There are so many patterns of stitches to choose from when crocheting a new project. It can almost be hard to settle on one that you want to use.
I am definitely guilty of sorting through online images of crocheted baby blankets just to get ideas.
If I’m not careful, I can spend more time looking than actually doing. I guess that is the trap of the digital age.
It can so easily suck me in and there goes an hour or two of my life that I’ll never get back. It’s a true love/hate relationship.
I would have to say my most favorite thing to crochet is blankets. I’ve done more baby blankets than anything else.
I’m a sucker for babies in general and baby blankets have got to be a high second to that. Plus, they are smaller and you can actually complete them before eternity starts.
I love to start projects and to learn new patterns, but about halfway through, I struggle with being bored with the repetition of it all. Then I start to lose my enjoyment of the craft.
I still finish most of my projects. Some were just bad ideas to begin with and don’t deserve ever being finished. At least that is what I tell myself. Sounds good, right?
Maybe I should start four or five completely different patterns simultaneously and just rotate through what I work on. Maybe that would cure my problem? LOL
Anyhow, I’ve made a couple blankets with the corner to corner stitch and have fallen in love with it. It is pretty easy to do once you get the hang of it. It turns out beautiful every time and allows for room to play with colors and patterns.
This is my most recent corner to corner blanket that I crocheted. I made it for my Mother-In-Law. After all these years, I finally made her a blanket. (She’s a wonderful MIL, by the way)
There are great YouTube videos that describe how to crochet Corner to Corner far better than I can describe it here.
So here is a good link to check out. I like this particular video, because you can actually see the stitches as the lady crochets them. It is very clear. The lighting is good and she does a great job explaining the crochet pattern step by step.
You really just need to know how to make a slip knot, chain stitch and double crochet stitch. With these basic skills you can make this type of blanket. Just go slow.
The best advice I’ve ever heard from someone has been to simply do the first step of the pattern. Don’t even worry about reading the whole pattern or watching the whole video…as the case may be. It can be overwhelming. Just go bit by bit and you will figure it out as you go. I think it’s actually a fairly easy and relaxing pattern to crochet.
Tips for the process.
Work in your yarn tails while you crochet. I have found that if I leave them all to the end, it is a pain. If you change colors frequently you end up with a ton of tails to weave in and it can fee overwhelming.
It is a nice feeling to see the work you have done, just be done and not to have those little strings all over the place reminding you that you really aren’t done with that part at all.
Don’t stress about the size. I just go until I am happy with the width. I don’t even really measure it to be honest. I just work upward until the upper corner feels like it will be a good height for the width.
I do fold it over across from itself from corner to corner to make sure that I go past the square shape and keep going until I have a good rectangular shape….at that point I start decreasing to finish the blanket off.
That is always a good point to get to on your blanket. Each row gets shorter and shorter, and faster and faster to do.
This is always a great feeling. The point when you realize another accomplishment is nearly under your belt!
Choosing your colors is important and can mean the difference between a blanket that really “pops” or one that is just kind of “blah”.
I look online for ideas of what other people have done and works.
You could use a color wheel to get ideas of colors that go well together.
I’ve done a few projects that didn’t turn out at all like I’d hoped and it really came down to the colors I used. Which stinks.
Buying your yarn is pretty simple and the least amount of time that will go into crocheting a blanket. So put a little thought into those colors. You will be glad you did, when you see the finished project.
Corner to Corner crocheting is a great and a fairly easy pattern to try. It has limitless variations with colors and even some people make graphics with this technique that are pretty amazing.
If you’ve never tried corner to corner crocheting you should try it at least once in your life. It’s fun and makes for a beautiful pattern.
You can use if for so many more things than just a blanket. You are limited only by your imagination….washcloths, pillows, bags, curtains, etc
If you’re new to crochet here is a good post to get you started.
If you want a simple project to begin with this hat and scarf pattern for 18″ dolls (think American Girl) is a great place to start.