I’m not really a crocheter. I can crochet in a pinch and I’m fairly competant at pattern reading but I’m limited in my experience. With a refresher I can single, double, triple, half-double, etc. and I remain confident that if I applied myself I could pick it up but as it stands I remain a knitter with limited crochet abilities. I had never even been drawn to crochet (except for a brief encounter in university) until I saw a most beautiful granny square blanket on the Purlbee here. Joelle Hoverson is one of my knitting heroes and she has a real eye for colour. I loved the geometric shapes and I decided I would apply myself and make a crochet blanket of my own.
I dug around my bookshelves and pulled out a copy of the Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller (excellent pictures and funny explanations, what’s not to love in an instructional book?). I was ready to go. The first one I made with Spud and Chloe Sweater. It’s a washable wool/cotton blend that comes in nice bright colours.
Once I had completed 3 or 4 rounds I was into the swing of things and it was easy as pie! I had a good rhythm and I took it with me on vacation. One of the things I love about crochet is how fast it is. I was done in no time (it didn’t hurt that it was a baby blanket either) with beautiful results (if I do say so myself).
I then had to make another one because I was hooked (pun intended). This colourway was inspired by Neopolitan Ice Cream. I have intentions of passing this one off to the next baby girl I know. I love the way crochet looks so retro and something friends and I would call granny-chic. It’s kind of old fashioned but a more modern colour palette can really bring it up to date. Once I finished that one I move on to a different colour palette. One for the baby of unknown gender. Bright and colourful!
Last but not least (I said it was an obsession, believe me yet?!) I started one in Debbie Bliss Rialto DK. It’s a washable yarn as well and I am enjoying the way the thinner yarn makes kind of a delicate blanket.
To make a granny square blanket of your very own you will need:
4 skeins of Spud and Chloe Sweater (I used 5 colours for the third blanket but there were leftovers)
5.5mm hook
The pattern: granny-square1 (this pattern is pretty bare bones. I recommend some crochet knowledge or a copy of Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller)
Blanket 1: Spud and Chloe Sweater 2 Rootbeer, 1 Moonlight, 1 Grass
Blanket 2: Spud and Chloe Sweater 2 Ice Cream, 1 Watermelon, 1 Rootbeer
Blanket 3: Spud and Chloe Sweater 1 Rootbeer, 1 Pollen, 1 Grass, 1 Splash, 1 Popsicle
For a Debbie Bliss Rialto DK blanket you will need about 6 balls of Debbie Bliss Rialto DK and a 4.5mm hook.
–Alexa–