Granny Flower Square - The Pattern!

If you read this blog since the first year (thanks for putting up with me all that time!) you might remember this blanket, It's one of my first crocheted blankets. I finished it almost three years ago. As you can see my palette has changed a bit since then, nevertheless I still like the blanket. It has exactly that seventies vibe I was after.

Recently my eyes fell upon it and I thought it might be a good idea to write the pattern down. Mind you, only for the squares. The border is not my pattern so not mine to share and unfortunately I can't find the source anymore, I believe it was a Portuguese magazine.

The pattern

Remarks beforehand
- You can either start a new round by chaining 2 (as a substitute dc) or – and that’s definitely my recommendation! – by making a standing double crochet. With the latter you can't tell afterwards where you started the round.
- The pattern calls for a join at the end of each round. My preferred method is to make a seamless join using a blunt needle. Alternatively you can slipstitch in the first stitch of the round.
- I used a 4 mm hook and I made 285 squares in total. Each square measures 10x10 cm (appr. 4x4 inch).

To start
Magic circle or chain 5 and join with a slipstitch to create a ring

Round 1
*1 dc in ring, ch 1*, repeat between * * 11 x, join

Round 2
*2 dc in ch1-sp, ch 1*, repeat between * * 11 x, join

Round 3
*3 dc in ch1-sp, ch 1*, repeat between * * 11 x, join

Round 4
Please note: The corners are worked in trebles.
*3 dc in ch1-sp, ch 1, 3 dc in ch1-sp, 3 tr in ch1-sp, ch 2, 3 tr in same space, ch 1*, repeat between * * 11 x, join. Weave in ends.

Joining the motifs
I used the join-as-you-go method for joining the motifs.

Please don't copy or share the chart elsewhere, but link to this page instead - thank you for linking with love! 

That's it!

I hope you've had a lovely week so far. Wishing you a great weekend!

Happy with Blog MakeOver!

Welcome to my brandnew blog! I'm very excited about the new design and I hope you like it as much as I do.

After a few years of blogging (time flies!) I felt it was time for a makeover. I wanted something light and crispy and the talented Madeline Cline designed just that for me (and on top of that she is a delight to work with). Click here for her Blog Design Studio on Etsy (or find the link below on this blog). If you are considering a new blog design I highly recommend her services.

 

As you will probably notice some parts of this new blog are still work in progress as I added some new features. Eventually this will lead to a site where it is easier for you to navigate, to find patterns and - hopefully! - inspiration. But I just couldn't wait to share it with you. ;-)

To mark the festive occasion of my blog makeover I thought I'd share some happy yarn pics...

There is a practical reason for that choice too, as I'm still working on some bigger projects which I can't share here yet. ;-) So for now it's mainly wip's and yarn... Like the Vinnis Nikkim (above) and the byClaire (below).

Well, I hope you like the new blogdesign!

Many thanks for your visit. Wishing you a lovely weekend ahead.

Crocheted Necklaces

If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my necklaces as work in progress and now it is time for the reveal!

This long flowery white one is perfect for spring! I didn't follow a specific pattern, but did dive into my pile of Japanese crochet books for inspiration. These were all made with a 1 mm hook.

 *plays nonchalantly with her new necklaces*  ;-)

I'm working on a couple of bigger projects which I can't show you yet and therefore I like these smaller in-between projects so I can still have a little tada-post every now and then. ;-)

In the next blog post I'll show how the work in progress below turned out. ;-)

Almost weekend in this part of the world... Hooray!
Wishing you a most lovely day.
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Instacrochet

Although I have been using Instagram for quite a while now, I don't have a public account. Or rather, I didn't - because earlier this week I switched the button from private to public. I feel this comes with an obligation to go out for an arty cappuccino more often and to spot all kinds of quirky details in the wild... Anything to feed my account, right?! *Ahem*

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that it might take me a while to get used to the fact that it's now a public account. But without joking: I'm tremendously excited about the prospect of having another creative outlet. I'm also tremendously anxious that - with one unfortunate swipe on my tablet (they happen) - I will publish an uncensored picture. ;-) In general I will - from now on - post about works in progress on Instagram where as on my blog I will focus on finished works. You'll find yarn on both!

Anyway! Here's a taste of the older pictures you will find on my Instagram. There are quite a few older pictures that you might have seen popping up on this blog before, but there are a whole bunch of new ones too. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Feel welcome to visit me  over at my Instagram account! (With a huge sense for originality called byHaafner.) I now officially declare it open for the public. *champagne*

Thanks for being here - I hope you have a most lovely day! And don't forget to...


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Smitten. The pattern.

Wow, I was blown away by your kind comments on the Smitten Blanket. Many thanks!

As promised I'd come back here soon with the pattern. Well, tadaah, it's here now - written and as a chart! Regarding the latter: *phew* it was quite a challenge to draw one that's not veeery wonky. ;-) (BTW if you have a suggestion for good software to create crochet charts, I'd love to hear about it!)

