The pattern was from Crochet! Magazine – January 2011 and takes 3 x balls of Crystal Palace Mochi Plus – in Berry Compote for the large size, with some left over from the third ball.

I don’t have any of the Mochi Plus in stock, but you can always order some via e-mail: info@yarnover.com.au – or phone the shop on 07 3851 2608

Crochet Irish Cabbage Rose Motif blanket in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece - Queen Size

She used over 50 balls of Brown Sheep Company Cotton Fleece and crocheted square Cabbage Rose afghan motifs in a huge variety of colours. It took her over 2 years to complete and weighs a tonne! But I think it looks brilliant! Well done Carolyn!

(Note the Audrey pose! LOL!). The pattern I used was one downloaded from ravelry.com called “In Threes Baby Cardigan”. It was knitted in the round – no joins or seams – on a 5.5mm circular needle – 24 inches long. The pattern only went up to a size 5, so I cast on 6 extra stitches and made adjustments along the way so that it would fit her. It’s a perfect fit for this year with more room under the arms and length-wise to allow for growth so she can wear it next year. The yarn I used is one I sell in the shop called Araucania ‘Aysen’ – a lovely 10 ply blend of alpaca, merino and silk. I knitted with two skeins simultaneously to ensure even variegation in the yarn. the cardigan only took two x 100g skeins with some left over. Knitting a few rows every night, it took me about a month to finish but that’s because I was working on other projects at the same time and didn’t work on it every day. If you were a fast knitter and did about 10 rows very day you’d have it done in about 2 weeks, I think.

Anyway, here’s some more pics…

Campbell

and others….

I chose 3 colours – 2 variegated and two balls of each of two solid colours and cast on the length of my machine (200 – odd stitches) and just knitted until I ran out of each ball. I cast-off and had some pink left so I picked up stitches along the border on a 6.5mm pair of Denise circulars with a really long, extended cable. I increased at the corners – which are a bit too wavy – and hand-knitted about 6 rows.

Overall, the Giggles yarn is very stretchy so if I did it again, I wouldn’t do the border. The border is too short for the sides, so the blanket bunches up in the middle. On the plus side, the yarn produces a really nice double-sided fabric which is very soft and cuddly for a baby. And if you have a bulky knitting machine, this yarn goes through it like a dream – I was actually quite surprised at how well it turned out.

Project Rating: ***

A good one for beginners – only knit stitch is required. Could easily be made with 6 balls of Giggles.

The first one is a super-quick, soft crocheted ‘Spectrum’ scarf in Red Heart Boutique Magical – a wool-blend, magic ball-style yarn.

One ball makes a scarf which can be crocheted in just a few hours! Grows quickly and the pattern is very easy to memorise.

The second project is my hand-dyed, handspun “Boneyard Shawl“.

I used 100g of a 5 ply merino-silk blend which I spun on my Schacht Matchless spinning wheel.

It is more of a shawlette than a shawl though! LOL!

It was crocheted by Jenny and she used a pattern from Debbie Stoller’s book – “Stitch and Bitch: The Happy Hooker”.

She used three colours instead of four. This was her first attempt at cables and I think it worked out brilliantly! Thanks for sharing Natalie!

If you’d like the free pattern for this crochet bag, please click here.

here’s a little of what’s inside…

Greetings From Japan
Asian-inspired crochet fashion in the season’s sweetest colors.

Garden State of Mind
Break out your hook and pluck a bouquet full of fresh patterns.

My Only Sunshine
Make kids happy when skies are grey.

Read Between the Lines
Taking cues from geometry class with clean, linear concepts.

Folding fans Scarf

Dahlia Throw

Origami Bag

Blue Horizon Sweater

Easter Egg Placemats

Spring Training Cap