By the By...

I sometimes have multiple projects going at the same time. Often, I will be making something for myself while making a larger project for someone else. It can take a lot of focus to make a large or complex piece, so I sometimes take a break from that large project for an hour or two to work a few rows on the piece for myself and let my mind refresh.

My current side project is the Movie Night Cocoon Cardi by Alexandra Tavel. I can't wait til this one's done! It's going to be so comfy, and I love the way it's coming out in Red Heart Super Saver in Macaw (#3944).

This is a quick and easy crochet project I think you're going to love!

Continuing the Blanket

Continuing the beautiful Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket by the very talented designer, Julie Harrison...

I am starting again at the beginning of the stitch sampler with five rows of hdc.

Next will be the three rows of granny stripes, and so on.

And so it grows!   

Baby Blanket CAL, Pt. 9

Part 9 of Julie Harrison's Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket is a pretty amazing stitch called Catherine Wheels.

It looks really complicated, but it really isn't. Once you set the first row up right, it all follows. (The stitch diagram can be helpful in seeing which stitch you're working into.)

Here are Julie's instructions:
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"Special Abbreviation CL (Cluster) : work [yo, insert hook, yo, draw loop through, yo, draw through 2 loops] over the number of sts indicated, yo, draw through all loops on hook.

Row 1(wrong side) : In red, join and make 1ch in first st (counts as first st), 1sc in next st, * skip 3sts, 7dc into next st, skip 3 sts, 1sc into each of next 3sts; rep from * to lats 4 sts, skip 3sts, 4dc into last st,  turn.

Row 2 (right side) : In pink, join to first st and  make 1ch, 1sc into first st, 1sc into next st, *3ch, 1CL over next 7sts, 3ch, 1sc into each of next 3 sts; rep from * to last 4 sts, 3ch, !cl over last 4 sts, skip tch, turn.

Row 3 (wrong side) : still with pink, 3ch, 3dc into first st, * skip 3ch, 1sc into each of the next 3scs, skip 3ch, 7dcs into the loop that closed next CL; rep from *to end, finishing with skip 3ch, 1sc into each of last 2sc, skip tch, turn.

Row 4 (right side) :In red, join and 3ch (counts as 1dc), skip first st, 1CL over next 3 sts, * 3ch, isc into each of next 3 sts, 3ch, 1CL over next 7sts; rep from* finishing with 3ch, 1sc into next st,1sc into top of tch, turn."
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Tip: Be careful not to work the ch 3s too tightly. They are what center the fan stitches.

Isn't this a wonderful blanket? It's fun to make and fun to look at!

What now?
And that's the last of the stitches to sample. Now we repeat from the rows of sc through all the stitches again, until it's the right length.

I'm not sure what I'll do for the border, but I think I will probably keep it simple.

I want to thank Julie Harrison for creating this wonderful design. Please be sure to check out her blog, and post your blanket on Ravelry!

Find her full pattern at littlewoollie.blogspot.com.au.

What's next!

Here's a hint.

Baby Blanket CAL, Pt. 8

Part 8 of Julie Harrison's Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket is something  she calls the Outlined Cluster Pattern.

1. Ch 1, sc across to end.

2. A row of 4-tr clusters: Ch 3, tr in next st, *skip 3 st, 4 tr in next st*; repeat to end, finishing with tr in each of last 2 st.

3. Ch1, sc in next st, 2trtog into the center skipped st of the first row of sc, *3 sc across top of cluster st, then 2trtog into center skipped st of first row of sc*. Repeat * to * to end of row.

4. Ch 1, hdc across to end. Turn. Do not change color.

5. Ch 1, hdc across to end. Turn. Change color.

6. Repeat row 4 in new color. Turn. Do not change color.

7. Repeat row 5 in same color.

Find her full pattern at https://littlewoollie.blogspot.com.au/p/mixed-stitch-stripey-blanket-crochet.html.

Baby Blanket, Pt. 7

Part 7 of Julie Harrison's Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket involves making bobbles. I love making those bobbles! They make such an amazing texture.

