ABC Baby Blanket

For those that have followed my blog for any length of time, you know that I have a love of making baby blankets for my friends/family when they are expecting. As much fun as hats, mittens, booties, sweaters, toys, etc are, I always come back to my love of baby blankets. When I found out that a goof friend of mine from University was expecting, this was no different.

 

While the actual stitches are relatively simple with this pattern, the following of a chart to work the letters is a skill that challenges many people who try patterns like this. One of the best hints I have is to print out a copy of the actual chart so that you can mark off the stitches and rows as you complete them, to avoid getting lost.

The pattern can be found HERE on the Crochet N More website. I personally worked it with normal acrylic, worsted weight yarn, but the weight of the yarn can be easily made to work by simply changing the hook size that you are working with. The response to this blanket was amazing. The finished product is stunning and looks super impressive to anyone that sees it!

Happy Hooking!

Baby Mittens

With all the adorable baby hats I keep coming across, I decided I should settle on a baby mitten pattern that I could make work to match any and all of them for gifts and photo props. I wanted something that was quick and easy to make, but also looked good when it was finished. The result of my searching? This…

Super simple, and absolutely adorable, its a great addition to any gift you are currently working on. They are quick to make, working up in the time of your favourite television show, so don’t worry about deciding last minute to add it to whatever gifts you are working on! I have done many of these now and they always look great when done. The only difference between the pattern, and my finished project, is that I always make a point of tying a small knot in each end of the tie after its been woven through the wrist part to avoid any chance of it unravelling with wear.

The pattern can be found on Bella Bambina Knits for free HERE. I hope that this helps many of you as much as it has me!

Textured Hooded Cowl

With the insanely warm weather we are experiencing, it seems almost silly to be sharing this pattern, but I loved it so much I couldn’t keep it to myself! It is a great gift idea if you are on the search for something to work up before the upcoming holiday season.

 While on a roadtrip with a good friend we decided to stop at a couple craft stores because we are both big crafting types. We obviously couldn’t stop at a craft store and NOT get something, so I ended up picking up this super soft teal yarn with the intention of taking the time to make something for myself for a change. After waivering on what exactly to make I decided this beautiful cowl would look stunning with any coat or outfit I would choose this winter.

While I wouldn’t classify it as a beginner pattern per say, its definitely an easier pattern for someone that is looking to branch out a bit into new projects and challenges. As with many of the patterns I share on here, this can be found on Ravelry. It is for sale in Two Brothers Blankets’ Ravelry store HERE.

I’m sure that changing up the type of fibre, or even including some variegated yarns, could make for a great spin on this pattern. It is a warm and comfortable cowl, now I just need to work up some matching fingerless gloves or something similar to finish the set!

Loop Baby Toy

Many of my posts over the next little while will be child or baby related, largely because that’s something I am working on ALL the time! My life has been blessed with plenty of little feet with friends and family expecting new additions this year! One of the things I have been searching for is a simple little toy that I can make to add as the finishing touch to any gift I happen to be working on, and that’s when I stumbled across this.

The Loop Baby Toy can be worked just as yarn/stuffing as a softy toy, or to make it a little more fun you can add a rattle into the main ring, which I had done with this one. Its totally beginner friendly, one of the best beginner patterns I have shared to date, and doesn’t take all too much time.

The pattern can be found on Herbst Handmade, a fun crafting blog, HERE. With the ability to customize it with colours for any gift its the perfect addition! I can’t wait to see all of your versions of this project! Happy Hooking!

Newborn Earflap Hat with Flower

This past year has been a crazy one filled with new adventures, life changes and one solid and unchanging thing – my crocheting! I have been working on some fun gifts for various friends and family members and this post is sharing one of the easier newborn gifts, an earflap hat that I have grown to love!

This pattern can be worked in any colour combination for both the new little boys and girls coming into your life. To add to the flair of the hat, there is also a fun, and fairly simple, flower pattern to add to the hat as well. This uses basic worsted weight yarn, so you can obtain it pretty much anywhere (Michaels, Walmart, etc). It makes for a great addition to any shower gift.

The pattern is available for free on Ravelry HERE. If there is anyone reading this that hasn’t already signed up for Ravelry, run now and do it! The website is an amazing resource for crocheters everywhere – Filled with great patterns, information about various yarns and fibres, and groups where you can connect with other crafters around the world!

This particular hat is currently travel bound, in the mail, to good friends of my husband and I to celebrate the arrival of their newest little one. Hopefully I will have pictures to follow of it being put to good use!

If anyone out there gives the pattern a try, don’t forget to share your finished pictures on our Facebook page!

Circle Crochet Scarf

I have been FAR too busy with a lot of personal things lately, and unfortunately this blog was neglected but I am back, working on gifts for the holiday season and ready to get sharing patterns again for all of you who have stuck around so faithfully!

The first one I want to bring back was one that I actually wasn’t even sure I wanted to try, but once I got working on the pattern I not only fell in love with working the pattern but also with how it was coming out! The result was a BEAUTIFUL and unique scarf.

