Set up ready for start of Cal on 2nd March.
Cal starting dates:
Part One: March 2
Part Two: March 9
Part Three: March 16
Part Four: March 23
Part Five March 30
Part Six: April 6
Part Seven: April 13
Border: April 20

March 5th and I’m still waiting for yarn to begin!
So I’ve made a prototype square from stash, just to try the pattern out…

March 8th and Part one completed.
Yarn arrived two days ago. Part One took two evenings to do - first evening squares, second evening joining and adding bobble stitches etc.
This is a nice pattern to work and relatively easy too. Nice and relaxing in fact!
Pictures do not do the yarn colour justice. I am using the ‘Red Sky at Night’ pack from Wool Warehouse. In daylight it is a mix of light and dark pinks-burgundy.

March 12th Part 2 completed.
This Cal is fairly labour intensive, but this means that it grows quite quickly, and most of the stitches and stitch placements are easy to follow….apart from the last row (rows, because you do both sides) in section 2 - the folding single crochet (fsc). This took some time to complete, mainly because my yarn was splitting as I folded it to join back loop trebles to back loop single crochets, but it looks good when finished.

March 19th Part 3 finished
This was another labour intensive part, with 30 rows (each with 271 stitches) to complete.
This part of the pattern is rows of dc,fpt,dc,fpt…. with sc (wrong side) in between. They do require some concentration, because a dropped stitch will not be discovered until 2 rows later (unless you count) and then that will be over 500 stitches to re-do…
However, the pattern this makes is lovely. It is thick and springy and just like a good blanket should have. So it’s definitely worth doing.

My blanket now measures 56 inches by 20.5 inches, unblocked.
I have finished the first skein of fondant, and am very close to finishing the first raspberry and boysenberry too.

March 25th - Part 4 Completed
So half way through this project and the blanket is looking great! Good size already and lovely design too.
Easy week this week - 20 rows in all, including bobble stitch but I found this week’s much quicket to do.
Blanket is now 26 inches wide, unblocked.

April 5th Part 5 completed.
Part 5 is a re-run of part 3, but in reverse. This gives a nice mirror effect.
This time around the 30 rows didn’t take so long :)
Blanket is now 38 inches (97cm) wide, unblocked.

April 12th Part 6 completed.
This part has a nice bpsc ‘ridge’, plus the arrows section - on both sides of course.
Pattern (US) calls for arrows to be made from trebles and recommends going up a stitch size.
I actually went up from 4.5mm to 5mm for rows 61-66 inclusive, but I also made my arrows from double trebles and this prevented any pulling from the stitches.

April 20th Part 7 completed.
This is the ‘tears’ section which looks great, but is relatively easy to do once you follow the flow of the pattern.
Ends took ages to sew in, but now ready to add the border :)

23rd April and Arizona Finished, yay!
The border was simple, with mainly hdc stitches into the third loop, which gives a nice substantial look to the edging.
I had run out of yarn number 5 (Burgundy), so had to substitute with Boysenberry from stash, but this worked out well, as I decided not to leave the edge of the border in cream, but to add 3 more rounds in boysenberry, and I think it works well.

Final size (before blocking):
Length 63 inches (160cm)
Width 55 inches (140cm)

Note on yarn:
I ordered the ‘Red Sky at Night’ pack for this cal, but, although most colours just made it (and with cream, there was a fair bit left), I did run out of Burgundy for the second border round. I have had to add extra Boysenberry from my own stock to compensate.
My crochet tension is average, with some stitches being slightly tighter.
So, if you crochet looser than me, please make sure you have enough yarn to finish.

Overall Comments:
This is a great design!
This is more like a ‘proper blanket’ than many crochet designs and it works really well, making, not only a substantial blanket for a twin bed or a cover for a double bed, but also it has a unique design.
I liked this so much than I’m making a second one!