If you're in need of an easy gift idea, try crocheting an edging onto a blanket. It's super-simple, and it took me about 3 hours total. That's not a terrible amount of time from start of crafting to finished object. Above, you can see the full blanket with edging and cat for scale. Below is a closer shot of the edging around the blanket.
- a fleece blanket with a sewn edging
- Red Heart Super Saver yarn or equivalent worsted weight acrylic yarn
- crochet hook - I used a size J - Pick a crochet hook that allows you to single crochet around the blanket without any tugging or puckering
I made a slipknot, stuck it on my hook, tightened it down, and inserted the hook under the sewn edging, then made a single crochet. I continued in this manner, using the sewn edging as the basis for my single crochets around the entire blanket. I started in one corner, and you will work left to right. When I reached my first stitch, I made a slip stitch to join.
Then it was time to make shells. You could make any border stitch pattern you'd like, but I chose shells. For my border, I made 5 double crochets into that first single crochet where I had just slip stitched. Then, I skipped 3 single crochets and made 5 double crochets into the 4th single crochet. Skip 3, make 5 double crochets, skip 3, make 5 double crochets all the way around the blanket until you reach your very first stitch. Then slip stitch to join, sew in ends, and viola you have a completed blanket.
I will be washing my blanket to remove the cat fur and donating it to Project Linus.
