MWL Goodies: March 2019

This post series is for those who crochet but think that they are limited in what they can do because they only know a few stitches. Well you can stop believing that now.

Knowing how to just chain your foundation and then using any given stitch that you are comfortable with, you can create anything that can be formed from a square or rectangular shape. I used to think I could only make a blanket if I didn’t have a specific pattern first but thankfully, somewhere along the way, I realized that I only needed to know the dimensions of the squared item and using the stitches I already knew, I could create my own design. I will post instructions for my own designs in future postings, but for this post I will be focusing more on the structure of many of these square items which you can create just using what you already know about crocheting.

I am going to group blankets, towels, and pot holders all into one basic set of instructions, since they are easily seen as square or rectangular. Create a chain in the width you wish to create, then create enough rows using whichever stitch you want in the length of the item. Sounds simple enough, but what does that really mean?

Let’s take a throw blanket as the example. Since the two dimensions are different it will be easier to understand which length we are discussing. The approximate throw blanket size we will use for this example is 52”x60”. Because we are crocheting using size instead of stitch number, you do not have to worry about the weight of the yarn or the hook size you will be using. You can use whichever yarn and hook you are most comfortable with or for whatever thickness of blanket you prefer.

First, create a foundation chain that is approximately 52”. Add enough turning chains for the stitch you will be using to create the blanket. I use a double crochet most often when I create blankets, so I will continue this example using a double crochet (dc). At the end of my 52” chain, I would crochet 2 more chains (ch) and then dc into the 3^rd ch from the hook.

Then dc across to the end of the chain. Ch 2, dc across. Repeat with rows of ch 2, dc across until your blanket is 60” long.

If you would like, you can create a border around the blanket or change up your design by changing the stitch you use for some of the rows.

It’s as simple as that. Now you have a blanket that is 52” x 60” and created by you.

You will just need to adjust the dimensions of your crocheting to create other sized blankets, pot holders, or even towels. For towels and washclothes, I recommend using cotton yarn.

Other items that I will be discussing in this series are scarves, shawls, sweaters, vests, pull over tops, headbands, and maybe more.

For my first DIY blog post, I will be starting off with something easy: DIY Dryer Sheets!

Since I crochet a lot of items that I wear and use around the house, I tend to have a massive problem with static cling. I find that buying dryer sheets all the time begins to become uneconomical, so I have had to find a more practical approach to dealing with my static cling problem.

All you need for this is fabric softener, water, extra pieces of cloth, and an air tight container to hold everything. I use an old pickle jar that holds about 3 cups of liquid. I also crocheted my own "dryer sheets", but you can certainly use any cloth you have around the house or cut an old towel into smaller squares.

First I poured 1 cup of fabric softener into the jar.

Then I added 1 cup of water and mixed.

I use a mixture of 1:1 for the softener and water. But you can experiment with the exact ratio depending on how thick the fabric softener you use is. You just want to make sure that the fabric softener is watered down enough for the cloth to be absorbed easily, but still be opaque.

Next, I rolled up my crocheted cloth and submerged them into the mixture.