Looming News

When you want to take a break from crochet or when you want to use yarn to make a project you can combine with crochet, loom knitting might be for you. It’s really pretty easy, turns out a nicely stitched project, and is cost effective. This new book Loom knitting for Babies and Toddlers by Isela Phelps contains all the instructions you need AND 30 charming projects you can make. Many of the projects lend themselves to being embellished or finished off with crochet. Add a simple edging to a cap or add a prissy, lavish edging to a babyghan for a little princess.

Two projects that I think are well suited to loom knitting are caps and socks. It’s also pretty amazing to learn that you can use a round loom to work either a cylinder, like a hat, or a flat piece for a scarf or afghan. In this book, you can also learn how to work entire sweaters, toys, and puppets among other things. If you like to crochet for babies and toddlers, you’ll enjoy branching out into loom knitting. There are all sorts of looms available, from the Provo Craft round ones that you can purchase inexpensively at mass marketers (like HL and Michael’s) to hand crafted wooden looms purchased from specialty weaving shops and websites. Start off slow and move on up if you enjoy this yarn craft.

Book Specs:

Loom Knitting for Babies and Toddlers, More than 30 easy no-needle designs by Isela Phelps.

St. Martin’s Press, February, 2013

144 Page Paperback with over 300 photos

ISBN: 9781250025142

$24.99 USD

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.

Comments

Have you read?