Scappy buggie blanket tutorial

Well, it has started to get really cold here now and as my LO has outgrown the foot muff for her buggie so we needed an alternative. As I am also completely incapable of throwing anything away I had a pile of scraps of material from my various projects over the years; so to actually make use of these I made this scrappy blanket.

 

It was super simple to make - just a bit tedious at times.
1. Cut lots of strips of fabric any length you like. Mine were completely random depending on the size of the scrap, mine were also about 2" wide, but again this is totally variable depending on scraps/taste.
2. Sew together strips end-to-end, trying to be completly random (I put them all in a box and just pulled them out and used them, without thinking too much!)

3. Cut down to required length. My finished balnket was 24" wide so I cut the strips to around 27".
4. Iron seams flat, trim long edges to make them straight.
5. Sew down long ends until you make it long enough. My finished blanket was about 40" long.
6. Collect together the rest of the blanket. I used an old pram sheet as backing (which also dictated the size of my blanket) and a layer of cheap fleece in the middle.
7. Lay all the layers together right side out, and cut all the ends down to the final size.
8. Using more of the strips of scraps; pin them right side down along the edges of the blanket.

9. Sew along the edge, making sure to catch all your layers.
10. Fold the trim over the edge, turning the end over, and pin.
11. Sew along the binding, again making every layer is caught.
(This can be done with bias binding, or a plain fabric)

And then it is done. A great way to use up any scraps lying around.

It's been awhile...

... since I have posted on here, as always life gets in the way of crafting!

As I promised last time here is the picture of my 2nd crochet square for the charity blanket

The blanket has now been put together and is here on the auction page - it is looking fab. I hope it, and the other donated items, raise a great donation for the Stoke Association.

I have also made a tote bag for a friend who won another auction I took part in.

This is a pattern I have used frequently, these bags make great gifts and I love using mine while popping to the supermarket, and have adapted from a sew mama sew tutorial. It has lovely French seams so it doesn't require a lining and you don't have ugly seams on the inside. I have made the straps longer and changed the dimensions of the bag itself slightly, this one is also deeper than normal.

As for my mother-in-law blanket, I am up to 80 flowers!

I am also working on the list of items I plan to make for my homemade Christmas presents - struggling to think of something to make my 20-something sister. I have also been pattern drawing for my mum's weekend bag - I'll get making soon, so watch this space.

More crochet....

Well I have now done 35 of the flowers for my mother-in-laws Christmas present, its definately slow going.

I have done another square for The Stoke Association auction blanket, but I can't get the photo on right now - I'll try to update when I get my photos off my phone.

Crochet mad

I am still plodding along with the flowers for my mother in laws Christmas present, up to a grand total of 30 so far! However I have also been working on a couple of other projects, one of which is a square for a blanket being put together for an auction, Stitches for Strokes, which is going to raise money for The Stroke Association.

Quite a simple one to start with (I have a more complex one planned as my second offering). I followed this pattern, with a couple of alterations; I used a 4mm hook with acrylic DK yarn so needed to add a couple of more rounds to get it to 8" square.

Holiday WIP

Well, I am back from my holiday where I was working on my mother-in-law's Christmas present using this tutorial which was pretty easy to do once I got into the hang of it. I have trimmed down my time to 25 minutes per flower!
This is the yarn I chose, Patons 100% cotton DK, however I am not sure if I will use the yellow shade which is the unopened one. I also used a 3.5mm hook.

This is some of the flowers close up

And all of the flowers I have made so far 19 and an unfinished one

Only 130 odd days til Christmas; I better get working as I think I will need around 120 flowers as well as all the joining white work and borders.

Crafty plans

Well I haven't managed to make much recently. I have been practicing crochet including making a little hat to form a pattern; I will be making more for Lisa's stars when I have spare time.

In preparation for going away soon I have been trying to choose a project for the evenings, and have decided to start on my Christmas presents! I am starting with making my Mother-in-law a blanket following this tutorial. Hopefully the yarn I ordered arrives in time.

Travel drawing pad

Well, we are heading off to the Lakes in a few weeks time and C is not a happy traveller, and with the prospect of 6+ hours driving I turned my thoughts to ways to entertain her. She has recently developed a love of drawing so I thought I would make her a handy pad that is reinforced enough for her to write on her lap, and somewhere to store the pencils, and this is what I ended up with.

It was fairly simple to make - especially if you have made a crayon/pencil roll before. The seam allowance is 1/2", and it is made with my possible leftie daughter in mind, so switch the sides for a rightie.

I used 2 different fabrics - a patterned and a plain. The pieces required are:
9.75" x 13.25" plain fabric
10.5" x 13.25" plain fabric
10.5" x 10" patterned fabric
19.5" x 13.25" patterened fabric
5" x 3" plain fabric

Take the smallest patterned piece (10.5x10) in potrait form, fold in half and pin to the bottom of the largest plain piece (10.5x13.25) in potrait format. If you have made a crayon/pencil roll before follow that method. Mark up the patterned piece every 7/8" (for a pencil) and stitch this making sure to reinforce the top edge. I also added an applique on this piece. To finish off turn the 1/2" seam allowance on the left hand side and stitch along the whole length.

To make the closing tab fold the smallest piece in half and stitch along the long edge and one short edge, turn right side out and top stitch all the closed edges.

Now to assemble all the pieces:
My closing tab is affixed using a snap, but you could easily use velcro, ribbon or a button, simply match up where the tab will close on the biggest patterned piece and, in this case, fix snaps to both parts. Folding the patterned piece in half as it would close, turning the fabric where the 1/2" seam allowance would be, place the closing tab in the correct position and pin.

Take two short pieces of elastic and pin across the outer corners of the good side of the patterned piece (on the right hand side of mine) and take the unaltered plain piece and pin this good side down to the right hand side on top of the elastic, turning the seam allowance and pinning.

Place the piece for the pencils and place right side down on the left hand side and pin.

Where the two pieces of plain fabric join - note how the seam allowance on the RH piece is pinned back

Now stitch all the way around.

Turn right side out.

Cut down card/plastic to fit in the pocket created under the unadorned plain fabric, I used a piece of cardboard from an old box topped with a piece of smooth plastic I had kicking around the house to give a nice writing surface.

You can now stitch the pocket closed - if you use a zipper foot you can get close in to the card and this will hold it in tight.

The pocket under the pencil side can be stitched shut or left open - I have left it open as somewhere to keep paper.

And there you have the finished product.