As we head happily through April. Lovely Spring Days with Sunshine & Flowers. Let's take a look back at my April Stitching Journey.
Crochet Bunting
We celebrated our Golden Wedding this month.
Had two weeks away. One week cruise mainly Greek Islands followed by a weeks stay in Cyprus.
I took some Stitching with me. I made the Crochet Bunting above to Celebrate our Anniversary
Hand Stitching
I also took a Hand Stitching Project. Called Mouse of the Month by Gillymakes
Finished off February.
Crochet Hugs
I started making these to use up leftover yarn from my previous projects. They work up quite quickly and add that little extra special touch when Gifted with a Matching Blanket!
Getting back into the Stitching on this Project. I've almost completed the top half. It's been a lovely mix of Hand & Machine Stitching. There is also some Appliqué to be added. It's all coming along nicely.
Update. I've finished March & April's Mouse of the Month.
Looking forward to May's Stitching Adventures.
My May Plans
Obviously I plan on making the May Mouse of the Month.
I'm going to start work on Stitching the bottom half of my Winter Village.
Oh, finish off Sammy's Crochet Hugs Family.
I also have a Blackbird Stitch Kit I started a couple of years ago. That needs an airing.
And I'm really tempted to make this Bird from the Twelve Days of Christmas. But I'm not allowing myself to order it until I've got a few of the above done.
A few years ago. I made a Teddy out of my Grandson's outgrown Jacket.
A Girl Teddy was next. To go with a Blanket I had made from outgrown baby clothes.
I can't remember why I made the first Crochet Teddy. But he also belongs to my Grandson.
Oh! I just remembered. The first Crochet Hug I made was a Little Friend for Tonka. Tonka is the Bear above made from William's Tonka Coat. Do you remember Tonka Toys?
My Favourite Patchwork and Crochet Shape is a Square. So it seemed a simple step for me to make a Square or Square ish teddy. But to me they are not quite Teddies. So I started calling them Crochet Things.
That didn't sound very appealing. They are made for Hugging. So slowly I started calling them Crochet Hugs.
They are very simple to make.
The one above is made using all the colours in in a Baby Blanket I made.
The one below is just a tad subtler.
I like to sew the filling into a fabric 'pillow' that I insert into the body and head when I have almost finished Stitching the front & back together.
The arms and legs are left unstuffed.
That way there's no possibility of the stuffing being pulled out.
Crochet Hug Family
I have recently been making a Crochet Hug Family for my Grandson Sammy.
And I'm currently working on Nana & Bampa.
Meet Nana & Bampa
Fresh off my Hook. Nana & Bampa in the Garden.
I have to admit those glasses make Nana look a bit Harry Potter ish.
Daisy Dog
Daisy is out in the Garden head up sniffing the air.
Say Cheese
So there you have it. My Crochet Hugs so far...
I'm sure they will be added to. They are so quick and east to make. Just rows of single Crochet (double Crochet in the US).
I like to make my Baby Gifts in Beautiful Bright Colours. It makes me feel so Happy.
Your Choices
The fun for me starts way before I pick up my Hook.
There are decisions to be made.
The Pattern
First Choice: Which Pattern?
My Go To Pattern Inspiration Places
Facebook
I follow quite a few Crochet pages on Facebook which means I regularly see different Crochet Projects in my Facebook Feed.
Pinterest
Pinterest is great if you have an idea to explore. A Search for Crochet Baby Blankets will bring up lots of ideas.
Also it can help with colour choices. Put in a search for Blue Crochet Baby Blankets and you'll see lots of different blue options to inspire you.
Instagram
I'm a bit umm.... about Instagram. There is some beautiful work on there. But for some reason I don't find a works very well for me. I've never quite understood how it works/the point of it.
I'd love to know your thoughts on Instagram though.
Basic Granny Square
For this Project I just Crochet a Large Basic Granny Square with a Repeat of Nine Colours.
There are different versions of a Basic Granny Square. And for years I used the one where there is one chain between each set of three trebles (dc in US). But I've found that my work looks better if I don't chain one between each set of three trebles.
So My Granny Square pattern is:
Three Trebles (dc US) repeated with corners being
Three Trebles (dc US) Two Chains Then Three Trebles (dc US).
I only use Chains in the Corners
For example. If you look at the Yellow Round in the pic below. There are Six sets of Three Trebles (dc US) along each of the sides. With Three Trebles (dc US) Two Chains and a second set of Three Trebles (dc US) in each Corner.
But please use whichever Granny Square pattern that works best for you.
A Selection of My Crochet Blankets
From Simple Stripes to Circles, Squares, Hexagons, with a few Fancy Stitches thrown in.
But I'm Always Drawn Back to Squares
Of all the different Blankets I have made. There are a small number of favourites for me. Ones I not only enjoyed making but have added to my Menu of Blanket Patterns.
