Happy New Year to you all. Well, what a year. Goodness. 2020, who’d have thought. It definitely hasn’t been the year that we all wished for. It’s been a year of change and a new way of making memories. There has been so much heartache for families and so much sorrow & worry. For all those who have lost loved ones, I send you so much love & hugs.
We have all had to make sacrifices this year. Sacrifices that we never thought we would have to make. Think the hardest one for me is not to be able to hug our parents. Before this year, you wouldn’t have believed that something like that wasn’t allowed. But as we all know, these sacrifices have to be made. Surely, surely it has and will, all be worth it. For me, the bottom line is to keep my loved ones safe. That’s all I have to cling to. And I know we will carry on making those sacrifices, as long as is needed.
When I look back, I think that 2020 has just been a year where we have had a new way of making memories. My photos show that you don’t have to be in the same room as someone, to make them smile and bring them love. How many birthdays this year have been celebrated on doorsteps! Crazy! I had a glass of Prosecco on my doorstep the other day!! How mad is that!! That was a first, but lovely all the same. It’s been a year of lockdowns and homeschooling, Zoom calls and Joe Wicks workouts, Video calls with families, Zoom brownie camps with dens and a serious amount of social distancing and stinking mask wearing.
(I wonder how many of these were made this year?!)
Date nights in our living room (who’d have thought) learning to knit again, crocheting, snuggles with my 3, charity marathons. sourdough baking, a lot of cake baking, quiz nights with friends and a constant online scramble to get food deliveries. Oh joy.
The one thing that has been great is the super surge in all the new crochet and knitters. Think people have had the time to start a new skill and enjoy doing something new. Hope all you newbees are enjoying your new skills and continue on into the new year! Big yarny hugs to all you lovely ones, that have kept us all going through the good and the not so good times of 2020. Love our social media yarny community!!
Heyho, whatever next year brings, we are in this together! Here’s to making some memories, a different kind of way. Love and yarny hugs for 2021 all. Stay safe everyone.
Here’s a few of my yarny memories from this rather different year.
Hmm, someone seems to have stolen the sun this week!! What weather!! We had a lovely day on Monday and then the rest has really just been a wash out. And some seriously crazy storms too. Not a fan of storms. No idea why. Think it’s the unpredictableness of them. It’s hard not showing the kids your fear, as you really don’t want to pass it onto them. My Dad loves watching them. They are so bizarre aren’t they. Here’s hoping for a warmer weekend.
Well as promised here is the first of one of my patterns for little gifts that you can make. I mentioned in my previous blog that I was hoping to share some little patterns for gifts. I know many of you are still in lockdown or not able to get to the shops that are starting to open. So now is the time for a few little homemade gifts. And dare I say the word Christmas!!! Ekk, it will be here before we know it I am sure.
So my first pattern is a little baby comforter. I made one back in November for our local bakers little baby girl. I used some beautifully soft Sublime yarn.
So when I had my wonderful Ōilsyarns Club bundle from the lovely Abby at Orchidean Luxury Yarns drop on my doorstep, I knew a little comforter had to be made again for a friend of mine’s brand new baby. The colours in Abby’s yarn are so delicate and work perfectly for a baby comforter for a boy or a girl.
So here we go. I hope you enjoy this pattern.
Level – Medium. (Includes some different stitches)
Supplies –
For this little baby comforter I have used double knit yarn from my incredible Ōilsyarns Club from Abby at Orchidean Luxury Yarns.
You will also need a 3mm and 4mm crochet hook, toy stuffing, scissors, a blunt ended tapestry needle, a little bit of black/dark grey yarn for the eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth. And a toy safety rattle, if you want to use one.
Here’s the link to Abby’s incredible website Orchidean Luxury Yarns, where you can find her amazing Ōilsyarns Club and also all her incredible other hand dyed yarn. Trust me, it is worth a peak!
