Granny Patchwork Blanket

Isn't a whole heap of colourful yarn a heart warming sight? I love it soooo much. It still sometimes amazes me that I have become this Yarn Person, when for so long my passion was fabric and thread. Even when I discovered crochet and had a need for yarn, I wasn't all that bothered about the actual yarn itself. I didn't care if it was soft or smooth or warm, natural or man-made, I only cared about the colour. Colour all the way. Actually, now I come to think about it, it was the same when I worked in fabric. When all my textile friends were doing remarkable layered textural things, I only wanted to use plain cotton cos of the huuuuuuge number of colours it came in.

The above dreamy pile of yarn is the remains of my Stylecraft Special DK stash (previously used for the Granny Stripe and the Sweet Flower Granny) with some of my friends oddments added in. Hence the few very dark colours which are not part of my usual colour palette.

I collected all the yarn up and hand wound some of the more raggedy balls so that my bag would be full of neat little yarn balls to work with.

I began to make and join some simple one-colour granny squares. It was all done on a bit of a whim as I was searching for a suitable hooky project to take on holiday with me. I was inspired by the patchwork blankets that Heather and Jacquie made earlier in the year, and these squares promised to be a relaxing, easy going kind of a way to produce a top-notch blanket.

Since starting my patchwork blanket, I found out that there are already many lovely hooky people all working on the same sort of thing, inspired by Sandra's really beautiful creation. My Ravelry group has a thread dedicated to a "Patchwork Granny CAL" where you can catch up with everyones progress, I think it's utterly wonderful that there are so many of us all working on similar blankets all over the World.

I'm working my squares in five rounds, and joining-as-I-go.

This joining method works incredibly well for this sort of project, especially if you tackle it in a methodical sort of a way. I'm working my blanket up in rows which are 12 squares wide, joining as I go from left to right.

It was an absolute dream to work on whilst I was on holiday, the perfect relaxation project. I would come downstairs in the early morning and sit on the sofa as the sun streamed in through the window, hooking myself into a state of pure bliss.

The rows grew (Driftwood Cottage garden bench, 30th August)....

....and grew (Driftwood Cottage carpeted floor, 1st September).

As with most of my blanket projects, I am working my colours at random. I really love the random process, but I confess I do put a weeny bit of planning into place with it.

I want to share my method with you, in case it might be of help. As you can see with the above pictures, I plan my rows. I lay my blanket out and arrange my yarn balls for the next row. It helps me space out the colours/tones, especially the highly contrasting ones (eg the yellow and the couple of very dark ones). It helps the blanket to gain a certain colour balance.

When I've got my 12 colours selected for the next row, I take little snips of the yarn and stick them to a piece of paper. This is my colour map.

This colour map enables me to select just 12 balls to put into my flowery zippered project bag (posted about here) so I am always already for hooky-on-the-go. It means I don't have to take a whole big bulky bag of yarn out with me, I can just grab my zippered pouch and run. It also means I don't have to faff about trying to select colours when I'm in a slightly tricky hooky spot (ie in the car)

With this dash and grab method, I also figured something else out. I figured out that I don't actually need to cart the growing blanket out and about with me if I don't want to. I can just take yarn and hook, and crochet up the first four rounds+one side of each square so that I stop exactly at the point where I need to slip-stitch-to-join. Do you get what I mean? The idea is that when I've got time at home, I can pick up where I left off and complete the 5th/joining round when I can easily sit with the blanket draped over me (ie not in sweltering heat beside the pool as the Little People swim).

By employing these methods, my blanket has grown surprisingly quickly as I've been hooking in all sorts of places and at all sorts of in-between times. At the swimming pool, on the heather clad hills, in the pub, in the car, at my friends kitchen table. It's become the perfect fitty-in thing to make, and that's one of the things I most adore about crochet. It just so neatly and perfectly Fits In with family life.



This is where I'm currently at, seven rows of twelve. I have to say I am completely smitten with the deep dark colours sitting amongst my usual mid-tones. They worried me for a bit, but now I've got used to their dark presence, I love the way they jolt the whole thing up and give it depth and movement. Oooo, I sound a little bit arty there, don't I? Depth and Movement indeed, get me!!! Maybe I should just say it's jolly and happy and patchworky and a tad quirky, which are more my kind of words. Yeah, well, you know what I mean.

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Comments

[Seaweedandraine]

It's looking absolutely gorgeous! :)
I must look up the patterns for your ripple rug too - an elderly lady dontated a whole heap of pretty coloured yarn that she won't be using any more, and so I want to make a blanket in tribute to her.

[Taylor]

What a beautiful blanket!! I am also working on a granny square blanket. Unfortunately it is not the same type of granny square (your granny square is the traditional granny square, correct?) or in so many beautiful colors! Though I would love to join the Rav group. Anyway it is beautiful!

