swimming turtles

So, almost a year ago, one of my brothers announced that they were expecting their fourth child. A few months later, they announced that this child would be a boy. A few weeks after that, I went on a pinterest hunt, looking for a crochet baby blanket that would be just the right spot of adorable-ness for this new nephew-to-be. As I was searching along, I found a picture of a darling ripple afghan, worked in shades of blue with just a bit of tan and white, which then had five crochet turtles sewn to the blanket, as if they were headed out to the sea.

Just the right spot of adorableness.  

I went to the site (sewloca.com), where Cristina broke down her process of designing, and then making the afghan. She included a link to a free ripple afghan pattern, and described how she worked the ripples, then added some bobbles in the white to make the "foamy" look. Entranced and encouraged, I decided to try my own luck at making a swimming turtle blanket.








It turned out well. So well in fact, that I decided to make another one, and this time write out the pattern as I went so that I didn't have to rely on other sites for my own future reference. Turtle blanket  #1 was sent to the new babe, and I started work on turtle blanket #2.

I decided to make the foamy part of the sea a little bit thicker, this time around, and I added an extra turtle.


Also, it was winter by the time I finished this one, so the grass background looks much worse for the wear than in the photos of blanket #1.













After I'd finished making the blanket and writing up the pattern, I decided that just for easy reference, I'd post my version of the pattern here. I do sell a few patterns in my etsy shop, but since I got the idea and the building blocks of this blanket entirely from from the goodness of some other people's hearts, it feels right to keep this pattern here, where anyone who wants to access it can do so for free.

So, here it is:

SWIMMING TURTLES PATTERN
(inspired by Cristina at sewloca.com)

Yarn-5 skeins of worsted weight yarn, one in each of the following colors: Dark Blue, Medium Blue, Light Blue, White, and Tan. Also some yarn in differing shades of green, brown, tan, etc, for the turtles. (I used Caron Simply Soft for all aspects of this project)

Crochet Hook-Size G (This is what works for me. You might want to use a size H hook here, I crochet more loosely than just about anyone I know)

Pattern:

BLANKET
Starting with the darkest blue, chain 171 across

R1: Dc in 4th ch from hook, *dc in next 4 st, dec 2 times, dc in next 4 st, 2 dc in each of next 2 st * repeat from * to * across, ending with 2 dc in last st.

Follow this pattern for 16 rows, then switch to medium blue for 16 rows, then to light blue for 16 rows.

Switch to white, follow pattern for 3 rows. On the 4th row, working in back loops only, make a cluster stitch every other stitch or so (this makes the "foam" of your ocean), switch to tan/creme at end of row.

Using tan/creme, working in free loops of the white row, continue the pattern. Once you get to row 2 of the tan, use both loops, and continue until you have made 16 rows. Fasten off.















TURTLES
Make 6 (or five, if you prefer)

SHELL
RND 1: Starting with Green (or whatever color you want the head and legs and tail to be), chain 3(counts as first hdc), then hdc in beg chain, *ch 2, 2 hdc in beg ch* 4 times. Join, switching to brown You should have five ch 2 spaces.

RND 2: in any ch 2 space, ch 3, 2 dc in same space, *ch 2, 3 dc in next sp*,  four times. Join, fasten off.

Rnd 3: With green, ch 2 in middle st of any 3dc cluster, *sc in next st, sc, dc in stitch below, sc in next ch 2 space, sc in each of next three dc* repeat around row, chain 2

Rnd 4: Working in front loops only, sc around, decreasing every five stitches or so. Finish off.



FRONT LEGS AND HEAD

LEG: Using the picture as a guide, and working in the unused back loops of Rnd 3, sl stitch in the stitch where you want the front right leg to be. Ch 5, then turn and, working in back loops, sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc in next five stitches. sl stitch to Rnd three, and sc to where you want the head to be.

HEAD: sl st where you want the head to be, then chain 4. Working in back loops of ch, hdc four times in next sc, sc in each of next three ch. sl stitch, and sc to where you want the other leg to be. Repeat process for leg, finish off.

