Showing posts with label blankets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blankets. Show all posts

Sunday 31 December 2017

HAPPY CROCHET and a HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018

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“Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!”

(Poem: William Arthur Ward)

This poem says it all for me! These words are perfect for my New Year's resolution! Simple and to the point, to live my life to the fullest and to the best of my ability. To let go of fear and to enjoy every moment of every day, to free myself from worry and to release the need to be serious about trivial things, and most of all to allow love and laughter to surround me always!

What are your New Year Resolutions? Do you have any? Or don't you bother making any?

Did you know that about 4000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians were the first people to make New Year's resolutions? Each year in mid-March (the beginning of their year) when the crops were planted, celebrations were held in honour of the New Year!

If you do make a New Year resolution for yourself, and you wish to share, please do so in the comments at end of blog OR on my Facebook page here.

In the meantime, I wish you all a Happy New Year and may you always have lots of sunshine, happiness, health and prosperity! May you always be happy!

May you ALL have wonderful 2018 year, crocheting and knitting many projects and conquering new techniques and stitches.

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I would like to thank everyone who has supported my creative crochet and knit works during 2017.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for buying my patterns and for your lovely comments. 

As soon as the holiday period is over I will be back in the New Year with new designs I managed to crochet and knit during December.

May the New Year 2018 bring you
Love, peace and happiness,
Now and Forever!

Ciao Ciao!


Copyright © 2008

Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet

All Rights Reserved.

Thursday 3 October 2013

JAZZY Crochet Baby Blanket

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Embossed crochet afghan blanket 
the perfect gift for a newborn.
This is the perfect pram or cot blanket 
for a baby boy or baby girl.  


As promised, I now have the pattern for this lovely baby blanket in UK (British) and USA (American) crochet terms available for you to try out your crochet skills.  

History:

I had great pleasure designing this embossed motif blanket for the new arrival into the family.  Baby girl born in the early months of the Australian winter.  I chose my favourite James C. Brett yarn, a beautiful soft pure merino DK.  Grandad chose the colours based on some inside information regarding the colour purple, and from there grew the colour scheme and the playful embossed reversible motif square.

I am so lucky to have a great haberdashery in Canterbury which also sells a variety of yarns which are not available from any other local yarn store near me, so all I had to do was order my colour choice and wait for the delivery.  The project took a bit longer than anticipated due to other projects needing attention but in the end I managed to finish the blanket in time for the birth, 28 June.


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The pattern includes two different border edges: 1. scalloped fan (as shown in the photo on the left); or 2. simple plain edge (see photo on the right). 

PATTERN DETAILS:

The perfect pram or cot crochet blanket for a boy or girl.

An afghan square with a reversible embossed motif and made with a soft, merino yarn makes this a cozy blanket for winter. 

This pattern is written and is available in UK - BRITISH and USA - AMERICAN Crochet Terms. 

Please select the correct pattern terminology prior to purchase.

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate 
YARN: James C. Brett Pure Merino DK 
HOOK: H-8 (5mm)

MEASUREMENTS: 42 square motif blanket will measure approximately 36in/91cm by 30in/76cm (excluding the decorative border)

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PATTERN AVAILABLE   from my online shops


CRAFTSY       RAVELRY

enjoy
ciao, ciao!


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Monday 23 September 2013

BLISS Crochet Blanket - Afghan Style

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Best gift to celebrate the birth of a child 
is a crochet afghan blanket.
A simple square with an embossed design 
and beautiful vibrant colours.

This is the perfect pram or cot blanket 
for a boy or girl. 



This is my second afghan motif blanket and I think I am hooked - doh!  

HISTORY:

This afghan motif was created back in May 2012, and since then it has sat quietly on the back-burner, patiently waiting to be incorporated into a crochet pattern and waiting to be released.  

In January 2013, I had found the perfect yarn and selected the colours, a lovely green with contrasting burnt orange, and a cream for the main border colour.

As soon as a sample motif was crocheted, there was no stopping me.

The BLISS crochet blanket was completed by the third week in February 2013.  I am so grateful for the cold winter days which give one plenty of reason to stay indoors and crochet.  

Finished in plenty of time for the birth of another baby girl addition to the family, born early March 2013. Woo hoo!

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The pattern includes two different border edges: 1. simple and plain (as shown in the above photo); or 2. fan style (see photo below). 

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Hope you all enjoy this afghan blanket as much as I enjoyed designing and making it!

PATTERN DETAILS:


Perfect pram or cot blanket for a boy or girl.

A simple afghan square creates this vibrant comfy blanket made from cotton, silk and cashmere. 

This pattern is written and is available in UK - BRITISH and USA - AMERICAN Crochet Terms. 

Please select the correct pattern terminology prior to purchase.


SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate 
YARN: Debbie Bliss Bella 
HOOK: 4.5mm (7) and 5mm (H-8)

MEASUREMENTS:  42 square motif blanket will measure approximately 36in/91cm by 30in/76cm (excluding the decorative border)

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PATTERN AVAILABLE

from my online shops


CRAFTSY       RAVELRY



enjoy
ciao, ciao!

---ooOOOoo---

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Wednesday 11 September 2013

Keep warm and cozy with a Crochet Blanket


SUN and STARS Crochet Blanket was designed specifically for my first grandchild. It is my very first attempt at designing a motif blanket.  I had long resisted granny squares for the simple fact of having to hide all those ends, and then attaching all those motifs to each other.  What a chore!


However, when the time came to making something really special for my daughter's first born, I decided to create something totally new and different from any other baby blanket or afghan blanket I have seen.  I hope you like the result?  I know for a fact my daughter loved it. 


WHY I HAVEN'T POSTED FOR A WHILE 


Simply I am suffering with a lovely pinched nerve in my neck, caused obviously by too much crochet and too much pattern designing, and too much computer work, and too much mouse use; not to mention the unforgivable cursed word - AGING and early signs of degenerative disc disease.   SOUNDS AWFUL... but it really is manageable.  I just have to undergo physiotherapy and acupuncture and totally limit my activities which aggravate the situation.  I am now in my 7th week and starting to feel normal again, but I think the days of 8-10 hours of crochet are gone for me.  Boo hoo!

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HISTORY:

The design of this motif afghan blanket began in February 2012, and it's creation took a few months, due to other more urgent projects needing my attention, so it's completion was in May 2012, in plenty of time for the birth of baby girl CC born on June 30, 2012.  Yes, of course I was there for the birth!

PUBLISHED:

This pattern has been published in INSIDE CROCHET magazine Issue 37, January 2013.

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PATTERN DETAILS:

This is the perfect pram or cot blanket for a boy or girl.

A simple octagon and a small square create this warm and comfy blanket made from organic wool cotton yarn.



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This pattern written in UK - BRITISH and USA - AMERICAN crochet terms.

Please SELECT the CORRECT PATTERN TERMINOLOGY prior to purchase.



Skill Level: Intermediate 

Yarn: Rowan Belle Organic Aran 
Hook: 5mm (H-8) 

Measurements: Blanket consisting of 20 octagon motifs will measure approximately 76cm/30in by 61cm/24in


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PATTERN AVAILABLE 

from my online shop



enjoy
ciao, ciao!

---ooOOOoo---

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Monday 7 January 2013

CROCHET BABY BLANKET "SUN & STARS"

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CREATIVE MOTIFS - OCTAGONS and SQUARES


OCTAGON - the eight-sided motif is a striking alternative to the SQUARE granny motif.

To make a solid afghan blanket with octagons you need small squares to fit in between the octagons.

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The pieces fit together like a puzzle - four octagons surrounding a square.

KEEP IT SIMPLE


My focus for the design of this octagon blanket was to keep it as simple as possible.  By using only two colours for the motifs and by repeating the same colour sequence for each motif, I found the whole process of creating each octagon and square very relaxing and satisfying.

It was so easy to keep track of my progress, I was able to lay out the octagons and visually gauge the size of the blanket I wanted to make.  



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This pattern was also published in the INSIDE CROCHET magazine, Issue 37, January 2013. 

When I finished making all the octagon motifs, I then proceeded to design the square motif to fit into the gaps.  Again, I kept the square filler motif very simple, just enough definition to highlight the octagon motif.

 Joining Motifs

The next task at hand, sewing the motifs together, and as you all know, sewing is not my favourite handcraft. But this was a very special project, for a very special person, my first grandchild, so I was prepared to do what it takes to get it done and get it done well.

Octagon motifs were joined side-by-side into long rows, and then each row was joined to next row, and finally, the square motifs were added into the gaps.  

Finishing Border

After all the motifs were joined and the gaps filled, the blanket took on a whole new look, and the result was very pleasing indeed.


Only at this point, after all the joining was complete, did the blanket present the SUN and STARS mosaic, therefore the name.

So, to finish off the motif blanket, I proceeded with a contrast row of cilantro around the edge of the motifs and finished with a simple row of reverse crochet in slate.


Simply perfect! I presented the blanket to my daughter in Australia, two weeks before the baby was born (CC was born June 30).


(You may have noticed my blanket for my grandchild, was made with Cilantro and Slate, whereas for the magazine, I used Cilantro and Aubergine.)

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Both blankets were made using



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SUN and STARS Baby Blanket PATTERN 


is AVAILABLE


from my online shop




Enjoy every moment,
focus on every stitch,
create a masterpiece!



ciao, ciao...



Tuesday 26 June 2012

Crochet Baby Blanket RAINBOW

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Last minute DOT crochet...  yes that's right just one week before my flight to Oz I decided to make another baby blanket for my daughter's first born.

