Gray Area Log Cabin Blanket

Almost done, just need to weave in the ends for the gray border and multi-colored edging.  It was too cold outside for me to want to take any photos out there (in the teens for the high and windy!), so I had to take them next to the sunny kitchen window.  Not room enough for a full view.

GrayArea_LogCabinBlanket1

I made 20 of the log cabin granny squares, and then did 2 rounds in gray around each square, joining them join as you go in the last round.  After joining the squares, I went around the whole blanket with 4 rounds of gray.  Then I did 1 round in gray of single crochet, crocheting into the chains on each corner space, with 3 sc in the center chain (not in the chain 3 space, in the individual chain stitches).

GrayArea_LogCabinBlanket2

Then I did 1 sc round changing colors as I went so I had some of each color.  I didn’t end off when I changed colors, which was a bit of a pain to have all those attached, but I could pick them back up when I did my final round of reverse single crochet (also called crab stitch).  I like the kind of edge that stitch makes, it looks nice and finished.  Here is a closer look at the edging (front and back)…

GrayArea_LogCabinBlanket3

Log Cabin Granny Square

Here is a quick tutorial on how I am going about my Log Cabin squares, it is just a variation of a typical granny square (please let me know if you see any mistakes in the directions)…

Update (and update corrected):  post with pics of the finished Gray Area Log Cabin Blanket which shows what I did with the border, for an estimate of the yarn used, go to the Log Cabin Blanket post.

LogCabinGranny1

Start with a sliding ring, and make a 1 round granny square.  To do that, in the sliding ring you ch3 (counts as 1st dc) 2dc in the ring, [ch3, 3dc in the ring]3 times.

LogCabinGranny2

End with a ch3, tighten the loop, slpst into the top of the first ch3.  End off.

Continue reading “Log Cabin Granny Square”

Log Cabin Blanket

I like making blankets in the winter, once they get large enough they help keep you warm while you work on them!  I had been thinking of doing a log cabin motif for quite a while, and I had bought more yarn than I needed for the baby blanket I made for my granddaughter.  Perfect excuse to make a colorful blanket for myself, so what if it doesn’t match my living room, can’t let all that yarn go to waste!

Update:  wanted to note how much yarn.  Had less than one ball of each color. 2 balls of red (just barely over 1 ball) and 4 balls of the gray.

LogCabinCrochet_yarn

I have also been itching to make a blanket with gray, I really like how colors look with gray and I think it makes the colors look more grown up. I also added some cranberry, I really like red!

Here is my log cabin motif…(I forgot to include the darker blue in the yarn picture, at least it is in this one).  I haven’t made a diagram for this one yet.

LogCabinCrochet

I was thinking of doing variations of the log cabin, so it was a bit of a sampler blanket, but I didn’t end up liking the ones I tried.  There wasn’t anything wrong with them, I just felt like it didn’t really add anything, the regular log cabin was good by itself.  They are rather busy, so I think sticking to the one kind of motif is the right choice.

I am liking that they are square, but not square looking with just the stripes of color.  I decided to put a little of the gray in each so it isn’t just in the background.  I like the gray a lot, reminds me of soft, warm sweatshirts.  Warm is something we have a lack of right now (went below zero Fahrenheit last night! brrrrr)

close up of border

Baby Blanket Border and Ta Da!

It’s done!!  I decided to stick with simple for the border on my Hop, Skip and Jump baby blanket.  Rounds of single crochet randomly in the colors of the blanket.  I like how it looks and I like the different texture.

BabyBlanketTaDa

If I had to do it again (or had more time to re-do the border) I would do the border with a size or two larger hook than I used for the body of the blanket.  I didn’t tighten my tension, but the border turned out denser than I would prefer, it would work best if a bit looser.

close up of border

But, I was down to the wire!  Baby shower is tomorrow and I just weaved in my last end this morning!