Diagonal Striped Crocheted Pillow

I just finished crocheting this diagonal pillow using the colors that I used in my Cath Kidston granny square afghan.




I just love the stripes.  I found photos of several of these pillows on Pinterest and followed the link to this blog:   The 8th Gem .    She made her pillows using moss stitch.  I really like the look of half double crochets, so that's what I used.  Here's how it looks on our bed.  Think I need more?

The pillow is made by crocheting a chain that is the same length as the diagonal of your pillow form.  You turn and crochet (I did hdcs) back down the chain, add a stitch in the end, and crochet down the other side of the chain.  You keep going around that center chain, creating a tube that fits diagonally around your pillow. It's quick, easy, and I love the look.

She doesn't show how she closed her pillow, so I just made this up.  I stitched about 5 inches in from each corner and then slip stitched along the opening adding loops so that I could button the pillow around the form.  This way I can change to another pillow cover easily.

 

I should be working on UFOs, but I started and finished this pillow pretty quickly.

 I hope you take some time to take a few stitches each day.


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Granny Square Blanket Finish

I've finished the granny square blanket using my version of Cath Kidston colors.  I'm not normally a "blue person", but I really like this soft blue  color.



I wasn't quite sure just how to finish the afghan.  It had been awhile since I had done individual granny squares.  I usually just do one giant granny square.  But I did a round of the soft blue around the outside of each block.  Then I stitched the blocks together with a yarn needle.  Next time I plan to try doing a slip stitch with my crochet hook.  I think that would have the same look and be faster.

I crocheted 5 borders of half double crochet stitches around the outside. 

My border is kind of wavy, but I really don't have a place to block an afghan this big unless it would be outside on the deck. 

We use our blankets in the winter, and I think this one will keep somebody nice and warm. 

Now on to another yarn project........

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Cath Kidston Granny Square Afghan Finish

I finished this granny square afghan in Cath Kidston like colors this past week.  A week ago it was a stack of 108 blocks.  We have been without internet and phone for almost 24 hours this past week.  Before I had a chance to get back on my computer, a storm blew through with lots of wind and very little rain, and we lost electricity for a few hours.  But, it was the middle of the afternoon so I was able to sit by a window and join the squares together.

I'm almost finished with the last two rounds of the border.



Here is the join between the squares.  There are several different ways to join granny squares, but I really like the finished look of this method.

First hold two squares wrong sides together.  You will be able to tell the right side of the granny square because the top row of stitches curves toward you as seen in the photo below. 

I really like using this Bryson Tapestry Needle, but any yarn needle will work.  I just attach the yarn with a knot and sew through the inside part of the top row of stitches.

I have a lot of yarn threaded in my needle.  I was sewing a long row to the rest of the afghan. 

This photo shows the up and down stitch going through the two inside loops of each block.  When I come to an intersection, I sew through both loops so there are no gaps or holes there.

When I make granny squares I always work first on one side and then the other, turning my work after each round.  If you continue to always join a new color on the same side of the square, eventually the square gets a kind of twisted, wonky look.  This photo shows how the joining looks from the back side.

 

Happy July 4th.  Be safe and have a wonderful holiday.

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Granny Squares for Cath Afghan

I've made 108 granny squares with 5 rounds in each square.  That will make a 9 X 12 square afghan. 

I finally decided on how to join my granny squares together.  After deciding on the soft blue color to edge them, I promptly ran out of yarn.  So after a trip back to JoAnns, I have more and am working on the project again. 




I know some of you probably shudder to think that I buy yarn at JoAnns, but when these afghans are used by the family which includes cats, and now a grandbaby, this yarn will hold up and will also go through the laundry just fine. 

Here are a few of the squares with the final blue round. 

 

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Granny Squares in the Manner of Cath

This is the progress on my Cath Kidston afghan so far. 

I know these aren't all true Cath colors.  I've added a few other colors in that I like.

I'm not sure yet how I will join these together. 

I thought about adding another round to each square in the light blue on the outside round of this block. 

Or I might just crochet the squares together or sew them with the light blue color.  Any ideas?

 

I hope you are finding some time to stitch today.

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Cath Kidston Granny Square Afghan

I've been working on these granny squares with colors that remind me of the colors that Cath Kidston uses in her fabrics.   The granny square was the first thing that I learned to crochet as a young girl so I can make them without a pattern. 



When I make granny squares, I usually start by making a center from each color of yarn. 

After I use each skein once, it goes into a separate basket or tote bag.  Then I randomly pull out each color to do a second round. 

I continue in this way  until I have put 5 rounds on each square.  Then I stop crocheting and go back and sew in all of the loose ends.  I find it is easier to sew them in this way instead of waiting until I finish all the squares.

 

Right now I don't have a definite plan in mind.  I may choose one of the colors of yarn and use it as a joining color or I may join them with white.  Any ideas? 

For now I just plan to keep making squares and see where the project goes. 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.  Happy Easter to you and your family.