So I actually liked making this one after I got over the multiple page pattern and it was a fairly easy 3 row repeat once the pattern was established. It is crocheted more loosely than I’d like but I had to watch my tension so the petals wouldn’t curl. Maybe a smaller hook would work if I decide to make another one but it is a soft, cozy blanket so I’m happy with the results. There are a couple other “shaped” blankets I’ve been eyeing and maybe I’ll go ahead and try one of them now that I know they’re not that complicated.

• Pattern – Spoke Flower Blanket – free on Ravelry
• Yarn – Lion Brand Mandala – colorway Wood Nymph
• Hook size – H

Yep, first we watched the Lightning win … now leading the series 3 – 1, and then we watched the first stage of the Tour de France. I am really surprised that the race is taking place this year but happy to be able to watch. Tour time = knitting time so I pulled out my long neglected pink blanket and got back to work. The petal crochet blanket is finished except for weaving the ends in so the timing is perfect.

You can see that Finn was groomed this week. Hopefully, it will be the last time this summer I have to have him cut so short.

I briefly thought about which of my knitting projects I should pull out to work on after finishing the pink blanket and then promptly started a new crochet blanket. And even worse, I chose something I actually need to count and pay attention to rather than a nice mindless project.

• Project – Spoke Petal Blanket – free on Ravelry
• Hook size – H
• Yarn – Lion Brand Mandala – colorway, Wood Nymph

I almost didn’t start this one … it’s a 14 page pattern and looks very complicated but like many crochet patterns, sometimes you just need to start working stitch by stitch and it all begins to make sense. Also, even though the bulk of the blanket will end up as a 3 row repeat, the pattern repeats for each petal so once you start a row and get the repeat in your head for that row, you just repeat it for the rest of the petals.

I’ve been looking at “shaped” blanket crochet patterns for a couple years but always decided I didn’t what to think that hard. Years ago I knit this Vortex Shawl and I figured it would be similar in the repeating sections and increasing and knew if I’d managed to make THIS, I could manage one of the crochet patterns.

Now that I’ve got it figured out, I need to work on it steadily so I don’t forget what I’m doing!

I finally finished this crochet blanket stitch Afghan. Not sure why it took so long except we were at Big Canoe for 8 weeks and I don’t seem to get as much crochet done there. I love this pattern with this yarn! I did a yellow one that I finished up in February and I’ve got blue yarn so you’ll see at least one more of them eventually.

• Pattern – Blanket Stitch Afghan – found free on Ravelry.
• Yarn – Lion Brand Ice Cream – Big Scoop. I used about 1 and 3/4 skeins.
• Hook size – H
• Afghan size – 41 x 58

For the last year or two I’ve been draping my afghans across the chair in my guest room to photograph them … unfortunately, I took that chair to Big Canoe so I’ll need to find another spot. For now the top of the dresser will do.

I love working with cotton yarn but the new blanket is not working out. The yarn is just not soft enough to be a blanket so I’ve decided to give up on it and down the road will use it to make a market bag or two and some dishcloths. I did a quick search on Ravelry and I will have lots of bag patterns to choose from.

So last night after making the decision to give up on the blanket, I debated whether to start a new one or to pick my knit one back up … I know it seems like this is taking me forever to finish and you’re right it is … but I will finish it quicker if I keep working on it so I’m back at it. It’s not a hard pattern and I like knitting it … it’s just slow going which is probably why I like crocheting blankets better. They’re quicker and I get to start something new faster! This is also a cotton yarn but it is soft and has nice drape.

Keith watched from his office today as 3 deer walked down the street … he snapped a photo of the one that came down the driveway. I knew having the big windows in the office would entertain him, he likes watching the world go by. We’ll miss watching the deer visit when we head home this weekend.

I’ve been working on this knit blanket since the end of February but I did a lot of binding last month so I didn’t knit as much. It’s the only project I have to work on the next few days so I might make some progress.

Normally I don’t do blankets with holes for babies but I just felt like doing a granny square blanket … not lots of squares … just one big one.

• Pattern – Marble Baby Throw – found free on Ravelry
• Yarn – Premier DK Colors – this is a new yarn I’m trying that I bought a while back on sale at LoveCrafts.com so far so good, it’s very soft.
• Hook size – G

And no, I haven’t woven the ends in on the yellow blanket yet … I do need to get that done Overall I try to finish one completely before starting another but it doesn’t always happen.

Keith got home tonight and once I go to bed, I’m looking forward to sleeping in since he’ll be here to take care of Finn in the morning. Tomorrow I need to load and quilt a top to finish of my list for the week.