Slip Stitch (ss) – This is where there is no height to the stitch. It’s usually used to join rounds. So insert the hook into the front of the stitch you are joining to. This is usually the first stitch you made in that round/row. So yarn over hook and pull through that first stitch then also through the loop on your hook.
Chain stitch (ch) – To make a chain, place the yarn over the hook then pull it through the loop on your hook.
Magic Ring – Fold over the yarn to make the 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 so that the knot tightens, but you still have a loop. This has created a magic ring.
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.
Double Crochet Decrease (2dctog) – This is where you crochet two stitches together to decrease the amount of stitches in the round. So insert the hook through the front of the first stitch only (the front V) and then insert again through the front of the second stitch (the front V). Now yarn over your hook and pull it back through both stitches, so you will then have 2 loops on your hook. Yarn over your hook again and pull through both loops. And there is your 2dctog. (Basically 2 double crochet stitches crocheted together.)
Double Treble Crochet (dtr) – A double treble is quite a tall stitch. So yarn over hook twice, insert hook through the stitch/space and then yarn over hook again. Now pull the yarn through the stitch. There will now be 4 loops on the hook. Now place the yarn over the hook and pull through the first 2 loops. Then yarn over the hook again and pull through the next two loops. Haha, now place the yarn over the hook again and pull through the last 2 loops. Phew! It’s a bit of a long process, but a lovely stitch with the height that it gives.
Decrease with Double Treble Crochet (2dtrtog) – Ok so basically you need to crochet 2 stitches together, but still keep the height of a dtr. So yarn over your hook and insert into stitch. Then yarn over hook and pull back through. This leaves you with 4 loops on your hook. Now yarn over your hook and pull through first 2 loops. This will leave you with 3 loops on your hook. Now yarn over hook and insert into the next stitch. Then yarn over your hook again and pull yarn back through. This leaves you with 5 loops on your hook. So yarn over your hook and pull through the first 2 loops. So yarn over your hook and pull through the first 2 loops. Then to finish, yarn over your hook and pull through the last 3 loops.
Picot Stitch – Start by working 1dc in the stitch and then ch3. Then insert your hook, front to back, into the top of dc stitch that you have just made. Yarn over your hook and pull back through to make a slip stitch, then chain 1. Finally miss a stitch. This completes your picot stitch.
Video Tutorials – I’ve popped a few links to some of my video tutorials at the bottom of the blog. Hope you find them useful.
PipsTips –
When sewing your ears on, it’s really important to make sure you sew them on securely. As this is a comforter for a baby, is it important that there are no loose ends and loose parts. I tend to go over the stitches a few times and also when fastening off the yarn, sew it through the head a few times before cutting it off.
Ok, so here we go…
Head – use a 3mm hook with your yarn. You are working in the round for the head.
1 – Make a magic ring, chain 1, then work 6dc stitches into the ring. Then pull the tail tight to create the first round. (6)
2 – *2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (12)
3 – *1dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (18)
4 – *2dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (24)
5 – *3dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (30)
6 – *4dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (36)
7 – *5dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (42)
8 – *6dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (48)
9 – 14 (6 rounds) For each round, work 1dc in each stitch. (48)
15 – *6dc, then 2dctog*. Work ** 6 times. (See stitches explanation above if you are unsure of how to work a 2dctog stitch.) (42)
16 – *5dc, then 2dctog*. Work ** 6 times. (36)
17 – *4dc, then 2dctog* Work ** 6 times. (30)
18 – *3dc, then 2dctog* Work ** 6 times. (24)
19 – *2dc, then 2dctog* Work ** 6 times. (18)
This is a good moment to stuff your head and pop in your baby safety rattle. (If you are using one.)
20 – *1dc, then 2dctog* Work ** 6 times. (12)
21 – *2dctog* Work ** 6 times. (6)
Blanket – This continues on from the head, so it is all one piece.
