V Stitch Foot Blanket

Grannie’s V Stitch Foot Blanket

Well hello Monday goers. Here we are again at the start of a new week. Thought I would bring you some yummy yarny crocheting in the form of this lovely foot blanket. It’s one of my favourite little blankets that I made in the winter and as you can see it’s a firm favourite in our family. It finds itself living in different places in the house, but seems to like living here in between a very old carriage blanket and my Year of the Stitches Blanket.

When I designed this blanket, I had a few specific ideas in my head. I wanted it to be warm, but not too heavy. I also knew it needed to have the lovely fluid drape that a blanket can give, as I knew it would be placed over a bed or someone’s feet or lap. Thus why I used quite large hooks for the tasks and choose the magnificent, yet oh so simple V stitch. My first of these blankets was for my dear Grannie. She was in a care home at the time and her feet were getting cold. She had spent her life keeping our feet warm with knitted slipper socks, so it was about time we kept her feet nice and toasty. I visited her with my Dad and started the blanket that evening. It took me 3 evenings, so it’s ever so quick to make up. Unfortunately she passed away the next day, so I never got to give it to her. But it is now known in our house hold as the GG Blanket. So that’s nice. It even gets lent out to family members aka my sister, for camping trips or snuggle needing events!!

Supplies –

Now you can choose to make this blanket in either Aran weighted wool or 2 double knit wools worked together. I love using up all my different odds and ends and mixing lots of yarns, so I choose to use 2 double knit yarns. My Gran did this a lot. She even used to undo unwanted jumpers and reuse the wool for other projects, so I think she would have approved of this one. Just remember when you are using multistrands of wool, all you need to do is work with them as if they are 1 ball of wool. It’s ever so easy, so nothing to worry about. Here’s a little snuggle pod I was making with 3 balls of wool!

So mine weighs about 600g and I have used the 2 strands of double knit wool method. So probably looking at about 12 balls of dk yarn, as they are usually in 50g balls. If you are using Aran, then you will need roughly about 7-8 balls of wool. Obviously it depends on your tension and how big or small you fancy making it. You will also need a 7mm and an 8mm crochet hook, scissors and a blunt ended tapestry needle.

Level – Easy

Blanket Size – 53inches wide and 23inches tall.

Stitches – 

Slip knot – Firstly fold over the yarn to make a loop. Insert your hook through the loop and grab the working yarn (long piece) and pull through the loop. Hold the tail and the working yarn and pull tight to create a knot.

Chain (ch) – To make a chain stitch, make a slip knot on your hook and then place the yarn over your hook and pull through the loop. Repeat this action to make a row of stitches.

Treble (tr) – To make a treble crochet, firstly yarn over your hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over your hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should now be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through the first two loops, yarn over hook and pull through the last two loops.

V Stitch – To make a V stitch, you need to work 2 Treble crochet stitches inbetween the two trebles stitches in the row below.

Ok so here we go … 

1 – To start the blanket you need to chain 120 stitches. Now remember when you are starting a blanket off, always use a hook size 1 whole size bigger for the chain stitches. So we are using a 7mm hook for this blanket, so work your chain stitches with an 8mm hook. Otherwise you will get a delightful curve on your blanket before you have even started. It helps you to have a nice straight edge to your blanket. So first things first make your slip knot.

Then work your 120 chain stitches.

Now that you have chained all of your stitches, change back to your normal crochet hook which is a 7mm hook. (120)

2 – Right so turn your blanket and chain 3. This will give you the height for your V stitch. Now in the 5th chain from the hook work 2tr stitches. (Don’t forget there is a recap at the top if you have forgotten how to work a Treble Stitch.) So you are working into the 5th chain from the hook – because 3 stitches are acting as your first tr stitch and one stitch you are missing.

Now *miss a chain stitch and work 2tr into the next stitch.* Repeat ** across the rest of the row.

Now work 1tr Stitch in the last chain stitch in the row. (120)

3 – Now turn your work and chain 3. This acts as your first tr stitch. Now you are going to work your V stitch inbetween the 2 treble stitches from the row below. This is where the arrow is pointing.

To work your V stitch, work your 2 trebles stitches here.

*Now miss a stitch and as before work 2tr inbetween the 2 treble stitches below.*Repeat ** all the way across the row.

So when you come to the last V, work the 2tr stitches as usual. Now work 1tr in then top of the chain 3 stitches from the row below. (120)

This completes your row. (120)

4 – Now turn your work and chain 3. This acts as your first tr stitch. Then *work 2tr inbetween the V stitch below (Inbetween the 2 tr stitches)*.

Repeat ** across the row. Now if like me you are using up lots of odds and ends of yarn, at some point in each row, balls of wool will run out. So I have created this blanket with colour changes randomly. Obviously you don’t have to change mid row, you can always change at the ends of the row or not at all. Up to you! But if you do then here’s how. So start your first tr in the next V stitch by yarn over hook, insert into your stitch, yarn over your hook then pull back through. So at this point, you are going to use your new yarn. So place the new yarn over your hook.

Now finish the tr stitch as usual, so pull the new yarn through the first 2 loops.

Then yarn over your hook and pull through the last 2 loops. Now work another 1tr in the same place to finish the V stitch.

Now carry on working V stitches as usual. At the end of the row, work 1tr in the top of the chain 3 stitches. (120)

5 – Now turn your work and chain 3. This acts as your first tr stitch. Then *work 2tr inbetween the V stitch below. (Inbetween the 2 tr stitches.)*

At the end of the row work 1tr in the top of the chain 3 stitches. (120)

6 – Now repeat row 5 until you are happy with the height of your blanket. For my foot blanket, I have worked 42 rows, but feel free to do as many or as little as you like. Once you have finished, fasten off and sew in all of those rascally ends.

