02.21.14 - After trying to get some details from Cocoa on why this blanket type was the most appealing out of several other options, I decided to go through my stash to see what earthy tones I could find (people who aren’t into crocheting, don’t really like to discuss the construction process or details…it’s funny. They just see a photo and want the final product and stop asking questions about it.). Went to Hobby Lobby on my lunch hour and bought about $60 worth of yarn for this project. Nixed the earth tone theme and just chose colors I was drawn to. I tend to want to chose bright, even neon colors because I know they will stand out nicely on this blanket style, but not wanting to go too crazy. I know I want to incorporate several shades of purple and border in chocolate brown. Testing out the pattern last night to figure out how the hexes are worked and attempted the join-as-you-go technique. After a few were made, I find the motif pretty easy, takes about 10 minutes to create, and a little less than 5 minutes to border and join to the blanket. Of course, I am slowed down by selecting which color per round, it probably should just be random, I am thinking about the color combos on each motif too much and how it will look next to the neighboring hexes. Doing it this way I’m afraid this project will be painstakingly slow and I hope it doesn’t end up in the closet somewhere unfinished. Decided to make it slightly longer than the pattern instructions of 15 hexes per longest panel, I will do 16 hexes. I am also going to do a solid brown border around the entire blacket to make it square, hate the staggered edges that don’t lie flat. This means I will have to make half hexes and figure out how to fill in the triangular edges on the opposite two sites of the blanket.

02.24.14 - I’ve done at least 20 squares @ this point. The first panel is done and I’m joining the second panel. I wasn’t sure about the texture of joining as you go and the pronounced seam it creates at first, thinking it wouldn’t lie flat on the opposite side. It’s looking great so far & lies flat, also like the texture of the opposite side of the work as well. So I’m glad I didn’t decide to use a tapestry needle to join by sewing them together which would have taken much longer and with less textural impact. I’m also crocheting over all the ends as I go so when I attach the last hex, it’s done!

02.25.14 - One square shy of completing the second panel. Also working on two baby blankets that I am hoping won’t take that long. Timed myself again and it takes a little under 15 minutes to complete the square & join in brown with all ends weaved in. Bought about $30 more yarn today, this may be enough to finish it, I probably need more brown to border it.

03.17.14 - Started working on panel 8 last night. Also decided to make each panel even longer, longest panel is now 20 hexes. Spent about $16 more on chocolate brown yarn, enough to finish the blanket. I should have all the yarn I need, I may need a skein or two near the end, but we’ll see.

03.18.14 - Called in sick today and worked on this project while watching daytime t.v. (uh…there’s nothing on t.v. during the day, it was just background noise). I just finished the 9th panel. Loving the instant gratification of finishing and attaching each hex as it’s created and watching this beautiful blanket slowly grow.

03.20.14 - Went and bought about 6 more skeins of yarn today, running low on a few colors that were already in my stash when beginning this project. Forgot my little swatches, but tried to get as close to the colors that I had from memory. There are so many colors in this blanket, it should be alright, replacing mostly shades of purple. Still need to finish one more baby blanket, but I can not stop working on this one, it’s just way more fun. Working on the 10th panel now.

03.23.14 - What a gloomy lazy Sunday, perfect day to relax before a hectic week ahead. This blanket is really awesome so far. Working on the 12th panel now. Judging by the size of it at this point, I’ll probably work about 19 panels total and then start working the half hexes. So, this blanket will have 371 hexes total, not counting the half hexes, and the border.

04.04.14 - Taking a little break from this project. Haven’t worked on it since the 03.23.14 update, panel 12 is not completed. It takes about 5 hours to complete a panel, so I figure it will take roughly 40 hours just to complete all of the hexagons. Not sure how long the border/trim will take at the end…not to mention all of the half hexes I’ll need to make and attach. Finishing up the second baby blanket that I have put off to work on this project. Should finish that up by tomorrow night, planning on delivering it on Sunday and then perhaps I’ll try to finish this up prior to Cocoa’s June 6th birthday.

04.14.14 - Feeling really down in the dumps lately & decided to take this project out on 04.08.14 and work on it this week to try to take my mind off a few things. It didn’t really get my mind off of things, but I got a bit more done since the baby blankets are completed. I just want to go ahead and finish this now. I’m working on panel 15 of a planned 19. Considering making it slightly longer (again), maybe only a couple more hexagons per panel which works out to be about 409 hexagons total now. Should fit a queen sized bed nicely (the photos here are taken on a king sized bed)This is one of the most beautiful blankets I think I have ever seen/made and I can’t wait to give it to Cocoa, hoping that it is a reflection of how much they are loved and what they mean to me. We’ve been friends for more than 25 years and this is the first thing I’ve ever made for Cocoa & the first thing Cocoa has ever asked me to make, so I wanted it to be very special.

