Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Crochet blanket edges....

Some have asked for the patterns for the edges that I use. I am going to share some below. First, I usually buy my receiving blankets at Target--they have a good selection and they usually come four or more to a package. Before you begin, you have to remove the tag. Sometimes I am able to completely remove it and this takes time and patience. You can also cut it very close to the hem stitching on the blanket and crochet over it. I use size 10 crochet thread and size 7 steel needle. I make the holes in the blanket as I crochet. Tie the thread on the needle and then punch the needle through the blanket at the edge of the hem stitching and pull the thread through the blanket and finish as a single crochet stitch. Then you chain 2 and single crochet around the blanket and join with a slip stitch at the end. Row 2: 5 double crochets in the following ch2 space by slip stitching in the ch2 space and ch2(this counts as first double crochet) then finish that space with four more double crochets. Single crochet in next space, five double crochets in next space, and continue this pattern around the blanket and join with a slip stitch. Finish off. Do the same single crochet, chain two around as in first edge and join with a slip stitch in the beginning.
Row 2: chain 2 (counts as dc), 2 dc in next ch2 space, dc in next sc, ch2(dc in next sc, 2 dc in ch2 space, dc in next sc, ch2) repeat around and join with sl st in first dc.


Row 3: sl st in next dc, sc in next dc, chain 3, sl st in the same space as sc just made, 3 dc in next ch 2 space, sc in top of 3rd dc of next dc group, ch3 and sl st in the same space as sc just made, 3 dc in next ch2 space, continue around and end with sl st in first sc. Finish off.













Same round 1, then start pattern below.


I hope this helps. Enjoy!

♥Love,♥

Marie

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A beautiful day in the neighborhood.....

A few weeks ago, the weather had been so bad. It had been cloudy all day and as the sun was setting it came out. I went out on the deck to take a picture because I was so excited that it was red and that meant we would have a rain-free day for the next day.


Today was a gorgeous day, but cool. My husband's brother took my husband to Durham today for a treatment for his MS. While they were gone, I decided to try to get out and get some pictures. This yellowbell bush is right outside the bedroom window and I see it every morning when I raise the shade. This bush was planted back in the 1930's when this house was built.

A dear friend of mine moved back to NY when her husband died and she gave me these buttercups. They surround a trailing rose bush. I love crocus! They will pop up through snow and when you see them, you know Spring is not far away. We have two boxes of pansies planted on the deck where we can enjoy them by looking out our bay window in the kitchen. These are one of my favorite flowers. My grandmother loved flowers and had a beautiful rose garden and always planted pansies across the front of her house. I like to pick these and put in a small vase on the kitchen cabinet. These smell so good.
Hope you enjoyed my flowers.

♥Love ♥,

Marie

Friday, March 4, 2011

Decorating for St. Patrick"s Day


I now have my light box ready for March. I did the same thing to make this one as I did for Valentine's Day (directions are in a former post). I saw on another blog that instead of printing a picture
she bought cling-ons at the Dollar Store. She did her bow like mine and then just changed the cling-ons for each season or holiday. Have fun and use your imagination.
Love, Marie