Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Suck Them And You Can Spit In Six Colors

The title of this post is a quote from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  It came up in a search for 'rainbow' and it totally cracked me up.

The rainbow blanket is done and quickly getting buried under other projects on my ironing board, as many of you noticed from the last post. :)

Since I switched colors every row, I had quite a few ends hanging off both edges.  I've written many times about my phobia of weaving in ends, and luckily, I found a way to just bulldoze the ends under with my edging.

On the right and left, where the ends are, I did a row of single crochet, but instead of *pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops*  I made my single crochet this way, *pull up a loop, yarn over, pull up another loop, yarn over, pull through four loops.*  This doubled the wrap-age over the loose ends.  I trimmed them a little as I went so I wouldn't end up with a big, fat, corded edge.

Working on the blanket, I had a mixture of feelings coming at me.  Some were happy kid feelings ... like the hopefulness of rainbows.  Some of them were unhappy kid feelings ... like learning that the world isn't always a hopeful place.  Sometimes I get a little catatonic staring at all the colors, like it's just too much happy for one person to bear.

Since it seems that we all love this blanket unanimously, I have high hopes that it will end up being squeezed to death by it's new little owner.  Of course, the fact that a bunch of 30-something-or-others like it might mean just the opposite.  I'm banking on the fact that kids never change from generation to generation (unlike teens).  What little girl doesn't go bonkers for candy, toys, cartoons ... and rainbows?

When I was doing my 'rainbow' search I also found these awesome necklaces.  When I used to see this kind of thing at Worlds of Fun (Kansas City's version of Six Flags) they NEVER had "Alice."  She has "Alice" and I'm tempted to buy one.  I could always put it on my key chain, right?
31 Comments leave a comment


dizzyjadey said ...
2/5/2008 11:15 PM
So beautiful! I love the colours you used. Which pattern is this?


Melody said ...
2/5/2008 11:19 PM
I loooove that blanket so much!!!


pedalpower said ...
2/6/2008 1:11 AM
I'm planning to do the same with mine...I hate working in the ends. Your blanket is beautiful.


Cristina said ...
2/6/2008 2:30 AM
So cool! Love how you have put the colors together, just fantastic :)
A girl will be very happy with that blanket, and i would be very happy also ;)


Kuky said ...
2/6/2008 2:44 AM
what a great way to hide the ends! I made a couple of striped hats before, what a nightmare. But a whole blanket full of ends to be worked in? So much easier to "bulldoze" them under!


Blue said ...
2/6/2008 3:09 AM
Bah! They don't have my name (but then, companies rarely do).

I so -heart- that blanket and I have it on good authority that a certain almost-7-yo (my very own almost-7-yo) little girl would adore a rainbow blanket, so I think you're "safe" in your presumptions ;)

On a side note: I am -so- stealing your "double single crochet"(?) idea. I've always just done a sc and your idea seems so much - I don't know - smoother ?

xoxo


Katy said ...
2/6/2008 5:11 AM
that is beautiful!


Net said ...
2/6/2008 7:50 AM
Get the necklace! Get the necklace! You deserve it after all the hard work on the blanket. I think that blanket is going to get really loved by its new owner, and squeezed and snuggled and taken on plenty of adventures too!


Nichol Brinkman said ...
2/6/2008 8:38 AM
Very sweet blanket. I get very nostalgic for those days when I loved rainbows so, so much. I used to wear rainbow striped socks and eat only the marshmallows from Lucky Charms, and I can't do any of that now, and I don't really want to, but I still miss those carefree days. Anyway, I really like your blog.


Joan, Lazy Girl said ...
2/6/2008 9:55 AM
Your blanket is fabulous. And thank you for the finishing tip on how to handle those tails. I've never been happy with weaving those babies back into the stiches and I like this option.

Thanks!

Joan


crafty carolinagirl said ...
2/6/2008 10:19 AM
Spitting is a dirty habit. . . I know a worse one. I love Willy Wonka!

What a great way to hide the ends. I always worry that my weaving will come undone. I will have to give this a try on my next project.


