Moroccan Spice ~ an example of how I plan crochet colours

One of the most frequent questions I get asked. is how I work my crochet production line ! Many people seem to be challenged by the use of colour and how to make each square unique. So with that in mind I have planned this blog post to help you see how I do it.

The Patchwork Heart

If you enjoy this blog post and find it helpful

 please consider the time it has taken for me to make this blanket,

 photograph all the stages and offer this help for FREE.

If you would like to support my crochet journey

 you can make a donation via Paypal

 using the button on the sidebar.

Thank you.

This beautiful blanket made of 48 squares

 has recently achieved great popularity on Facebook and Instagram

 and has been named Moroccan Spice.

 I used 8 colours for the squares with a 9th for the joining and border.

The pattern is called

 Circle of Friends by Priscilla Hewitt

 which is available in US crochet terms

HERE

Please note

 this is NOT a tutorial on how to make

 the square or a blanket 

but advice on how I plan my colours!

Circle of Friends pattern by Priscilla Hewitt

You can use as many shades as you wish.

I have chosen 8 for the squares, 

4 warm colours and 4 cool colours,

 and a darker shade for the joining and border.

My yarn is Stylecraft Special DK in

copper tomato gold mustard

 petrol storm blue duck egg silver 

for the squares

 and graphite for the border.

You can buy this yarn

HERE

I allowed 1 x 100g of each of the 8 colours and 3 x 100g of the border colour.

My finished blanket is approximately 100x130cm and weighs nearly 900g.

Stylecraft Special DK

When planning a blanket I always begin with a test square.

 This is then measured

 and used to help calculate how many squares I will need.

 I have used a 3.5mm hook

 and with my tension the square worked out at 15cm

 after the 7th colour (9th round of pattern).

Please note 

 use whatever size hook is best for your tension,

 we are all different!

measure and calculate

So where to begin . . .

My calculations are based on making 48 squares for a blanket 6x8.

I began with making 6 of round 1 in each of the 8 colours.

I always work as a production line

 making all round 1 first then all round 2 etc. 

This way is much quicker and more efficient,

 as your brain and fingers learn the stitch you are doing, 

saving constant rereading of the pattern!

planning round 2

To plan round 2 ~

I like to keep an even balance of all the shades in the blanket

 so that when it is finished it has an equal share of each colour

 and no colour screams out louder than any other!

So this means I will make 6 round 2 of each colour.

I began with the 6 round 1 in mustard

 and notice how I have put 1 by each of 6 balls of yarn. 

This way I will not get 2 the same. 

Do the same with all of the next colour and so on.

Pick a 2nd colour middle and share them out.

 Eventually all 48 middles are shared out 

and you can see there are not 2 the same in any pile.

round 2

I like to keep my work organised.

 It helps me to see where I'm going

 and to check I have an equal balance of colours.

 Here in the picture above I can see easily that I have

 6 of each shade of round 2 and each is different.
(Please note the silver and duck egg look very similar here)

round 3 and 4

Rounds 3 and 4 use the same colour

 and it was planned in the same way.

4th colour (pattern row 5)

I like to store my work in baskets or trays to keep it organised.

check the colour balance

Arranging my work in colour order

 helps me to see I have 6 of each colour and they are all different

4th colour (pattern row 5)

Now for the 5th colour (pattern rows 6 and 7)

again I start with my balls of yarn in a row.

 I find it helpful to have the cool colours together

 and the warm colours together.

Now as we have already used 4 colours in each circle

 my method of selection changes.

This time for the silver

 I first pick out all the circles that do not yet have silver in.

 Then I choose 6 of them

 trying to have different 4th colours as far as possible.

Repeat this for each colour as far as possible

 but don't worry if you have 2 with the same edge it'll never be noticed!

planning the 5th colour (pattern row 6 and 7)

So after the planning

 I will work with 1 colour of yarn

 and make all the next rounds in that colour at the same time. 

work with 1 colour and make the 6 squares

You will notice ends . . . oh yes if you want colours you will have ends !

 For this square in some rounds you can

 crochet over the ends and hide them well,

 in others I prefer to use a needle and sew them in to hide them.

5th colour

The same process happens again for each round.

 Here below you can see I have chosen 6 squares

 which do not have storm blue in

 and they all have a different 5th colour.

6th colour

As you all know, my crochet is always accompanied by a cuppa

 ~ sometimes tea sometimes coffee, depending on the time of day. 

But it is always in a mug which matches my crochet!

 It's the perfectionist in me, the OCD, and it seems you all love it too!

 Imagine my pleasure

 when I discovered these yummy Caramac buttons

 which also coordinated with my work !

crochet treats!

As the colour planning continues

 of course it gets harder to select 6 for the next round

 that have a different edge.

 But don't worry if you have 2 the same

 their middles are different and it wont show!

layout

Once all the rounds are completed

 and all the ends have been sewn in

 the next job is planning the layout.

 I like to achieve a random effect

 and take care to ensure there are not 2 of the same edge, in any row.

 I think of it as Crochet Sudoku

 and it appeals greatly to my mathematical brain!

flat braid join

For this blanket I have used a flat braid join

 and worked it in the continuous join as you go fashion.

 This is super speedy and means there will only be 2 ends

 as all the squares are joined without cutting the yarn!

You can read a tutorial by Priscilla Hewitt

HERE

but I have adapted it for continuous join as you go.

If you are new to this idea

 you may find my tutorial on joining granny squares

 helps explain the direction to work in.

crochet mug match

And there we go!

 Squares are complete and joined into one piece

 so the blanket needs testing before it goes off to its new home!

blanket in 1 piece

Every masterpiece needs a frame

 and in the same way every blanket needs a border.

I like a deep border

 but didn't want anything too lacey for this colour scheme.

I chose border 27 from the book

Around the Corner by Edie Eckman.

This is a fabulous book which I highly recommend.

 It is written in US crochet terms

 but also has good clear charts

 which make it fine to use if you are used to UK terms.

every blanket needs a border

Finally the blanket is ready for the washing machine.

"What" I hear you cry!

Yes I'm always asked if I block my work and the answer is no! 

With my tension I am lucky to find that my squares are flat.

 However there is a certain magic that happens in the wash. 

As the yarn is wet and dried it reforms into the shape of the stitches

 you have made with the effect of blocking. 

The resulting blanket always sits nicely and flat and is amazingly soft. 

I suggest you follow the washing instructions on the ball band of your yarn.

  Stylecraft Special DK

washes well at 30 or 40c and can be tumble dried on LOW.

tadaa!

This beauty is now enjoying being loved in a home in Scotland.

Think its time I made one for myself!

If you enjoy this blog post and found it helpful

 please consider the time it has taken

 for me to make this blanket,

 photograph the stages and offer this help for FREE.

If you would like to support my crochet journey

 you can make a donation via Paypal

 using the button on the sidebar.

Thank you.

blanket complete!

Wishing you all a happy hooky weekend.

Heather

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