Bobble Border Tutorial

Bobble border....cute as can be, and as simple as can be....I'm big on easy around these parts, simple yet striking, that just about sums it up.

Ok, I've just used a simple granny square as an example, but for now I'm pretending it's a blanket or similar!!  Firstly I'll just show you what a granny square blanket would look like if you didn't put some sort of simple bordering on it before you put your row of bobbles.  It would look like this.

In my opinion you've lost the visual on the bobble, it seems to have blended into the granny square itself.....It may have something to do with the last row of clusters and the bobbles being the same colour....Never the less, I still think it doesn't work if you're going to be using it on a big project like a blanket where you want the edging to stand out a little....or a lot for that matter!


So from there I went right around the edge of the granny square 4 times with just a simple single crochet stitch (US terminology) for conversion to English crochet stitches see here.  Using a slip stitch to complete the row.  Also don't be limited to a border of single crochet, the bobble stitch will work on any border, I just went for something simple....remember I like simple and easy!

Next step is to do 1 chain stitch and then after doing this, turn your work around so you have the back of your work facing you as the bobble stitch is worked on the wrong side, as the picture below shows.

Now the next step below is to single crochet into the same stitch where you have just chained, this is the only time you will work into the same stitch you have just worked.

Once you have done that then working into the next stitch along through the two top loops do a treble/triple stitch as pictured below.

And then you end up with the long treble stitch completed and it should look like it does in the next picture.

From there you then do a single crochet into the next top two loops of the next stitch (not the same stitch, the next stitch along remember), so basically the treble stitch folds backwards on itself and this makes the bobble poke out to the front of your work.

Easy, then back to another treble, single, treble the whole way around your edge.

If you give it a quick turn over you can see the bobbles forming.

Continue all the way around using a slip stitch to join your last stitch to where you commenced your first bobble.

Pretty isn't it?

Don't be limited by single colours either.  You can make your bobble edging in another colour.  I simply added yellow into the stitch where I finished the blue, did one yellow chain, turned my work around and did my first single stitch into the same stitch where I did the chain, then my treble....you know the score by now.

On completion....

So there you have it.....the bobble border.  I always drop my crochet hook down by half a size when doing a border because I don't like that too wavy too many stitch look, and this square was no different.  Your edging and border may look a little tight, but a good block of your work once pulled and pinned into shape can sort that out.  It also has the added bonus of making your work look soft and drapey and gives it a professional finish.


Hope I made this easy for you.

The Blanket with the Bobble Edging

I've gone a bit blanket crazy this week.....Another Sunny Spread but this time, going for big, bold and bright and colourful blanket....slightly different from my previous ones.

I think I love this one the most.  Beautiful smooshy organic Australian merino yarn.  I followed the pattern as is, but again just changing the border.....this time I though bobbles, and I think it ties in well with the circles on the blanket, and I think it brings it back to playful with the bobbly edging, just suitable for a cot or pram for a bub.  Can you see I like random colour.....again I'm not a fan of repetitive colour or pattern in blankets.....I've never been one for anything too uniform or matchy matchy!

If you don't know how to bobble, I'll put up a simple instruction tomorrow for you all.....and it is simple let me tell you!  Anyway, here tis' all done.....Colourful enough for you?

For more details, you'll find my blanket here on Ravelry

Till later,

Have You Seen The Poppets?

My dear friend Jen, sells Poppets.....Mermaids, mermans, pirates, leggy girls, geeks, cowboys, geishas, bunnies, santas, reindeers.....Poppets, the affectionate name given to the array of hand made softies that this talented lady produces from her little home studio in Toronto Canada.

Every little softie poppet is unique in fabric selection, no one poppet will ever be the same....that's the beauty of these little guys.

Jen happily also does custom work when she's able and those who join her newsletter get priority, so if you're looking for something special, Jen can design you a poppet to suit your child.

Take a look at some of the beautiful work that Jen has completed.

What do you think?  Aren't they the cutest little poppets that you ever did see.  All triple stitched, with all ribbon adornments hand sewn, so little fingers can't remove them, eco filled, 100% cotton bodies, and wool felt faces and accessories and hand stitched embroided sweet little signature smiles.  At the moment, Jen has some "Ready to Ship" stock available which is really unheard of, so I'm letting you in on the poppet secret.  There are some little sea themed items in her Etsy store as we speak, as well as some cute little long legged girls with bows in their hair.

For more information about Pikelet Workshop you can find them on Facebook, or pop over to Jen's blog and read all about Jen's adventures of an Aussie family living in Toronto, Canada......Oh I forgot to mention that, Jen is from Perth, West Australia, where all the talented crafters come from in Oz!!

Just to let you know this is not a sponsored post....I truly love Jen's work and it is too beautiful not to share, so stop by and say hi to Jen, and tell her that Vicki @ dover & madden sent you, and when you're thinking of gifts think hand made first.


cheerio,

Ambling....

The days are starting to lengthen, the late Winter afternoon sun is blissful, Spring is on our doorsteps and the smell of jasmine and violets is in the air.

