Granny Stripe Blanket :: the beginning

Hello my lovelies, great to be here in the Attic :: truthfully I should not be tucked up nattering in the Attic at all, should be attending to the business of making clean the piles of dirty laundry and packing/preparing for our trip away in Connievan tomorrow (woooooooohooooooo, four nights away by the coast!!!!)

However..........before I leave to go jollying off on my giddy-trip to the seaside, I really, really desperately want to have a quick chat about Acrylic yarn and granny stripe goings on. Cos I need to share, and you need to know, right? It will NOT WAIT, right??

OK.....above yarn is my squishy big balls of Stylecraft Special DK :: 100% Acrylic :: working on a 4mm hook. Cost was £1.60 per ball in my LYS. Bloomin bargainous.

As requested, here are the colours I've got nestling in the bag....

Top row, left to right
1422 :: aspen
1065 :: meadow
1316 :: spring green

2nd row
1003 :: aster
1019 :: cloud blue
1068 :: turquoise

3rd row ::
1188 :: lavender
1034 :: sherbet
1432 :: wisteria

4th row ::
1061 :: plum
1084 :: magenta
1390 :: clematis

5th row ::
1132 :: shrimp
1083 :: pomegranate
1241 :: fondant

6th row ::
1246 :: lipstick
1081 :: saffron

7th row ::
Little B’s stripy arm, just before he grabbed the saffron yarn!!

I'm liking this yarn. I'm v surprised that I'm liking this yarn. And I'm v happy about the surprise and the liking. It's lovely to hook with, smooth, soft. A little squeaky at certain times when hands are hot, but I can forgive it that little fault. {Little B, sat on lap, smashing his little hand down onto the keyboard, naughty Little B}jhgvgfcgfvvbc   m,

So I started on my granny stripe blanket a few evenings ago, sat on my bed, hooking that first looooong foundation chain (240 long, double bed width or thereabouts) Its not a very nice way to begin a blanket really, is it? Wiggling about with that long chain, counting like mad, being oh-so-careful to get The Count right. Cos for this particular pattern, The Count is CrItIcAl, it HAS to be a multiple of three. No more, no less.

Then after the chaining comes the tricksy first row (a row of double crochet), working those stitches carefully into each and every chain, hoping, hoping, hoping for the umpteenth time that The Count is right, that there will be no cussing, hissy fitting and frogging in the second row. I say a little prayer to the Hooky Angels to make sure I have The Correct Count. Perleeeeeeease make it right.

On to the second row.....praying like mad the whole time that it works out right. Praying right till the very end, cos only when one reaches the last few stitches does one know if The Count was right or wrong.

What do you reckon, did I get it right first time?

The answer is NO, I did not. I was one stitch short. But I could not bring myself to re-do it, so I kind of forced an extra stitch to materialise at the very end, working into the extreme end of the turn of the foundation chain, if you get that.

The third row is a happy, delicious, skippy breeze compared to the first two, cos The Count is over and the Easy Hooky can begin. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Zoomin up that row making cute little treble clusters, nothing can stop me now, I'm doing it, loving it, cannot stop!

Row after row, sooooo easy, soooooo happy, sooooooo stripy, sooooooo good!!

 

This is really rocking my boat my friends, I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to be embarking on this blanket for Connievan, delighting in a new and successful pattern, loving new yarn, new colours. Its ACE!!!!!

I am hoping that some of you will be granny-striping along with me, will you?? Will you give it a go?? Shall we have a HAL?? (that's a Hook-A-Long in case you were wondering).

As I said earlier, I'm away next week, and haven't the time today to make a proper picture-saturated tutorial, but what I am going to try and do is to write the pattern out for you. In case like me you are desperate to get started.

So, what I humbly suggest is that you make a tester first, to get the measure of the pattern before you go cussing into that looooong blankety foundation chain.

I'm writing this in UK terms ok, so first row is double crochet, then after that we switch to treble crochet. For US peeps, work your first row in sc, then switch to dc.

Multiples of three then, lets say for the tester chain 21 to begin.

Row 1 ::

work 1dc in 2nd chain from hook. Continue working dc's into each chain till the end. You should have worked 19 stitches in total. Turn the work.

Row 2 ::

Chain 3, then work 1tr into first stitch. *Skip 2 stitches, then work 3tr's (I call this a "tr cluster") into next stitch*. Repeat between ** 4 more times, skip 2 stitches, then work 2tr's into last stitch on row.

You should have a row that begins and ends with 2tr's, and has 5 tr clusters in between. Turn.

Row 3 ::

You'll be working out of the spaces between the tr clusters of the previous row.

Chain 3, then work 3tr's into 1st space between clusters of previous row. Work 5 more tr clusters into the spaces of the previous row. And then to finish the row, work 1 tr into the top stitch of the ch3 made at start of previous row. Fasten off.

Row 4 :: Tie in your new colour...knot the two yarns tightly together, leaving ends to darn in after.

To begin, insert hook through the very first space of the previous row (between the last tr and the previous tr cluster). Draw the new yarn colour through to the front, ch 3, then 1 tr in same space.

Work 1 tr cluster into each of the next 5 spaces, then work 2tr's into the final space. Turn.

Row 5 ::

chain 3, work 1tr cluster in each of the next 6 spaces. To finish the row, work 1 tr into the top stitch of the ch3 made at start of previous row. Fasten off.

Repeat rows 4 and 5, working two rows for each colour.

I really hope you can understand this as I've written it, as soon as I'm able I'll do one of my usual tutorials with lots of pics for those of you who like the visuals, but hoping for now that this will get you started.