1 – You are now going to work across the round. (This will seal up the head and able you to start the blanket.) So work a chain and then work 1dc in the first and last stitch in the round together. Then 1dc in the next and second to last stitch and finally 1dc in the third and fourth last stitch. This will give you 3dc stitches and the head will be sealed up. (3)
Now for the little blanket part of the comforter. For this, use your 4mm crochet hook.
2 – Turn your work and chain 1, then work 2dc in each stitch.* Repeat ** 3 times (6)
3 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *1dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (9)
4 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *2dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (12)
5 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *3dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (15)
6 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *4dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (18)
7 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *5dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (21)
8 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *6dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (24)
9 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *7dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (27)
10 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *8dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (30)
11 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *9dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (33)
12 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *10dtr, then 2dtr into the next stitch.* Work ** 3 times. (36)
13 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *10dtr, then 2dtrtog.* Work ** 3 times. (33)
14 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *9dtr, then 2dtrtog.* Work ** 3 times. (30)
15 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *8dtr, then 2dtrtog.* Work ** 3 times. (27)
16 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *7dtr, then 2dtrtog.* Work ** 3 times. (24)
17 – Turn your comforter and chain 4. Then work *6dtr, then 2dtrtog.* Work ** 3 times. (21)
Now slip stitch into your last stitch and fasten off your yarn. You can now sew in ends using your blunt ended needle.
Blanket Border – Use your cream yarn for this.
Attach your new colour in the side for the comforter at the top by the head in the first stitch by chaining 1.
Then work 1dc in the same stitch.
Now you are going to work 2dc in the side of each of the dtr stitches.
Once you have turned the corner to the bottom then work 1dc in each stitch. (18)
And then work back up the other side of the blanket, working 2dc in the side of each of the dtr stitches, as before and finish with 1dc in the last stitch. (84 in total)
Now turn your blanket, chain 1 and work 1dc in each stitch again all the way around. (84)
At this stage you can keep the same yarn, as I have done or you could attach a new colour here. It’s up to you.
So we’re now going to work a Picot stitch. So first things first turn your work and Ch1. Right so for the picot stitch – work 1dc in first stitch and then ch3. Then insert your hook, front to back, into the top of dc stitch that you have just made. Yarn over your hook and pull back through to make a slip stitch, then chain 1. This completes your picot stitch. Below are a few photo on how to work a picot stitch.
Now miss a stitch. *So to work your picot stitches, then work 1dc, then ch3. Insert your hook, front to back, into the top of dc stitch. Yarn over your hook and pull back through to make a slip stitch, then ch1 and finally miss a stitch.* Repeat this ** around the whole of the comforter blanket.
Then slip stitch into the base of the last picot stitch you made and fasten off your yarn. Sew in your ends with your blunt ended needle. (42 picot stitches)
Ears – Make 2
1 – Start with your coloured yarn and make a magic ring, ch1, then work 6dc into the ring. Then pull the tail tight. (6)
2 – *2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (12)
3 – *1dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (18)
4 – *2dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (24)
5 – *3dc, then 2dc into each stitch.* Work ** 6 times. (30)
6 – Change yarn in the first stitch to your cream yarn and work 1dc in each stitch in the round. (30)
7 – Finally work 1dc in each stitch in the round. (30)
Now slip stitch into the next stitch and fasten off your yarn, leaving a tail so that you can sew your ears onto the head with your blunt ended needle. When you sew in your ears onto the head, make sure that you sew them on securely. I tend to go over the stitches quite a few times.
Now that you have your ears on, all there is to do it sew your face on, using your grey yarn. I tend to sew over a few stitches for both the eyes and nose. And then a single stitch for the eyebrows and mouth.
And there you have it, your finished baby comforter.
I really hope you have enjoyed this pattern. Please give me a shout if you have any problems or need any help with anything. I am always happy to help the best I can.
Don’t forget to share your pictures.
Stay safe guys.
Happy Hooking.
🌈Xx
(Free pattern designed and brought to you by PipsRainbow. Thank you for not copying or recreating it. ☺️Xx)
New to crocheting or need a recap – here’s a few videos that may help you.
