Vintage Granny Stripe Blanket

Vintage inspired throw to brighten a couch, chair, bed or caravan.

This version measures 40 inches wide and can be as long as you like. 

Hook: 4mm 

 Yarn:  DK acrylic yarn (Stylecraft Special DK)

Each row needs 6 grams. Find all your bits, get postal or kitchen scale and weight your scraps

Tip 1:  Every few rows weaving in your ends so you can finish as you go. 

Tip 2: to make any other size, simply chain as long or short as you wish and do the first row of DC clusters. Before you start the second row, weigh the ball your working from, finish the row and weigh again. This will tell you how many grams of your yarn will cover 1 row. 

Chain 131 stitches loosely

Foundation Row:

Make 3 DCs (1 cluster) in the 5th chain from the end. This is 1 beginning link for the next row and your first cluster. Skip 2 chains and make a cluster in the 3rd chain. Repeat to the end.

Make 1 DC in the last chain. Leaving a tail, cut yarn. 

Row 1:

I like to work each row right to left so the clusters all have the same look. 

So go back to the beginning and in the 5 chain link you created on the row below, add new color and chain 3, make 2 DC. This will make your first cluster.  Make a 3 DC cluster in each space all the way across to the end. 

Make your last 3 DC cluster in the ending link, leaving a tail cut yarn. 

Row 2:

Insert hook into the top of the first DC on the last row. 

Join in your new color and chain 5 (link created)

Make 3 DC cluster all the want to the end.

Make a link, make 1 DC into the top of the last DC on the previous row. Leave a tail and cut.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until desired length. Make a row of SC to finish it off. 

Patchwork Wash Mat

So simple and so practical

Mine was 12 inch x 16 inch

12 squares cut 4.5x4.5 inches

1 piece of old towel cut 13x17 inches

Arrange squares in a pleasing pattern in 3 rows of 4

Sew the rows of 4 together

Sew those rows together

Give a good iron. 

Lay down the towel, place the patchwork good side down on the towel. 

Use lots of pins and pin around, the towel will like to slide around so plenty of pins helps. Make sure to mark a 4 inch turning gap. This gap you will leave un-sewn.

Start sewing at one turning gap marker, sew all the way around to the other gap marker. Make sure to reverse stitch at the beginning and end. 

Clip corners and turn right side out. 

Make the corners look good and give it a good iron. Make sure to iron the turning gap so it folds nicely. 

Top stitches all the way around. If the corners are too bulky, skip the corners and just sew down each edge. 

Sew a top stitch along the center of the patchwork to secure both sides of the project together.

Finished!

EPP Coaster Tutorial

This tutorial is for the construction of the coaster, the hexi is up to you. 

EPP Hexi Coasters are fun easy projects perfect for the beginner, make great gifts, adds character to your table and can be finished in a day. Get some scraps or fabric you have been wanting to fussy cut  and make a 3 inch hexi of your choice. 

Tip: 3 inch hexi means 3 inch is across one edge of the hexagon. EPP shapes are measured on the sides of the edges, not total measurements width or length. 

The hexi pictured is a 1.5 inch hexagon center with 6 1.5 inch half hexagons around.

You will need:

Front of coaster finished.

Backing same size as front of coaster

Sewing machine 

Marking pen

Scissors and Thread. 

Once you have finished sewing the front of the coaster, take out your papers and iron all the edges out. 

Place good side facing down on your backing.

Take a marking pen and mark where the papers ended, making sure to especially mark where the sewing stopped at seems. This will be your sewing line. 

Tip: When I get to a seam when sewing like shown above, I reverse once on the marked line and continue sewing.

Pin in place so it doesn't move around when sewing. 

You can see the sew line marked  

Make sure to mark with pins your start and stop (mine are the dark end pins). You need to make a gap so you can turn the coaster right sides out. Start at one of your pins and end at the other. 

Tip: I do a small revers stitch at the beginning and end so nothing comes undone when turning the coaster right side up. 

After sewing on your sew line and leaving your turning gap, trim backing if needed to match the coaster front. 

Turn inside out. I use a crochet hook that has a rounded bottom to get the corners popped out.

Sew as close to the edge all the way around as you can neatly, this will close the turning gap. Than quilt as desired. I like to simply stitch the seams (stitch in the ditch)

Your Done!