Wendy Merino Wool – Page 2

Year of the Stitches Week 41 – Sedge Stitch

October 14, 2018 No Comments

Sedge Stitch

Well it was Christmas Cake week in our house this week. I’m rather late this year, as she is usually made in September. This gives her time to mature till the big day. I suppose better late than never!!

My daughter helped me make it this year. She even made a wish while she mixed.

I told her all about how it was my Grannie’s secret recipe and that it would be passed down to her too one day. She thought this was amazing. And straight away wanted to know, who knew the secret. I have made a few little adjustments to the recipe, just for that added yumminess, so in my book it’s pretty spot on. It’s the first time I have baked one in my new oven. Well I say new, it was from my parents house, as they are having a new kitchen and this oven wasn’t that old. My last oven’s door, didn’t shut properly! So I was constantly judging timings! But this one – well. It didn’t let me down!! 6 hours start to finish!! Done!! Love it!! It’ll now be in the tasting at Christmas!! Ekkk!!! Exciting!!!

So another one of my Smiles has made it out and into the big wide world. This one was for my daughter’s friends sister, who loves all things small and munchable. Loving the rainbow effect on this one. They are such a good way to use up all your odds and ends from other projects. Think this one has sock yarn and some lovely sublime yarn in it.

This week, I managed two yummy cuppas from our favourite local coffee bar Melbourne in Lichfield. It is by far the best coffee in Lichfield and served by some of the friendliest people in town. My little man has many a happy moment talking to the owner and pressing his little nose up against the window, to watch the world go by. I think it’s their wonderful charming natures and bubbly personalities that make you want to go in time and time again. Just writing this, make me want one. I couldn’t resist dedicating this weeks yellowy yarn to them!! As you will see if you visit, they quite like yellow!! So all the treats are homemade and would definitely go well with any beverage drank – oh and don’t forget your crochet hook and ball do yarn. I keep eyeing up a rather comfy looking chair – I reckon it has my name on it. One day – a crochet hook and me, will be accompanied by a ball of wool and coffee will be found in this arm chair!!! One day…

Right then so on to the blanket and this weeks stitch. It is the wonderful Sedge Stitch. And by golly it’s a mega stitch. I genuinely think I had one of those moments when you realise that the stitch you are working on is a bit of a game changer. It’s such an incredible stitch and so utterly easy to make up as you will see. I am majorily excited about this stitch (as you can tell!) So I am sure you will be seeing it appear in some future PipsRainbow projects in the near future!

Supplies –

So this week I have chosen a yummy yellow from the lovely Wendy Merino range. Fab yarn bought from the super Knitique shop in Lichfield. It’s a lovely creamy kind of a yellow and not only is it Knitique’s Shop colour but also the fabulous Melbourne Coffee bar in Lichfield. It is by far the best place in Lichfield for a coffee and something seriously yummy to nosh. Me and my little man are usually found in there, either for a lovely sneaky cuppa or two or a take away beverage in my rather precious purple flask. I think my flask is becoming a bit of a safety blanket for me, as it seems to go everywhere with me at the minute! It’s seen some seriously yummy cuppa action! I reckon it might need to go on holiday with me next time we go on an adventure!!

Anyways, as usual, you roughly need about 30g of yarn. Don’t forget your scissors, blunt ended tapestry needle and of course your 4mm crochet hook.

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.

Half treble (htr) – A half treble crochet is basically one less movement than a treble. So yarn over hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through all 3 loops.

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.

Ok so here we go…

1 – Attach your new yarn on to the right hand side of your blanket and chain 1, then work 1dc in the same stitch.

Now work 1dc in the next stitch. *Now miss 2 stitches. Work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the next stitch.*

Repeat ** across the row.

When you get to the end of the row, work 1dc in the last stitch. (200)

2 – Turn your work and chain 1, then work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the same stitch.

*Now miss 2 stitches. And then work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the next stitch.* Repeat ** across the row.

Work 1dc in the last 2 stitches. (200)

3 – Right so turn your blanket and chain 1. Now work 1dc in the same stitch. Now work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the next stitch.

*Now miss 2 stitches, work 1dc, 1htr & 1tr in the next stitch.* Repeat ** across the row.

In the last stitch, work 1dc. (200)

4 – In this last row, turn your work and chain 1, then work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the same stitch.

*Now miss 2 stitches. And then work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the next stitch.* Repeat ** across the row.

Work 1dc in the last 2 stitches. (200)

And there we have the wonderful Sedge Stitch. I know I say it every week, but this Sedge stitch, is seriously beautiful and so so easy to work up. I am thinking blankets, shawls and even clothing using this stitch. Definitely one to remember and use again! Yey!

