Bertie sings the blues

There is something really quite soothing about making a Bertie baby blanket – just the right amount of repetition, and a satisfying rhythm…

This one is made in: Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino Teal (203), and silver (012), Scheepjes merino soft Michelangelo (603) and Raphael (602)., and Ella Rae cashmerino sport Icicle (29) and Fern (14). It took 3 balls of cream, two of teal and one each of the other blues and greys.

It is 9 pattern repeats wide so I started with a chain of 92, to make a 91stitch wide blanket. Mine was made on a 4.5mm hook and is cm wide and cm long. It weighs…

Sea greens and sea pinks baby blankets

Since I discovered the Scheepjes merino soft, Ella Rae baby cashmerino and Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino could be substituted for one another, pretty much metre for metre, I have been playing around with their combined colour range to see if I can make some rather more subtle combinations than is possible with a single brand. These are my most recent efforts:

Made in Scheepjes merino soft Ernst (653) Pissaro (651) and Raphael (602) with Ella Rae baby cashmerino Icicle (29). The pink version is in Scheepjes merino soft Copely(634) Waterhouse (649) and Titian (647) and Raphael (602), but to be honest I am not so pleased with that as a colour combination. Why do I find pinks so difficult?

When life gives you lemons

Make a lemon and lime baby blanket!

Made in Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino Apple (002) and Citrus (018), Ella Rae cashmerino sport Goldenrod (06) and Steel (04), and Scheepjes merino soft Michelangelo (603) and Raphael (602) on a 4.5mm hook.
It is (of course) a Bertie baby blanket. This one weighs 300g and measures 69 x 53cm

We miss you Debbie Bliss

It seems often to be the case that when I hit upon a yarn I really like it is discontinued. And as that is exactly what has happened with Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino, this blanket is probably the last of a line:

Made in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino Teal (340203), Duck egg (340026) and Spearmint (340303) with Scheepjes Merino soft Raphael (602) on a 4.5mm hook.

This is another Bertie baby blanket. Mine started with a chain of 92, so is 91 stitches wide which is 9 pattern repeats, and 28 pattern repeats long. It measures 71 x 52cm and weighs 300g. It took 2 balls of each of the three blues, and three balls of cream.

Grey is definitely a baby colour

This is the second time I have been asked to make a baby blanket in grey so I think it’s definite now – grey is a baby colour.

Mine is made in Drops cotton merino light grey (20), medium grey (18) grey (19) and off white (01) on a 5mm hook. The pattern is my favourite Bertie Baby Blanket by Little Doolally and just in case you are wondering if it is worth spending £4.80 on the pattern the answer is yes! I can’t count how many of these I have made now and every new colour combination gives me a little zing!

An Irish blessing

I recently had a commission for a baby blanket and the chance to play with some new colours for the Bertie baby blanket pattern. The request was for a green blanket and yes, the baby has an Irish mum so perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised. Anyway this is what I came up with:

Made in Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino mint (03), Ella Rae cashmerino sport fern (14) and Ivory (13) and Scheepjes merino soft Michelangelo (603). Although I have mixed three different yarn types they are remarkably compatible, with very similar yardage and just the hint of a sheen on the merino soft.

The yarn is lovely, and it is a shame that the baby cashmerino is discontinued, but the Ella Rae colours actually match some of the old Debbie Bliss ones, and this is certainly a combination I would use again.

Now for the technical bit. I made it on a 4.5mm hook and it is 9 motifs wide by 28 motifs long. The finished blanket measures 73 x 52 cm and weighs 305g. It took 2 balls each of the green and grey colours and 3 balls of ivory. And it is the squishiest blanket I have made yet!

Bertie goes to sea

A rather satisfying make using more of my Rowan wool-cotton stash:

Made in Rowan wool cotton dk antique (900), clear (941), celadon (979) and cypress (968) on a 5mm hook.

One for the boys

Couldn’t resist the temptation to make another Bertie baby blanket in Drops cotton merino, and this time it’s one for the boys:

The colours are cream, ice blue, light grey and jeans blue and I used a 5mm hook, starting with a chain of 91 stiches to make a 9 motif wide blanket. The final blanket measures 77 x 60cm and took 4 balls of cream, and just over 1 ball of each of the blue colours, and weighs 350g.

And I managed to take a photo in some spring sunshine!

February challenge – It’s Bertie but not as we know him

I have been wanting for some time to make a Bertie baby blanket in a quality yarn, and recently had the opportunity to make one on commission.

