Crochet Corner to Corner Blanket

Hello friends, Hope the week has started well for you.

First, I have a question for you. Do you have any favorite crochet teacher whom you follow on the internet?

Actually I follow a lot of crochet "gurus". I am a self taught crocheter and for many years i.e. until I discovered the joys of internet, books were my teachers. But now with the internet, there is an explosion of information on any topic under the sun, including Crochet. So while there are tons of free patterns available, there are also crochet videos galore, to learn any crochet technique  you want to - Entrelac, Tunisian, bobble stitch, crocodile stitch, ripples, or even crochet bags, blankets, hats, scarves and what have you!

One of my favorite crochet gurus is Mikey of The Crochet Crowd. Last year I made my very first Ripple Blanket (also my very first large project!) by participating in an Afghan challenge. According to Mikey the corner to corner crochet technique was "hot trending", so I decided to give it a try.

What do you think? Isn't it lovely?!! What is unique about this technique is that it starts out as a triangle and then you can modify the size as you crochet along. Which means you can make it a square or rectangle and even decide the size after you have started crocheting it.

Here is a link to Mikey's video for the corner to corner technique where he explains it in great detail.

I had not decided on a size for the blanket as I was hoping to get the two opposite corners to match each other. So two corners have the variegated yarn...

And since I had started with a blue triangle I was praying that I should be able to get blue again in the last corner.

I am sure that there must be a way to calculate and get precisely matching corners, but for now I am very happy with the results.

The yarn I used was "Fine" or yarn weight 2 and with a 3.5 mm hook, I was afraid that it will take me ages to complete the blanket. But this pattern is so simple and easy that once you get the hang of it you can do it while chatting with friends, watching TV, or even when waiting at the doctor's or the bus stop. Yes...it is that easy! Believe me you don't even have to look down at it.

So if you have never tried this technique, give it a go with this free pattern from Redheart.com. Redheart also has tons of other free patterns for any crochet item imaginable, so browse around while you are there.

If you don't have time to try an whole afghan, no problem, try your hand at the crochet corner to corner technique with this video for a C to C scarf. You will be amazed that such an easy technique can produce such beautiful results.

I have to weave in the ends!!  :(

Do you think it needs an edging? Maybe you could suggest an edging pattern.

And before I sign off, a reminder about the pattern giveaway on my blog which is open till Saturday 28th June.

On my telly: Homeland. What about you?

2nd Blog Anniversary and Pattern Giveaway

Hi friends, yes it is me, still alive and kicking crocheting, and posting after almost a month!!!

Last month, that is the month of May was supposed to be one of celebration, fanfare, pattern giveaway, free pattern tutorials, book tours and many more things that I had planned, as my blog turned Two! Yes, that's right my blog is now two years old. What I had not planned for, was the scorching, searing and debilitating heatwave that swept through Ahmedabad. With temperatures reaching 46oC, most afternoons I had headaches, nausea, dizziness and I dare say a couple of bouts of disorientation!! A check up has now revealed that my blood pressure is a bit on the higher side, so I have been prescribed pills for the same.....blah blah.

Finally when I gather all my senses and decide to write a very overdue post you will not guess what happened!!!!  My blog had disappeared...yup that's right it was just not seen. A frantic SOS to my brother (my one and only 24/7 tech support) and a few days later, things were in place again. What a relief!!

So, here I am writing my first post in my second year of blogging. A big Thank you to all my dear readers for sticking with me. Of course I wish you would comment more, just because I love to hear from you. Since very few people (read that as exactly three!!) around me actually crochet, my blog is a way to reach out and connect with kindred souls or crochet sisters. :)

To mark my blog anniversary, I have decided to giveaway TWO copies of my very first crochet pattern PDF - The Cluster Stitch Cuffed Infinity scarf. :) 

Also check out my last post.

Here is what you have to do:

1) Become a follower of my blog.

2) "Like" my Crochetkari Facebook Fanpage.

3) Comment on this post below.

This giveaway will be open till  28 June 2014, so you have ample time. I will draw the two lucky names and inform you accordingly.

Here are a few more pics for you.

 

As you may have guessed I did not actually crochet all the infinity scarves above. I have added these pics just for fun, also you can get an idea of how it will look in different colors. Well, when Sonny boy is doing his Bachelors in VFX and Animation, Blogger Mom has to utilize it somewhere, right?

You can also get my pattern on Etsy and Craftsy.  :)

Hopefully I should manage all my unfulfilled blogging tasks of May, in June, ...fingers crossed  :)

Let me know what crafty adventures you are up to. I am working on a lovely blue baby blanket, as well as a delicate pastel shawl. But more about them in my next posts.

Take care and make time for craft  :)

My first PDF pattern...and my 100th post!

Finally reached the 100 mark...phew!!! Yes, this is my 100th post and it took me almost TWO years. That is bad,,,,very bad. Why? Well, during my school years if there was one remark I received unfailingly on my report card every year, year after year, it was "very talkative"!! And now to take two years to write 100 posts....pathetic!!

In real life too, I sometimes go yakkity yak, blah blah blah, but of late I feel I am becoming quieter. Maybe it has to do with the fact that after moving to Ahmedabad, I had nobody to talk to as hubby and sonny were busy with their respective work and I suppose I got used to sitting quietly and crocheting on my own. Or maybe age is catching up and I am finding solace in solitude. As far as blogging is concerned, you know how silly things like life, health and relatives can get in the way of important things like blogging, or Pinterest, Facebook, etc......LOL. Just joking  ;)

So, welcome to my 100th post. And now on to the next exciting thing.

My First crochet PDF pattern

Now if there is one thing for which I will remember the year 2013, it will have to be opening my own shop on Etsy. It took a bit of courage to jump in with both feet and decide to just do it and stop dilly dallying. Of course it did mean that I could no longer treat my crochet just as a hobby and had to get serious about treating it as a business. Which meant crocheting for the better part of the day, buying yarn in bulk and stashing it out of the way, taking care of packaging, shipping and other logistics. I did plan to eventually design and sell my own patterns, but for a start I was happy to just crochet and sell my items.

I have been crocheting for 25+ years now, and along the way I have designed some stuff, used stitch patterns from books to make bags and purses and modified patterns to suit available yarns and end purpose. But I never bothered to write anything down. And as I am suffering from OCD - Obsessive Crocheting Disorder I would crochet super fast as my main objective was to see how the final product would look. As a full time working mother staying in a joint family the only "ME" time I got was during the two hour commute to and fro from work. Most of the time I would be standing and crocheting in a crowded train and God forbid if I jostled my co passengers to get my pen out and make notes!!! If looks could kill I would certainly not be here writing this post.....haha.

When I designed my Cluster Stitch Cuffed Infinity scarf, as usual I was eager to see the finished product, therefore no notes were written. Imagine my surprise when I received a message on Etsy whether I was willing to sell the pattern. I was thrilled but apprehensive at the same time. Writing a pattern in the proper format is very different from sharing it on your blog or explaining it to your friend. It took me a couple of days to complete writing the pattern and get it in PDF format. 

And you can now get my pattern on Etsy and Craftsy.  :)

The infinity scarf has an allover cluster pattern.

A buttoned cuff adds visual interest. I have used two wooden buttons, but you can use any 2cm buttons.

The infinity scarf can be worn in different ways:

Join me in my next post as my blog completes two years and two lucky readers will get a free copy of this pattern.

I am working on a few more patterns and some of them will be free on my blog.

Have a great weekend.