Have a lovey rest of the weekend chaps and I will see you next week for week 42! Crikey – we are getting near the end of the year now aren’t we!!!

Happy hooking everyone!

🌈Xx

Year of the Stitches Week 38 – Up and Down Stitch

September 23, 2018 No Comments

Up and Down Stitch

Well hello lovelies, how are you all? Hope you have all had good weekends. Ours has been quite a quiet one in the grand scheme of things. We seem to have been under the illness umbrella again this week. We’ve had a serious amount of snot, coughing, ear ache and conjunctivitis this week. So it’s been a bit of a tough week again. Saying that we’ve had a lovely family outing and a wonderful family get together for my sisters’s birthday, so I reckon the name for this weeks stitch is rather apt – the Up and Down stitch. A week of Ups and Downs!!

One thing I did love doing was publishing my little Conky the Conker pattern. Rather chuffed with him. I’ve already had an order off someone for him.

We had a lovely trip to the SeaLife Centre this weekend. My son hasn’t been before, so his eyes were on stalks! Guessing it’s a bit of a sensory overload in there as there’s so much to see, smell and hear. He loved it! Think the penguins were his favourite – they came up so close to the glass to see him. He was just mesmerised.

Loving the clown fish tunnel too. This was at the start, so he kept on trying to run back to it! Think we will definitely be going back there.

So it was my sister’s birthday party this weekend too. Now when there’s a party, there is always cake!! Well you can’t have a party and make a wish without a cake now can you! So this year I made my sister, my favourite Chocolate Malteser cake from the wonderful Mary Berry. She is just the creme de la creme of all bakers – the Queen of bakers if you like. I can safely say I haven’t made one of her recipes that hasn’t worked!

And no birthday would be complete without a crocheted pressie. So here’s my second V stitch Grannie Blanket for my lovely sister. She’s back to university this week, so hoping this little blanket will come in handy. I’ve made it up with all sorts of bits and bobs from my Grannie’s and Nanna’s wool stashes and even my Mum is going to add some rows, so it really is a family affair. If you fancy making one for yourself, the free pattern can be found in the pattern page.

Awww – a pair of Grannie Blankets. I wonder what my Gran would have made of them.

Right then, onto this weeks blanket stitch. So I have chosen the Up and Down stitch. Hee hee – Now is it me or is that a cool name for a stitch! I mean who thought of that! I reckon the stitch namer was having a bad day that day!! Poor stitch, you think of some of the other names – Pique, Wattle, Iris, Offset Filet Stitch and this one is called the Up and Down Stitch!!!! Love it!! Jokes aside the reason it’s called this is because it literally goes up and down – Up with the trebles and Down with the doubles! Funny. So it’s ever so simple this week. And it’s a good one to know, as it’s quite a tight stitch, but does have this very delicate subtle texture.

Supplies –

This week I have used a rather deep purple colour from the Wendy mention wool range. It’s a lovely range, I made my husband’s scarf last year in this. It is quite a deep colour though. Hoping you can make out some of the pictures, as think with the dark colour, it doesn’t show the texture and pattern as well. Definitely something to remember when you are choosing your colours with certain stitches. So 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.

Half Treble (htr) – A half treble crochet is basically one less movement than a treble. So yarn over hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through all 3 loops.

Ok so here we go…

1 – So first things first, we need to make a nice straight edge for our Up and Down stitch. So, attach your new yarn into the first stitch on the wrong side of your blanket. Now chain 3 and work 1htr in the first stitch.

Now work 1htr in the next 2 stitches. Then work 1dc in the next stitch. (You are working your way up the one side of the little point from the previous row.)

Now miss the 2chsp (The 2chsp is where the arrow is pointing in the previous photo.) Then work 1dc in the next stitch and then 1htr. You have now worked your way over the first little point from the previous row.

*Now work 1htr, 1dc, miss 2chsp, 1dc then 1htr* then repeat this process ** across the row.

In the last stitch work 2htr. You now have a nice flat edge for this weeks stitch. (200)

2 – Right then, so let’s get started with the Up and Down stitch. So once you have turned your blanket, chain 3. Then work 1tr in the first stitch. Ok so work 1dc in the next stitch.

*So now work 1tr, then 1dc in the next stitch.*

Repeat this ** across the row.

In the last stitch work 1dc. (200)

3 – Right then, so turn your blanket and chain 3. Now work 1tr in the first stitch.

Then *1dc in the next stitch and then 1tr.* Repeat this ** across the row. So you are basically working them alternatively. So if the stitch below is a double then you should be working a Treble. So if you forget where you are, you can work it out that way