Monday 7 March 2011

Patchwork Blanket {attaching the squares}


About a year ago, I started my patchwork blanket. The first step was the most enjoyable crochet I've ever done: COLOURFUL SQUARES. 


I knew that I should really start sewing them together but that seemed like a massive, and very dull, task. So, instead of doing that, I used some of the squares to make a little laptop rug.


Since then, the many crochet squares have just been sitting around, waiting to be joined together. Until this weekend.


I wanted the stitching to be hidden but, as each square has a different border, there's no neutral colour yarn to choose. So, I decided to leave super-long tails so that each square could be attached using the tail. So far, so good: it's blending in nicely. There are some squares where the tails could have been longer so more yarn in that colour will need to be used.


My hair looks really short in this picture. I don't know why.


Good light is essential for this kind of work. And although it's not as instantly satisfying as making the squares, I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would.


Another nice thing about putting it together is that it keeps my lap warm while I'm working.

My advice to you if you're thinking of embarking on a crochet patchwork blanket:
  • Do it. It's enjoyable and even if your squares are a bit wonky, it doesn't matter because that's the style of the blanket.
  • Leave the tails of the last colour (the final border of the square) really long if you want your stitching to be hidden.
  • Don't leave your squares sitting in a box for months. It won't make itself.
  • This blanket shouldn't take you a year. The only reason it's taken me so long is that I'm not disciplined with my creative projects. 
Have you made one of these blankets? Any advice you could offer me?

7 comments:

  1. Good to see this post! I can remember year ago when you started that project and were always crocheting those squares when I visited you. How much I miss that times! Anyway: looking really good!

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  2. It looks beautiful! Makes me want to learn to crochet!

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  3. very beautiful, love it , love it , love it

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  4. It looks so warm and snuggly :)

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  5. Can't wait to reschedule our lesson so I can get started on my first crochet project! Although I should probably finish my knitted blanket before I embark on such a big project as a babette blanket...

    Yours is looking truly awesome, can't wait to see it in the flesh (or should that be "in the yarn"??)

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  6. Soooo beautiful. You could sell these. One day I'd love to learn this xxx

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  7. Thank you all for the comments. It's almost reached double-bed-size. More pictures soon!

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