Spice of Life CAL - Part 6
Some of you are working on more than one blanket, started later or are just pacing yourself. If that's the case, that's fine too. This is to be enjoyed and you can work at your own pace.
Spice of Life CAL
PART SIX - THE BORDER
This week we'll be adding the finishing touch to our blankets with a small and simple border.
I've also included a guide to blocking for acrylic yarns like those in the yarn packs. It can be a great way to even everything up and create a lovely drape to your finished piece.
If you are still working through the blanket repeat posted last week, you can just start this part next week.
As always, do take a moment to read through this post before starting work on your blanket.
: : UPDATE : :
This pattern is now available to purchase as a complete downloadable PDF file
Please see the Spice of Life Page for details
: :
TIPS FOR WORKING PART SIX
Working the First Round
This is one of the trickiest parts as the number of stitches you'll need to work along each side of the blanket will vary, depending on your own unique tension. I've added instructions that you can follow in the written pattern to guide you but you may well find that you need to add a few more or a few less stitches to get the border just right for your blanket.
Working the Second Round
This round is simple to crochet but it will highlight any tension issues with the first round.
See the 'problem solving' below to help you with the first and second row.
Working the Third Round
If you needed to change the number of stitches to adjust your tension in the first two rounds, the stitch multiples on this round might be slightly out. See the pattern tutorial to see how to correct this without ripping back.
: :
PROBLEM SOLVING
Tension
When working the first two rounds, you might have a problem with the border laying flat. This is most likely to be along the edges where it is hard to determine the exact stitch count to use.
... If your border curls or puckers up and won't lie down flat ...
You have too few stitches and it is pulling your edges too tight. You need to add a few more stitches to the ends of the rows.
... If your border looks frilly and won't smooth out flat ...
You have too many stitches and they haven't got space to lie evenly. You need to work less stitches into the ends of the rows.
Checking You're On Track
You can keep an eye on your tension by stopping and laying your blanket out every so often to see how flat and smooth it is lying.
Once you've worked the first side, make a note of how many stitches you needed to get the tension right. Then work the other side the same way.
(Make this easier by breaking it down by blanket section.)
It can take a little experimentation to get the border to look right but it will be worth it as this will be the last part of your project and will set it off nicely.
Fudging
Borders are a great time to learn to relax in your quest for perfection.
When working those great long lengths it's hard to make sure that your stitch count multiples work out just right and match exactly to the pattern as written. This is especially true if you needed to adjust a little to accommodate your tension.
Luckily, the pattern repeat on this border pattern is nice and small so when working you will only be a stitch or two out at most. You can make a correction on Round three if you need to.
Blocking
When working those great long lengths it's hard to make sure that your stitch count multiples work out just right and match exactly to the pattern as written. This is especially true if you needed to adjust a little to accommodate your tension.
Luckily, the pattern repeat on this border pattern is nice and small so when working you will only be a stitch or two out at most. You can make a correction on Round three if you need to.
Blocking
Remember this can be a great way to even out and neaten up your work, especially if you are still having problems with the edges drifting in or with the border not lying quite flat.
: :
PART SIX - PATTERN
This part contains instructions for the blanket border and how to block the finished project.
The border is approximately equivalent to working 20 rows of the blanket.
Remember that this pattern is written in UK terms
If you are in the US, you'll need to refer to the 'Stitch Terms' in Part 2 to see which US stitches to use
Border
The border will be worked all the way around the edge of the blanket in one colour, in the round. Decide which side of the blanket you would like best to be the front of the blanket and work the border with this side facing you.
To start the border take YARN F and join the yarn to any corner stitch at the top of the blanket.
TIP ~ The corner stitches are the first and last stitches of the top row and the bottom row of the blanket. You may like to mark these 4 stitches now with stitch markers.
Border Set Up Row
To provide a foundation to work the rest of the border from, first work a round of dc’s all around the blanket.
As the yarn is attached to a corner stitch, you will start with chain 1 and 3dc into this same stitch. You can then continue making dc’s using the guidelines below:
Corner Stitches: 3dc [if you are using stitch markers, move the marker to the middle one of these 3 dc’s.]
Top Edge: 1dc into each stitch (except the 1st and last stitch, which will be worked as corners)
Bottom Edge: 1dc into the back loop of each starting chain (except the 1st and last stitch, which will be worked as corners)
Sides: 2dc into the end of each tr row, 1 dc into the end of each dc row. (except two sections, see below:)
Grannies: 2dc into the end of each row that ends with a ‘shell’ of 3tr’s and only 1dc into the end of each row that ends with 1 tr.
Waves: 1dc into the end of each dc row, 1dc into the row ending with a dc, 2dc into the end of the row ending with dtr.
Once you have gone all the way around the blanket, make a ss into the 1st dc of the round. Then make a ss into the next st. This will bring you to the middle stitch of the 3 corner dc’s.
Border: Round Two
4ch [counts as 1htr, 2ch], 2htr into the same place, *1htr into each stitch up to the middle stitch of the 3 corner dc’s, work (2htr, 2ch, 2htr) into the middle dc,* repeat from * to * around the blanket until you are back to the beginning, to finish make 1htr into the stitch at the bottom of the starting ch, then make a ss into the 2nd ch of the beginning 4 ch.
Border: Round Three
ss into the corner ch sp, 1ch, *(1dc, 3ch, 1dc) into the corner sp, (3ch, skip 2 sts, 1dc in next st) all the way along the edge up to 2sts before corner space, 3ch, skip 2 sts,* repeat from * to * around the blanket, ending the last repeat with ss into the top of the first dc of the round.
TIP ~ Don’t worry if you don’t have exactly the right number of stitches to bring you correctly to each corner as written in Round 2 above. You can always skip 1 more or 1 less stitch if you need to. No-one will notice!
Border: Round Four
Make *4dc into corner space, 1ss into dc, (3dc into next ch sp, 1ss into dc) along the edge until you reach the next corner,* repeat from * to * around the blanket until you reach the beginning, making the final ss into the 1st ss of the round.
: : UPDATE : :
This pattern is now available to purchase as a complete downloadable PDF file
Please see the Spice of Life Page for details
S x
♥
SUBSCRIBE:
Comments