Rosslyn and Crochet Butterflies

Rosslyn variations.

I am making a Lap Blanket each for my twin granddaughters who have a birthday coming up.

It has been fun making them the same but different, and playing around with Helen Shrimpton’s excellent Rosslyn Pattern.

In order to make them rectangular instead of square I added a few rows and some butterflies at each end, before adding the edging.

Twig’s Lap Blanket

The first pattern for a butterfly border I found was this one by Debi Dearest

I left the antennae long until just before I was going to finish them off by snipping them and melting the ends next to the flame of a candle to seal them.

Debi’s method of making the bodies so that they do not move around can be found here

Then I found another pattern for Twiglet’s butterflies

Twiglet’s Lap blanket

 

Crochet Butterfly Stitch

 

To make the body and antennae I found that wrapping the yarn round twice on each side and then knotting the two ends together after the intial reef knot gave a slightly better finish, giving the butterfly a head and keeping the antennae in line rather than going off at odd angles.

The yellow one above is made as in the video and the pink body is made with my variation.

Next I seal the ends of the antennae by holding them near to a candle flame to melt them together so they don’t fray.

Washing and blocking these two blankets with all those butterflies and picots round the edge – as well as the roses took a whole day.

I still have some roses to sew on to Twiglet’s blanket before the blankets are ready for packing and posting.

Yarn: Stylecraft Special DK

Duck Egg, Cream, Storm, Raspberry, Buttermilk, Lincoln, Pale Rose, Soft Peach