A Tutorial of Sorts....Hexagon Blanket Border

I've had a few people, well actually more than a few ask me about the border on my hexie blanket....most of you that hang around here will know I don't like blankets with wavy edges....I like to make them straight....and I know I'm not alone, so I made this up as I went along using the theory of different crochet stitches have different lengths so you can always fill most gaps.

I attempted to do a tutorial on how I did this border, but time has got away so I'll do my best to explain to you in a basic form.  Those of you that crochet will probably understand, for those of you that don't, I apologise and when I have more time, I'll attempt to do it a bit better. You Tube is great for assisting you with the stitches I talk about so you may just find it falls into place.

The first thing that I do is always change my hook down half a size from what I made the blanket with.  So I used Baby Cashmerino yarn for this blanket and used a 3.5mm hook, so I created the border with a 3.00 mm hook....this just stops the border from being loose and getting that wavy, too many stitches look about it.

I've photographed the corner of the blanket completed so you know how I got around the corner and also how I filled those zig, zag gaps on the left of the blanket... and filling the half hexies across the top is easy, and here is a good phototutorial right here

Firstly I used the burnt orange yarn and starting on a straight edge and crocheting into a space in the previous row between 2 double crochet stitches I went the whole way around the blanket doing a single crochet stitch (US terms) and then 3 chains, then a single crochet, then 3 chains into the gaps left by the edges of all the hexies.  I repeated this the whole way around the blanket apart from where the hexie corners stuck out, then I did 1 single crochet then 1 chain stitch and then1 single crochet.  I've marked these stitches in the photo below with green arrows. 

When doing this I also made sure that I did the single crochet in the space over the join where the two hexagons are joined together if that makes sense.  I highlighted this with the royal blue arrows. The pink arrows are just to highlight where I did my single crochets on the half hexagons. Again I did most of these over the joins of the two colours and in the centre circle.  Continue around the whole blanket joining with a slip stitch.

Now the next row crocheted in turquoise blue is the difficult one but after this it's a breeze. I say difficult because I did have to use my noggin' here and think this out.

I found this picture below on Pinterest and this is what got me through, and I will link it back here to the owner of Tinking Turtles blog as she's done all the hard work for us by providing the picture.































Basically what you are doing now is filling the gaps with stitches.   Now starting on the straight edge is the easiest and just work clusters of  3 double crochet stitches marked with the purple arrows in the photo below.  You are doing these stitches in the space you created by making the 3 chains in burnt orange on the previous row. Keep going till you get to your first corner  You will finish your last cluster where the green arrow is.

Now you'll create the corner where the red arrow is.  The first cluster is 3 double crochet stitches marked with the yellow arrow and then do 2 chains to create a space in the corner, marked with a red arrow, then marked with the royal blue arrow I did 3 treble stitches. That's the corner completed.

Moving to the next cluster of stitches in the photo below.  Marked with a green arrow into this chain 3 space you do 2 double crochets stitches and 1 half double crochet, and then the next stitch marked with a pink arrow you do 2 half double crochet and 1 single crochet stitches.  Now do 2 chain stitches marked with red arrow and work backwards following the instructions again for the pink and green arrows.

Next bit is doing the 2 clusters in the dip of the zig zag, marked in black in the photo below. Each stitch is made up of 3 treble/triple clusters....and I'm going to be quite honest here, on the odd occasion on the 2 inside stitches I did a double treble stitch because it needed a some extra length, not often just sometimes.

Keep going all the way around your blanket using the above instructions and join with a slip stitch to where you started.


The remainder is easy,  changing to apricot yarn, just do your single crochet and 3 chains all over again, the only difference this time is when you get to the corner do 2 chains in between your 2 single crochets.  Marked in pink in the photo below.

The next row in dark teal blue is just back to 3 double crochets in each apricot chain 3 space.  This is just like doing a granny square, and again just do a normal granny square corner and do a 2 chain space in that corner.

Next row was mustard and back to doing what you did for the apricot row, all the way around.  Then bright turquoise, same as the dark teal blue row, and lastly a row of jaffa orange in single crochet all the way around to complete

Done!!


I do apologise that all the terminology is in US stitches, but that's the way I roll.   Here is a link to the UK terminology so you can to the comparison.

I will state again as I have previously on my blog, I'm not an experienced crocheter.  I'm self taught....I'm a knitter through and through but I like to dabble with crochet every now and again.

If you need any help with the above I'll do my best to assist.

The last step is to block your work on completion. I block the overall blanket rather than square by square, this is a must and this will straighten out your border if it's a bit tight and just give your work a professional finish and it also relaxes the fibres of the wool and your work becomes all soft and drapey rather than tight and stiff.

Lastly this tute above is not set in concrete, use it as a guide, because different plys of yarns will give different results, so if you don't think you need a treble stitch where I've put it and your stitch needs to be a bit shorter make it a double stitch instead....don't be scared of crochet it's fun, easy and  you can pull out stitches without having to unravel miles of yarn if you've made an error, crochet is a lot more forgiving....unlike knitting!!

Anyway best of luck if you choose to do a similar border as mine and as long as you fill the gaps you can do any number of different stitches to create a world of different edgings.

Here is the link to my blanket on Ravelry


Thanks

Ta Dah.....

Details to come.....including the pesky border, but it turned out ok in the end!