Circles in Squares blanket

This week has seen a colour explosion on my hook!

Oh what a delight it has been

 to play with bold colours and shapes

 not normally seen here at Patchwork House!

The last few months it has been Santa's workshop here

 and I've been making lots of orders. 

Of course many of these turn out to be the same, 

so it was a great excitement when the last order was finished and posted.

For my next make I fancied something totally different

and have been wanting to try this circle in square granny for a while.

There are many free patterns around on the internet

 some in US and others in UK crochet terms.

You can find the pattern I used 

HERE

this is written in US crochet terms.

I like to work in batches.

 I find this helps increase my production rate

 as your brain and fingers remember the pattern.

 So I make a batch of circles, then do a pile of squares.

I did 3 of most of these combinations (20x3=60)

and 4 of 1 (60+4=64)

so there were 

21 red circles

 21 orange circles

 and 22 yellow circles

(21+21+22=64)

I used the yellow circles for the main diagonal of the blanket.

The strong bold shapes of the circle in the square

 really appeals to my maths brain! 

I wanted to create a child's blanket

 imagining the shapes and colours being useful for teaching!

I remember when my 3 children were little

 how they often had a nap on the sofa

 and how we used to snuggle watching films or having a story.

So I had a vision of a story time snuggle blanket

 that could be used as a baby play mat

 and be big enough to last into childhood.

 I dived into my stash

 and came up with this set of  vibrant colours.

I have used

Deramores Studio DK

with a 3.5mm hook

in

ruby, burnt orange and citrine for the circles

peridot, fir, jade, topaz, sky, blue velvet and lapis for the squares

and indigo for the joins and edging.

1 ball of each was sufficient.

I love this yarn more every time I use it!

It is extremely smooth and soft with a fine satin like quality.

It has a superior finish and produces a beautiful even blanket

 with superb stitch definition.

Deramores say

"Deramores Studio DK is a beautifully soft acrylic yarn

 which has been developed with anti pilling technology

 to ensure it will remain looking perfect after washing and wearing.

 Fully machine washable and hard wearing

 it's perfect for the rough and tumble of every day childrens's play

 or to create your perfect blanket or Afghan

 to snuggle under at home or to pass down through the generations."

I made 64 grannies for a square blanket 8 by 8.

I chose to arrange the circles in diagonal stripes

with a random arrangement for the background colours.

Joining is always such fun, 

I love the rhythmic action of crocheting the squares together.

I like to crochet the squares together

 as it produces a good strong join.

Using a contrasting colour helps to frame the squares

 and adds another dimension to the blanket.

 I have crocheted the squares together from the front

 with wrong sides together using UK dc through both loops.

 You can read my tutorial for this 

HERE

The joining is completed in 1 direction first

then in the opposite direction

and it comes together very fast.

The tails from the beginning and ends of the joining

 can be crocheted over when the border is made. 

For the border I made 

1 round of UK dc

then 1 round of UK trebles

followed by my simple edging

you will find this in more detail

HERE

The finished blanket

 measures approximately 100cm square

and is perfect for a baby play mat

which will later become a child's snuggle blanket.

Now I'm wishing I had a little boy to keep this for

as it reminds me so much of the Duplo and Lego my son loved!

But instead I will have much pleasure selling it 

and know that it is going to be much loved

by a family somewhere!

The circle in square granny

 has been great fun to make

 so you can expect to see many more of these

 coming off my hook!

 Next I'm going to make a baby pram blanket

 in the same pattern

 so do keep watching on

 Facebook

 and 

Instagram

 as I make!

happy hookin

Heather

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