Remember when you start out on a blanket, your foundation chain needs to be a multiple of 3. Remember also not to make your foundation chain too tight :: try to chain loosely if poss, or switch to a hook a size bigger.

Right-oh...happy hooking my lovelies, I must go do some laundry now. See you when I'm back from my caravan love-in!!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

Comments

[Brenda]

I have just finished a blue striped baby floor mat in this pattern. I used a heavier yarn and a small hook to make it rather stiff(ish). With it being stiffer, it doesn't bunch up in babies face and yet it is soft for them to lie on. I agree that this is just a fun pattern to do. No thinking, just happy, speedy hooking. Yours looks like it is going to be so pretty. Have a wonderful Connievanning.

[Karen Case]

I absolutely love the colors. Thank you for the instructions for GSB, I'll try the pattern while enjoying this long weekend. Looks like the perfect travel project. Have the best time on Holiday. Lets here it for HAL, I'm in!

[Oran]

Guess I best get started on mine and hook along with you. As soon as I finish this ripple! *hugs* O. xx

[Julie]

glad you are liking the yarn....and thanks for putting this up....my next project i think....just need some yarn :)

[Jennifer]

Me oh My! What to do! What to do! I'm right smack in the middle of a ripple for son but am thinking I would reeeaallly love to start a Granny Stripe for the sofa! MUST. Finish. Ripple. MUST. Finish. Ripple! Okay~ will go shopping for new colors for Granny Stripe. Nothing wrong with a girl having two blankets going at once. Is there!? Have a wonderful holiday, Lucy. Hope you can share some lovely pics of your time away and Connievan when you return!

[cathleen]

Oh, this is going to turn out to be a most BEAUTIFUL project, Lucy, and your yarn colors are yummy. I LOVE the names! Enjoy your time by the coast in your sweet little Connivan.I'll be thinking of you.

[Stephanie]

oooh!! Thanks for the pattern! I'm getting started later today as soon as I get a couple minutes.

[elliemook]

Thanks so much for these instructions. Have been waiting with bated breath since your previous granny stripes post. Off to choose some yarn for a granny stripe baby blanket, hopefully a perfect holiday project for me (provided I can get my newbie crocheter head around the first couple of rows!) x

[Sue]

Oh, I am excited about this blanket Lucy. I can't wait to see how it comes out. I'm soooo glad you are liking the acrylic yarn. I really need to know that it is OK because that pure wool is mighty expensive and something 'bloomin bargainous' is what I need after my recent spendingfest. What lovely names the colours have.
Thank you so much for the pattern i might have little try at it later today.

Enjoy your break in the Connievan.

Sue xx

[Deb]

Lovely, lovely! A granny stripe is next on my list but first I have to finish this giant granny. Have a wonderful trip!

[Julie]

Stylecraft Acrylic yarn is great isn't it? We sell it in the shop where I work. To be honest like you I wasn't sure at first but I was pleasantly surprised. Don't we all force a chain to be there if it isn't?!

[Katrine Fosse]

Love the soft, beautiful colors! Thank you for sharing the pattern :) I'm making a ripple blanket from your pattern right now - this looks like the next project :)

Hugs from Norway

[Hen]

Hi Luce,
It looks fab! One of the useful things I learned was to positively stick a few extra stitches into your foundation chain, better to have too many than too few, and then you just undo the extra stitches you don't need (once you've done the first row) and re-knot the end. Get it? Takes all that "will I/won't I" have enough stitches anguish away.
Have a lovely week away, look forward to seeing the blankie progress...
Hen xxx

[Ulca]

The colours are delicious as usual! A lovely project! I'd love to join a HAL, but don't have much time right now.
What I would suggest for the pattern is a row of foundation sc (dc in UK terms) instead of working a long chain and then trying to get the crochet hook in every single link - I'd go mad if I tried anything like it.
Here is a nice tutorial (in US terms): http://www.futuregirl.com/craft_blog/2009/3/tutorial-foundation-single-crochet.aspx
and there was an issue of Interweave crochet with an article about this very technique or there must be a video on youtube or something.

[Kelly]

I would love to join the "hook a long". I work a lot with acrylic and was wondering about the "squeakyness". I get it after I've been hooking for a while. I use an aluminum hook and was wondering if a hook made from something else might lessen the "squeak". Any thoughts?
Love your blog and have a great time Connievanning!
Kelly

[Sharon]

I just love how this looks. The colors are lovely. I want to run out and buy them all and get started. Have a wonderful time on your holiday.

[Marlie]

I have to get some beautiful yarn to work on this granny stripe. I don't think just any colour will do.

Suggestions for hook size please. I am only getting back into crochet so need all the help I can get!

[Doris L]

Love your colors - as always!
Thank you for all the inspiration.

[amanda makes]

Thank you Lucy. This is very exciting! Enjoy your Connievan Break! Lots of love, Amanda xxx

[Mam'zelle flo]

Niiiiiiiiiiice! Can't stop myself, i have to try this! Will post photos very soon :)

[Terrie]

The colours are scrumy. I shall be giving this one a go. Have a fab holiday =]

[sally bath]

Wow that is looking great already Lucy! Love those colours. I am currently using this particular yarn on one of my WIP's - a granny square picnic blanket. I would defintely use it again as it does work well and feels quite soft.
Have a great week away.
Sally x - Portsmouth.

[Marie]

Looking good, Lucy, this will be a brilliant blanket when it's done. Great colours, you've made me want to go wool shopping! Enjoy your Connievan holiday x

[innovartencrochet]

Que lindos colores Lucy, te va a quedar hermosa la manta!!!!

[jill]

I love this pattern! and congratulations on tacking on the necessary stitch, you've got a life! can't be frogging all day for 1 measly stitch! (yes, I'm lazy that way)