My Pattern Experience: Mayflower Baby Blanket



My Pattern Experience: The Mayflower Blanket

I was asked to make a baby blanket as a commission for a friend.  I didn't have much time to craft and I knew that it would have to be something fairly easy.  She requested it to be made in a pink yarn of my choosing and any pattern that I so desired.  Since I knew I would only be using one color, I wanted it to have some sort of unique pattern rather than just be a granny square or something else simple.  When I found this pattern, I was tickled pink.  It was so easy and worked up to be beautiful- with the zig zag cable and shell bringing shadow and interest to the solid yarn and the pattern looks really impressive and difficult, but it's not!  It's just a two row repeat- and the rows are technically the same, you just switch front post and back post depending if you are working the right side or the wrong.

 It worked up super fast- it took about 10 days of good solid work on it, though it did eat through a lot more yarn than I expected!  I had bought a Caron Baby One Pound skein and ended up having to get another to make it through the last third of the blanket and the edging.  I won't complain though, because it truly is a beautiful blanket.  I also made a modification to the edging, because it was already larger than I had expected, so I wanted to cut down on the extra width.  I love how this blanket came out and highly recommend that you try it!!!





9 Months to Christmas- Craft your way to a Happy Holiday! April's goals!

April's Goals are the most simple of them all.  Hopefully you've started on your big item (or at least one of the items on your list), and maybe you've even finished something!  I am halfway done with one present and have been testing things for another.  You'll want to come back to your list again and look and see if any of your ideas have changed.  Here is my list (with updates and more comments!)

Must Craft For:
Queen Bee  -   Shawl like black and white one/ oval doily/ bath stuff/snowflake {blanket 2012}
Striker – single serving treats/pies in jars/something food/hotpads? {blanket 2013}
Lily – tiny animals, totoro set, a bed sized blanket
Lucy – animals, aquabats anything, TMBG dolls, bed sized blanket
MIL - snowflake/hotpads/socks{blanket 2012}
SIL - cowl/snowflake/hotpads/socks {blanket 2013}
Linney – socks/mittens?(something knit)
Hubs -  Extra big & long blanket/sampler style?

Would like to craft for:
Aud - snowflake/hotpads/socks (something knit)
Kynz - fingerless mitts
Efan -  Creeper hat
Humph - socks/mittens/cardi?
Shep - hat?
V -  horse something?
FIL – Green Bay Packers Blanket?
STLM - club covers? {blanket 2013}
GGJ- Snowflake/hotpads
Soo- Snowflake/hotpads


As you can see, I've added more "bulk creation" items (where i can make similar "copies" of an item for ease of gifting).  

I have a collection of snowflakes that I had been working on in my spare time, so this seems like a good year to give them out- so they've been added to my list, and hotpads are super easy- I love this vintage thick and easy potholder and all of my giftees love them too!

While I can't totally cross anyone off of my list yet, I've got a good start and lots of testing going.  I'm hoping this month to finish at least one project, sort through my snowflakes, and complete some testing/begin crafting on tested works.

Your goals for April are:

1) continue working on projects that you started in March.
2) test what you need to to prepare for work
3) work even more on finalizing your list
4) Finish at least one project, no matter how small- Just so you can have the pleasure of marking one thing off your list!!