a lovely train ride from a local station to Plymouth.

Sat on the platform waiting for the train.

Conquering a massive fear of owls by flying one!!!

Stroking the Eagle Owl...

 

Finding out the new arrival is another boy! 

Proud of his carrots from the veg patch :)

 

Art time making a race track with Mummy...

 

The next few days are going to be filled with memory making activities and the flurry that accompanies the beginning of school term! I am not returning to work this term due to pregnancy related issues so I have a term to enjoy and relax before the baby arrives... plenty of time for craft things! :)

 

I am currently working on a blanket for 'Jellybean' and will reveal the results soon... I will be back with another Ta Da moment tomorrow revealing the blanket that I have made for a friends imminent mini arrival!

Until tomorrow....