A STAR IS BORN! star baby blanket

Yellow and grey were good choices to prepare a welcome gift for a baby whose gender was a surprise – and also matched the “starburst” effect of this pattern. 

I used this STAR BLANKET PATTERN. It was really easy to follow and I loved seeing the shape develop and the pattern grow. 

I used this image to help me decide stripe thickness. 

When I presented Juliet with her gift it turns out that yellow has been a favourite colour of her Mum’s! 

Looking forward to watching little Lettie outgrow this blanket. xo

simple stripes baby blanket

This is my beautiful Goddaughter – Eleanor Astrid Kimberly – wrapped in a simple but effective (and full of love and prayers) blanket.

This blanket needed to be reasonably basic as I was recovering from surgery when I created it. Going around and round in simple laps was just about the extent of my capacity and attention span. 

I started with this basic solid Granny square and just kept increasing as per the pattern. If I was to do it again I might not include the double crochets on perhaps every third row because I think it made the corners slightly “pointier” than necessary. 

The stripe rows pattern (where teale = T and purple = P) was – 

4P, 1T, 4P, 4T, 1P, 4P, 3T, 1P, 3T, 3P, 1T, 3P, 2T, 1P, 2T, 2P, 1P, 2P, 1T, 1P, 1T, 1P, 1T, 1P

The special delivery made its way interstate and she was asleep under it exactly 10 days after first stitches. 

I love creating gifts like this and pray she enjoys many snuggles and good times wrapped up in it. ❤️

baby love blanket

Another baby blanket crocheted with love. 

This one was for my eldest niece who is expecting her first child. The first of the “grand” generation – we don’t know yet if it’s a boy or a girl. 

It ended up a pretty rushed project (it was still slightly damp when I handed it over!) so there were some late night hours. But it was a precious time of thinking about the baby we are yet to meet but love already. Imagining what they’ll look like. Praying for them and their parents.  

I used THIS PATTERN for the inspiration. I think I’d use the style again. It crochets up quickly and would be adaptable to colour and yarn choices. 

Can’t wait to meet you Baby Cottee x

Harlequin Baby Love

My latest crochet project was this adorable blanket for my dear friend Nancy’s yet-to-arrive baby girl (who will undoubtedly be adorable too). 

Apart from the creative inspiration of imagining a beautiful little girl snuggled under a blanket made with love – the idea was originally sparked by another Coco Rose Diaries creation. 

In terms of the actual pattern for creating the diamonds (& half or quarter), there are plenty out there. I started with this one but utilised a number of different tips and patterns to arrive at my ultimate design. 

I did a single crochet border of each individual diamond (2sc in each row). And then joined with a raised stitch.

I used this pattern to help me work out colour placement – substituting my colours for the ones used there to stop me from needing to think too hard. The colours I chose reference the fabrics that will be used to decorate the nursery. 

I finished with a double crochet border and then spent a manic few hours the night before the baby shower to tie in all the edges!!

The gift delivery was a lovely success. 

Now to wait a few weeks for the baby to cast her judgement! xo

hexagons for harriet

My lovely friend Mel had a lovely baby, Harriet (or “MY baby” according to her big sister) and this lovely occasion called for a lovely rug! 

I got my initial inspiration from this stunning creation by Vanessa of the Coco Rose Diaries, & fully intended to just utilise a whole lot of scrap yarn. But then I started the first hexagons and loved the combination of the muted, vintage colours and decided to restrict it to that colour palette. Which meant I only used 3-4 colours from my own stocks and bought the rest! Oops! 

I would estimate that all up the project required approximately 22 50g balls (3 of them were the beige border colour). I used machine-washable pure wool. 

I spent a while trying to replicate the flower-inside-the-hexagon look …experimenting with a number of different patterns and ideas before I was happy with what I’d created. 

[This blanket required 52 full hexagons and 6 half ones to complete to a cot size.]

HEXAGON PATTERN 

Ch3, join with slst to create circle. Ch1, 11sc into circle. Join with slst in original chain. Fasten off. 

Change yarn colour and create flower petals. 

Start in any st and attach yarn. [Ch3, 2htr tog** in next st, ch3, slst in next st] 6 times ending with slst in original starting st. Fasten off. 

**2htr tog = yo twice, insert hook into stitch, yo, pull through stitch, yo pull through 2 loops, yo pull through 2 loops [2 loops on hook]. Repeat [3 loops on hook]. Yo pull through all 3 loops. 

Change yarn colour and create hexagon. 

Start in the top st of any petal and attach yarn. [Ch5, slst in top st of next petal] 6 times ending with a slst in original starting st. Row 1 – Ch3, [2dc, ch2, 3dc] in next chain space. [3dc, ch2, 3dc] in next chain space – 5 times. 3dc in next chain space. Join with slst in top of ch3 from previous row. Row 2 – Ch3, dc in next 2 st, dc in chain space, [ch2, dc in same chain space, dc in next 6 st, dc in chain space] 5 times. Ch2, dc in same chain space, dc in next 3 st. Join with slst in top of ch3 in previous row.  Row 3 – Ch3, dc in next 3 st, dc in chain space, [ch2, dc in same chain space, dc in next 8 st, dc in chain space] 5 times. Ch2, dc in same chain space, dc in next 4 st. Join with slst in top of ch3 in previous row.  Row 4 – Ch3, dc in next 4 st, dc in chain space, [ch2, dc in same chain space, dc in next 10 st, dc in chain space] 5 times. Ch2, dc in same chain space, dc in next 5 st. Join with slst in top of ch3 in previous row. Row 5 – Ch3, dc in next 5 st, dc in chain space, [ch2, dc in same chain space, dc in next 12 st, dc in chain space] 5 times. Ch2, dc in same chain space, dc in next 6 st. Join with slst in top of ch3 in previous row. Fasten off yarn. 

HALF HEXAGON PATTERN 

Ch3, join with slst to create circle. Ch1, sc5 into circle. Fasten off with slst through circle. 

Change yarn colour and create flower petals. 

Start in top of ch1 and attach yarn. [Ch3, 2htr in next st, ch3, slst in next st] 3 times. Fasten off. 

Change yarn colour and create hexagons. 

Start in the top of the ch3 of the first petal and attach yarn. Ch3, slst in top st of next petal. [Ch5, slst in top st of next petal] 2 times. Ch3, slst in top of ch3 – turn. Row 1 – Ch3, 2dc in next chain space. [3dc, ch2, 3dc in next chai space] 2 times. 2dc in next chain space, dc in top of chain 3 – turn.  Row 2 – Ch3, dc in same st, dc in next 5 st. [dc, ch2, dc] in next chain space, dc in next 6 st – twice. dc in top of chain 3.  Row 3 – Ch3, dc in same st, dc in next 7 st. [dc, ch2, dc] in next chain space, dc in next 8 st – twice. dc in top of chain 3. Row 4 – Ch3, dc in same st, dc in next 9 st. [dc, ch2, dc] in next chain space, dc in next 10 st – twice. dc in top of chain 3. Row 5 – Ch3, dc in same st, dc in next 11 st. [dc, ch2, dc] in next chain space, dc in next 12 st – twice. dc in top of chain 3. Fasten off yarn. 

JOINING THE HEXAGONS 

I used the technique described here. It took me a little bit to get the hang of it but once I did, it came together reasonably quickly. 

I’m so pleased with the end result! I love the combinations of colour and shape. It seems like Harrie loves it too! xo