Look at all those lovely V stitches. Love the colour change in this one.

You can see here the size of the 42 rows. It will fit easily at the end of a single bed or just as a simple lap blanket that lives on the back of the sofa.

So there you have the wonderful V Stitch Foot Blanket. Really hope you like this one. Great for a really quick blanket to make for someone. Might be nice for a Christmas present for someone or even a big bod off to Uni. Would be great to go at the end of a single bed too!!

Well, happy hooking everyone.

🌈Xx

(Free Crocheted Pattern brought to you by PipsRainbow.)

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Year of the Stitches Week 36 – Offset Filet Net

Offset Filet Net 

Hello lovelies, hope you are all well and coping with the change of weather. It’s definitely a little chillier here isn’t it. The boots even came out this week. It’s definitely slipper sock weather too! It’s time to start making them again. My daughter just ordered another pair for her birthday!

Don’t forget to have a peak on my blog for the pattern if you’d like to make some. These are all made from the wonderful West Yorkshire Spinner Aran range and are beautifully modelled by lovely family, might I add.

My little lady went back to school this week. The house has been ever so quiet without her little laugh around. My little man has missed her so much! Unfortunately it’s been a bit of a funny week with a delightful sicky bug wiping us all out! It’s been crazy! No idea where we all caught this one from, but it’s definitely taken it’s toll. Thankfully though we are all back to normal, though be a little lighter! (Never a bad thing I suppose!) So my crocheting has been on the slim side this week. Just not been up to it at all. My husband knows when I’m not feeling great, if my crocheting hook isn’t going ten to the dozen! So not much to show you i’m afraid.

The one thing we did manage, though I have no idea how – was the Lichfield 2km Fun Run. Well me and the kids did the Fun Run and my husband very bravely completed the 10km. After a week of a rather nasty tummy bug, I wasn’t sure if we’d be there! But we got round. Phew!! Those of you who know me, know that I am not a runner – not in any means. I am a swimmer, through and through!! Get me in a pool any day! But when a little lady in my life asked me to run with her last year, I just couldn’t say no. And now I’m guessing it’s a bit of a tradition. My little man is in the pram and luckily this year, my dear sister-in-law ran with us too. My brother-in-law ran the 10k with my husband, so they were with the big boys. So a proper family affair!

Right then onto the blanket. Really chuffed with how it’s turning out. Hope yours are going well. Think mjne needs to be blocked again soon, it’s getting a little wobbly.

 

Supplies

Oooo, so this week I have used this lovely lime green yarm. It’s from the wonderful Toft range and it’s lovely and soft and keeps a super shape. Just right for this weeks stitch. I used this Toft yarn for a Dippy Dinosaur that I made for my son for his first Christmas. It’s a lovely pattern if you fancy making one. You can buy it from the Toft website.

Couldn’t resist using a grassy green colour with all our lovely lawns springing back into action!! Much better than the strawy yellow ones we had all summer!! Once again you will need about 30-40g of double knit yarn and not forgetting your 4mm crochet hook, scissors and blunt ended tapestry needle to sew in the ends.

Stitches

Chain (ch) – To make a chain, place the yarn over the hook then pull it through the loop on your hook.

Treble (tr) – To make a treble crochet, firstly yarn over your hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over your hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should now be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through the first two loops, yarn over hook and pull through the last two loops.

So this weeks stitch is the super Offset Filet Stitch. Yup, it’s a rather odd name isn’t it!! Basically there is a Filet Stitch, but with this one as you can see, sits at a slant. Definitely a fab stitch and ever so easy to work. Really hope you like it.

Ok so here we go …

1 – Start by attaching your new yarn into the top of chain 6 stitches from the row below.

Now work 1ch (Acts as 1dc), then 1dc in the same stitch.

Now work 1dc in each stitch across the row. (200)

2 – Right so now turn your work and chain 4. (This acts as 1tr and 1ch.)

Now work 1tr in the next stitch. *Now chain 1, miss 1 stitch and work 1tr in the next stitch.*

Repeat this ** across the row. Then work 1tr in the last stitch. (200)

3 – Right then so turn your work and chain 4. (This acts as 1tr and 1ch.)  Now miss the first stitch and work 1tr in the first chain 1 space. (ch1sp)

*Now work 1ch, miss 1 stitch and work 1tr in the next ch1sp.* Repeat this ** across the row.

At the end of the row, your last tr stitch can be worked in the top of the chain 4 stitches from the row below. (200)

4 – Right then so turn your work and chain 4. (This acts as 1tr and 1ch.)  Now miss the first stitch and work 1tr in the first chain 1 space. (ch1sp) *Now work 1ch, miss 1 stitch and work 1tr in the next ch1sp.*

Repeat this ** across the row.

At the end of the row, your last tr stitch can be worked in the top of the chain 4 stitches from the row below. (200)

Well what did you think? It’s a good one isn’t it and ever so easy!!! Reckon you could use it with all sorts of projects!!

Don’t forget if you need help with anything, just give us a shout!

Happy hooking everyone!

🌈Xx

(On a serious note, just to say this is a free pattern brought to you from www.pipsrainbow.com and isn’t to be copied or reproduced. Thank you for your understanding.) (Sorry, serious bit over with!)

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