Crochet Minnie Mouse Blanket

***Edit: graph link and notes added 3/25/14

Not Dead! Really just worn out I guess. I went a little over board for that last baby shower. Every post in April was given to my cousin for her new lil girl. I did rush to finish the blanket which I then forgot to post. So here it is. Wait! Lets go through the baby shower gift process. First you scan the parents to be registry listings. Doesn't everyone register these days? Most places give you a discount on items you didn't receive and buy yourself so check even if no one says they are registered. Mom and/or Dad's name and a due date are usually all you need. Wal-Mart, BabiesrUs , and Target have great programs. Scan the lists. Even if your not buying there you still get an ideal of what the new mother wants. And hopefully you can pull a theme together. Besides a dreadful amount of pink there was nothing that jumped out until I went to the large purchases. Car seat, stroller, high chair etc.. Usually there is a "scrap" you can save a jpg of to give you colors and a pattern. This is what I had to work with.

It was titled Minnie Mouse but no Disney like pictures of the mouse where apparent. So did the mom to be like the pattern, the purples and dark pinks, or did she pick Minnie. There was one or two bibs with Minnie so I decided to look for Minnie for a center piece in tapestry crochet. but I definitely wanted an interesting boarder incase Minnie wasn't a focal point. My first searches were for coloring book pages, because those are easiest to graph into a design, After looking at a few I realized I hadn't seen any bedding, which is where you usually get the baby theme right away. So Google me up some Minnie Bedding. I found a toddler comforter in nearly the same coloring book design.

 Using Paint Shop pro I edited the pic to something I liked. Cutting off the legs worked because there was less black and I was working with the hope of only buying 2 skeins. The purple wine color and the background of the center piece and the flower squares (an off-white) I decided on. The flowers were drawn in based on the pattern swatch, though after studying an enlarged car seat in the pattern.

I filled in the design to figure out the colors and used different flower granny square patterns to figure out what I wanted around the boarder. The corner pattern ideal was scrapped, as was the ideal for colored rectangular blocks that seemed to boring. The other flower square I really liked and thought I could use scrap yarn to expand the colors and give it a bit more granny feel.

The center piece turned out well. The flash washed out the bow detail a bit. The flowers are a bit lost as well against the off-white, The original is much more forgiving and shows the colors better. I didn't take pictures of the graph. I dl'd a program to make a graph to easily post and print but I had a pc issue and it never got done. The large graph is now missing in action (Hopefully it's put away in my stash box) But as all the detail information was written on the graph I can't even tell you the stitch dimensions. It was approx. 2 ' x 3 1/2' when the center was complete before any border was added. I added a few rounds of color to bring the stitch count up to match what I needed for the flower squares.

 

Graph found! I used KG-chart pro to graph my final version of Minnie. The file is a .sth file you can dl at my dropbox (I hope that works) There are cross stitch file viewers you can dl free without the whole program.

As stated below the graph does not include hair bow or dress crease details, flower details or eyelashes. It was easier to sew them in. Take care when sewing so both sides match. I also didn't fiddle with the program to see if I could include stitch counts for lines, which I place on all my graphs to keep place. The center panel is 57 x 102 st. With one st extra top and side. Meaning there is 1 st before pattern meets the edge of graph at highest/lowest and widest points. Increase the st by 2(one for each side) or by 2 rows to alter size of center panel. My boarder was done in the round to bring it up to the size needed to support granny flower squares. Inner boarder was 1dc or purple, 1 sc of off white, 1 dc light pink, 1 sc med pink, 1 granny boarder hot pink. Wine granny st round was last. Squares where completed to Off white round and the wine was used to join grannies and center piece as I went. There were 2 granny squares one at approx. 17x17 st and the other 14x17 the corners where the larger and there was 2 small on each side. The Entire Blanket comes out to approx. 113 x 167 stitches give or take for  the dc rounds and corners.

 

 

And somehow I miscounted on the number of stitches for the flower squares so there was a second smaller flower square (2 on each of the 4 sides of center piece). All squares where joined with  a granny style stitch.

So its got plenty of pink and the purples match the sample. The dark joining color is the purple /dark wine color. The flowers on the bottom center turned out very nice and matched the ones on the stroller fabric. The boarder allows a huge selection for matching sheets  It also gives it that family heirloom kind of feel granny blankets seem to have. Due to my indecision on the boarder it is larger then planned. Large enough to cover a twin bed.  So there is plenty to stuff around baby in stroller or actually use as a bedspread from toddler to twin bed. AND the back view is near identical to the front, Go Me! A success. My cousin liked it so all is well.

The bear was in my stash and I included it with the other items I made. There is a baby headband on his head and around each leg and a sweat bib, for the baby not the bear!

I do wonder about something though. I have 2 sons, one 17 and the other 8. I had the joint family baby shower for my first son. Although I didn't register anywhere . Did they do that back then? But I remember opening gifts and carefully making sure cards stayed with presents until a list could be made and everyone not only received a thank you card for the gift but they were added to the list of people announcements were sent to, not all received the babies picture inside. Thing is I've been to a lot of family showers for one occasion or another and it's been a LONG time since I received a thank you card from anyone. I know that now it is more likely a bunch of pictures hit the persons Facebook with a generic 'thank you all'...and then follows baby or wedding  pictures for all to see and comment on. I just.... yeah I'm sorry but I think if I spent the time to look for your registry and buy much less make you a one of a kind item or items just for you and your child. I deserve a note. Just a simple thank you we loved it will do. I'd even take the note as a private message or email, but the world has Progressed to poor manners. So perhaps my next 'gift' will be a large stack of thank you  cards..... I still doubt anyone will get the message.

My next project is a request for a Fireman 'outfit' for a lil boy arriving in Oct. I have yet to find a boot that actually looks like I want after working it up. I will most likely be making my own then. I'm thinking of a diaper cover with suspenders and fire hat and perhaps a lil jacket. It will be my only other project for a bit.