Adding Ribbon to Crocheted Blankets (Blanket Stitch Blanket)

This post is sort of a two for one. I showed how to do the Blanket Stitch in a post, now I am going to show you the results of that stitch and a modified version of it. Also, I will show you how to add ribbon to a project.

Finished Product for a friend's Wedding

This blanket has a funny story behind it. I started doing the blanket stitch for it and suddenly life got in the way. I put it aside for a while, focused on other projects and wedding gifts and when I picked it back up I forgot how to do the stitch! I thought I had it right but I forgot a small detail. You have to chain 2 before starting the next round of stitches! 

So I may have invented a new stitch. I have never seen anything close to this before so not sure if it goes by a different name but for now I will call it the "Little Blanket Stitch", it is done the same way as a blanket stitch with one less chain. (The Little Blanket Stitch will turn out bumpy, the normal Blanket Stitch will be flat). 

When the blanket is done (I worked a chain of 150 for 100 rows), You want to add the border for the ribbon. Chain one after the last row, in the first chain from the hook place two double crochets. Next chain three and then place two double crochets in the next spot. (Spot being where you would have placed the blanket stitch). It should come out looking like the picture below. Make sure you repeat the process all the way around. On the corners you will place two  double crochets, chain three and place the next two double crochets in the same corner before continuing.

Before adding the Ribbon

There are a few ways to lace up your blanket. I did mine the hard way since it was my first time. I started at one end and tried to work my way back around. This was very difficult because once you make the turn (and even before) the tension will pull the blanket tight together (the way a drawstring bag would close). I suggest trying to unravel the whole spool of ribbon, finding the middle and work from the middle out. (Or you can start at the 3/4 mark and do three sides and then meet the ends up that way). To me this sounds easier because you will already have enough slack to go around. 

Cautions and Tips: 

I got a spool of ribbon from Michaels, it was about $7.99 (CAN), and it was a good size spool. It just to say went around this blanket, there was enough to tie a bow and that was it so be careful when playing around with the size of the blankets. 

Adding a Single Crochet Border

For some patterns in crochet, you will see them call for a border. This can be a simple border or a more decorative one, either way a border is a good way to finish off a project. I started crocheting a simple blanket for a friend's birthday. Just a plain old half double crochet blanket, no graph, no pattern just straight crocheting. Now that I finished the blanket, I want to add a simple border to give it a nice finishing touch. Since I have never done a border I used this video, to help me.

To start with I crocheted a simple Half Double Crochet Blanket with a starting chain of 150. I didn't count how many rows I did, I just know I ordered seven balls and used them all. I found this was a nice size, you may want it bigger or smaller depending on what you are making.

Completed Half Double Crochet Blanket

After finishing the blanket, just to add a little something and make it look more complete, I added a Single Crochet Border. A border like that is very easy to do, you want to start exactly where you finished (on your working side) and simply add another row to your project, in this case of single crochets. Once you finish the row and hit the corner you want to add three (3) single crochets to make the turn.

Once you start crocheting up the side you have to remember your stitch. With this blanket, because I used the Half Double Crochet stitch, each row counts as two, so you will have to do two single crochets per row (this also applies for a Double Crochet blanket with a single crochet border). Again, once you come to the corner you want to add three single crochets to the same corner stitch. Next you will be doing the starting chain, this will be slightly odd because it won't look like a normal stitch (like at the top), this will be what was left of the chain stitch after you stitched into it. (Simply single stitch like you normally would.) After that you will get to the corner again and go back up the final side. 

To finish the border off, you get back to the corner you started at. There is already one stitch here (your starting stitch), so you add only two (2) this time. Now you find that first stitch and make a slip stitch to finish everything off nicely. Once I cut the yarn and pulled it through the final stitch, I sewed in the starting and finishing tails.