Crochet blankets don’t always have to be hand-me-downs that came from grandma. Crocheting is considered by many as a tradition that is handed down from one generation to another, usually from mother to daughter though some men also become quite interested in the art as well. In order to get a blanket with beautiful crochet patterns, you either buy one from a store or make one of your own.
Crochet Basics
To crochet basically means to create a fabric using thread or most likely yarn as the primary material. The main tool in order to do this is called a crochet hook. The word ‘crochet’ is actually French for the word hook. Using a crochet hook, one pulls loops through other loops to make that distinct pattern that we all are familiar with.
Learning How to Crochet
If you’re interested in making your own crochet blanket then you need to start learning from scratch. Take note that there may be more than a thousand ways to crochet a blanket. An endless array of various patterns can be made with your creativity as the only limit to the number of designs that you can create.
Part of the process is learning the very basics of the craft like how to hold a crochet hook, making slip stitches, granny squares, and creating chains among many others. Even if you do not intend to make crochet blankets all the time, learning how to crochet will become quite useful especially if you want to repair these blankets on your own.
Repairing a Crochet Blanket
All blankets wear away in time and blankets that have been crocheted will at one time get undone. You can bring the blanket to a professional and have it repaired there or if you at least know how to crochet you can do the repairs yourself. All you need are matching threads, crocheting skills, and a bit of patience.
Some of these old blankets may have become keepsakes that no one would want to throw away. This is a major reason for some to try and fix the damage instead of buying a new one. With the materials mentioned earlier, you will basically be trying to restore the blanket to its original condition. Other than determining how the pattern became unraveled you may also have to deal with tears.
It will take more than yarn and crochet hook to fix tears on your blanket. You will definitely need some fabric glue to put the split edges together. This will prevent the tear from getting bigger. From there you will need some needle skills since you will have to sew the edges together in a crisscrossing pattern. Finally, you may have to patch things up when you’re done.
Buying a Crochet Blanket
You may not have the patience to create a blanket of your own or perhaps the damage on the old one is just so bad that you definitely have to give it up and get a new one. There are plenty of stores where you can purchase a new blanket. You may even find the very same pattern your grandma used when she made that old blanket.
You can walk into a store and check out the different blankets on display. Make sure to compare prices from one store to another. You will have to make use of some haggling skills especially if you are purchasing in bulk. Other than stores you can also check out garage and yard sales and visit thrift stores.
Another place you can look is on the Internet. There you can find various stores and shops without having to travel from one location to the other. Before you add any item to your online shopping cart remember to read the fine print and check if delivery is free or how much will the transaction and other charges are. Remember that some sites do not display these charges on the order screen.
Price Range
The price of crochet blankets will vary from one store to the other depending on the size and pattern of the blanket you will order. Some can go as cheap as $15 to $30 with some yard sales selling them for even less. Some blankets will be quite pricey from $40 to $80 or even more. You should expect custom made crochet blankets to be a lot more expensive than most of the stuff you see on display.