Made in Drops cotton merino cream, powder pink, lilac and lavender on a 5mm hook. I started with a chain of 92 stiches to make a 91 double crochet starting row and a 9 motif wide blanket. The final blanket measures 77 x 60cm and took 4 balls of cream, and just over 1 ball of each of the pink colours. In total it weighs 340g

It is being gifted to a very ‘pink’ new mum – and I think she will love it!

Bertie baby blanket

It has been a while since I have made one of these but a recent sale meant that I needed to re-stock:

I have noticed quite a few people finding my blog by searching for ‘Free Bertie baby blanket pattern’. If by any chance you have come here looking for exactly that then PLEASE go onto Little Doolally’s website and for the quite reasonable sum of £3.90 you will get a full PDF of the pattern including a photo tutorial. I have bought quite a few patterns in my time and I can honestly say that this is one that I would consider to be well worth the purchase price.

Mine is made in Rico baby classic cream, blue, ice blue, turquoise, light green, light grey and light blue (discontinued) on a 4.5mm hook.

The little drawers were a second-hand find and are painted in Annie Sloan chalk paint ‘Lem Lem’ which she sells to support Oxfam. We got the drawers for our daughter to keep her art tools in, but I seem to have commandeered them for use as a photo-prop just now!

Autumn leaves baby blanket ta-dah!

This has been an interesting project for me to make. It was commissioned by a friend and although it is definitely out of my colour comfort zone I have come to love it.

The request was for ‘woodland colours’ and we put this combination of golds, greens and browns together in gorgeous Rowan wools:

Made in Rowan super fine merino in mellow (168), bark (153) and grass (154); and Rowan wool cotton dk in leaf (997), bronze (967), elf (946) and still (964).

It took one ball each of the six ‘leaf’ colours, and 4 balls of the ‘mellow’ background. Made to the ‘Bertie baby blanket’ pattern, by Little Doolally, on a 5mm hook.

This is such lovely yarn that I have to say that every stitch was a pleasure. Let’s hope the new mum approves!

In the window

I had a moment of pride the other day when we visited the lovely local shop which sells my blankets.

It has just the most delightful selection of home-ware, gifts and clothing, and is a real asset to the area (see their website here). So you can imagine my feelings when I spotted this:

My very own Bertie baby blanket taking pride of place in the window!

Doing what I do best

I have had a nice time lately, making more of what I do best. Another Bertie baby blanket has been produced, and I will be dropping it off at the shop later this week.

I know there is a time for experimentation, a time for learning something new or for pushing the boundaries yarn- and colour-wise, but this felt good.

Made in Rico baby classic dk using lilac, light green, light blue, light grey, blue, ice blue and cream, on a 5mm hook. The original pattern is by Little Doolally on Ravelry.

Bertie baby blanket – tah dah!

I am so pleased with this….

It is a good example of why sometimes it is better to buy a pattern and have a guaranteed outcome, than spend ages messing around trying stitches to achieve the effect that you want without necessarily getting there. I had already spent most of a Saturday afternoon trying out wave-like stitches when I realised that the exact pattern that I wanted was available on Ravelry. For £3.00 my problem was solved and within minutes I was well on the way to making an actual blanket rather than just another swatch.

There are two big thank-you’s for this one:
Little Doolally on Ravelry for the Bertie baby blanket pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bertie-baby-cot-pram-blanket
Little Tin bird for the original colour suggestions from her baby ripple blanket number three: http://www.littletinbird.co.uk/2010/05/08/baby-ripple-number-three/

The yarn was Rico baby classic dk in cream (3 balls) plus one ball each of light blue, light green, light grey, turquoise, ice blue and blue. I cast on 90 +2 stitches, rather than the 80 +2 suggested, and used a 5mm hook. The final blanket is 71 x 54 cm and weighs 225g!
And here is a close up of the lovely stitch pattern:

Busy as a bee

The sun has been shining and I have been busy making my honeycomb blanket.

Unfortunately the midge season has started here in Scotland and the bees were not the only insects flying around as I crocheted.

Bertie baby blanket – work in progress

It has been a while since I have blogged a work in progress – and this one is a bit of a departure from my usual colour palette.

It is a pattern that I bought from Little Doolally on Ravelry, and I can highly recommend it – very simple stitches, very clearly explained, and I love the honeycomb effect that it produces.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bertie-baby-cot-pram-blanket

The yarn is Rico baby classic, and I’ll let you know what colours I have used once I am a bit further along with it!
The tiny pencil case is from Paperchase and makes an excellent crochet hook holder.

And in case anyone is wondering – no I have not finished the blue ripple blanket (waiting for yarn), nor made the linings for my cable cushions (waiting for a clear table!) So I had at least two of what are known locally as UFO’s (Unfinished objects) when I started this one…..
How many UFO’s have you got?