I have to confess that I haven’t got these posts in very good order as I made this blanket first, before doing the boy’s wave pattern blankets but this post is a bit more detailed so has taken a bit more time to put together. For the benefit of anyone who has not read the other posts on this subject we have 4 children who are now fully grown and independent and I wanted to make a blanket for each of them.
This one is for our youngest daughter Miss A.
First step was to confirm the colours, I had a head start with this blanket as the basis was to follow the colours used in the Blooming Flower cushion I had already made for her last year.
Next was the planning stage. This was the first blanket I was to attempt using squares rather than one continuous pattern so there was going to be a learning curve here.
My Mum bought me Jan Eaton’s 200 Crochet Blocks for blankets, throws and afghans for my birthday. This is a wonderful book and flicking through all the gorgeous squares set my creative juices flowing. It is amazing how using different colours can change to look of a design completely.
Also on page 16 titled Mixing and Matching Blocks there was a fantastic tip to help with setting out your design, it suggests you make 1 of each of your selection of squares then photocopy several of each of them, then you can play with them to your heart’s content, laying them out this way and that until you are happy with how they look. If you do enough you can lay out your whole blanket.
However, be warned you can spend ages setting out your squares in a whole variety of patterns. I spent the whole of one Sunday afternoon crawling around the lounge floor trying combination after combination, all the family got involved and of course, everyone had an alternative view on the preferred pattern. Above is just one example but as you will see from the finished images it is not the one I went with in the end.
As I was too indecisive about the layout and began to question the viability of some of the samples I had done. After so much experimentation and deliberation I thought it better to move into action and just start making some squares. The first pattern I confirmed I wanted to include was Pattern 98 Old Vienna
The next square was a bit more tricky as I designed it myself, I wanted this blanket to compliment the Blooming Flower cushion so using the style of this pattern I made a small 3 layer version of the flower. Then I worked out a way of picking up behind the flower to form a square around it, all the squares need to be of the same proportion so there was a bit of trial and error to get it to the required size but I was happy with my final effort.
The third and final pattern was again based on a pattern from Jan Eaton’s book, pattern number 37 Pin Stripes. I used many more colours than the pattern suggests but I liked the broad and narrow stripes created by the use of single and double crochet.
I settled on using just the 3 patterns with the placement of the squares in a diagonal fashion alternating thus: flower, old vienna, pin stripe, old vienna but each row in a different colour combination. This was a rather self-indulgent method as playing with colours is my favourite part of a project.
I was pleased with how the pattern and the colours worked with the Blooming Flower Cushion.
I must admit that joining all the squares did take sone patience. Firstly I tried sewing them but was not very happy with the finish so I crocheted then together by placing right sides together and joining the back of each loop.
To frame the squares I wanted something that would maintain the colour element but nothing to frilly or lacy so after trying a few different looks I decided on a simple stripe in double crochet.
This worked easily around the corners too.
And finally it was finished and thrown onto the bed in the bedroom of the lovely Miss A.
Next project is the final blanket for Miss L…………
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Moving into crochet clusters for the body of the hat.
Then finishing with some more of my favourite, stripes.
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