Back to Square One
But at the end of the day, truth be told, I'm a Square Girl.
I'm the same with Patchwork. I've said for years. You can't beat a Square!
So My Favourite Crochet Projects are usually Squares in one form or another.
That's Just Me
Maybe your a Circle Girl, or love different patterns. A Stripes lover, or Hexagons the options are endless. But think about it. What's your Go To Style?
Choosing Your Colour Palette
I've often bought a Kit. That saves that part of the process. It is quite relaxing. You know the colour results your going to get.
My older Granddaughter recently moved into a new flat. And I wanted to Crochet her something for her new pad. I found this pattern on the Drops Free Pattern Website. Grandmother's Hug
Here is my Version and this picture shows the colours really well.
I really enjoyed making this for My Granddaughter.
And the picture below shows you it evolving from a Circle to A Granny Square.
Just Six Granny Squares
It was made up of six large Granny Squares and nine rounds of border.
It was a joy to make. I used Scheepjes Chunky Monkey Aran from The Wool Warehouse
It's so Soft & Cwtchy
And works up satisfyingly quickly.
If you like the colourway I've used.
However
I had to improvise on the last two rounds of the border as I didn't have enough Yarn. I'm looking to make this Project again for my 2nd Granddaughter and I'll be ordering another ball of the White 1001 and another Ball of the Baby Pink 1240 So I can finish hers off as per the original Pattern.
The Way We Work
I like to make all of each round before I move to the next round. So I'll Crochet 6 of Round one, then six of round two etc. That way my brain doesn't have to keep chopping and changing each round. I can calmly Crochet Six (or whatever number I'm making) of each Round before starting the next. Of course for the purpose of taking pics for my Blog I had to show each round.
I wonder how you like to Crochet multiple pieces? There's no right and wrong way mind you. Whatever you find works for you.
I recently gifted a very colourful Granny Square Baby Blanket.
Simple Echo Stitching on a Beautiful Printed Panel.
For The Love of Hand Stitching
There is something therapeutic about Hand Stitching. Don't get me wrong. I Love Machine Stitching with a Passion. But every now and then I feel the need to partake of some Hand Stitching. BUT I can't Hand Stitch for long.
Weaknesses
Eyes and Joints
My eyes don't now, and never have actually done well with close work. Cross Stitch literally makes me Cross eyed! I just can't keep the Stitches still and get quickly confused. Similar although not quite so bad with Embroidery. My eyes tire quite quickly.
And then there's me joints. My fingers aren't as nimble as they once were. And repetitive work can become quite painful.
Blackbird Syndrome
Blackbird Syndrome: Also, I'm easily distracted by shiny new projects. And consequently have lots of different projects on the go.
My Solution
But I do Enjoy a bit of Hand Stitching. So what's a Girl to do?
Play to Your Strengths
So what Strengths do I have?
I have quite a good guesstimating eye.
I have an artillery full of different Stitching techniques I have studied over the years.
I'm happy to try out different ideas.
I have a large collection of sewing supplies to call on.
I have plenty of time to play.
Well, I have spent years learning the Patchwork/Quilting Rules
They say once you've learnt the rules, you can break the rules.
I also enjoy Hand Quilting. I've managed a fair bit of that over the years. Although even that is now proving to be more difficult working through three layers.
Necessity is the Mother of Invention
I'm one of those who will often start will a pattern and then decide there's a much easier way to do that. And completely sew off script.
And one of the easier ways I found was to use a Running Stitch instead of a full Quilting Stitch for certain projects.
Faux Quilting
For years now I have used what I like to call Faux Quilting on things like Wall Hangings, Cushions, Bags and even Quilts.
Basically it's
A Running Stitch
Which looks from the top of your work the same as or similar to A Quilting Stitch.
So what's the difference?
A Running Stitch is usually worked through one or sometimes two layers of fabric.
A Quilting Stitch is usually worked through three layers, a top layer, wadding/batting and a backing fabric.
Although Running and Quilting Stitches are basically the same Stitch. A Running Stitch is both quicker and easier to make due to only needing to get the needle and thread through one or two layers. Whereas the Quilting Stitch needs to be worked through three layers which I find takes more effort, time and is hard on my fingers/hands.
And I used some of the Stamped Bags as Gift Bags at Christmas.
The little zipper pouches have come in useful over the last few weeks as storage for my Little Janome Gem Sewing machine bits & bobs. I had got that machine out to take to my local school to help get Year 6 Pupils Stitching, and the little tin I kept the spear bobbins, feet etc was looking rather shoddy with rust marks in. So time for an upgrade me thinks.
Hand Stitching
And another for my Hand Stitching bits & bobs.
And then I thought um, a touch of outline Hand Stitching would look good on them.
So I got out my trusty Pearle Cotton No. 8 and began Stitching.
