Crochet Goodiness: Ta Dah!

As you may know, I taught myself to crochet earlier this year via YouTube.  I also blogged earlier this year about the joyful news of multiple babies joining our wider family during 2013.

Well, two of these births have now happened - I am now the devoted Aunty to a new baby girl and boy.  We travelled to Bucks where Ben's side of the family live in late April and met the gorgeous new additions to the family.  Babies of two of Ben's brothers.  I adore both of them - oh I do so love being an Aunty!  My brother is expecting his addition in late July so there will be yet more wonderful cuddles to be had with newborns then!

Anyhow, enough of me cooeing over babies ;0).  I posted in March about the imminent birth of the babies and what I was considering to make for them by way of welcoming gifts.  Despite the choices I made and the planning at that stage, I lulled myself into a false sense of security and time simply flew by.  Suddenly, both babies had been born and I was still to start crafting anything!

This lack of time management coincided with a rheumatoid arthritus flare and as I was fairly immobile I decided to seize the opportunity and crochet baby blankets instead.  I managed to pick up some fantastic baby wool at a shop called 'B & M' - large balls of baby soft wool were £1.69 which is just fantastic value.  Hence, a pink and a blue version were made.

 

I used Lucy's Joining Granny Squares tutorial...

... and her Granny Blanket Edging pattern (such fantastically easy tutorials to follow considering I'd never joined or edged anything before).  The results of which I was really pleased with. 

I snapped a few more pictures before I gave them away - I'm a tad bit proud of my first crocheted blankets ;0)

For the blue blanket I left the edge more basic in design - a series of chain stitches anchored as in the first step of the above edging tutorial.  I think this worked well and was less full on than the girly blanket which the full edging was more suited to.

To complete them I added some lengths of ribbon to the top edge.  An additional silky texture for each baby to feel and an extra sentiment 'handmade with love' or 'hope, love, joy'.  Both new mum's seemed delighted with the blankets and I was especially delighted to gift something personal, homemade and useful.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting about my plans for the Craft it Forward (you may remember I was lucky to receive Hen's wonderful CIF), a giveaway to celebrate my first 'blogaversary', share some of our family exploits over the bank holiday weekend and I will update you on our Tasty Tuesdays and recent baking.

Thanks for reading!
J9 x

Today I'm sharing along with these fantastic blogs:

Think Pink Sundays

The Farm Blog Hop

Monday Funday

Twirl & Take a Bow