10-02-2017

I’ve got my yarn all sorted and ready to go! CAL starts tomorrow morning. I will do my swatch tonight, not because I really need to, but just for fun.

My swatch is done with a 4mm hook and it is 15cm x 13cm, so a touch bigger than the 14cm x 12cm guage, but close enough for me.

10-06-2017

I finished part 1 this morning. The colors are crazy!

This is going to be a tiny blanket (93 cm at the moment which is bigger than gauge.) If I began again I’d add a few pattern repeats. Also my edges are not straight because I didn’t pay attention to the note about going down a hook size for the Grannies section.

10-10-2017

Change of plans! I’ve been thinking about this and, as I mentioned, I’m not that happy with the width and the uneven edge, but mostly I’m not liking the way the colors are looking so busy.

At first, I was going to substitute Cosy Pack colors for the CAL kit colors (as seen in the chart in the first picture with the yarn). But then I didn’t like how certain colors were going next to each other when I actually started the pattern, so I switched to choosing them as I went, resulting in a mish-mash. I think part of what gave Lucy’s Cosy Stripe blanket its effectiveness with the same crazy colors was that the amounts of each color were all balanced and she spent a significant amount of time choosing the color sequence. Lucy is the queen of color, so I am going to defer to her.

I am going to begin again with a foundation chain of 170 (which adds 2 pattern repeats) and I am going to do each section of each part in one color, using the color sequence from Lucy’s original blanket, which will not be all the same width like the Cosy Stripe but closer. I am also going to do the foundation row with a 4.5 mm hook and the Grannies section with a 3.5 mm (and pay closer attention to recommendations of hook size changes as I go forward).

Part 2 was released this morning but it looks like I’ll be revisiting Part 1!

10-11-2017

I’m done with the re-do of Part 1 and I’m happy with this color plan. Plus it has the added bonus of fewer color changes. (I am using the magic knot join as well which also means no ends to weave in as I go!)

10-16-2017

I finished Part 2 this morning, just in time since Part 3 will be released tomorrow morning. I’m still very happy with the way it is looking and I’m glad I made the change. My blanket is growing a bit in width and I am considering going down to a 3.5 mm for the next section.

10-20-2017

Part 3 is done! This project is so relaxing and fun. I hadn’t planned to keep up with the CAL but I’m finding it hard to resist since it’s such an easy crochet.

10-31-2017

It’s the last day of October and a Tuesday, which means Part 5 came out this morning. I’ve done the first section of that. I see I’ve forgotten to record when I finished Part 4 but I added a picture, which is worth 1000 words anyway. I can’t believe the final part, the border, will be released in just a week. Time flies!

The question for this week is will I add more sections to make it longer since I made it wider? Probably yes since I have so much yarn left. In fact, I could probably finish the mish mash version that I started as well. When I’m done with the color block one I’ll weigh everything up and make a guess whether I will have enough.

11-01-2017

I finished the second (of 5) sections of Part 5 this morning. I still have seven colors left if I want to repeat each color twice.

My plan for the remaining sections is:

• Grape - Popcorn (part 3)
• Violet - Under the Arches (part 3)
• Denim - Easter Eggs (part 2)
• Meadow - Shell Fans (part 1)
• Gold - Lattice Stripe (part 5)
• Pale Rose - Grannies (part 5)
• Raspberry - Granny Blocks (part 5)

11-04-2017

Yay! Part 5 (with extras) done. I’m ready for the border next Tuesday.

11-07-2017

Part 6, the border pattern, was released today.

The first question is what color(s) for the border?

This is what is left over, from most to least:

• Lime 58 g
• Camel 55 g
• Claret 54 g
• Spice 52 g
• Copper 51 g
• Denim 48 g
• Khaki 45 g
• Gold 36 g
• Magenta 32 g
• Grape 29 g
• Raspberry 20 g
• Petrol 20 g
• Meadow 17 g
• Pale Rose 10 g
• Violet 10 g

= 517 g (of 1500)

It’s really hard to guess how many grams it will take for the total border since I have added to the length and width of the blanket. The pattern border uses four colors, but to follow the color block style, maybe I should make it in one color? I have enough of Camel since I have more in my stash. Or possibly two colors that are close? I am leaning toward Claret & Copper.

There’s not enough yarn left to finish the first one I started, but that’s OK since I don’t particularly like it. The left-overs will go into my DK scraps bag for swatching or a future scrappy blanket.

11-09-2017

Starting the border today! Note: need an odd number of V stitches on the sides.

First two rows of border are on in Claret. Sadly I won’t have enough to do the border in just Claret and Copper like I was planning unless I order some more of both.

11-11-2017

I did the cluster row of the border in Copper and almost ran out of yarn.

I’ve decided that I really want to finish the border as I planned so I’m going to have to buy two more skeins from Wool Warehouse. It just so happens that Lucy of Attic24 has a new Woodland Blanket pack coming out next Wednesday for a January CAL that I really want to do, so I will order them all together next Wednesday. (I know, I’m addicted.)

12-05-2017

I’m happy to have finished this now! I modified the border slightly -- I did the second row of htr V stitch into the 1ch space like the first set, instead of between the previous V stitches as written. I also modified the shells on the last row to have only one cluster with htr on the sides because the double cluster was making the edge wavy for me.

I’m quite happy with this blanket and I’ll use it as a sofa blanket on the futon sofa in our finished basement. Crazy, happy colors to snuggle in!