1. A row of dcs: Ch 2, dc in 2nd st and to end of row.

2. In the middle row, you make the bobbles: Ch 2, dc in 2nd st and the next 3 st. *Make bobble° in next st. Dc in next next 8 st.* Repeat * to * to end, finishing with dc in last 4 st.
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°To make bobble:

Make tr but do not work last two loops; repeat 3 times more (5 loops on hook); pull yarn through all 5 loops and pull snug to make bobble. Sc to "set" the bobble, so it doesn't slip.
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3. Another row of dcs

4. Then another double row of sc to finish off this section.

Julie recommends this site for learning to make bobbles. It also explains how to make the bobbles in a different color than the "background" dc st around it. I like this way of making them because the triple crochet stitches make the bobble really pop out from the double-crochet stitches around it.

This blanket is fun to make!

Baby Blanket CAL, Pt. 6

Part 6 already of Julie Harrison's Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket! This is such a cute design!

This time we are going to make 4-dc clusters, alternating with rows of sc. Easy.

1. Ch 3, dc in next st, *skip 3 st, 4 dc in next st*; repeat * to * to end.

2. Sc across.

3. Repeat row 1.

4. Repeat row 2. Do not change color. Turn.

5. Sc back to start of row, for double row of sc in that color.

This makes it an even more amazing blanket! How's yours coming along?

Baby Blanket CAL, Pt. 5!

This 5th installment of Julie Harrison's Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket is the simplest of all: 4 rows of sc.

As Julie did the first two rows in the same color, so did I.

It really pulls the blanket together, don't you think?

Baby Blanket CAL - Pt. 4

Part 4 of Julie Harrison's Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket is a really fun one: chevrons!

Chevrons aren't hard; they're just stripes that get bunched up in one place and widened in another. The key is the alternating 3-stitch decrease for the bottom point and 3 stitch increase for the top point of each chevron. That's what gives it that zigzag shaping.

Note that Julie starts the first row on the wrong side of the work.

"1. (On wrong side) Ch 1,  *1hdc into next st, 1dc into next st, 3tr into next st, 1dc into next st, 1hdc into next st, 1sc into next st ; rep from * to end.......turn.

2. (Right side) Change colour. ch 1, skip 1 st, 1sc into next st (counts as sc2tog), 1sc into each of next 2 sts,  *3sc into next st, 1sc into each of of next 2 sts, over next 3 sts work sc3tog, 
sc into each of next 2 sts; rep from*.
...til the last 5sts, 3sc into next st, 1sc into each of next 2 sts, over last 2 sts work sc2tog, turn.

3rd row : as 2nd row, and in same color, working back. (This row strengthens the look of the line, so it really "pops out".)

4th row of chevron pattern:

Join the [green] wool, ch 4, skip 1 st, 1tr into next st (counts as tr2tog), *1dc into next st, 1hdc into next st, 1sc into next st, 1hdc into next st, 1dc into next st, over next 3 sts work tr3tog ; rep from * for rest of row."

At first, making the "mountains" of the first row makes the piece wider. But, not to fret, the zigzag rows pull it back to right.

Find her full pattern at: https://littlewoollie.blogspot.com.au/p/mixed-stitch-stripey-blanket-crochet.html

Blanket CAL Continues

Part 3 of Julie Harrison's Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket is a quick 2 rows of hdc--with a twist.

1. Attach new color to 3rd ch at beginning of previous row.
Ch 1, *skip 1st st of 3-dc shell, hdc in next 2 st, hdc between the 3-dc shells in the previous row.* (It makes a sort of icycle there. Nice touch.) Repeat * to * across row.

2. Change color. Hdc across to end of row.

Mine's coming along nicely now. I hope Nicholas likes it!

CAL Blanket for Nicholas

Moving right along on the baby blanket... Part 2 of Julie Harrison's CAL for the Mixed Stitch Stripey Blanket is three rows of granny stripes.

1. Attach new color to first st of previous row. Ch 3, *3 dc in next stitch, skip 2 st*; repeat * to * to end of row, ending ch 1, dc  in last st.

2. Attach next color to 3rd ch of previous row. Ch 3, *3 dc in gap between 3-dc shells in previous row*; repeat * to * to end of row, ending ch 1, dc in last st.

3. Attach same color as row 1 (to get same effect as in her project) to 3rd ch of previous row. Ch 3, *3 dc in gap between 3-dc shells in previous row*; repeat * to * to end of row, ending ch 1, dc in last st.

Cute and easy!

Note: I used Light Blue and Pumpkin Red Heart Super Saver.