Monthly Archives: January 2017

Can I get a Hell Yeah?!

After months and months and months, I’ve finally finished my Textured Chevron Blanket!

And not only have I finished it,  but I have the pattern ready as well. But first, look!

For this project I’ve been using Scheepjes Softfun Aquarel, which is one of my faves.  It’s a cotton acrylic blend which is soft, squishy, warm and has outstanding stitch definition. Oh, and it’s durable too!

Now, let’s get on with the pattern, shall we?

Materials

Six balls each of Scheepjes Softfun Aquarel* in colours 801,803, 807, 808, 810
Eight balls of Scheepjes Softfun Aquarel* in colour 809
Two balls of Scheepjes Softfun Aquarel * in colour 804
4mm hook
Measuring tape
Blocking wires or pins

Measurements

150 x 160cm (but will stretch a lot!)

Abbreviations

Note: All stitches are in US terms.  There are a lot of them, so make sure you pay close attention to what needs to be used where.
CH – Chain Stitch
SS – Slip Stitch
SC – Single Crochet
DC – Double Crochet
HDC – Half Double Crochet
Tr – Treble Crochet
2HDCTog – Decrease 2 Half Double Crochet into 1
2DCTog – Decrease 2 Double Crochet into 1
3DCTog – Decrease 3 Double Crochet into 1
FPHDC – Front Post Half double Crochet
FPDC – Front Post Double Crochet
FPTr – Front Post Treble Crochet
2TrTog – Decrease 2 Treble Crochet into 1
3TrTog – Decrease 3 Treble Crochet into 1
FP2DCTog – Decrease 2 Front Post Double Crochet into 1
FP3DCTog – Decrease 3 Front Post Double Crochet into 1
FP2TrTog – Decrease 2 Front Post Treble Crochet into 1
FP3TrTog – Decrease 3 Front Post Treble Crochet into 1
FPextDC – Front Post Extended Double Crochet
HDC3L – Half Double Crochet in the 3^rd loop (camel stitch)

Tension

4 zigzag sets by 10 rows = 10cm

Notes

Each colour block uses about 1.5 balls of yarn, so you will need to join.  Do take care to make your joins strong and tight and keep ends to weave in.  If your join isn’t strong enough and it comes unraveled, it will be a disaster to fix!

Although the stitches and abbreviations all sound complicated, once you start working on the blanket it’s all very straight forward and easy.

Instructions

1. Using colour 809, CH 296 298.  If you have too many chains on your hook, don’t start over, you can pull them out once you’re done.
2. 2DCTog into the 3^rd chain from the hook and the next 5 CH. DC, CH, DC into the next, DC into the next 5 CH, 3DCTog in the next. *DC in next 5 CH, DC, CH, DC, DC in the next, DC into the next 5 CH, 3DCTog in the next.* Repeat 19 times, but the very last stitch of the row will be 2DCTog instead of 3DCTog.  CH2, turn.
3. CH2 (does not count as a stitch here or throughout), 2FPDCTog in the first 2, FPDC around the next 5 stitches, DC, CH1, DC into the CH space, FPDC into the next 5 stitches, 3FPDCTog in the next 3 (the stitch before the decrease, the decrease and the stitch after the decrease), *FPDC in the next 5 stitches, DC, CH1, DC in the CH space, FPDC in the next 5 stitches, 3FPDCTog in the next 3.* Repeat 19 times, except in the very last decrease, which will be 2FPDCTog instead of 3FPDCTog. CH2, turn.
4. Repeat Row 3 7 times.
5. Change to colour 810, repeat row 3 9 times.
6. Change to colour 803, repeat row 3 9 times
7. Change to colour 808, repeat row 3 9 times
8. Change to colour 807, repeat row 3 9 times
9. Change to colour 801, repeat row 3 9 times
10. Change to colour 809, repeat row 3 9 times
11. Change to colour 801, repeat row 3 9 times
12. Change to colour 807, repeat row 3 9 times
13. Change to colour 808, repeat row 3 9 times
14. Change to colour 803, repeat row 3 9 times
15. Change to colour 810, repeat row 3 9 times.
16. Change to colour 809, repeat row 3 9 times.
17. Change to colour 810, repeat row 3 9 times.
18. Change to colour 803, repeat row 3 9 times
19. Change to colour 808, repeat row 3 9 times
20. Change to colour 807, repeat row 3 9 times
21. Change to colour 801, repeat row 3 9 times
22. Change to colour 809, repeat row 3 9 times
23. Change to colour 801, repeat row 3 9 times
24. tie off and weave in ends.

Border

Join colour 804 to the top corner to work across and square off each end.

1. CH3, 2FPTrTog, FPtr, FPextdc, FPdc, FPhdc, sc in the next 3, FPhdc, FPdc, FPextdc, FPtr, 3FPTrtog, *tr, extFPdc, FPdc, FPhdc, sc in the next 3, FPhdc, FPdc, FPextdc, FPtr, FP3TrTog* repeat across. In the last set, FP2TrTog instead of 3. Cut and tie off.  Rotate to join to the bottom corner to work across and square off.
2. Join with a sc, sc, *FPhdc, FPdc, FPextdc, FPtr, FP3TrTog (the 3 dc in one from the foundation row counts as 1 stitch), FPTr, FPextdc, FPdc, FPhdc, sc in the next 3*. Repeat across and instead of 3 sc, work 2.  Turn 90 degrees to work down the side.
3. Working down each side is not an exact science; try to work 3 HDC per two rows. This will make sure that the border is not too tight, nor so loose that it will be wavy. It won’t matter if your count is a couple of stitches out, you won’t notice. Once at the next corner (working 1 stitch into the post of the 1^st top border stitch), work a hdc, ch1, hdc into the 1^st stitch to form the corner, then work a HDC3L in each stitch across the top.  At the next corner,hdc, ch1, hdc into the last stitch, then turn the work, 90 degrees to work along the third edge.  Repeat all the way around, for a total of three camel stitch rows. Don’t join and ch 2 at the end of each row, just keep going until you’re back to the top corner which is the start/finish point.  The ends should have 4 rows of camel stitch at each end, and 3 down the sides.
4. Tie off, weave in ends and wet block aggressively.

There will be a lot of stretch in the blanket, making it perfect to tuck around your feet and body while bingeing on Outlander on Netflix.

Get the Yarn

There are loads of great stockists where you can get hold of Scheepjes Aquarel.  In the Benelux go to Caro’s Atelier*, in South Africa head to Be Inspired.love  and for everyone else can go to Wool Warehouse* as they offer global shipping and have great rates.

*Affiliate link