Finished Projects: Square Circle Granny Blanket

I shared a sneak peek of this blanket a while ago here. I meant to do an update but I thought I would rather just do a proper post once it was all completed. You might notice that the original squares changed! I dropped out the purple squares as I didn't like the way they looked once I was arranging them altogether. So this is the new and updated version!

The whole blanket was actually made pretty fast, considering I started it only around 4 weeks ago. I also made a hat and boots set while I was making this blanket too! It's also the biggest blanket that I made so far. It's probably a similar size to my Granny Scrap Blanket but I haven't measured to compare. 

The joining method I used was totally made up! Originally I wanted something that would give a wide band around each square, but I just could make it work the way I imagined it in my head. Don't you hate it when you have a really specific design idea in your brain but you just can't translate it to what you're actually working on?! I'm hoping that sort of thing can be improved by practice and trial and error. 

I got annoyed at undoing rows a few times so I ended up joining each square with single crochet, joining the wrong sides together which created the thin grey border. I joined four squares together, 2 of each design and then did a row of single crochet around the four to make it uniform. Then I did two more rows in the grey, once around in half double crochet, then another row in double crochet. This way I was left with a fairly wide border around each 4 "block" of granny squares. 

Once I had 6 "blocks" I joined each of these together. I did this joining with single crochet, wrong sides together and in the back loops only. This way I was left with a thin line between each of my blocks, and an almost invisible join on the back. Again, once I had all 6 blocks joined, I did one row of single crochet in white to tie it all together. 

I couldn't find a border pattern I liked, so I made up my own design. It's far from perfect, mainly because the border ended up being a lot bigger than the joined granny square blocks, meaning it doesn't lay out nice and flat. I decided it's more of a blanket to be draped and thrown around haphazardly, rather that laid out flat on a bed! 

I started the border by adding in a new colour. After the row of white, I did one row of purple in half double crochet, then dark pink in double crochet and the light pink treble crochet. I then wanted to do several rows in granny style. This is where I went a bit wrong, because I've increased too much too make my granny rows. I often joke that I lost the ability to do maths when I left school, but actually this is one instance where it would have been a good idea to count the number of stitches around the blanket! I could have then worked out how many granny stitches would fit, thus making a nice flat blanket! C'est la vie! Life goes on....you live and learn...etc etc *insert appropriate cliche here*! As it happened I didn't really realise that I had increased the circumference until I was about 4 or 5 granny rows in, and by that stage I wasn't about to undo all my hard work....I did 11 rows in granny style, then one row of single crochet in grey on top. I then worked up the stitches like before in reverse, 1 row double crochet, one row half double and finishing with 1 row single in the purple. 

I am reluctantly showing this pic because I don't like how it looks laid out!

For the scalloped edging I worked 5 double crochet into a single stitch, skipped one stitch, slipped into the next, and started another 5 double in the next. I jimmied the corners a little bit so I could have one scallop exactly on the middle part of the corner. Once I finished the scallop, I wasn't completely happy how it looked just with the purple. I gave my recipient the choice of the finish. Three ideas-- leave as is, add one row of white or one row of white and one row of grey. She chose the final one, 2 extra single crochet rows. The most time consuming option, but actually the best looking one by far.

So anyway, that was a really wordy way of saying-- here is my latest finished project! I'm really looking forward to seeing this blanket in it's new home down south in Christchurch!

P.S. If the colours are a little odd, blame the very wet and windy Wellington day I had to contend with for indoor photography!