[Inge]

Very Beautiful!
I love the colours very much.

[Hannah]

Love it. I'm working on a teeny granny patchwork for my toddler currently. Can't wait to see your finished product.

[Becky]

Can I send you my colours and you decide what order they go in? Haha! I LOVE this blanket!

[Kathryn Faulkner]

Hi Lucy,

Thank you so much for your information on how to do colours - I really struggle with colour matching, but thanks to your fab creations I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it! In honour of your colourful work I have bought myself some super-colourful chunky rico merino wool... now just have to decide what to do with it!

[Julie2]

I like the unexpected dark shades of yarn mixed in with the others colors. This is a frugal way to use up leftovers and give-aways. Thanks for the helpful hint about making a yarn color map, too.

[inkberryblue]

Another pretty blanket! Thank you for sharing your process. I'm inspired! =>

[Angela-Southern U.S.A.]

Lookin' good!(but we knew it would).So glad to see some hooky goodness your way :)I just finished a throw,fall inspired one(posted on Attic24 inspired on Flickr).Love how it works up so quick,mine was very random(whatever yarn I picked up,lol)I did the squares the same way (work squares up to the last row)then add a row all at once.Great stash buster,for sure! Thinking of doing some baby blankets that way.Glad you're back!

[Jean]

Lucy, what a fabulously simple and logical way you have of planning colour - without it looking planned, if you get my drift...will try your 'grab and go' method ASAP - many thanks for your inspiration!

[Dorien Ruben]

I love it! Looking at your blog always makes me want to crochet again!

[Leah]

Hi Lucy, I love, love, love your new blanket! It's absolutely fantastic and looks so wholesome and cosy. The dark squares look great. I have really loved reading about your decision making process for the colour scheme. It's always fascinating to find out how other people make their decisions for their projects. Enjoy the rest of your square making!

[Marie-Jeanne Delmotte-Joiris]

Hello from Liège in Belgium!
It's thanks to my daughter Lucie, 17, ( yes Lucie) that I discoverd your blog a few weeks ago. And I must say it's a real bliss.... Thank you so much for giving me so much colours and beauty. Your blog is uplifting. And, being myself a mother of five (yes 5!!!!!) I do appreciate the fact that you keep your kids "private" : no names, no pictures...
I'm a keen "crochetteuse" (don't know the name in englih) but I used to crochet only doillies and small curtains in white. As a result, I didn't know where to put them! And now, thanks to you, I'm discovering colors, flowers, cushions, blankets and no, granny squares are not old fashioned as as was used to heard!!!!
My sweet Lucie has already made a few things from your blog : a wreath, birds, 2 marvelous cushions and she's crochetting a blanket from hexagons. And her mother, old me, made the sweet flower blanket (without the tiny flowers I must say) in... less than two weeks! I've made a few birds to add tweets at my home. Now, I'm using all my left over wool to make solid squares in order to create another blanket "one day" whith all the left over to come.... My daughter and I have ordered 2 big bags of Stylecraft Special DK : she wants to crochet a big bag for her balls of wool, and I want to crochet a stipe squares!

Well, thank you so so much
Eh bien, merci beaucoup, beaucoup
Marie-J

[Claudia]

Ah, love how the colours jump out at me from your photos! Looks really cosy and nice.

[Amanda Thornton]

I just found your blog and I have to say that I think you are absolutely adorable and inspiring! i just love your happy colorful life :)
xo

[pam]

Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous! How can any single day you are engaged with this project not be a good day!

[Chesley]

I just love paying a visit to you! You are so inspiring and lovely.
Big hugs.

[Clare]

Its like an Elmer the Elephant blanket. The colours are just right

[giesta]

Hi Lucy.I love your new project. I am making a granny squares blanket too and I did not decided if I make a unique colour "frame" around them or if I just join them as you go.
I understand very well what you said about making the work portable.
giesta-giesta.blogspot.pt

[Rani]

It's coming along nicely.

[Carolyn]

Love it. I have been reading your blog for a while and have made some of your things. This is my first comment. I want to try this one!

[Georgina]

This reminds me of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, it's lovely :)

[bruna63]

very beautiful your blanket!!!
if you like you can come and see my blog
I also really like crochet and I'm working on a granny blanket
greetings and kiss!!!
Bruna

[Emma]

It made me smile when I saw those little snippets of yarn taped to the paper, because that is exactly what I do too! It looks lovely Lucy :)

[Marilyn]

I love your granny blanket, I am also working on a granny however, mine is for a granddaughter and it is worked in only two colors, Maroon and white....in honor of her high school. It is so very relaxing and accomplishing something at the same time. I know you enjoyed your time off, but I'm really happy that you are back. Your Alabama friend.