My celebratory TaDah! Moment
I started making this blanket back in July 2017 when I needed a break from working with the dark colours requested by Master R.
The pattern is Helen Shrimpton’s Mandala Madness with her Spiro Star at the centre.
It is for a single bed so I stopped at Round 88 in Part 14 .
I like the way the edge is shaped at this point, so I created the next few rows to keep that shape.
Edge
Little Miss M likes orange (Spice), so the edging had to be in orange.
I made small popcorns (3dcs instead of 5) at some of the points and the simple edging is 2scs, ch 2 repeat (US terms)
Blocking was done on an old blanket laid on the floor over a carpet.
I smooth the blanket out – take an overhead photo which shows up any lack of symmetry;
adjust;
pin with steel blocking pins right through the carpet;
spray mist the whole thing with water, then using a damp tea towel and the iron on its highest setting I VERY lightly press round the edges only of the blanket, reheating the iron when necessary (it has to be unplugged to reach);
I then lightly pressed the yellow and turquoise pointy bits so that they would lie flatter;
left it in situ over night to thoroughly dry.
Stylecraft SpecialDK and a 4.5mm hook – the blanket mearures 4’8″ across
List of colours (mostly chosen by Little Miss M):
Spiro Star Centre
Fondant, Saffron, Fondant, Cloud Blue, Bluebell, Bright Pink, Spice
Mandala Madness Part 2
Meadow, Turquoise, Fondant,
Wisteria, Saffron, Wisteria, Sunshine,
Spice
Aspen, Pistachio, Cloud Blue, Bluebell
Soft Peach, Duck Egg, Fondant
Lobelia, Petrol, Bright Pink, Spice, Turquoise,
(My favourite part!)
Bright Pink, Cloud Blue, Saffron, Bright Pink,
Meadow, Pistachio, Aspen, Sunshine
Bluebell, Soft Peach, Meadow, Fondant, Bluebell, Cloud Blue
Bright Pink, Spice, Turquoise, Fondant, Candy Floss, Bluebell
Bright Pink, Spice, Saffron, Meadow
Turquoise, Spice, Fondant
and Edge
Bluebell, Bright Pink, Petrol, Sunshine, Spice
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I could never have made this without the fabulous video tutorials by Esther at Its All in a Nutshell.
Huge thanks to Esther and Helen.
~~~~~~~~
Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along. She asks us to add a book that we are reading, but I rarely read books nowadays. I do however watch DVDs whilst crocheting or knitting and one I have thoroughly enjoyed recently is this documentary about Gauguin, which gives a fascinating account of his difficult and colourful life
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Absolutely beautiful!
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Thank you Nicky.
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So beautiful! I’m not sure that I’m brave enough to tackle something as intricate as this, but will take inspiration from it and who knows ……I might try! A real piece of art work – well done!
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Take a look at the excellent video tutorials and make a start – you can always stop, but I think you would be amazed at how much you can achieve.
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Wow, this is so amazing! The colours are so gorgeous, and the variety of different stitches really works. Beautifully done!
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Thank you Valerie, I really enjoyed the intricacy of the pattern.
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Wow that is amazing. So colourful and bright.
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Oh I have loved working with these bright colours!
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Yes, a blanket for Little Miss M to treasure.For years. I still use a blanket my grandmother made for me, and she died in the early 1980s. Wonderful to have a blanket for all those years.
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How precious! I would love to still have the blanket my grandmother made for me, but she died in 1959 when I was 7 and I have no recollection of what happened to the blanket – I remember it was all made in rows of double crochet and was green and yellow stripes.
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Perhaps it wore out. Mine is considerably newer than that. I’ll be featuring it soon in a post that celebrates the first outdoor hanging of laundry of the year.
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Yes I’m sure it did. I look forward to seeing yours Laurie.
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As soon as the ground is firm enough to support clothes on the clothesline. Within a week or two, I think.
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So much work. So beautiful. Something for Little Miss M to treasure!
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Oh yes, I hope so!
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That is just gorgeous, and how exciting to hand it to her in person! A Kodak moment for sure!
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Yes, I know Kathy! I’m excited!
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Wow, that is amazing/beautiful! 🙂
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Thank you Linda – it was fun to make.
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This is amazing. I love the colors. Your work always amazes me. You have a great talent.
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Thank you Lisa, you are very kind.
I had another person, on a crochet Facebook Group ask if I will adopt her into my family yesterday!
😉
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Wow! You are so clever, Daffy, this is beautiful. 🙂
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Thank you Eddie, but I could not have done it without the YouTube videos. ❤
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I have just crocheted my very first rather wonky granny square, but I am so pleased I manged to do it after numerous attempts. All thanks as well to YouTube! 🙂
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Well done! what an achievement! You’re on the road to crochet heaven keep going!
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Well all I can do so far is a chain and a treble crochet stitch so I am not going to get very far yet, but i am enjoying it now! 🙂
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Honestly if you can do those two you can pretty much do anything – they are the basis to nearly every other stitch. Glad you are enjoying it – crochet has seen me through many tricky times – my yarny Lorazepam!!!!
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HA! I have found that even with knitting it often calls for a bit of crocheting and I get so mad that I can’t do it! I have just been sitting here crocheting some other stitches as I am determined to master it! 🙂
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Good for you! ❤
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That is just wonderful!! Aren’t we so lucky these clever clogs designers come up with these beautiful patterns for us t sit and hook our way through! I’m thinking this will brighten any room it goes in and delight your little granddaughter no end. Well done!!
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I do so agree with you about wonderful crochet designers – I don’t know how Helen Shrimpton comes up with so many – I’ve tried my hand at designing and I take absolutely AGES with masses of frogging – and then there are photos to take as well. Also I could never have tackled anything like this without the video tutorials – must put in a link to those.
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Oh my, this has turned out beautifully – what great, bold colour choices! Please get Miss M to take a photo of it in situ on her bed as it’s hard to get a sense of scale, even though it’s over 4ft in diameter. You must be so proud of this one. I’m guessing it was more pleasurable to make than others as it’s much more ‘you’.
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Thank you Sheila, I loved making it! You are right about being much more me on the colour front. Yes, a good idea to take a photo of the blanket on a bed.
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That is amazing – a work of art
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Thank you Deb – thank goodness for video tutorials!
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It is beautiful, she will adore it.
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Thank you Cathy – she’s coming here tomorrow – eeek! can’t wait! Hope Owly approves too 😉
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Wow, a real labour of love! It’s absolutely gorgeous.
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Thank you Mrs C. Yes it certainly was a labour of love – I have 8 grandchildren – 4 made, 4 to go!
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So intricate and colourful, beautifully crafted.
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Thank you so much Vron.
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Lucky grand daughter.what a beautiful blanket for her.
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Her Mum said Little Miss M has seen the photo and is very excited – looking forward to giving it to her later in the week.
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