The only reason I’m not 100% satisfied with my end result is because, as usual, I blocked the crap out of it. It’s like I can’t block anything without stretching the yarn to within an inch of its life. :-p I attempted to use blocking wires for uniformity, but it didn’t seem to help, as some of the edges are still a bit “pointy” in places.
However, I did enjoy the pattern. It was slightly more challenging than the memorize-and-go-on-forever patterns I’ve been doing, but not so challenging that I had to scrutinize every step and every row. I feel like I might have botched the edging when I blocked it. I sometimes wish that pattern designers would be a little more specific about how to achieve their finished look with some blocking tips.
The yarn cooperated beautifully. I was afraid it would be too much to have the checkerboard pattern combined with a color-changing yarn, but the changes are subtle enough that I don’t mind at all.
If I could do it over, I would find some way to block without stretching. It almost doesn’t need any blocking at all, in my opinion, except for the edging.
Finished photos taken with a “real” camera. In progress photos taken with my phone.
01-10-2016
Unless I missed something, I think row 32 is supposed to be “Ch 4, skip first dc, dc 1, ch 1, skip ch-1 sp, dc 7, ch 1, skip ch-1 sp, dc 1 3 times, dc 5, dc 1 in t-ch, turn.” 5 rather than 6.
Row 40 - “dc 7” should be “dc 6.”
01-12-2016
3 hours 20 minutes
01-25-2016
Finished crocheting at 9 hours; now to block!
01-27-2016
Finished blocking!