Cute and Easy Crochet Eggs

Yes, more crochet eggs!  There have been a lot around these parts lately, with the bright colourful Easter eggs I made for Hobbycraft - see them here.

Now, here are some in a different - more subtle - style!

They are made with very thin embroidery cotton held alongside some white Rico Creative Cotton Aran yarn, which was left over from my other Easter eggs.  The thin embroidery cotton was given to me last year by a friend of my Mum - I have a mixture of Coats and Twilleys in size 20 - it's so thin!  (You might have seen it before when I showed the delicate snowflakes I made last year.)  So this was a completely stash-busting project!

What makes these so effective is that the thin coloured crochet cotton is variegated, so the colour darkening and lightening throughout the egg gives a lovely natural effect.  Ok, maybe not completely natural with some of the colours I've used!

The three one-coloured eggs use the orangey, the blue and the mint variegated cottons.  The multi-coloured egg was made by holding the blue, orangey and purple (non-variegated) together with the white aran cotton.

'Where can I find the pattern?', I hear you cry!  I can take no credit for the lovely idea or the pattern... it is from my friend Anna - find it free here!

DETAILS

Yarn

Rico Creative Cotton Aran - White

Mixture of size 20 crochet cottons - Coats/Twilleys

Hook

4mm

Pattern

Magical Eggs - by Anna at Nummer Elva

Check out my other completed crochet items here.

Like what you see?  Follow me on bloglovin!

V-Stitch Crochet Baby Blanket

It's time to show you the completed baby blanket I was working on a few weeks back.  I made the whole blanket, from start to finish, in a week (including working full-time).  This is by far the quickest I've ever finished a blanket - I didn't think I had it in me!  (I think aran yarn, a 6mm hook, and v-stitch are a speedy combo!)

The inspiration for the colour scheme is explained in this post.

It is made with v-stitch, which is a great stitch.  This is my method, although the v-stitch pattern isn't mine.  I just want to have a reference in case I'd like to remember what I did in future!

(Note - I've used American crochet terms.)

V-Stitch = [dc, ch, dc] into same space/stitch

• sc chainless foundation of 113, plus 3 ch.
• V-stitch into top of last chainless foundation st you made, *skip 2 st, v-stitch* until there is one st remaining, dc into last st, ch 3 and turn.
• v-stitch into each ch space of previous row (into the middle of the v-stitch), dc into top of ch 3, ch 3 and turn.

Order:  2 rows white, 6 rows colour, ending on 2 rows white and a row of sc to mirror the sc row which is automatically part of the chainless foundation row to start.

Edges:

• sc in white along both edges - 2 sc over each final/starting dc/ch 3 of the rows.  This gave a neat straight finish.  Because the v-stitch is a holey design, you can sc over the side stitches, rather than try to sc into them, as there are gaps there anyway, so you are not creating unsightly gaps.
• 2 rows of v-stitch in white.
• 1 row of sc in white.

Border:

• 1 round of sc in green.
• 1 round of crab stitch in green.

This is the first time I've tried crab stitch, and I love it!  It is basically sc working backwards, instead of working into the stitch to your left, you work into the stitch to your right.  It feels a bit awkward to do, but the effect is great.  It's got a bit of substance and really finishes the blanket off nicely - it seems like a real edge.

The reason I picked green, was that the green bands of colour were the only ones which were equidistant from each end of the blanket.  I considered going for blue, as I love blue, but I thought it might look odd on the edge of the blanket which starts with a blue stripe.  The colour looks more evenly distributed with the green.

DETAILS

Yarn
Paintbox Simply Aran: - I bought this from Love Crafts*.
   Sky Blue (238)
   Daffodil Yellow (221)
   Spearmint Green (225)
   Mandarin Orange (217)
   Paper White (200) - x 2
Stylecraft Special Aran: - I bought this from Love Crafts*.
   Pomegranate (1083)

Hook
6mm

Dimensions
approx: 26.5 inches x 37.5 inches
approx: 67cm x 95cm 

What I'd do differently:
I'd start and end with colour, instead of the white.  This way I could work the white v-stitch edging all the way round the blanket, rather than adding just the two side edges afterwards.
I'd also make it a bit wider, as it may look a little too thin for the length.

*affiliate link

Check out my other completed crochet items here.

Like what you see?  Follow me on bloglovin!

