Lap Rug Blankets

Crocheting little red hearts is easy to do, but I find I can only do 4 or 5 at a time before I need to change up. So far I have 45 done. I have been working on lap rugs for the nursing home between times. I recently saw a video on doing a granny square with holes only in the corners. I thought that might work better for a nursing home than a traditional granny square so no one would get their toes caught and cold air wouldn't seep in as easily.

Here's my first attempt:

Front Side

These are not my usual colors at all, but I was using yarn that had been donated to the nursing home (they'd just been waiting for someone to come along and use it for them).

It's double-crochet, but I went into the back loops, creating the line on each row of the front side. I used an N size crochet hook for a looser stitch. I must say this has got to be the softest project I've ever made since my normal stitches are much tighter and therefore stiffer.

I've started another blanket using 3 skeins of variegated green, pink, and white yarn I picked up at a thrift store a couple of months ago. This one goes through both loops (like normal) instead of just the back loop so it's not quite as loose. I find that on this one the center seems to be pulled too tight and I've loosened up the center starting hole as much as possible, but I've got to figure out how to fix this before going on much farther. I've already done 1 skein, but may end up taking it apart and doing it like the first blanket (back loops only). My gut tells me I need to add a few extra stitches in the center to compensate for the skewed pulling.

Both styles (back and both loops) work up quickly and that's a good thing. Cold winter days are the perfect time for making blankets.