The Blanket Room

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Over the top? Maybe. Amazing? Definitely!!!!

Crochet For Pets

I was recently in Petsmart shopping for my new puppy. While browsing I found these adorable Martha Stewart crocheted pet toys and I just had to share :-)

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These have inspired me to make some toys for Gilbert :-) What's inspiring you today?

Graduation Afghans

Last year, two of my dearest friends graduated from highschool. I really wanted to give them something that fit their personality, that I made, and was something that would still be useful in the years to come. I thought and thought and decided on an afghan. I know, that's a pretty cliche crochet gift, but hey, who doesn't love a handmade-with-love afghan?

This is the afghan I made for my friend, Marli.

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I used an off-white cream color. It ended up being bigger than the afghan that's in the picture, but that was fine :-) She ended up loving it! Marli is a girly girl, so I wanted to give her something elegant that she could use now but still be able to use it in her own home one day.

Marli and I have been friends since we were 8 years old! We met at church. I really don't know when we went from aquaintances to best friends, but somehow it happened :-) We were both homeschooled and throughout the years we've done many homeschool activities together. We're still best friends and love hanging out together!

This is the afghan I made for my friend, Jordan:

The background color looks almost black in this picture, but it's really navy blue. Jordan was going away to college, so I wanted something that she could take with her, but she could still use later on. She isn't as much of a "girly girl" as I am, so I wanted something in colors that she would like and match her bedding, something that was feminine but not over-the-top girly, practical, and most importantly something that she would want to use :-)

Jordan and I have been friends since she was born (I'm a year older)! My dad grew up with her mom's family. Once my parents started dating, her mom and my mom have been great friends:-) Jordan and I are very different and yet very similar. We both love to read, "I Love Lucy," spend time together, talk, and just hang out :-) PS. This pattern came from a special edition of Crochet Today Magazine

This year, my brother, Rodge, is graduating from highschool! I can't believe it! About a year and a half ago he asked for a log cabing afghan for Christmas. The thing is, he asked about 2 weeks before Christmas! This Christmas, he repeated his request, but I didn't have the money, so I promised him I would make it for graduation. So, graduation is looming ever near, so it's getting close to time to start stitching! I can't find the pattern I'm using online (he was going through my crochet magazines and found the afghan he wanted). But this is what a log cabin quilt block looks like:

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It's the same basic concept with crochet. The difference is that instead of using fabric, crochet blocks are used. He wants it to be in blues, browns and grays. I can't wait to get started! I haven't been crocheting much lately. I've been in more of a book reading kind of mood. I will be nice to have a hook and yarn back in my hands :-)

Crochet Pattern Central

Have ya'll heard of Crochet Pattern Central? This website is a directory of links to FREE crochet patterns! Instead of doing a web search, I start at Crochet Pattern Central first. I can usually find what I need there. I love it! You can browse by category or use the search feature to find just what you're looking for. Most times, I've found just what I needed.

I just found out that CPC is run by ONE WOMAN! And she does this as a labor of love! Seriously, if you've seen the site you'll know why this is so surprising to me. There's a little bit of everything on CPC. Check it out :-)

Thank You, Mrs. Judy!



Mrs. Judy, our preacher's wife, very generously gave this yarn to me :-)

Red Heart Light and Lofty



Red Heart Soft Baby with white undertones

Red Heart Soft Baby in pink undertones

I see some baby projects in my future :-) 

Etsy Goodies

I love Etsy! Seriously this site is so neat. I could can spend a lot of time just looking at all of the beautiful things available. For those of ya'll who don't have a clue what I'm talking about, I'll fill you in :-) Etsy is a place to buy and sell all things handmade, vintage, or supplies to make all things handmade :-) Here is Etsy's "about" page. There is a little bit of everything on Etsy! The sellers range from amateur just wanting to sell a few things, to professionals who make their living from Etsy. Enough of my rambling. I want to share a few things on Etsy that I like :-)

These Sweet Cloth Baby Shoes are adorable and affordable at only $6.50! They can be found at the Hardy Party shop.

I LOVE this vintage top! So feminine and would look great with a pair of jeans or dressed up with a skirt. I would wear this with a tank top that is a bit higher, though. This top can be found at the Ande Mönster shop. At $20 this shirt is a good deal :-)

This floral crown was featured on Etsy's homepage a few months ago. I love the elegant simplicity of it! I think this would be lovely worn by a bride in place of a veil. This can be found at Whichgoose's shop and is $55.

