Lullaby Lodge

Tuesday 7 May 2019

How to join your granny squares - Three ways for beginners...

Hello everyone it's Tuesday again and time for another tutorial. This week we will be learning how to join all those granny squares we have been making. I have 3 methods to share with you today and these are aimed at beginner crocheters. We will look at sewing our squares together, crocheting together from the front and crocheting together from the back. I will be covering intermediate methods of joining in a future post, be sure you subscribe so you don't miss it.

How to Join Your Squares For Beginners

Materials

Granny squares

Darning needle

Yarn
hook (size you used to make your squares)

Abbreviations / Terms US (UK)

sc - single crochet (double crochet)

sl st - slip stitch

st - stitch

sp - space

Recognising front & back loops

Both loops Front loop Back loop

Method #1 Sewing

The first method is to simply sew your squares together using whip stitch. Hold your squares wrong sides together and sewing through the back loops only, sew each stitch together. When piecing squares for a blanket sew your squares together in rows, all rows in one direction first.

Then turn your work and join the rows along the other side.

If you are like me and don't enjoy sewing, you might prefer to crochet your squares together. Next we will look at two methods of crocheting together using single crochet.

Method #2 Crocheting Together From The Back

With this method we will be working with our squares right sides together. Join your yarn with a sl st in the corner of your first square. You will now sc each st together working through both squares simultaneously. You can either work through the back loops only as in the sewing method (the finished result will look very similar), or you can work through both loops for a stronger join. Your first stitch will be in the corner sp, then in each st working st by st.

As before join your squares in one direction first, then the other...

Method #3 Crocheting Together From The Front

Starting with your squares wrong sides together, join yarn with a sl st to the corner of your first square. Commence and continue in exactly the same way as method #2 and working a sc through each stitch (both loops), both sides simultaneously. This method gives a lovely textural ridge across your work.

Again join your squares in rows first horizontally, then vertically.

I hope you found this post helpful and if you would like to see more tutorials like this don't forget to follow and subscribe (in the sidebar). If you would like the tutorial for the Ditsy Daisy Granny Square, you can find it here.

I will be back again soon with more crochet and crafty loveliness,

by for now.

Catherine

Friday 3 May 2019

Find out what to make with all those granny squares - Free crochet pattern selections

Hello lovely people. It's Freebie Friday again and this week I have been hunting for lots of fabulous things to make, with all those granny squares. The humble granny square is so versatile and can be used for more that just blankes. I have found some lovely patterns, ranging from handbags to cuddly toys...

Gorgeous Grannies - Six Projects

These squares look super summery in this stunning shoulder bag, by Drops Design. The bag is crocheted in Drops Paris 100% cotton yarn and the pattern is available over on their website.

Carry Me Home

If you are looking for a really quick and easy project, then look no further than this granny square pincushion. The pattern is by Wild About Yarn.

Blossom Pin Keeper

Why not wear your squares and what better way than with this pretty top, designed by Brittany at Ideal Me.

Granny Square Sweater

Time for something cute and cuddly! Make something for your littles ones, with this super cute granny square, cat softie pattern, by Little Woolie.

Kitty Cat

These granny square earrings would make a lovely gift for someone, or perhaps just a treat for yourself. Pattern by Whistle & Ivy.

Granny Square Earrings

Lastly this super simple yet stunning scarf. The yarn really does all the work for you. Pattern available at Yarn Plaza.

Mille Colori Summer Scarf

That's all for this week's freebies, I hope you are inspired to make something gorgeous with your grannies. If you enjoyed this post and would like to see more, please follow and subscribe, I post often so make sure you don't miss out.

All the best

Catherine

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This post contains Amazon affiliate links...

Tuesday 30 April 2019

Ditsy Daisy Granny Squares - Learn how to make them in this crochet tutorial by Lullaby Lodge

Hello friends, it's Tutorial Tuesday again and this week I will be showing you how to make these perfectly, pretty, daisy, granny squares. I just love making granny squares and there are so many projects you can use them for. This week's Freebie Friday is featuring lots ways to use those squares, so be sure to check it out...

Video Tutorial

As a Lovecrafts affiliate I may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases...

Ditsy Daisy Granny Square

Materials

Stylecraft Special aran

Darning needle

Scissors

Abbreviations / Terms

US terms are used through out (UK terms)

dc - double crochet (treble crochet)

tr - treble crochet (double treble crochet)

ch - chain

sl st - slip stitch

st(s) - stitch(s)

sp - space

pc - popcorn

bpc - beginning popcorn

Special stitches:

Popcorn - 3 dc in same st, remove hook from stitch and insert in top of first dc from front to back, insert into last dc and pull loop through.

