Free Pattern: Crocheted Baby Snuggle

this isn’t a pattern of my own creation, but something i copied down YEARS ago.  it’s become my favorite baby gift because it’s just absolutely beautiful once completed.  i’ve made it so many times over the years that i now only use my notes as a rough guide.

For the Pattern…

yarn:
bernat’s cottontots - pastel dreams (approx 5 skeins? it’s yarn i usually have on hand so i’ve not ever really kept track of how much i used.  5 seems about right.)
1 skein of a contrasting cotton yarn (yellow, blue, pink, green, white?) for the trim.

hook:
size h

(i have never ever worried about gauge on this blanket.)

pattern:

blanket:
ch 115
row 1: work dc in 5th chain from hook and in each remaining, ch 3 and turn.
row 2: in 3rd dc, make a shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) *skip 3 sts, shell in next dc, repeat from *, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn.
row 3 - 6: make a shell in the center st of each shell below, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn.
row 7:  increase shell to (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) across, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn.
row 8 - 12: repeat row 7.
row 13: increase shell to (4 dc, ch 1, 4 dc) across, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn.
row 14 - 30: repeat row 13.
Fasten off.

hood:
in beginning row of blanket, join yarn with a sl st in the 28th dc.  (7 shells on blanket extend beyond either side of hood.)
row 1: ch 3, *skip 3 dc, make a shell (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc), repeat from *, dc in last dc, ch 3 and turn. (13 shells)
row 2 - 10: repeat row 1 from *.
Fold hood in half, sew across top edge, fasten off.

trim:
worked in contrasting color.
join yarn with sl st in beginning sl st of hood.
hood: skip the starting ch 3 of the 1st row, *make shell (3 dc, picot (ch 3, sl st through 1st st of chain), 3 dc) in ch 3 of next row.  repeat from * around hood.
left side: sc in each dc along front edge of blanket, 3 sc in corner, increase *shell (4 dc, picot, 4 dc), sc in starting ch of next row.  repeat from * down side of blanket, 3 sc in corner.
bottom: make shell over shell along bottom edge of the blanket (5 dc, picot, 5 dc), 3 sc in corner.
right side: repeat left side, *shell (4 dc, picot, 4 dc), sc in starting ch of next row, 3 sc in corner, sc across each dc along front edge.
attach where joined, fasten off.

drawstring:
worked in contrasting color.
double yarn and ch 120.
thread through first row of dc on blanket, going over and under 2 dc at a time.
make 2 tassels, attach to ends of drawstring.

(to make the tassels: i wrap lots and lots of yarn around my outspread fingers (making the tassel roughly 3 or 4 inches or so?), then feed a piece of yarn through the middle and tie it tightly at the top.  wrap another piece of yarn around the body of the tassel about a half inch from the top, tie that tightly, then cut the yarn at the bottom and trim the ends even.) - made in same color as blanket.

Free!, Crochet, Patterns, Comments (0)
February 25, 2010 @ 12:48 am

Welcome to The Snarled Skein

When I was a little girl, my bestfriend’s mother decided that we needed to learn something “suitable for young ladies”, rather than our cavorting around like little hellions for the summer.  For the next few weeks, we dabbled in various crafts: needlepoint, embroidery, macramé, and crochet, until our inner hellions could no longer be contained.  While I enjoyed the craftwork, there was an entire SUMMER out there with my name all over it.

As I grew older, I began spending parts of the summer with my aunt and uncle.  My aunt, being a Crafter Extraordinaire, picked up where my bestfriend’s mother had left off: teaching me the basics of crochet, having me help her with various crafting projects she was working on, and, in one very grueling instance, attempting to teach me to sew.  (For the record: sewing machines and I are not on speaking terms, nor will we ever be.)

One year, with my crochet skills much improved, my father “asked” me to crochet 250 towel toppers for a church bazaar.  Big mistake.  Even though they sold like hotcakes, after crocheting 250 of the things, I swore I’d never pick up a crochet hook or yarn again.  Tedious, boring, blahblahblah.

Then…10 years later, while recovering from a dislocated knee (too much dancing) and having entirely too much time on my hands, I picked up a craft magazine and saw a crocheted doll dress pattern that I thought might be fun to do.

And thus… my crochet habit was born.  While I am crocheting, there is almost nothing else that I’d rather be doing.  It relaxes me, gives my inner hellion a focus, and satisfies my occasionally overly analytical mind: the feel of soft yarns (I’ve a ~texture thing~. I heart texture.), the ~creativity~, the geometrical/mathematical nature of crochet patterns, plus the satisfaction of turning those luxurious skeins of yarn into beautiful items and the enjoyment those items bring to people.  All of these speak to me.

I recently decided that I needed ~a new space~, ~a new beginning~.  A place where I could focus on my crochet (or crafts or whatever handiwork that I might get up to) and so…  ~Tada~.  The Snarled Skein was born.  (Such a fitting name, I’ve spent entirely too much time unsnarling yarns over the years… and I confess, I’ve snarled a few too many, as well.)

When I can, I’ll post patterns or point to crochet items that I’ve fallen in love with and I hope that YOU’ll find something within this site that sparks YOUR interest and calls to your own creativity.

In the meantime, Happy Hooking!

—arin

Misc, Comments (3)
February 24, 2010 @ 03:24 pm