Im am going to build a babette! Purchased the pattern back in July, and have been dreaming about it ever since.
Here’s the jouney so far:

I was never going to purchase the koigu yarn the the pattern suggests. So I decided the wool was going to come from Bendigo Woollen Mills. But Classic 5 ply or Luxury 4 ply? My final decision was made by the cheaper price and the greater selection of colours of the Classic range. I ordered 10 rainbow colours. They arrive on the 9th of December, and by the end of the day I had thinned the selection down to 9.. 1 colour really didnt please me. So then onto the design!

I love rettgreyson’s work with all her rainbow colours, but seeing as my colours are not as vibrant as the ones she uses Ive chosen against making it look too rainbow-ish, so now we are to look at my colours as more like splashes of paint.
And thats how I want it to look on my blanket, like splashes of paint blending into one another where they meet. So each colour has been designated a certain section of the blanket to call its own, there will be some solid squares of colour- but not too many, and they will be surrounded by lots of pleasant happy blending.

10/12/10 The hooking has started. Im not thrilled with the way this wool splits, but Im managing alright. Ive already built sections 1&2 and and most of the way through section 3. Colours are nicely blending me thinks. Im not actually going as per the pattern, as I dont like the visible joins in the original. So Im adding my new colours in at the corners, doing the best job I know how in securing the joins and crocheting the ends in as I go. I think a wash test is in order to see if any ends slip out. Also definitely need to block these squares. But its a start, wahoo! As Im starting in the middle, all the squares have pink, but the more I work outwards, the more colour will come into play.. (see attatch picture of design.)

note. Just to explain the diagram, the dots represent the other colours that will be mixed into each square, the background colour being the the more dominant.. if that make sense.

13/12/10 Wash tested, blocked and joined sections 1, 2 and 3.. attatched pic.

16/12/10 made and blocked up to round 5 now. Had to try out the red, so made 1 square of section 6 :) Joined section 4.. attatched pic.
from now on Im going to use 2.5mm hook for 2 round squares as they are coming out too big in 3mm. Still deciding if Im going to pull out and re-do the 4 that Ive already made.. I really should.

23/12/10 so I did re do those 2 round squares. Im now doing them in a 2.25mm hook. Also finding that the largest sqaures work much better in a larger hook. So they are being done in 3.5mm. So now using an array of different sized hooks to finish this blanket, Not re-doing what I had done already.. dont have the patience for that!
So now Ive finished joining section 6 and amost crocheted up all of section 7’s squares, ready for blocking.
I have a serious square addiction. I go to bed crocheting these squares, I wake in the morning, and pick it back up again. I have joined a CAL for 2011 for this blanket, but Im sure Im going to be close to finishing by the time the new comes in. That would actually be nice, as Im already planning my next one… what? did I say that out loud?!?! :) Hoping to make another one for my SIL who is getting married in October next year.
But lets get on to fininshing this one first, eh?
eta. the latest pic doesnt do justice to the yellow and green, much more vibrant in real life!

29/12/10 still plodding along, up to section 8 now, Im only now beginning realise how small this afghan is going to be! Probably only around 1m square. Ive completed a large chunk of the pattern and its only sitting at about 50x60cm. I Will not be able to add too much extra to it as Ive plotted out the colours, so I might be adding a larger border (depending on how much yarn I have left over) but it hasnt disuaded me yet, Im still crocheting a few squares every day! But Ive come to the conclusion that any future babette that I may make will be in 8ply with a nice big 5.00mm hook, and I’d build something nice and BIG!

4/1/11 Up to section 9 now, joining section 8 adding another photo to show my progress..

19/1/11 Just started section 10 today, blocked up to 9, still need to join. But Ive been distracted, dont worry, not with another project… but with an annoying square, I look at every day and cringe, it needs to go, it seems to be all I see when I look at my blanket. So Im making a new one as we speak, there will be some unpicking going on by the end of today and it will mysteriously appear in a different form.. will upload a pic when done.. see if you can spot it.
22/1/11 Transformation complete. Added pic, can you spot it? And Im well into the red now.

2/5/11 Im turning my attention back to this project after many other distractions! It has really turned into a camping project, as it has been pulled out of the back of the cupboard twice now to accompany me on such trips. But now I have some renewed enthusiasm to get it done. Thanks for the lovely comments and encouragement. Down to the last 30 or so squares…