From a simple blanket to an afghan and everything in between... There are so many great patterns out there that it is hard to choose which one to make. I love to gift hand-made blankets because they are so appreciated. A gift like this will be treasured and will provide comfort to the receiver.

It isn't always easy choosing the perfect project for someone, it has to be the right 'fit' for the person you have in mind. So if you're looking for your next blanket project (for someone else or for yourself), here are a few ideas.

From my very quick and unscientific research, I have found different kinds of blankets and what they are for. For a bit of interest, I threw in a link to a free pattern for each one. Aren't I the best?

Just a Simple Blanket:

 The pattern for this pretty little blanket can be found on JCasa's blog.

"A blanket is a type of bedding, generally speaking, a large piece of cloth, intended to keep the user warm, especially while sleeping".
Pretty straightforward I think, but it can be subdivided into many different categories. 

Afghan (or Throw):

Graphic Granny Afghan is a free pattern from the Coats and Clark website.

"An afghan is a blanket, wrap, or shawl of colored yarn. It is knitted or crocheted, often in geometric shapes. It can also be referred to as a 'throw'". I discovered that there are many different types of afghans, depending on how they are made. Mile a minute (made in one piece), join as you go (made up of different pieces, when you finish one you start the next) and motif afghans (made up of many smaller pieces - like granny squares). The last one is a good project for those of us that don't want to work on a huge piece that you have to lug around with you ;) !

Baby Blanket:

 This pretty Lotus Baby Blanket would be a perfect baby shower gift. You can get the free pattern from Needyl.

These blankets should be made out of nice, soft yarn. This is a gift that will be cherished for a long time! (As a side note, make sure the yarn is easily washable... Babies tend to make messes!)

Lap Blanket:

This great Pixie Dust Lap Blanket from the Purl Bee is a great accent for the home.

This is a smaller blanket that is easily carried around and fits perfectly on your lap without all the bulk of a full-sized blanket. This is a great last-minute gift because it is not as big as a full-sized blanket but still provides warmth. I made one for my grand-mother and she absolutely loves it, she is able to take it with her wherever she is in the house.

A Blanket Buddy:

This cute little guy is provided by the Lion Brand website.


I know this isn't a real blanket, but it is too cute to pass up. This would be another great baby shower present, and is different then the standard baby booties and hat combo.

This week's FO.

 When I first saw the pattern for this crochet Granny Square Vest in the Early Fall 2011 issue of Vogue Knitting, I was a little annoyed. I hate it when knitting magazines print crochet patterns. It's just a pet peeve of mine... But I really liked this pattern. I have never attempted to make anything crochet, and had only tried my hand at a few granny square patterns, but I wanted to challenge myself. I went out and bought Patons Grace yarn in almost every color the store had in stock! 

I think this is such a unique piece, it is not something I will see anyone else wearing, it stands out and looks so cute. Just perfect for me!

An old FO!

I posted a while back about the Mr Pitt Socks, but I never posted a picture of the finished product! So I finally got around to taking a picture of them. My boyfriend has been wearing them a lot and has even asked me to make him a second pair!
This was really a great pattern that I would definitely recommend!

Home is where...

Finished this great cross-stitch pattern. I thought it was such a clever idea and since my boyfriend and I are such Xbox geeks, I thought it would be a great thing to have hanging on a wall! The free pattern is on The Domestic Scientist site, I love how it turned out!
These are the DMC colors that I used to make this:
Outline - Black
Yellow Button (Y) - 972
Red Button (B) - 321
Green Button (A) and the center button outline - 368
Blue Button (X) - 803
"DPad" and joysticks - 3799
Small Grey Buttons - 648

Now I just have to find the perfect frame for it!

Happy Father's Day!

I made my dad two cross-stitched hoops for father's day. The first is a gargoyle and the second is a tribal mask. I think they turned out great, and my dad loved them. So, SUCCESS!
I couldn't find any patterns online, so I took some images off of Google and put it through my cross-stitch software and this is what I came up with. I love them.

Two FOs!

Last week I said I was going to try and post a WIP and an FO each week, well this week I managed to finish up two projects! This first one is a scarf that I was actually done knitting a while back, but I never got around to sewing the buttons on it. I got this pattern from "60 Quick Knits" and it was a nice and fast knit and my boyfriend really likes it. I made the buttons myself using Shrinky-Dink paper and they are perfect for this project!

My next FO is a bike basket from the new issue of "Knitting Today" magazine. I bought a bike a couple of weeks ago and I have been looking for a basket for it, and I couldn't find one that I liked. Then when I saw the pattern for this one in the magazine it was just too perfect. A great quick knit that was easy enough not to be frustrating but interesting enough that I didn't get bored making it.

So it's been a pretty productive week and I have some ideas for what I'm going to make this week.

Happy Knitting!

A Little Typography Fun

 thought I would share with you a great website that I have come across. Daily Drop Cap goes through the alphabet one letter at a time and provides a great image of each one. This is a great site to find inspiration and they are so fun to look at!

ou can search by alphabet or by letter, making it easy to find exactly what you need, or you can just browse and let your creativity take over!