Moxie said ...
2/6/2008 10:20 AM
Absolutely beautiful! It makes me feel like a kid to look at it.


Javajem said ...
2/6/2008 10:24 AM
She will definitely love it!

Some friends and I made a "joke" fun-fur rainbow blanket for a friend having a baby. We also made her a really nice one made up of different squares with cables and fair isle and complicated stitch patterns. Guess which one her kids like more?!

Yup - rainbow fun fur wins in the end!!


Sus said ...
2/6/2008 10:42 AM
Amazingly, I did get one of those necklaces at Worlds of Fun. Of course, I don't still have it, which is kind of too bad. I'm glad you finally found your name on one! Your afghan is wonderfully fun. And great tip with the additional YO's for covering ends! Thanks!


iHanna said ...
2/6/2008 1:17 PM
What a cute pattern, don't think I've seen that before so close up. You did a great job, and the edge! You're too smart, I did an edge too on my rainbow afghan, but hehe, after I'd sewn in all the threads! Doh!


Kirsty said ...
2/6/2008 3:41 PM
That is so fabulous! I love that the arcs look like little rainbows by themselves.


thinkingmama said ...
2/6/2008 10:54 PM
That's a great blanket! I'm glad you figured out an easy way to get rid of all those ends. Someone gave my baby a rainbow crocheted blanket when she was born and I hope she grows up to love it as much as I do! It's just so happy.


yolanda (intento de labores) said ...
2/7/2008 5:34 AM
este traductor es horrible, pero solo con ver las fotos me hago a la idea de lo bonita que te va a quedar esta manta. Me gustan mucho los colores.


Diane said ...
2/7/2008 7:17 AM
Love the blanket!!! So bright. Any little girl or boy would love it.

Your sewing space looks like mine!!! That made my day. My table is so messy. Its a wonder I get anything accomplished. lol.


Brandy said ...
2/7/2008 8:25 AM
What a fantastic blanket!!! I really like the edging you are putting on there. And OMG, I remember those necklaces! I could never find Brandy back then either.


gleek said ...
2/7/2008 10:02 AM
what a lovely blanket! it's one of the few that use that many colors and is not tacky in any way :) i love the way you crocheted the ends into the border. great idea.


Grace said ...
2/7/2008 1:33 PM
Oh my gosh, that last picture of the blanket made my eyes go cross-eyed (in a good way); it looks so 3-D!! Like those "hidden in the picture" 3-d pictographs. Way cool!


ambika said ...
2/7/2008 3:20 PM
The rainbow is gorgeous and I could definitely go catatonic looking at it (in a good way.)

And you can beat your life those personalized key chains/charms/pendants never had my name in the bunch. My exes' little brother used to get me things with approximations of my name.


amcmoore said ...
2/7/2008 4:39 PM
What beautiful colors! I love yarn that blends while keeping its vivid brightness. Thanks for sharing with us!!


little dresses said ...
2/7/2008 11:36 PM
I love the colors! I know it gets a little old changing colors every row. I'm glad the end is in sight.


Paula said ...
2/8/2008 8:20 AM
What a cheerful blanket! Love it!


erinn said ...
2/8/2008 11:15 AM
I'm a big fan of "bulldozing yarn ends too - but I've never trid that approach, can't wait to test it out! The blanket looks great!


val said ...
2/9/2008 4:32 PM
very clever idea to wrapping up the loose ends. I'll have to give it a try. I usually do the whole 'sew it in at each row' yuck.........
Also, the blanket is beautiful.


dottycookie said ...
2/10/2008 12:59 PM
Oooh, LOVE that blanket - and what a clever way to hide the ends!


Jo Anglezarke said ...
2/10/2008 1:07 PM
God I seriously love your blog sooo much! You're really inspiring me to spend more time on crafting :@)

I'm so jealous of your blanket!!

 
Cross Stitch Fan said ...
2/12/2008 1:42 AM
Wow! I really like how the colors came together. You do such nice work, thanks for showing!!
-Julie


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