2018 CAL - Year of the Stitches Blanket

Year of the Stitches Week 41 – Sedge Stitch

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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

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2018 CAL - Year of the Stitches Blanket

Year of the Stitches Week 40 – Crunch Stitch

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Crunch Stitch 

Hello all. How are we? Well we are officially one year old!! Wow! Genuinely quite surprised how quick that has gone! I feel like PipsRainbow has come so far in just a year. I was only saying to my husband today how much quicker I find writing up my patterns. I try to use a similar format for each of my patterns, so hopefully you guys can work your way around them quicker and I make sure I include all the information you need. I can’t wait to bring you all my new projects in Year Two. My head seems to be bursting with ideas, that I can’t seem to get them made up, yet written down, quick enough! Ekkk, exciting!!

Here’s little Uni the Unicorn that I published on PipsRainbow’s birthday. I really hope you enjoy this one. She’s definitely a special one. She can be made to be so unique and tailored to each little owner. I love how each person can be their own designer and put their own colour scheme on the mane and tail. I know the two I have made, are well and truly loved by their little people. Happy hookimh on this one chaps. She’s a keeper in my eyes.

So we have had a rather strange week in our household with illness from the little man. Poor lamb!! He’s been snuggled under my blanket for the majority of the week. So strange when he is ill, as there’s no squealing of fun and noises of his little feet, pitter pattering around the house. I hate when they are ill and we seem to have had our fair share in the last few weeks! I’ve never known anything quite like it! It’s officially now known as the illness umbrella! I am wondering when it will lift! Heyho, it’s surely at an end now! Fingers and toes crossed. I think this cuppa was well and truly deserved this morning.

Through the craziness of all the illness, I did manage to sneak the pattern for these two little munchies out. Olly and Olive Octopus. Hoping this pattern will be loved by you guys as much as me. I think I like it so much because you can play around with crazy rainbowy lovely colours. And they are just the best aren’t they!!! 🌈

Hmmm, can you tell I like rainbow colours – love how these two patterns are just so colourful and have so much potential. Have fun!!!

So, think we had better get on to this weeks blanket stitch. So this week it’s the Crunch Stitch.

Hee hee, loving the name of this stitch!! Crunch!! Love it!! I’d really like to meet the guy who got to name all these mega stitches!! Funny. I wonder where the inspiration came from. So this week is a rather simple one, but again one I can see me using in many projects. I reckon it would be mega for a hat!!! It’s made up of Half Trebles and Slip Stitches, so ever so easy to make up!!

Supplies –

So this week I have chosen a beautiful clean white from my all time favourite super soft Sublime range. Couldn’t resist using it this week. It’s just soooooo soft. Like how it sits with the Toft pink from last week. Feel like it’s a goo colour to represent the start of a new PipsRainbow year. 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 – 

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 (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 – Start by attaching your new yarn onto the right side of your blanket and chain 2. Then work 1htr in the same stitch.

Now work a slip stitch into the first ch1sp.

Then work 1htr in the next stitch and slip stitch in the next.

*Now work 1htr, ss in the ch1sp then 1htr, then 1 ss into the next stitch.* Repeat this ** across the row.

Work a ss in the last stitch. (200)

2 – So turn your work and chain 2. Then work 1htr in the same stitch.

Then work ss in the next stitch. (This will be a htr stitch from the row below.) Then repeat. So work *ss, then 1htr* across the row. If you get confused which stitch you are on, just remember that the slip stitches are being worked in the Half Treble stitches and the Half Trebles are being worked into the slip stitches.)

Finish by working a slip stitch in the last stitch. (200)

3 – So we are going to repeat row 2. So turn your blanket and chain 2. Now work 1htr in the same stitch. Now work *ss, then 1htr.* Repeat this ** across the row, finishing with a ss in the last stitch. (200)

 

4 – So we are going to repeat row 2. So turn your blanket and chain 2. Now work 1htr in the same stitch. Now work *ss, then 1htr.* Repeat this ** across the row, finishing with a ss in the last stitch. (200)

5 – For the last row, we are going to repeat row 2 again. So turn your blanket and chain 2. Now work 1htr in the same stitch. Now work *ss, then 1htr.* Repeat this ** across the row.

At the end work a slip stitch in the last stitch and then fasten off as usual and sew in your ends. (200)

Well there you have the wonderful Crunch Stitch. It’s a fab one isn’t it! Definitely going in the ‘must use’ list!!! Thank you so much for all your continued support!!!

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

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