Soon after I started crocheting, my sister was reminiscing about a big crochet blanket my mum had made when she was first married, that we used to use when we were little. It was big and colourful and stripey, made with lots of odds and ends of yarn.
I decided to make a stripey blanket just like it for my sister, but I didn't realise what a big project it would be when I started! I had initially thought it would be a Christmas present, but it ended up taking much longer than I thought it would. My little boy came along, and I had much less time to crochet, and when I did, I was more tempted to crochet things for him! So the blanket remained a work in progress for far too long.
When my sister had a big birthday coming up I thought it was now or never and had a final push to finish the blanket!
It was funny going back to something I had started when I was still very much learning. I would make it differently if I was going to make another one today. For starters, I would use a bigger hook so it would be quicker to make!
The blanket was made with various different makes and colours of acrylic DK yarn. I used a 7 mm hook to crochet the chain, and chained 140. I used a 5.5 mm hook for the rest of the blanket. I started and finished the blanket with 2 rows of single crochet in black. I would probably start and finish with at least 3 rows of half double crochet instead, if I make one again. The rest of the blanket is just double crochet, changing colour every row.
The finished blanket was roughly 100 cm wide, and 140 cm long. It weighed 600g!
It was definitely worth the time it took to make. The finished blanket was soft and warm and a good size to wrap up in on the sofa. It definitely took me back to childhood with its multicoloured stripes.
My sister hasn't got to use the blanket as much as she would have liked, as my niece has decided that she likes it even more, and cuddles up in it most evenings! I wonder if in 30 years or so she will reminisce about the stripey crochet blanket she used to use when she was little!
