Realised and Expected
I've been waiting to see this sight for quite some time, but before I get into that, I want to say this.
Thank you kind, darling people for your wonderful response to my new wrap and mitts pattern. Really, you've been fabulous about it and I'm so thrilled with the response it's had. Thank you so, so much.
But, that is not all. A double thank you is required today. Not only have you been sweet, dear things about my pattern, for which I am so grateful. You have also come, armed with knitting, crochet and sewing, to chat and be merry with me in my little cozy Ravelry Group! Really, you've been so friendly, supportive and generally all round super duper about it that I'm quite beside myself with excitement and am positively overflowing with the warm fuzzies inside.
Thank you!
I hope you'll forgive me the gushiness but it just had to be said and now that it has, I'll move on to the matter of blankets and patterns.
For the longest time now I have been searching, in books, on Pinterest, on Ravelry and around and about blogland for a certain pattern. Have you seen those wonderful clamshell quilts on your travels? Beautiful aren't they? Well, that is what I wanted. Well, a crochet version of it at any rate. Of course, I couldn't find it anywhere and somewhere along the long search it began to occur to me that maybe I could devise some sort of pattern that would do the job.
So, in that speedy way of mine, after several more months pondering the idea and methods I might use, I sat and had a tinker with hooks and yarn. Several attempts and a pleasurably spent afternoon later and the image in my head had been realised and I had a pattern I was happy with. Bingo!
And, better still, I had the perfect project to test rookie idea out on, a blanket for a new bubba to be, expected early this summer. Last time I made a little blanket for an expected new arrival, I used a lovely cotton yarn and as I enjoyed working with it and the colours so much, I hurried out and brought some more. So, I had the pattern, I had the yarn, there was no stopping me.
I kept things nice and simple for the border and just did a variation on the usual shell pattern for a nice wavy edging. Sometimes simple is as good as anything.
I'm pretty pleased with this baby sized blankie. The clamshells of the pattern have just the right amount of curviness on top and a nicely sufficient amount of pointiness on the bottom to make my insides sing. The colours are bright and happy and perfect for a summer time girl, as this new baby will be. The yarn was a pleasure to work with, as before. Yes, all in all, this was a very joyful little thing to work on.
I just hope the parents to be will agree.
But, I know you. You want more don't you? I know I would. You want some blanket related facts, I'll bet. Well, don't worry, here they come!
But, I know you. You want more don't you? I know I would. You want some blanket related facts, I'll bet. Well, don't worry, here they come!
The devil is in the details...
Yarn
James Brett Kool Kotton (Now known as Cotton On)
I also used one ball of Sirdar Calico, as below:
Colours
1. Tomato (KK11)
2. Sirdar Calico - Panama Pink (730)
3. Putty (KK9)
4. Pale Denim (KK3)
5. Coral (KK7)
6. Olive (KK12)
7. Turquoise (KK8)
8. Soft Purple (KK2)
9. Pale Pink (KK1)
10. Mint (KK6)
Border Colour: (Not shown in this picture)
Pale Mauve (KK10)
Size: 70 x 96cm (28 x 38")
Hooks: 4mm (USA G) - 4.5mm of starting chain
Yardage: 1260 yards in total (I had one ball of each colour and had a little left of each when I finished.)
And last but not least the patterns...
Size: 70 x 96cm (28 x 38")
Hooks: 4mm (USA G) - 4.5mm of starting chain
Yardage: 1260 yards in total (I had one ball of each colour and had a little left of each when I finished.)
And last but not least the patterns...
UPDATE: 12th July 2019
I'm glad to say that the Clamshell Blanket Pattern is now available!
You can find out all the details here:
Clamshell Stitch Pattern Only
There is also a free tutorial for the just the stitch pattern, which you can find here:
S x
♥
UPDATE 17th April 2013: Just to clarify, Kool Kotton and Cotton On is made by James Brett, not King Cole as I originally posted. I've updated the information in the post now. (Sorry!)
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