Beginning popcorn - ch 3, 2dc in same sp, remove hook from stitch and insert in top of ch 3 from front to back, insert into last stitch loop from back to front and pull through.

Notes: I used Stylecraft Special Aran in colours Baby Mint, Baby Pink, Fondant, White, Saffron, Silver and Aspen, with a 5mm (H) hook to make my squares; but you can use any weight yarn you like, just be sure to use the hook size recommended on your yarn ball band. Thinner yarns will make smaller squares and subsequently, thicker yarns, bigger squares. The finished size of my 3 round squares is approx 4 inches (10cm).

With yellow yarn, ch4 and join with sl st to form ring.

Round 1 ch3 (counts as dc), 11dc into ring, join with sl st to top ch3. Fasten off. (12dc)

Round 2 With white, join with sl st in any sp, bpc in same sp, ch2. Pc, ch2 in each sp around. Join with sl st to top of 1st pc. Fasten off.

Round 3 With colour yarn, join with sl st in any sp and ch3 (counts as dc). 2dc in same sp, 3dc in next sp. *3tr, ch2, 3tr in next sp (corner formed), [3dc in next sp] twice* repeat from *to* 3 times in total. 3tr, ch2, 3tr in next sp, join with sl st to top ch3. Fasten off and weave in ends...

You can make a whole pile in no time at all...

I think they would make an adorable baby blanket.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, if you did please follow and subscribe (in the sidebar) so you don't miss out on my latest posts. I post regularly every week so go hit that follow button!

Catch you soon

Catherine

This tutorial is now available as a PDF in my Etsy store...

This post contains Amazon affiliate links...

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Solid Granny Square

How to crochet a solid granny square and what to make with them...

Gorgeous Grannies & What to Make With Them...

Find out what to so with all those granny squares with these 6 free patterns...

The Granny Flower Square

Saturday 27 April 2019

Sweet Dreams Baby Blanket - Free Crochet Pattern

My Blanket Stitch tutorial has been very popular and many people have asked for a full pattern for one of the blankets featured in that post. So by popular demand here is the Sweet Dreams Baby Blanket. I have designed the blanket in two different sizes and two colourways, you can of course use any colours you like and create a truly individual blanket.

As a Lovecrafts affiliate I may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases...

Sweet Dreams Baby Blanket

Materials

For the pram [cot] blanket, 2 [4] 100g balls in each colour Stylecraft Special Aran - White, Silver, Baby Pink, (Baby Mint). You may substitute any Aran or Worsted yarn if you wish.

Darning needle.

Hook

5mm (H) hook.

Size

The pram [cot] blanket measures approximately 65 x 85cm (25 x 38 inches), [85 x 110 cm (25 x 43 inches).

Ability

Advanced beginner.

Gauge

Not essential for this project.

Abbreviations / Terms

US terms are used throughout (UK terms)

sc - single crochet (double crochet)

dc - double crochet (treble crochet)

ch - chain

sl st - slip stitch

st(s) - stitch(s)

sp - space

sk - skip

Other notes: Stripe sequence as follows - 4 rows silver, 4 rows Baby Pink (Baby Mint), 4 rows White. Work stripe sequence a total of 7 [9] times. If you need help changing colours, watch this video.

With Silver ch 94 [124]. Commence colour sequence.

Row 1 dc in 4th ch from hook, *sk2, sc in next ch, 2dc in same ch*repeat from *to* until last 3 st's, sk2, sc in last ch. Turn.

Row 2 ch3, dc in 1st st (same st as ch3), *sk2, sc in next st (sc from previous round), 2dc in same st* repeat from *to* until last 2 st's, sc in sp between ch3 and dc of last round. Turn/

Repeat row 2 until stripe sequence is complete.

Shell Border

With Baby Pink (Baby Mint) join with sl st to any corner, ch3 (counts as dc). Using photos as a guide and working into spaces along sides, top and bottom of blanket, commence shell border as follows -

In each corner 7dc, along each side [sc in next sp, 5dc in next sp] repeat across, ending with sc in last sp. Join with sl st to starting ch3.

You should have a shell in the sp where a new colour starts and a sc in the centre sp of a colour stripe...

Place your st's in the spaces between each group of 3 st's...

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Pin it for later...

I hope you enjoyed this pattern and if you would like to help support my work, an ad free pdf version is available in my online stores...

Don't forget to follow and subscribe so you never miss out on a post...

Back soon

Catherine

This post contains Amazon affiliate links...

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Spring Garden Blanket Pattern

Friday 26 April 2019

Terrific Teacher Gifts - Six Free Crochet Patterns

If you have children at school, then it's that time of year again that you start to think about teacher gifts. So for this week's Freebie Friday, I have rounded up some of my favourite free crochet patterns, that will be sure to delight any teacher.