Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

BLOGTEST – AND HOW IT WORKS…

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I really do have too many crochet books.  Really!  I’ve decided that the readers of my blog will be the recipients of my stash downsizing efforts.  I’ve also got skeins and skeins of yarn and some other crochet accessories – and the occasional knitting item – that will be up for grabs. Most of the books are new or very gently used.  A lot of the leaflets and such are ‘vintage’, so they won’t be perfect in appearance.  The yarn will all be unused – although not always in wrappers. Other crochet (and knit) accessories will be described as they are offered, most new, some used.  Each item will be mailed to the winner by USPS – books by media mail.  For now, this contest will only be open to participants in the US.  Sorry, but international postal rates, customs forms, etc are just too much for me now.  That may change.

This is how it will work.  Each Monday, I’ll pose a question on my blog.  Everyone who answers the questions will be entered in the drawing on the last day of that month.  Some ‘answers’ may require you to post a link to a specific pattern or site.  The winner will be announced along with the next first Monday’s question.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me with mailing information.  If the winner doesn’t contact me, the prize will be offered on another occasion.

Right now, I have prizes for at least a year!  All good stuff.  I’ll post a description of each month’s prize on that first Monday’s blog article (with the question for the week).  I hope this makes sense.  Look at it as four (and sometimes five) opportunities to enter a prize winning answer each month.

Comments

  2. woo hoo this sounds like fun. JD, you always have something good going on here. be it your reviews or what ever. You’re great. thanks

    OK – I KNOW I SAID THIS WOULD BE A RANDOM DRAWING – BUT THIS IS THE BEST RESPONSE SO FAR. AM I GOOD OR WHAT? SOMEONE THINKS SO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! Just keep on buttering me up……
    jd

  7. What a nifty way to be sure your over-stash goes to someone(s) who will use and appreciate it! This will be fun! Thanks.

  8. How cool. I don’t know how to crochet, but signed up for a class yesterday. The classes start on the 19th.
    I’d be happy to win, except I can’t use wool yarn only non-wool yarns. So can you include in the description of the prizes you’ll have up on a particular week whether the yarn is wool in origin or man-made or cotton yarn?
    Thank you.

  11. I would LOVE to add to my book stash; I can’t believe you found the will to give them up 🙂

  13. This contest sounds very interesting. A good way to use up stash, too. I’ll be looking forward to entering.

  15. I am looking forward to the contest. It will be fun reading what others have to say about some of the crochet questions that you ask. BTW, are you open to letting us pass along some ideas for crochet questions that are profound and intriguing?

    I’D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT ‘PROFOUND AND INTRIGUING’ QUESTIONS ARE ON YOUR MIND. email me and i’ll consider posting them in the future. thanks! jd

Have you read?

Shock Wave Free Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.