Please note that to the best of my knowledge this is a very old, vintage pattern. I re-created it from a blanket I fell in love with. However, if a original pattern is somewhere to be found, please let me know and I will of course give credit where it's due! Kudo's to the original designer of this lovely pattern.

Before you start crocheting...
♦ I made every popcorn stitch (abbreviated: pc) in this blanket with 6dc's. More common is a popcorn with 5 dc's. Using 6 dc really makes your popcorn pop, however if you're not a experienced crocheter of tend to make loose stitches I would advice to make a 5-dc pc, because otherwise the center of your square could get too heavy and could cause the last rounds to ruffle. And a 5-dc-popcorn is just as lovely. (And eats less yarn!)
♦ If you have not worked a popcorn stitch before I can recommend Youtube for some excellent tutorials.
♦ I used a 5.5 mm crochet hook. This resulted in a blocked square of 34 x 34 cm.
♦ One square eats (very) roughly about 120 mtr yarn.
♦ Please note that in round 8 you do not want to make a dc on top of the popcorn from round 7. You'll need a little gap there - it is like the top of a little gap-staircase started in round 5, if you know what I mean ;-).
♦ Instructions between * * are repeated as many times as the patterns calls for.
♦ If you're using the chart as reference: I did not mark the first stitch of a round specifically as such.

PLEASE do NOT share this pattern or chart elsewhere (like blog, facebook or instagram, snapchat, youtube, ravelry... et cetera!) but link to this page instead. And -  obviously - it's not allowed to sell it on etsy etc. Thanks for your understanding. 
























To start

chain 6, close in first chain to form a ring. Alternatively, make a magic circle.

Round 1
16 dc in ring.
(Your first dc is either made from 2 chains, or, preferably, by using a standing dc)

Round 2
*1dc, ch2*
repeat 15x (16 in total)

Round 3
*make 1pc in a ch2-space, ch3, 1 pc in next space, ch3*
repeat all the way round (16 pc's in total)
sl st in first pc of this round

Round 4
sl st in next ch3-space,
*1pc, ch3, 1pc, ch3, 1 pc, ch3, 1 pc, ch10*
repeat 3x (4 in total)
sl st in first pc of this round

Round 5
sl st in next ch3-space,
*1pc, ch3, 1pc, ch3, 1pc, ch2, [6dc + ch3 + 6dc + ch2 in ch10-space to make a corner]*

repeat 3x (4 in total)
sl st in first pc of this round

Round 6
sl st in next ch3-space,
*1pc, ch3, 1pc, ch2, 2dc in ch2-space, 1 dc in each of the next 6 dc's,[ 2dc in ch3-space + ch3 + 2 dc in same space], 1dc in each of the next 6dc's, 2dc in ch2-space, ch2*
repeat 3x (4 in total)
sl st in first pc of this round

Round 7
sl st in next ch3-space
*1pc, ch2, 2dc in ch2-space, 1 dc in each of the next 10dc's, [2dc in ch3-space + ch3 + 2 dc in same space], 1dc in each of the next 10dc's, 2dc in ch2-space, ch2*
repeat 3x (4 in total)
sl st in first pc of this round

Round 8
sl st in next ch2-space
*2 dc in this ch2-space, 1 dc in each of the next 14 dc's, [2 dc's in ch3-space + ch3 + 2dc in same space], 1 dc in each of the next 14 dc's, 2dc in ch2-space*
repeat 3x (4 in total)
Close this round with a slip stitch of by using a blunt needle.
Please note: don't make a dc in the pc of the previous round: you want a little gap there for the consistency of the pattern. (See remarks under Before you start crocheting...)

Round 9
Make a standing dc (alternatively: chain 2) in any dc of the previous round, 1 dc in each dc of the previous round. In the corners: 2dc in ch3-space, ch3, 2 dc in same space. Continue with 1 dc in each dc of the previous round. All the way round. Close the round.

Round 10
Repeat round 9.
Weave in ends!

Joining the squares
Have you made enough squares for your blanket? Congratulations! Now you can start joining them and watch the pattern fully emerge...
For my sample blanket I slipstitched the squares together. Hold the squares together (front sides facing eachother) and slipstitch through the outer loops. Easy peasy! After that, I gave my sample blanket a simple edging of two rounds of dc.

Wow - that was it, I guess. Your blanket is ready!

Please leave a comment if you detect a mistake or if something is not clear and I will do my best to help. I do hope you have as much fun with this pattern as I had. Oh, and if you are making this blanket, I'd loooove to see the result!