I’ve done about 280 hexagons at this point, and spent approximately 70 hours working on it.

Finished panel 15 tonight.

04.21.14 - About 2 months into this project and I’m re-thinking it once again. It’s the last adjustment I will make. I plan to make each panel 2 hexagons longer (22 longest panel), and I also plan to make 21 panels instead of 19. Didn’t work on it much this weekend because I was away from home alot, but I finished panel 16 last night while watching t.v. and started panel 17. So now the hexagon total is (((drumroll please))))452 hexes I will need to crochet to finish this…whoa (approximately 113 hours)! Just looked on someone else’s project page and found this joining technique. Wish I had seen that before starting, as I joined a little differently (from bottom to top on blanket instead of top to bottom), I think I got confused by the directions, but it is clear to me why it is joined this way now. Funny how such a slight variation can affect the outcome. I was noticing something in the way the blanket looked from certain angles and figured I had to have done something wrong. At this point in the project, I will continue with the way I have been joining just to make sure it is uniform throughout, but the next time I make this, I will remember the link and try it that way instead, and also work a CHAINLESS DC to start each round. I think I’ll be much happier with the end result.

04.22.14 - One hex shy of completing panel 17…Cocoa called while I was working on this and we spent over an hour talking on the phone. I was planning to finish this panel yesterday, but I guess I wanted to talk to Cocoa more…it’s only one hex. I am seeing the finish line in sight on this project, so I’m eager to get this done now! I think I want to make one for myself.

04.24.14 - Ran out of a certain shade of purple that I thought was particularly nice in this afghan, only had a leftover ball to start with from my stash and tried to use it sparingly and spread it out in the work, so wasn’t even really sure what type/color it was. Checked several stores and couldn’t find it…until yesterday, on a whim in Walmart. It was Red Heart (not a favorite brand) in Orchid. Red Heart is not as soft as the other brands I am using, and there may only be 2 other colors in this blanket that are that brand that I couldn’t resist. Red Heart does softens after you wash it, so I’m not too concerned. Got a good start into panel 18 last night.

05.01.14 - Started on panel 21 tonight. Still so much more to do on this and considering making it two panels wider, but not sure. Something is telling me to just stop increasing or it’ll end up being a huge monster. I’ll try to finish panel 21 and then start adding the additional hexes to the top of each panel to make it longer as planned over the weekend. I also think I’ll go ahead and do the half hexes along the bottom edge and then decide whether or not to make it longer or wider once that process has been completed. I need to get this finished as I have a big yarn bomb project that has just come up and I need to get started on it ASAP.

05.04.14 - OMG!!! I’m done with all the hexagons AND half hexagons. I spent most of the day trying to complete them all. So glad that part is finally done. Hope to finish the border in the next couple of days and then go over the entire blanket to secure and hide any loose ends.

05.05.14 - FINISHED THE BORDER! I just sort of winged it. For the most part, there are 2 rounds of sc ; 2 rounds of hdc; then one round of sc worked in the back loop and extra loop created by the hdc round. Filling in the triangle spaces in the sides of the panels was just a progression of sl st in a corner of the side of a hex; 2 sc; 2 hdc; dc; 3 dc tog, 2 hdc; 2 sc; sl st for one round then on the next round, sc in corner, 3 sc; 1 hdc; 1 dc; 3 dc tog; 1 dc; 3 sc; sl st in corner. I know this isn’t very clearly written or precise, just from recall, basically this is the jist of the process plus or minus a stitch or two and using the height of the stitches to create the progression. I included a couple of photos of the corners for clarity.

Gotta find a nice way of presenting this…I can’t stop looking at it, this blanket just makes me smile, it’s so happy! Love the crazy neon shades of yellow and green…and all the different purples. Really every color in this blanket I was drawn to. I found myself sort of hesitating when putting some colors randomly together, kinda wanting to resist because those colors don’t “go” together…right? JUST DO IT! The end result makes this blanket very interesting to look at, how each color relates to the next. I’ll miss it, but I think the remaining yarn in the bag is telling me it wants to be worked up into another one of these blankets…this one for me! I’m so enamored with it. I think there are only 1, maybe 2 instances that I happened to duplicate a hex in this blanket, so I know mine will look totally different than this. Makes me want to start right away.

05.09.14 - Well, I released this blanket yesterday. Gave it to Cocoa in one of the large ziplock bags for easy storage. It was about 8 pounds of snuggly warmth for a queen sized bed. I was told that this blanket “would be cherished forever.” I hope that every time its used, it will be a reminder of me and of our friendship.