This pattern isn’t one I would suggest necessarily for beginners, but for those that have mastered all the basic scarves this is a great next/intermediate step. This pattern can be found, thanks to Michelle Gibbs as a free download on Ravelry HERE. This is a pattern based on the Catherine’s Diamond pattern found in Donna Kooler’s Encyclopedia of Crochet.

I can’t wait to get a response from my friend when she opens her gift in the mail to find this scarf in the package! Hopefully I will have follow up pictures to post in the near future. Has anyone else tried t his pattern? Please share your pictures either by emailing them to contactus@lovinglyhooked.com or sharing them on our Facebook page HERE.

Granny Square Challenge – Square #3 – Friend Family Square

Alright, it has been a little while since we posted the last update to the Granny Square Challenge but we are up and rolling again! Funny how life and tech issues both have a way of interrupting work on things like the blog world….

A quick recap for those that haven’t yet heard about the Granny Square Challenge: Every couple weeks I am introducing a new square pattern. These squares are not my original designs, but rather squares that I have found made by other designers. The final project will be a fun granny square throw full of assorted squares. Those participating have chosen and shared their colours,  mastered square # 1 – the solid granny square and shared their skills with square # 2 – the Heart Square.

Square # 3 is a great little 6″ square that has so many options for personalization. The pattern can be found on the Christal’s Crochet blog HERE. You will need to do 4 of these squares using whatever creative spin you like to give it your own personal touch as long as at the end they are still 6″ squares. While doing mine I attempted to show you a few different variations to give you ideas, with examples showing anywhere from 1-3 colours and also doing half with the original ‘front side’ of the first 2 rows, and the other half with it reversed just to show you can even work the other side for a different look.

For those just coming across our challenge now its still not too late to join in! Follow the links below to the first couple posts, and get yourself caught up before square #4 is announced! Share your squares on the FB Event page HERE, our normal Lovingly Hooked FB page HERE or email them to me at contactus@lovinglyhooked.com to have them shared. I am planning on doing a post in the near future just to showcase the squares that have been shared up until this point.

Square # 1 – The Solid Granny Square

Square # 2 – The Heart Square

Can’t wait to see everyone’s completed squares from this one!

Busy Lives Getting in the Way

Hey everyone! I just wanted to post a quick ‘I didn’t forget you all’ update! This blog (as well as the facebook page, twitter and google plus accounts) are run just by me… I love it, I’m not complaining BUT that means when life gets a little crazy there are times that this just doesn’t happen as much as I would like. Over the last few weeks things have been crazy between being busier than normal at my job, at home, and with the people in my life. I haven’t been able to get on here to keep up with all of you as much as I’d like, or even crochet hardly!

I will make the promise that I am getting back into it now (I realized I NEED the crochet stress relief, not doing so only makes things 100x worse). I currently have some more granny squares (those following the challenge rest assured, there’s more coming), large projects that I’ve started and will be finishing to share as well as some new patterns for some smaller projects I can’t wait to tackle! There’s definitely more projects, patterns and ideas coming!

So thank you all for your patience – and don’t forget to share what you’re working on! Even with me being absent you can still be a HUGE support and inspiration for each other! Join us on our Facebook page HERE to share pictures of your latest projects and WIPs!

Thanks again!

Chevron Baby Blanket

When I found a good friend of mine was having a baby I KNEW I wanted to make a baby blanket. When I found out it was a boy, well then I went on the search for an idea that wasn’t too ‘girly’. My friend has a love of chevron, so I opted to go with a traditional crocheting look, with a bit of a twist:

 

I never was a huge fan of the way that chevron blankets were usually finished off with the zig zag edge to them, but thanks to the pattern I found on the Eat, Knit & DIY blog HERE I now had instructions on how to fill in the ends to make it a regular rectangular blanket. This is a great pattern for a crocheter looking to attempt their first baby blanket as the pattern itself is very simple and repetitive compared to many that we see. I highly suggest that every crocheter needs to make a chevron blanket, lap blanket, baby blanket or some variation on this pattern at some point in their crocheting life!

The colours were an easy choice after getting a glimpse of his nursery, and off I went. The result was a simple but fun blanket which is going to fit in too perfectly! I have shown her a picture already, but was still beyond estatic as I dropped it off at the post office to make its trip to her in the US!

Have you made any gifts lately that you just couldn’t wait to send? Please share your photos and stories either as a comment here on our our Facebook page HERE.

Newborn Anchor Hat

A good friend of mine is expecting, and I am beyond excited for her! She advised that she had found cute little newborn diapers for her photo shoot after he’s born, and just needed a hat to complete the look. So I set out on my task to make it happen.

 

I couldn’t find a pattern that quite fit the look I was going for, so I set out to make one happen by putting a few different things together. First the hat – I decided a simple newborn hat would work, and just changed colours every 2 rows to give the stripe look. My favourite go to pattern for basic newborn hats can be found on Ravelry HERE by Athena de la Rosa Designs. This is a free download, and a great starting point for people who are starting to make newborn outfits.

I then created the applique using Aunt Lydia’s cotton thread and a pattern I purchased HERE from GoldenLucyCrafts on Etsy. This is a REALLY well written pattern and super easy to follow!

I was so happy with the final outcome – it fit my vision perfectly! Now just to be patient for the little one’s arrival so I can see it in use!