Let me get started with this one shall we?
Here is my finished starburst throw, Tah Dah. I bet by now everyone must for sure think this is just about the only thing I know how to make, lol. But, do not fear, it is only because I started a project several months back and have been using them to complete a bedroom set. These had been sitting here for a while in my closet and I finally pulled them out to complete the set. If you look here, you can see where I was using them earlier. The circle (starburst) is used as a base for many things. If you google "Flowers in the snow" blanket, you will see the crochet as you go design using them. I made the blanket currently on my bed from that and used the same centers to make the above blanket, but the granny square outside is different. If you google "Attic 24 hexagon" you will see the same center as well. In this one this is what I did. It is the same as the 2 bed pillows that I made with the starburst pattern as well.
Chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring. Then you make 12 double crochets into the ring with a chain 2 counting as your first double crochet. Then in every space around you crochet a chain 2 for the firt stitch, and a double crochet in that same space, which counts as a 2 double crochet cluster and chain 1. Then make a double crochet, 2 cluster all the way around with a chain space in between them and join with a slip stitch at the top of the first cluster to form a round. Then on the 3 round, you do the same except you make a 3 double crochet cluster and a chain between each space. Now you have a starburst round. How I made these into squares, was by making a 3 cluster of double crochets in the corner, and a 2 chain space between them, and on the sides a half double crochet 3 cluster with a single chain space between them all. This made it into a nice square.
If you look closely you will be able to see what I mean. Do not be distracted by my lovely assistant :)
After I got them all done I arranged them by outside color and distributed by rows and laying them out. Here you can see where I have whip stitched rows together.
I use a smaller hook to pull the yarn through instead of darning needle. I find it goes faster. I assembled them by sewing them by back loop only.
But, before you get that far, just make sure to take your time sorting the colors so no two of the same exact outside color touches if possible. I sat out in my back yard on a lovely sunny day and did this, and kept moving them around until color distribution was pretty even. In this photo some of the colors might look like they are touching but they are different colors, just close to the same. I have absolutely no idea how many colors of yarn is in this. All I know is that it is colorful and cheerful and it used a lot of scraps up.
Finally, here is the blanket all spread out and assembled with a border. It measures approx 64 x 56 inches. It has 195 starburst granny squares. With the white border (the complete square) they measure just slightly over 4 inches each. I have them arranged by 13x15 rows. Just the perfect snuggle up size for watching a movie or reading a book.
I used the Around the border crochet book by Edie Eckman. This is border #129. I did go around the blanket with a double crochet first, of the white, then a row of single crochet of the red, then I proceeded with her pattern. The color combo was simply just based on what scraps of yarn had the biggest balls in order to go all the way around the blanket.
I altered the corner slightly from how it is in the book. That was operator error that I did not want to rip out. I was sitting up comforting my cats on the 4th of July with the loud fireworks and was trying to crochet, and I did not reference how she went around the corner. It still looks good though, it is just not as sharp of a corner. The border is slightly ruffled and softens the blanket up nicely.
And now to present to you, the place where I sleep. Not all the pillows that I made can be seen from this angle but most of them you can. I now have the throw folded at the foot of my bed along with the flowers in the snow blanket used as a bed spread, the 2 big bed pillows I covered and then the two recent throw pillows that I made and then the full size bed pillow with the flowers on it. I used up a ton of scraps and it is all based on an off white color. First I was using my scraps, then I inherited a bunch more from a neighbor that moved away, and I STILL have not touched any of the yarn I purchased recently. The scrap basket is till pretty full of yarn. But do not fear... I am still using those scraps up. That is another post, another day...
Here you go! Isn't that fun and girlie? That was a lot of stitching to make a completed bedroom set. But, in the end, I have something fun and functional. I used up a lot of scraps and the only yarn I purchased was the background color. It ended up being very inexpensive to make and I am sure it will bring me lots of comfort over the years with keeping me warm and happy and snuggly. Thank you so much for visiting and reading up on what I just completed. I have more updates to make soon as I have been busy and sneaky with making all sorts of things. So I will bid you all farewell for today.
Until then... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
