Monday 2 July 2012

Crochet Pillowcase Edging

Surfing blogs is a dangerous activity. An activity that results in  spending more time getting distracted by, than actually creating the projects that they inspire! You also end up with a list of "want-to-do" projects a mile long, and as I am  an unorganised blog follower/ bookmarker, I know I have seen an idea somewhere and when I come to find it even more hours are pleasantly wasted getting distracted by even more "must make" ideas!

In this case though, I knew I had seen an idea and I knew where it was. I was in the middle of a three year epic, making a flowery crocheted throw which will be the topic of another "catch up" post soon.  The pattern for the throw I had bookmarked, but in doing so I also spied the lovely pillowcases Beata sells in her Etsy shop on her Rosehip blog. Trouble is you then want to make them yourself and not buy them!  I know wanting is bad, but making your wants makes it OK, doesn't it? Back then I didn't have the time, or know about Ravelry, the most amazing and by far the best knitting and crochet resource on the web. You can find any pattern in the yarn world on Rav!

So I did a Rav pattern search for crochet on "pillowcase edging" and there was a perfect pattern from Cassie at You Go Girl, and Cassie had kindly posted free tutorials. I bought one ball of Rowan Hand Knit cotton, at vast expense, in a gorgeous light olivey green (Celery) shade to coordinate with the IKEA Cath Kidston Rosali pillowcases I had, from buying the material for the Sweet 16 quilt in my first post. Even better, Cassie also acknowledges the inspiration for her design came from the Rosehip Blog, and that is how the love in the blog world goes round!

So I am contemplating edging some pillowcases for said "Sweet 16 (sic) daughter.  


The worst bit by far was straightening out the 15 x "width of pillowcase" length of yarn for blanket stitching, boy did it twizzle. Fifteen times the width, for goodness sake that breaks all the rules of "no longer than half an arm's length" we were taught!!!! It probably took me a couple of hours to do the blanket stitching around the edge as the foundation for the crochet edging, using doubled yarn, and although I thought it was too loose it turns out it should have been looser again as it did pucker when finished.
The crocheting was fine, a lovely straightforward tutorial from Cassie, but I should have searched out a 3.75mm hook as she advised, I was lazy and a 4mm was what I had to hand! I made this on a hot summer’s evening watching the Eurovision Final.
So here is the not very perfect first one, that blanket stitch has to be positively baggy!
Practice makes nearly perfect, the second attempt was much faster and easier, isn't that always the case? I am trying!! The Rowan 100% cotton yarn I used is a bit stiff, I think a softer one would be easier to work, perhaps a bamboo mix as advised.
Back at the end of May the weather was nice..... so I could mess about outside trying to take a decent photo.
...and a close up
This one is better, and many apologies if daisies and buttercups on the lawn offend you, I love them and they are one of the few things that grow for me.
Crochet Pillowcase Edging
The family were rather bemused by the uselessness of my creation but so what..... a touch of "just because you can" every now and then is good for the soul.
...and finally..... I "just" managed 2 pillowcases out of an 85m hank of yarn with 1m spare, so it may be better to go with a slightly bigger ball and/or a slightly lighter weight to be on the safe side if you're after a pair.

7 comments:

  1. Your edging is beautiful, so neat. Your pillowcase looks right at home amongst e daisies and buttercups. I have LOTS of 'wild' flowers in my garden, some might call them weeds but I don't!

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  2. I love the edging on your pillowcases it looks very summery, unlike the weather here at the moment. I have just found your Blog and know exactly what you mean about not having enough time to create because you are looking at blogs.
    Melanie xx

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  3. Oh I love the edging! I've wanted to do this for ages :) Love the Ikea pillow cases too, it's one of my favourite shops :D

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  4. Hello Fiona
    I am your newest follower :-)
    I found you on Country rabbits blog...a blog I follow frequently.
    I totally agree with you that surfing the blogs can be a dangerous occupation and so delightfully distracts. I have to keep a tight rein on my surfing activities otherwise I never get anything crafty done.
    Great post and love the pillow case edgings and who says "uselessness" of them they are a delight to my eyes so I don't call that useless!!!

    Keep well

    Amanda :-)

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  5. Hello, I followed your twitter link and I've come to check out your new blog :) I love your edging! I keep meaning to have a go at that too. Guess what, it's on the list, the never ending one I keep adding too.

    Good luck with the blog, it's looking great so far!

    S x

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  6. Hi for Georgia, US! Love your new blog and found you from Ravelry (I'm Dandeebeau there) I know what you mean by getting so distracted by all the inspiration! I do that all the time and have so many projects going that I need to be working on them instead. I just keep getting different ideas popping in my head and feel that I must write them down before I forget!
    Good luck with your blog :)
    Barbara

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  7. You are all too kind and generous with your comments, thank you. I am now getting distracted by far more lovely and inspiring blogs that I can only dream of emulating!

    Fiona x

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