Thanks for your kind visit. Much appreciated!
Happy crocheting and have a lovely weekend.
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Liked this? My book Mandalas to Crochet is now available on Amazon! :-)

American edition (with American crochet terminology and published by St. Martin's Griffin):



English edition (with UK crochet terminology and published by Search Press):

Smitten

Two weeks ago I showed you a picture of a gorgeous vintage crocheted blanket in Lisbon. (The pink blanket with the popcorn stitches; this link will bring you to that post...)








I also promised that I would figure the pattern out. So that's what I did! I hereby proudly present my lapsized sample blanket. I call it my Smitten Blanket. Because that's what I am with this lovely vintage pattern. (I'm planning to make a fullsized blanket with this pattern!)

It was such a lovely project. At the moment I'm finalizing the pattern (both as a chart and in words) and I will publish it here within a couple of days.

Before I conclude this post I'd like to say a big Thank You to Vanessa from Coco Rose Diaries for the blog love. Her distinctive crochet and styling skills are simply amazing and she is a huge inspiration to me. Her post also made me realise I've got some work to do: Update my blogroll... It's been added to my todo-list. ;-)

Well... That's all for today. Do check back here if you are interested in the pattern for the Smitten Blanket. By the way, I've also got a pattern lined up that should bring a bit of spring in our houses. Because I definitely need that during these grey days...

Many thanks for your kind visit.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I wish you a happy week!
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(A Lot) More Crochet in Lisbon and A Little Giveaway

Happy New Year To You and Your Loved Ones! To live up to my resolution of blogging more often, it seemed a positive start to be posting on the very first day of the year.

Let me now first explain this Granny Galore to you... I didn't make this vibrant blanket myself. (I wished!) However, when I was in Lisbon I stayed part of my time there in a lovely apartment. One where I had stayed before. It's an old, very spacious and airy apartment, flooded in light, lovingly restored by owner Joana, who is an architect and who also acts as a host together with her mother Martha. Both are the most welcoming people you can imagine. If you're planning a visit to Lisbon I can really recommend this place, you can book here via Airbnb. But I haven't told you the reason I chose this apartment. Well, in one of the pictures I saw a beautiful vintage granny square blanket, so that was that, choice made! ;-) It was this blanket...

And a great choice it was! When Martha heard I was into crochet she gifted me two lovely doilies. I still treasure them on the board above my desk. She also showed me this vintage pink popcorn blanket. It's just a quick snapshot with my phone, but isn't it a beauty...?

When I returned recently, a good 1.5 year later, she not only remembered my love for crochet, but she had a huge stack of doilies waiting for me to admire and two other beautiful blankets. What's more, she insisted I took some doilies and a blanket of my choice home with me. The kindness! I was seriously tempted to accept this generous offer, but travelling light as always, I had not enough room in my suitcase for a blanket. ;-) These are those blankets... (Pictures, again, taken with my phone.)

Aren't they amazing? Imagine the many, many hours that it must have taken to make these...

Below a compilation of the doilies, photographed against a concrete background.

You'd think that's enough crochet to make my heart sing. And it was. But even so, my crochet luck didn't end there... In one of the retrosaria's (haberdashery and yarn shops) I discovered a wobbly pile of old crochet mags, tucked away in a dark, dusty corner. I bought two. (Which I will show another time here - still have to make some decent pictures of them.) I might go back next time to buy the rest of the pile. ;-)

Which reminds me that, from a previous visit to Lisbon, I still have another magazine waiting for a little giveaway that somehow never happened. It's the one below, with classic patterns for filet crochet. You could of course tweak the patterns a bit, and give them a modern twist by using a sturdier yarn and other colours. It contains 62 patterns, mainly doilies, but also other items, like curtains. Since every pattern has a chart, you don't have to know any Portuguese.

Interested? Leave behind a comment before January 6th and I will pick a winner.

I'd like to end this post with my favourite sunset - ever. Lisbon. In pastels. Of course.

Many thanks for your kind visit and I hope we'll have many more online encounters in this new year.
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Thrifted vintage and some crochet too

A couple of days ago I popped in our local thrift store

with the intention not to buy anything.
Ha!

The results are these two art deco bowls.
The first one is this 'cabbage leaves' Max Roesler from 1930.
Love the mint green...

And this Dutch design from Société Céramique, Maestricht.

Same bowl. Different doily.
Couldn't choose. ;-)

In case you're interested, the first bowl costed me 2,50 euro,
the second one a staggering 6 euro. ;-)

Anyway. This weekend I finished my blanket - fringes & all.
Still have to make the pictures though.
I hope you've enjoyed your weekend too!
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So - I hit the jackpot

The doily jackpot, that is...
I often look with surprise at the wonderful potholders and doilies
other bloggers thrift at what seems to be a weekly base. :-)

I guess The Netherlands is not the best country
for finding that kind of second hand treasures.
That - or I'm just a lousy thrifter.

















Until yesterday!
When I found these wonderful, delicate, crocheted doilies...

I bought every single one of them. And love them.
I hope you like seeing them too.

Have a wonderful day!
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