Monday, July 12, 2010

Granny Stripe Blanket


Many of you may have seen the great tutorial by Lucy of Attic 24 but if you haven't, go check it out. I was dying to make it the minute I saw it. Even though I was a beginner I knew that I could handle it because I understood her great instructions.


It's taken me a few weeks to get started but, I finally got to the store to buy the yarn I wanted and was extra excited to find it on sale. Like Nedra I only got 11 skeins of yarn but didn't buy the DK weight yarn that Lucy suggested for the project. I had already fallen in love with a 100% peruvian wool yarn that I had previously bought at JoAnn's Fabric & Craft Store to use in another project. I knew the yarn I had gotten for this other project came in some wonderfully rich rainbow colors and so that's what I had my eye on, but at $4.99 a skein I was thinking about whether I could afford it or not, so when I found it for $2 off each skein I was sold! (I just looked and it's currently $3.49 a skein online at JoAnn's).


The yarn is Stitch Nation by Debbie Stoller for Red Heart and can be found right now on sale at JoAnn's Fabric and Craft Store

Here's a picture of the 11 colors I bought. The colors are listed starting at the bottom left hand corner with the red and then moving left to right on each row going up each row.
  1. Red: Poppy
  2. Pink: Peony
  3. Orange: Clementine
  4. Yellow: Honeycomb
  5. Lt. Green: Meadow
  6. Dk. Green: Thyme
  7. Lt. Blue: Aquamarine
  8. Dk. Blue: Mediterranean
  9. Lt. Purple: Passionfruit
  10. Dk. Purple: Plummy
  11. Cream: Little Lamb


It's so fun and exciting to add a new row color to the blanket. My DD Kenna loves it so much that she's claimed the blanket as hers, lol, and I've named it. . .

"Kenna's Blanket of Many Colors."

Each day she asks me,
"Are you going to crochet today?"

I respond (lovingly),
"Maybe. . ."

I decided to make my blanket the same size as Lucy's by starting with 240 chains. I did have to change the gauge of the blanket to accommodate the heavier thread. I started out with a 6.5 mm hook on the chaining and the first row then changed to a 5.5 mm hook on row two and three then decided the holes were too big so I pulled out ALL of my work on rows two and three and reduced the hook again to 4.75 mm hook. Also, I made one other BIG change. Instead of doing 3 TR stitches in each hole I did 3 DC stitches and now I'm really happy with the snugness of the stitches and the smallness of the hole inbetween the groups of 3DC's looks just right for me.

I LOVE this blanket so much (Thanks Lucy) that I just may have to go buy more yarn while it's on sale so I can make a "Blanket of Many Colors" for each of my kids.

How many months until Christmas?

I better get to it. . .

22 comments:

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

ME TOO! I am at about the same point as you! we need to cheer each other on to get through it together! ;-)
love your colors!

Anonymous said...

Your blanket is just beautiful! I love the colors and would love to hear more about the yarn. Our JoAnns is not going to carry the yarn in the store and I am anxious to know how it works up. I will be watching the progress of your blanket closely. ~Kelly

unDeniably Domestic

Material Mary said...

Kim I think your colors are just yummy on this afghan. Fun project. Hope you enjoy it!!
Mary

Sandie @ crazy'boutquilts said...

Great colors! I have drooled over photo's of this afghan too! To answer your question~ not enough! LOL :-) Happy stitchin'!

Mary Grace McNamara said...

This is the perfect beginner project and yours is looking fabulous! I love the colors you chose...so cheerful!

MGM

Kelly O. said...

that is going to be fantastic!

Dawn said...

Love the colors!

Deb said...

Such wonderful colors!!! If it wasn't so hot here, I'd actually think of making one now. Maybe in the summer. The one I had similar to yours (although not as great colors) finally fell apart.

Tudy said...

What bright and happy colors. It will look great when you get it finished.

Casey said...

love the colors you chose! I love the granny stripes pattern too, it's so fun to work up

Lori Holt said...

Kim...
It looks like you're having fun with crochet:)
There is something really relaxing about it...I know.
My grandma taught me how to make granny squares when I was young and I loved doing the stitch so much that I made an aphgan just like the one you're making...the granny square stitch only in rows instead of squares. my grandma would give me her leftover skiens of yarn.
I still wish I had that aphgan!
You're color choices are bright and cheerful.
x
lori

Thimbleanna said...

Oh Kim! This is gorgeous -- I can't wait to see it as it unfolds. Love the colors you've chosen!

Diane said...

I love the blanket. It reminds me of a vest I crocheted while in High School (early 70's) in similar colors.

I love the names of the colors!

South Jersey Quilter said...

When I read the directions for the 3rd time, I caught the part about where she says double crochet, it means single crochet, and where she says triple crochet, it means double crochet! I can't wait to finish the afghan I'm making so I can start one! I'm strictly an acrylic yarn person, tho.

Holly in south jersey

Nedra said...

I love your colors! I'm so happy you are making the same afghan. I'm almost done and it's been such a relaxing project to work on. Thanks for the suggestions on the yarn. I will be checking that out for sure. I want to make more afghans and already have looked at a few tutorials from Attic 24 for possibilities on the next project.

Anne-Lise at Rag, Tag, Bobtail said...

yummy colours - it is going to be lovely!

Nanette Merrill said...

I love it. It is beautiful.

SO I'M Anna Fogg, an eclectic kinda gal said...

Kim, you introduced me to Attic 24 and Lucy, got me going again and since I've made myself a crocheted bag like hers, and 4 drawstring pouches of many colors for my little girls...and what was the main yarn in them all, Stitch Nation! When I tuned in today, I thought, wow, that was meant to be. I found Stitch Nation out one day with my youngest 2 girlies, and I just fell in love with it! Using natural fibers (I am a quilter and instructor, so my love for cottons and wools in deeply imbedded already) feels good to the hand and to the soul. Thanks. I'll be following you...my blog is set to be updated this week, it's woefully behind, but life demanded me more! So you can follow me too: http://bohemiancotton.blogspot.com/
~anna fogg, wash, dc, wife of 1 hunky carpenter, Thor, and mom to 7 homeschooled geniuses

Carol said...

Kim it is absolutely beautiful...can't wait to watch it grow!

Jane said...

I LOVE it!!! LOVE the colors! Oh, if only.....it's been ages since I crocheted.......I'll keep the info...just incase!

Pretty Things said...

Lovely colors!

Mearaid said...

Beacause Lucy is English when she says treble crochet it actually is a double in North America. So you are following her directions in that respect.