QUICK PROJECT
I decided to make it easy on myself and just get something out fast and the only way to do that was to follow Helen Ardley's pattern for a "Snuggle Blanket".

I found the pattern in her book "Cute Crochet for Tiny Tots"... this book was available in my local KENT library.

The pattern is written for Rowan Wool Cotton using a 3.5mm hook; and the measurements are 42 x 58cm (16.5 x 22.25in).
Basically it is a small blanket and made with a Rowan yarn I had already used for my other baby blanket (which I will talk about in another blog soon)....  and I wanted this blanket to be different.

YARN CHOICE
I decided to use up my stash of Bendigo Woollen Mills "Cotton 8ply"... a few years ago Bendigo carried a range of colours in this beautiful soft cotton... and of course I managed to purchase at most 2 x 200g balls in each colour.... so obviously I had a good range of colours to choose from... hence the 12 colour blanket.

Unfortunately today the same colours are no longer available; however they still provide a nice selection of 10 colours... check it out here.

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IN LOVE WITH BENDIGO
From the first time I used this cotton yarn I fell in love with it... it is just so soft... and at the time when I started using the yarn there was no other yarn on the market that even came close to the softness of this cotton yarn by Bendigo Woollen Mills.

You may know this yarn by it's other name "HEIRLOOM" Cotton 8ply which is available in 50g balls.

However, buying direct from the mill is a more economical purchase and you get the bonus of 200g balls which are perfect for larger projects.

RAINBOW BLANKET
Materials:  Heirloom/Bendigo Cotton 8ply in 12 colours
I used my stash of 200g balls in each colour.
If you use 50g balls I estimate approximately 1 to 1.5 x 50g balls of each colour; depending on size of blanket, and your tension/gauge.
Hook:  4mm
Size:  86.4 x 86.4cm (34 x 34in) (excluding the edging)
Tension/Gauge:  2.5 fans/shells over 10cm (4in)
The pattern is written in British Crochet terms, but it is easy to follow and easy to convert to US Crochet terms.
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and there you have it... a "simply perfect" colourful baby blanket in rainbow colours... and what's even better is .... you can wash this cotton blanket in the washing machine... on a quick gentle wash... so perfect for new mums who may not have the time to wash by hand.

All you have to do is head off to your local library and borrow the book or purchase your own copy... the book includes a good number of easy crochet projects for your baby and toddler... and all worth trying...  I myself may have to revisit this book.... I enjoyed this blanket project so much and managed to complete it very quickly... estimate about 20hrs total from start to finish... and that includes 1hr of hiding yarn ends.

GO FOR IT... GIVE IT A TRY... YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED...


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Ciao, Ciao...  
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Saturday 10 March 2012

MY PERFECT HEART IS HEXED


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From my crochet design room rises another creation...


The HEXED HEART


THIS PATTERN features my Perfect Heart SUSPENDED in a HEXAGON.  It is the natural progression from the Perfect Heart CAPTIVE in a square.  I know, I know, I can't help myself, these crochet hearts are all consuming.   OBVIOUSLY,  I am having LOADS OF FUN playing with all the ideas.  Sometimes, the ideas are flowing fast, way too fast, for me to keep up with crocheting them.


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Crochet Heart HEXED - samples crocheted in DMC Natura Just Cotton, DMC Petra 5 and BENDIGO Cotton 8ply.

AND then of course EASTER is just around the corner, and Easter treats are constantly on my mind. 


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PATTERN DETAILS:

Crochet Heart “HEXED” Pattern ©  Barbara Summers Design 2012 


Description: A pattern featuring my Perfect Heart suspended in a HEXAGON. The Crochet Heart "hexagon" can be crochet in three (3) sizes.  Each hexagon grows in size with extra rounds and extra stitches. 

Make the hexagon in one colour or change colour every round or every other round, choice is always yours.

Make as many as you like for a COLOURFUL HEART THROW using any size hexagon. 

Join the hexagons and make a scarf, headband, wristband, handbag, placemat or wherever your inspiration takes you.

Use a variety of yarn weights and hook sizes and you will get a range of sizes.

Skill Level:  EASY

Yarn:  Bendigo Cotton 8ply OR DMC Natura 4ply OR DMC Petra 5 OR any other yarn
Hook:  BENDIGO/NATURA yarn use 3.5mm; PETRA 5 use 2mm.
Stitches:  single, half double, double, treble crochet and Bobble
Gauge/Tension:  Not crucial - use hook half to one size smaller than recommended on yarn label
Measurements:  varies depending on yarn and hook used
Terminology:  USA - American crochet terms

THIS PATTERN IS SUITABLE FOR OTHER YARNS.

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Pattern is available from my online stores

CRAFTSY      RAVELRY      ETSY
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Enjoy!
ciao, ciao!
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