Heirloom blanket

Last November my brother-in-law got married. Frank was a best man and I did a reading for them. For us it was a big wedding as both my brother-in-law and his soon-to-be- wife have really been there for us through some challenging times so I wanted to make them something special for a very special day. I decided to go for a blanket I'd seen in Sue Whiting's Crochet Bible and managed to create this:



In my typical style it's not quite what the pattern originally intended. Firstly the squares are much smaller. Whiting suggests a 2.5mm hook with 4 ply yarn. I used a 7mm hook with super chunky yarn. So instead of a square measuring 17cms mine was more like 25/30cms (I confess I didn't measure). See the difference below. The smaller blue motif would fit into the flower plus one row of the larger multi-coloured motif.

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3000"] Blue square is original size, mutli-coloured square is larger size using super chunky yarn[/caption]

 

I did start off making the smaller version but due to illness last summer I made a start on the project much later than I had originally planned. Frank suggested an increase in size to help expedite the process. It was a fabulous idea and the increase in size really suited the pattern. As there was a nice detail within the pattern it worked really well in a larger size.

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2183"] Detail of flower[/caption]

 

I chose various colour yarns to try and suit the couple and the colour scheme they have in their house. As you can see below the colours vary but work well together. I couldn't always find the yarn in the size that I wanted so if often combined some smaller yarn to make up the larger size required. The most I did was 4 balls of 4 ply at once. Sometimes I got in quite a tangle, but as long as the dog didn't try and sit on one of the balls it worked quite well!

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="896"] Bedspread[/caption]

 

I wanted to make it large enough to fit a double bed but the new square size made it slightly awkward. I had 24 squares made up and sizing it to a bed I decided to add an edging as opposed to more squares. The pattern originally uses an edging but I made up my own, using the triangle shape as an inspiration and going from there.

Also, I joined the motif squares together as I went and as recommended in the pattern. Instead of the final row having 3 chains stitches you supplement with 1 chain, 1 double crochet and 1 chain.

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3000"] Top picture is the detail of joining motifs; bottom picture is the edging[/caption]

 

I'm pleased I decided to take my husband's advice and use a larger yarn. It worked really well and, in my opinion, made the blanket more personal and to the taste of the married couple. I'm happy to say that they really liked it and it now lives on proud display in their spare room; the purple colour scheme in there really brings out all the colour in the different yarns.

I'll make the smaller motifs blanket one day, over many, may, many days. I'm thinking of blankets a lot lately, possibly because I'm adding to Merida and Finn's ranks with baby number three in the autumn. Every time I make a blanket now Merida says "Is that for the baby?" And I think "One day, my darling girl, I'll make something extra special for your wedding." I'd better start it now!