Year of the Stitches Week 37 – Sprig Stitch

Sprig Stitch 

Well, we’ve had a week of mice, owls, octopus’s, blankets, conkers, dream jars, swimming, tennis, rainbows, school runs, playgroups, house warming parties and park runs. Phew!!! Oh and a poorly back!! That is one busy week. No wonder our weekend hasn’t been too crazy! It’s been interesting keeping the house in its usual state of kind of tidiness this week! Do you ever get the feeling that you are literally running around doing jobs ten to the dozen, just to get it all done. Where as others seem to always be ship shape and ready to go, without much more than a lift of a finger!! I reckon I run in the house, at least 10 times a day, if not more!! I reckon it’s the only way to get jobs done and keep the little man safe. My daughter will sit and play for hours in one spot, quite happy, where as my boy, is zoom zoom everywhere!! It’s crazy how much he knows as well about how things work in the house! Where he needs to be at certain times of the day and what makes things open! If you say let’s go outside, he automatically grabs his wellies and puts them on, then grabs yours and brings them to you, finished off with standing by the keys saying ‘keys, keys, keys.’ Until you get them and open the door! Love it. He definitely knows the way of the world already!

One activity which we all enjoy in our family is conker hunting. Brings back so many memories of childhood.

We used to bike with my Dad to a particular tree each year. It was on quite a main road, so it was never one kids really went to. So there were loads to choose from. I wonder if it’s still standing?! Think we had better get on our bikes! The tree by my daughter’s school is striped most days by kids. We ended up conker hunting in the rain last weekend and plans for more this week. Couldn’t resist making little Conky here. Just writing up his pattern and will post this week if you fancy making him.

Other little crocheted items have been these little baby rattles. Love making these little creatures, but have got rather a soft spot for the little octopus. Think a little one will love munching on the springy legs, saying that my two are now wanting one of their own.

So this week I have chosen the beautiful, but very simple Sprig Stitch. Now it’s basically double crochet stitches and chain stitches worked together to create an arch which gives quite a firm, dense pattern. It gives a lovely pointed edge, which would work well for a decorative edge. Would be nice on a shawl or scarf. Hoping to design more shawls next year, so that will be one to remember.

Supplies

This week I have once again used the wonderful Toft wool in the lovely deep forest green colour. Think it sits rather well with the lime green from last week and I like the idea that the colour of the yarn matches the stitch – sprig green. You will need about 30g of DK yarn and don’t forget the 4mm hook, scissors and blunt ended tapestry needle to sew all the ends in.

Stitches

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

Double Crochet (dc) – Insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have two loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops.

Ok so here we go…

1 – Attach your new yarn into the wrong side of the blanket and work 1ch and then 1dc in the same stitch. Now work 1dc in each stitch and the back loop of each chain stitch across the row. (200)

2 – Ok so turn your work and chain 1 and work 1dc in the same stitch. Now miss a stitch and work 2dc in the next stitch. Then chain 2 stitches and work 2dc in the next stitch. This completes your first sprig stitch.

*Now miss 2 stitches and work 2dc in the next stitch, work 2 chain stitches and then work 2dc in the next stitch.* Repeat this ** across the whole row.

In the last 4 stitches, miss 2 stitches and then work 1dc in each of the last 2 stitches. (49 Sprig Stitches)

3 – Right then so turn your blanket and work 1 chain and then 1dc in the next 2 stitches. *Now work (2dc, 2ch, 2dc) in the next 2chsp.* Basically you are working each sprig stitch on top of each other in rows.

Now repeat ** this across the row.

When you get to that last stitch, work 1dc. (49 Sprig Stitches)

4 – This is the last row of sprig stitches now, so once you have turned your blanket, chain 1 and work 1dc in the first stitch. *Now work (2dc, 2ch, 2dc) in the next 2chsp*. Repeat this ** across the row.

When you get to the end work 1dc in the last 2 stitches and then fasten off and sew in your ends. (49 Sprig Stitches)

And there you have the wonderful Sprig Stitch. It’s ever so easy isn’t it and gives a lovely pointy edge. I bet it would be nice for a border on a piece of clothing or a blanket for that matter.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this weeks instalment of Year of the Stitches. How are your blankets going? This is mine so far. It’s terribly snugly when I’m crocheting in the evening. Rather chuffed how it’s coming on.

Anyways, hope you all have good weeks.

Happy hooking everyone.

🌈Xx

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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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