BACK LEGS AND TAIL

LEG:  Using the picture as a guide, and working in the unused back loops of Rnd 3, sl stitch in the stitch where you want the back left leg to be. Ch 4, sc in back loops of sc, sc in unused loops of rnd 3. until you get to where you want the tail. Make tail by sl st, ch 2, sl st in same stitch. Sc in unused loops of Rnd 3 until you get to where you want the other leg to be, repeat process for leg, finish off.

Weave in ends, stitch turtles to blanket.

Awhile back for my birthday, my little girl presented me with a self-published book entitled

"How to Crochet"

It's filled with illustrations of various items that either have been or can be crocheted in our house.

Skirts

Dresses

Hats

Blankets

Gloves

And of course--pants

Needless to say, her book was one of my most treasured presents this year.

Blazing Needles Indeed

So, awhile back, my mom was hanging around Salt Lake City, and she decided to go check out one of the places she and my dad lived when they were poor students at the University of Utah.

As she roamed around 1100 East and Harrison Ave, what should she spy but an exemplary specimen of Yarn Bombing!

Knowing that I'd be tickled pink, and being an awesome mom, she shot some pictures for my (and now your) enjoyment. What a treat!

Thank you, Blazing Needles, for adding a little bit of quirky to my day!

Brrrr!

It's been frigidly cold here lately. Like, -15 degrees in the mornings, and 1 to 2 degrees as the high for the day. It's rough, but at least I work indoors, and can turn up the heat.  The husband of one of my closest friends is an arborist, and he works outside, up in trees, starting at the crack of dawn and often not finishing until after dark. He freezes.  So, a bit ago, when his wife was describing to me the litany of clothes that he wears every day, I decided that he absolutely needed a beard beanie.



So I made him one.








*Note:  I don't sell these.  That's because the pattern I use is copyrighted, and was written and given to me by a friend who happens to make beanies like these for her livelihood.  She gave me the pattern with the understanding that I can make them as gifts, but not as merchandise for sale. (in case you are wondering, I'm thrilled with this arrangement.)  Anyway, if you're dying for one of these hats, may I recommend her websites here and here?

Table Runners

So, this isn't so much of a crochet entry.  Actually, it's more correct to say that this isn't a crochet entry at all.  

This is an entry all about that beautiful little runner on those bookshelves.  My sister-in-law (Melissa) quilted that runner for me awhile back.  I use it to draw my eye away from the cluttered, industrial bookshelf that we need to have (for now) in our living room.  

Isn't it fun?


A few weeks ago, I received another package in the mail from Melissa.  Another runner!

It happened to arrive on my birthday.  Win for me!

July just can't come fast enough for me.

For more information on these table runners:

Spring Table Runner

Star Spangled Table Runner

 

A Sneak Peak

So, about a month ago, I saw this afghan on Pinterest.

So cute, right?  But the girl who made the afghan had made up the pattern, and hadn't ever gotten around to writing it down.  Apparently she is planning to do so (from what I can gather from the comments to the picture), but I got antsy and decided it would be the perfect baby blanket for one or both of my two most recently born nieces (at the time I started the blanket, neither niece had been born yet.  Now they are both here.)

So, I figured out a pattern of my own that looks somewhat close, I think.  Here's a sneak peak:




Now,  I've learned through my own experience that this blanket is a lot of work.  Actually, at the rate I'm going, those two nieces could very well be kindergartners. But, I'm enjoying it, so I'll see where it takes me for now.  Watch for semi-random updates on my progress, I'll try to post updates monthly or so.

. . . And, something tells me I'd better get going on something a little less intricate for the new nieces, no?

I'm completely smitten with these

All photos courtesy of resurrection fern.

I'd love to say that I'll be making some of these soon, but alas, thread crochet is not my talent.  However, Margaret sells similar stones (and quality prints of similar stones) in her Etsy shop.  Beautiful.