Daisy Crochet Easter Eggs Pattern - Hobbycraft

UPDATED JAN 2021 - Hobbycraft seem to have taken the patterns off their blog, so please find the patterns at the below links:

MULTI-COLOURED CROCHET EASTER EGGS

DAISY CROCHET EASTER EGGS

Following on from my last post about the multi-coloured crochet Easter eggs I designed for Hobbycraft, here is my next Easter design for them... daisies!

These definitely have that spring feeling!

Along with the other design, they are perfect for hanging off a few branches, to decorate your home for Easter...

Now that looks cheery doesn't it?!  (Even if my boyfriend questioned why eggs would be hanging from a tree...!  It just looks pretty, alright?!)

You can find the patterns on the Hobbycraft blog at the links below:

Multi-Coloured Crochet Easter Eggs
Daisy Crochet Easter Eggs

Which is your favourite design?  I like them both, and I especially love how they look all together, but I think the multi-coloured design wins for me.  What do you think?

If you have a go at making these, please let me know, as I'd love to see them!

Check out my other completed crochet items here and my patterns/tutorials here.

Like what you see?  Follow me on bloglovin!

Multi-Coloured Crochet Easter Eggs Pattern - Hobbycraft

UPDATED JAN 2021 - Hobbycraft seem to have taken the patterns off their blog, so please find the patterns at the below links:

MULTI-COLOURED CROCHET EASTER EGGS

DAISY CROCHET EASTER EGGS

Well, it's finally time for me to let you know about a little project I've been working on for Hobbycraft!  I was so excited when they approached me in November to create a spring or Easter pattern for their blog.  Hobbycraft is the most well known craft shop in the UK, so I was very pleased to get involved.

Firstly, they published a 'Meet the Maker' post on their blog, all about little old me!  You can check it out here.  (Does that make me famous?!)  :)

I created a cute and colourful crochet Easter egg pattern too...

I really enjoyed making these, I just love the bright colours!

There are two variations of pattern at the sides, for the penultimate round.  A filled in look shown in the yellow on the right, or a more open patterned look shown in the blue on the left.

If you'd like to make these, you can find the pattern over on the Hobbycraft blog here.

Please let me know if you make any, as I'd love to see them!

Check out my other completed crochet items here.

Like what you see?  Follow me on bloglovin!

Stash-Busting WIP-Finishing 2017 - Jan/Feb

I mentioned in a previous post that a bit of a goal I have for 2017 is to try to use crafty items from my stash, and to finish projects I've had hanging around a while.  Meanwhile, attempting not to buy more supplies unless they have an imminent purpose.

So... how did I do in January and February?

Not too badly!

STASH-BUSTING

There was the stabby granny made with very old stash.  I actually made a couple more, so I need to continue and try to turn them into a useful object!

I made a finger sloth using a pattern I bought last year and materials from my stash, with no extra purchases required.

I also made a zipped pouch using materials from my stash, again with no extra purchases required.

WIP-FINISHING

I blogged about my very long-standing WIP - the stripy blanket.  It was two-thirds through when I posted that, but I've made a bit more progress since.  I've done 4 colour stripes, of the 15 I had left to go.  Which equated to 14 rows of 60.  46 rows to go!  This is the most progress I've made on it in a long while, so - although it's not a finished WIP - I'm pleased that I've progressed with it.

PURCHASES

Did I buy anything, though?  Yes, I'm afraid I did!  However... it was for a purpose - the baby blanket for a friend's new baby.  I did not have the yarn required in my stash, so had to buy what I needed.  The blanket has been finished (in record time for the Slowy McSlow-Slow I am!) and I will show you more soon.

What I bought:

• 7 balls of aran yarn (5 colours, 2 white).  (All used for the blanket: PASS)

• Knitters/tapestry needles (pack of 2) - I needed some larger ones than the ones I had.  (Useful tools, rather than usable craft stash: PASS)

• Daisy button - I was trying to break into the next postal bracket to get cheaper postage!  (Not required: FAIL - cost 26p)

Here is that naughty button - an unnecessary craft purchase!

I just better make sure I use it, eh?!

And... despite my baby blanket yarn being a "necessary" purchase, with a purpose in mind that has been fulfilled... the leftovers still add to the stash!

I am now left with the above, which I did not have before, adding to my craftroom stock.  So, now I need to try to use this up too - it's a tricky business, this stash-busting!

Check back soon to see the finished baby blanket!

Like what you see?  Follow me on bloglovin!