Maria's Crown Edging

Maria was a neighbor to my parents from the day she was born until she went to college.

I watched her, and her younger sister, Sarah, grow up and leave the nest to have husbands and homes of their own.

This past month I received an email from Sue, Maria’s mother, telling me that after 6 years of trying, Maria and her husband are expecting a baby boy.

I just LOVE the way this pattern curves with the corner.

After Maria told her mother the news she said, “But Mom, I don’t know anything abut boys.”

Her mother’s response, “In the near future you will learn.”

Once a "foundation" rounds has been added, a second round is added.

When Maria and Sarah were born, I designed and made cross stitched samplers for both of them. Since my eyes are no longer good enough for making a new sampler, I will crochet several items for this new addition to our extended neighborhood family. Each item will be designed specially for him.

And finally, the third round is added . . .
doesn't this round look like little crowns?

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This pattern includes a photo tutorial on adding a crochet “foundation” to an unfinished receiving blanket/piece of cotton flannel. This way, you will not have to find a pre-finished blanket to add this edging to.

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If you would like to buy the pattern, it is available for $ 2.99 in my Ravelry Store, "The Fur~Babies Momma." 

***100% of the purchase price for the pattern goes 

to no-kill animal shelters in Western New York

 and in my home state of Indiana.***

Miss Lydia's Hat and Cocoon

Becky and Kenny received the BEST news . . the baby they were planning on adopting would be born 08 April 2013. The adoption is an open adoption . . . Becky was in the delivery room when Miss Lydia was born and, I believe, she cut the cord.

Becky is the daughter of an acquaintance from high school who became a close friend from the school I taught in. She is also a former student, so I consider her special . . . and, to top it all off, she is just "a good kid!"

I knew I wanted to make something special . . probably a receiving blanket and then look and see what's available.

The hubster and I made a trip to Joanne's to look at soft flannel . . . I found the PERFECT flannel . . . light pink with dark pink ballet slippers shadowed in gray. Since Becky was a ballerina all of the years she was in school, I knew this would be perfect.

I had them cut a square of the material, so it is probably 45" x 45" . . . I know it is larger than a normal blanket, but I wanted a square. I know it is larger than 36' x 36", but I am too lazy at the moment to measure it, so you will have to take my word for it.

I am doing a gray Blanket Stitch round the edging (folding the selvage under to make a hem) and have 3 sides done and will finish the fourth side after I finish what I am doing now. 

When the 4th side is finished, I will have to find an edging I like and who knows how long that will take to put it around this monster receiving blanket.

Here is the photo I fell in love with.

Tulip Cocoon
Tulip Hat 

Here's my finished project.

Adaptations to the hat:

1. I left off the white edging . . why? I have no white yarn and I wanted to finish it.
2. I added two extra rounds to the hat. I wanted to make sure it was long enough to fit over the head. It fits my 15" ball, but just in case . . I'd rather have it longer that sliding up the baby's head.

Adaptations to the blanket: 

1. I made the cocoon "sack" 14" long.
2. I couldn't figure out the Crocodile Stitch pattern for the cocoon. I Googled the stitch and found a GREAT photo tutorial on My Merry Messy Life. (It is a two part tutorial . . foundation row and first row of actual crocodile stitches. Part 2 shows how to add the 2nd and 3rd rows and explains how to continue.) I changed the dc crocodile stitch on the pattern to the hdc crocodile on the tutorial. . . . I liked the smaller look for the blanket.
3. I made three rows of crocodile stitches instead of the two shown on the original cocoon.
4. I'm on my 3rd round of crocodile sts . . I think I will finish the cocoon with a round of sc.

Now, back to work . . . maybe I will get the cocoon finished today. I want to buy some pink ribbon to weave through the ribbing. I think it would soften it up some.

How to Add a Crochet Edging to Just About Anything

Have you ever wanted to put an edging on something that isn't ready to "accept" an edging?

Like this blank edged receiving blanket?

You can make it look like this . . .

well, you may not be able to magically change
polka dots to window pane check,
but you get the my drift.

Well, I have the tutorial for you . .

and it's * * *  F * R * E * E * * * ! ! ! ! !

Yeppers,

from the goodness of my heart . .

perhaps Easter got the best of me

and I needed to be a Good Samaritan today?

If you want the tutorial . . each step has a picture . . . and perhaps more pictures and steps than needed. I just wanted to be as precise as possible. From a personal note, I always seem to forget how to start this stitch, myself, so I tried to be as thorough as possible.

Click download now and this tutorial is all yours.

Just do me a favor . .

let me know of any mistakes I may have made.