Anastasia Wedding Blanket Pattern

I do love gifting blankets!  I haven't found a person yet that didn't love a crocheted blanket.  I put much thought into gifting yarny goodness.  It must be the right color(s) and style for that person or persons.  That is key if you want to make them happy.  You don't want to go to all the trouble, time and money just to have them put in a Goodwill (charity chop) pile.  

I crocheted this blanket as a wedding gift in their wedding colors, which were grey and yellow.  

I was very lucky as the wedding invitation had the colors on it.  Even if you are not sure of the EXACT colors but have a general idea, you can make it work.  There are many shades of yellow....egg yolk yellow, sun yellow, pale yellow, banana yellow and so on.  The same goes for grey....silver grey, dark grey, light grey, almost black grey.  

I just picked 3 colors in each color, if you know what I mean.  Three shades of yellow and 3 shades of grey.  That's all you need to do.  It makes it so much more personal.  

I have crocheted this blanket in school colors, nursery room colors, teen bedroom colors and sport team colors for boys and men.  I have gifted it in 3-6 shades of someones favorite color and they come out gorgeous every time!  

I have the pattern for sale in my

Etsy shop

Craftsy shop

and Ravelry shop

Have a great week,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

If you aren't sure what color or colors a person likes, think neutrals like 3-6 shades in creams, browns, greys or blacks.

Fun Findings at Michael's

I was at Michael's this morning looking for yarn, of course, for an order.  For my friends overseas, Michael's is a craft store here in the USA.  They are gearing up for spring and I noticed some very lovely Cath Kidston/Greengate inspired goodies!  Gorgeous pencils for $2.00.  Eight are in a package which come to $.25 each.  I just adore them in all their feminine glory!

Lovely gift tags, as well for $2.00.  Twelve in a package for $.16 each.  I plan on using these in my "goodie bags" that are included with any purchase, excluding pdf patterns, in my Etsy shop.  In these little bags I place a coupon for a future order, one of my business cards and a little something else. 

These clothespins are a future gift for one of my out of town girlfriends who loves the color pink.  When I stay with her I like to give her something in her signature color and she will love these.  I think I'll crochet a little cotton bag to keep them in as I'm sure she will use them outside to hang her laundry.

These paper straws are cute too and perfect for a party.  Again, $2.00 for 36 straws.

They also have a bunch of bins with Betsy Johnson goodies.  For those of you who don't know, she is a fashion designer using bright colors.  These cel phone cases were $5.00 each.  I didn't look, but they might be for an iphone6.

  This luggage tag and plastic zippered pouch were $5 each too.  They have both of those is different colorways.  I'm just showing you one style here.

The 4 clothespins are great for keeping snack bags closed and are $5.00 and so is....

the zippered pouch.

This travel cup comes in different colors for $5.00 each.  Cute.  If you are gifting some yarn to a friend, put the balls in here with some knitting needles in place of the straw.

Lastly, these journals with an elastic band and built in bookmark are fun.  I don't remember the price, but it would be $5.00 or a little more.

I hope you  like my fun findings!  

Happy Hump Day,

Sheila

xo

Gift buying tip:

When I see something that someone would like, I buy it!  Especially if it only costs a couple dollars.  I know I will be needing a gift for that person whether it's a birthday, Christmas, get well, hostess gift or just because!

Hand Crafted Crochet Hooks

Hope this find you cozy and warm!  It's FREEZING here in the midwest!  So cold that I'm hesitant to leave the house.  Not even the cutest coat and stylish boots can tempt me to brave 7 degrees with a wind chill of -20.  The silver lining is, the sun is out and it's perfect weather for crocheting or knitting blankets.  Bright yarn, a cup of tea and a movie on the television suits me just fine.  

Look at these fun hooks from Lisa Clarke of PolkaDotCottage,  Lisa hand makes these using polymer clay and I just love them!  I treated myself to a Christmas present and I so enjoy hooking with these beauties.  You can request a flat thumb spot or completely round.  All mine are flat.  The size is embedded on the end.  I really like the "granny square" one on the far right.  Her prices are great considering how much time it takes to make them.

They are $18.00 each, but, if you purchase 3, as I did, you get $2.00 off of each hook.  Below are some photos from her shop.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

To avoid a ruffled border on a crocheted blanket, go down one or two hooks sizes.

Here is the information from the PolkaDotCottage site:

Metal hooks with comfortable and decorative polymer handles

[Jump to: custom ordering | ready-to-ship hooks | my crochet patterns!]
These crochet hooks are metal, available in several brands and sizes, and the handles are made by me from durable polymer clay, in one of my signature millefiori designs.
The color and finish on the handles is inherent in the clay. No paints or sealers are used, so there is no possibility of chipping. Each handle is baked right on to its hook and cannot slip off. After baking, the handles are wet-sanded through several grits of sandpaper, and then buffed to a nice shine. They are exceedingly smooth, and pleasant to hold.
Do you experience pain in your hands when you crochet? I am told that these special handles are quite comfortable to hold, and help to stave off joint pain.
Handles may be made completely round, or with a depressed grip for your thumb. And, so you never have to wonder if you have the right size hook, the letter size is embedded in the end of the handle.
Do you have special preferences when it comes to your crochet hook handles? I will be happy to work with you to create a tool tailored to your needs, that will be both as comfortable and as beautiful as possible.
Price: $18 per hook

COUPONS

• Buy 3 or more, get $2 off each hook. Use voucher code: 3HOOKS
• Buy 6 or more, get $3 off each hook. Use voucher code: 6HOOKS

A note regarding manufactured hook color: I have no control over the colors of the aluminum hooks, or the quality of their factory paint jobs. Sometimes there are spots where the underlying silver shows through. This is especially true of the Susan Bates hooks. It's just the way they came in the package!