Dropcloth DIY Farmhouse Throw Blanket

When the Int’l Bloggers decided to do this month’s collaboration using wool, I thought I’d make a DIY farmhouse throw blanket using dropcloth with cotton wool crocheted edges.  The dropcloth is the perfect weight for Edmonton’s rainy or cool summer evenings.  Alberta Canada is never very warm, but this year we managed to break rain records.  You will find my blogging friend posts listed at the bottom of mine.

Sticker shock in Canada is not for the faint-hearted, you need to be tough to check out the prices up here, and shipping costs are mind-boggling.  I am working at trying to find sources for things like reproduction grain sackcloth and ticking etc.  But until I do, I will be posting a variety of farmhouse style projects using bleached dropcloth as it’s is the best farmhouse type fabric I have access to in Edmonton.  I hope you love this farmhouse throw as much as I do.

Grain Sack Inspired DIY Farmhouse Throw Blanket

Supplies

1 skein of heavy 50g cotton yarn

4.00 mm crochet hook

Dropcloth

Large container with lid

Jug of bleach

Preparing the Dropcloth

Start by bleaching your dropcloth. This is how I Bleach Dropcloths without a Top Loading Washer.

My dropcloth came in a 48″ wide piece so I left the cloth full width and cut the length 62″.

I left the commercial finished edges of the drop cloth on the sides of the throw and made 1/2 inch rolled hem on the two cut fabric ends.

A standard couch throw is 50″  wide and 60″ long.  If you have wider fabric, cut your dropcloth 52″ by 62″ inches. Then sew a 1/2 rolled hem on all four sides.

Working along the width of the drop cloth, place the fabric good side down on the ironing board.  Fold the material over 1/2 inch and press to form a straight crease.  Then fold the material over again and crease well with the iron.  Finally, sew along the edge with a straight stitch to complete your hem.

Crochet Edge Tutorial

This crochet edge is done in a heavier cotton “wool” that I love working with.  It’s easier to crochet with than the fine thread and added about four inches of pretty detail and length to the simple dropcloth.

Blanket Stitch

To add a crocheted edge onto the hem start by sewing a simple blanket stitch.

Sew the blanket stitch edge,  placing your stitches 1/4 inch apart along the entire width of the throw.

Knot your thread, starting from the back poke your needle up about 1/4 inch in.   Create a loop around the end, pull the thread back up in the same spot as when you started.  Now pull your thread through the stitch as shown below.

First Row.

Single crochet in each stitch until you reach the end.  Turn.

Second Row. 

Chain 1, single crochet, chain 1  in each stitch from the previous row. Repeat until end of row. Turn.

Third Row. 

Chain six, Double Crochet in seventh space from hook.  Skip four stitches, in next space double crochet, chain 3, double crochet.  Repeat until end of row. Turn.

Fourth row

Chain 3.  *In chain 3 loop of the previous row, do a single crochet, double crochet, triple crochet.  Chain 3, triple crochet, double crochet, single crochet. * Repeat from * to* until end of row. Turn.

Last Row

Chain 3.  *In chain 3 loop of the previous row, do a single crochet, double crochet, triple crochet.  Then chain 6, slip stitch in the 3rd chain from hook to form a picot.  Chain 3, triple crochet, double crochet, single crochet. * Repeat from * to * until the end of row.  Slip stitch and pull the thread through to tie off.

This throw is such a nice weight for summer.  Hubs is going to love it for those afternoon snoozes where he just wants something lightweight.  I love the light colour for summer, and being dropcloth it’s easy to clean.