These dolls are just precious! The actual dolls aren't for sale, but the patterns are. I think I might make one or two of these for my boyfriend's youngest sister's 8th birthday:-) And I'd love to have Belle for myself! These patterns can be found at KawaiiGurumi's shop. The cost is $30 for this set of 7 patterns. Patterns can also be bought individually for $5 each. Note: I don't like the "shells" that Ariel wears in her mermaid form. If I made these for myself or a friend I'd try to figure out a more modest top for her :-)

These are just a few things that I love on Etsy :-)

My Projects: Baby Fun!

I've been on a baby item kick lately. Probably due to the fact that 3 of my cousins and 2 of my friends are having babies within the next few months! Also, I love simple projects that are easy to personalize and are fast to make. These hats and bibs definitely fit in that category :-)

Believe it or not, all three of these hats came from the same pattern! The pattern is the Best Baby Cloche from Aesthetic Nest. I used Peaches and Cream 100% cotton yarn. All of these hats are size 0-3 months. On the first hat, I followed the pattern exactly, only omitting the flower and threading the ribbon through the eyelet edge. On the second hat, I followed the pattern exactly. On the last hat, I followed the pattern exactly up to Round 11. On rounds 12 and 13, I just hdc in each stitch around. These hats were SUPER easy to make and took an hour to an hour and a half to make.



I made these bibs using this pattern from the Bernat website. I also used Peaches and Cream 100% cotton yarn for both of these. On the first one, I used a denim blue yarn and a yellow yarn. I changed colors every two rows. On the second bib, I used the same multicolored yarn as with the multicolored baby hat. The third bib is one of my favorites! The eyes of the duckie are very simple. I ch 2 and then did 6 sc in the second chain from the hook, join with a sl st to the first st. Join white yarn, 2 sc in each sc around, 12 sc. Fasten off leaving a long enough tail for sewing the eyes in place. On the bill I used a burnt orange color from Red Heart. I just made the pattern up for the bill, but I don't remember off the top of my head how I did it! On the last bib I used a denim blue yarn and used the surface slip stitch to stitch to free hand the "R" on the front. All of the buttons came from my Moma's or from my button stash. I believe some of them are vintage but I'm not sure.

Best Baby Cloche

   Recently I was looking online for a simple baby hat. Nothing fancy, just a simple cloche. In that search I stumbled on the blog Aesthetic Nest. This blog is is absolutely lovely! Check it out! Also, here's the link for the Best Baby Cloche pattern :-)

Some of My Favorites

I haven't been doing a whole lot of crocheting the past few weeks. It seems like I've done it non stop since this summer, so I guess I'm just a little burnt out :) This will not last for long! I've yet to photograph all the things that are in the plastic bin in my room :-/ So, instead of showcasing my things today, I've decided to share with ya'll some of my favorite crochet publications!

I have been subscribing to Crochet Today magazine since the July/August 2009 issue. I had been looking at it online for a while and finally decided to subscribe. I wish I had decided to subscribe a few years earlier! I can honestly say that this has been the best investment I've made in my crochet adventure! It is a bi-monthly publication that usually has around 20 patterns per issue. Most of the patterns are begginer friendly, but they also feature some more advanced patterns as well. All of the patterns are stylish and up-to-date. I would definitely reccomend this to any of my friends who crochet. A picture of all their patterns are up on the website. Check it out!

Another one of my favorites would have to be The Chicks With Sticks Guide to Crochet: Learn to Crochet with More Than 30 Cool, Easy Patterns by Nancy Queen and Mary Ellen O'Connell.  In the past a lot of books geared towards begginers were... well... boring. But not in this book! The projects in this book are classic and chic! The level of this book ranges from beginner to advanced begginer. Chicks With Sticks is written in a very conversational style. When I read it, it feels like the authors are sitting next to me telling me how to make my project. These projects also build upon each other. The patterns at the beggining of the book are geared toward the early begginer, progressively getting a bit more challenging as the book goes on. This book is perfect for learning how to crochet. I wish it had been around when I was learning!

These are just two of my favorites. I hope this encourages you to pick up a crochet hook and some yarn and start stitching!