I love the month of July! It’s a month full of hope and promise for a lovely summer. It’s a time when the evenings are long and when (with a bit of luck) we can all relax in the sunshine and have a few special days out at the beach or drive out into the countryside to spend a few hours in a pub garden or special café.
When I was designing the pattern for this month I wanted to capture the feeling of the warm days and the longer evenings and so felt that a design styled on the sun itself would be very fitting. Techniques include fan stitches and decrease stitches.
We have received a few emails about the construction of the blanket - it is made in a total of 4 pieces (2 x 2). You need to make 2 pieces (named below as 'part one') which are patterns 1 - 5) and 2 pieces (named below as 'part two') which are patterns 6 - 12. So then, for each piece that you make you will need to make another to match. I have placed a layout diagramme below to help you visualise what you are doing:
When I was designing the pattern for this month I wanted to capture the feeling of the warm days and the longer evenings and so felt that a design styled on the sun itself would be very fitting. Techniques include fan stitches and decrease stitches.
We have received a few emails about the construction of the blanket - it is made in a total of 4 pieces (2 x 2). You need to make 2 pieces (named below as 'part one') which are patterns 1 - 5) and 2 pieces (named below as 'part two') which are patterns 6 - 12. So then, for each piece that you make you will need to make another to match. I have placed a layout diagramme below to help you visualise what you are doing:
If you want to download the PDF copies of the pattern - available for juts 95p each then you can follow the links below:
Stylecraft Special DK version
Yarn Stories Fine Merino DK version
Yarns used this month:
Stylecraft Special DK version
Yarn Stories Fine Merino DK version
Yarns used this month:
Stylecraft Special DK 100g balls
1080 Pale Rose
1722 Storm Blue
1065 Meadow
1241 Fondant
1820 Duck Egg
1709 Gold
1005 Cream
Yarn Stories Fine Merino DK 50g balls
2536 English Rose
2535 Bluebell
2510 Leaf
2514 Raspberry
2507 Duck Egg
2502 Burnt Sienna
2504 Cream
Equipment Special DK:
4mm & 4.5mm hook
Sewing needle
Equipment Fine Merino DK:
3.5mm & 4mm hook
Sewing needle
Dealing with yarn ends: Sewing yarn ends in as you go along makes the finishing process much easier and means that you are less likely to loose stitches or make errors with your tension.
Hook Changes:
Please take note of changes in hook size.
Pattern Repeat:
If you have chosen to make the blanket in a different size you will need to calculate your pattern repeats accordingly.
Sunshine pattern (Row 26 & 27) is worked over a repeat of 12sts
To make the repeat work with 171sts the pattern has a shorter repeat over the first 10sts (not 12) at the beginning of the row (so I have started with 5dc and not 7dc) and then has a remainder of 5dc (instead of 7dc) at the end of the row.
Note: The pattern is written using UK terminology.
Method:
Undo last st and rework to the point where you can change yarn shade to Pale Rose (English Rose) on the final step of the st, turn.
You can choose to weave in one of your yarn ends over the next row if you wish – this is a technique that was shown in last month’s blog post.
Row 20: (RS facing) Using Pale Rose (English Rose) & 4.5mm (4mm) hook, 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into each st to end, changing yarn shade to Spice (Rouge) on the final step of the last st, turn (171sts)
Row 21: (WS facing) Using Spice (Rouge) 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into each next 2sts, * 2ch, skip 2sts, 1dc into each next 2sts; repeat from * to last st, 1dc into next st, changing yarn shade to Storm Blue (Bluebell) on the final step of the last st, turn
Row 22: (RS facing) Using Storm Blue (Bluebell) 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into each next 3sts, 2dc into next ch sp, 1dc into each next 2sts; repeat from * to end, changing yarn shade to Fondant (Raspberry) on the final step of the last st, turn (171sts)
Row 23: Using Fondant (Raspberry) work as Row 21, changing yarn shade to Duck Egg (Duck Egg) on the final step of the last st, turn
Row 24: Using Duck Egg (Duck Egg) work as Row 22, changing yarn shade to Meadow (Leaf) on the final step of the last st, turn (171sts)
Row 25: Using Meadow (Leaf) 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into each st to end, changing yarn shade to Gold (Burnt Sienna) on the last st, turn (171sts)
Row 26: (RS facing) Using Gold (Burnt Sienna) & 4mm (3.5mm) hook 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each next 5sts, * skip 2sts, 7tr into next st to make fan, skip 2sts, 1dc into each next 7sts; repeat from * to end, omitting 2dc on final pattern repeat, turn (14 fans made)
Row 27: 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each next 3sts, * 1ch, skip 2sts, [1tr into top of next tr, 1ch] 7 times, skip 2sts, 1dc into each next 3sts; repeat from * to end, changing yarn shade to Cream (Cream) on the final step of the last st, turn (14 fans made)
Row 28: (RS facing) Using Cream (Cream) & 4.5mm (4mm) hook 1ch (does not count as a st), * 1dc into each next 2sts, skip next st, [1dc into next ch sp, 2dc into next ch sp] twice, [2dc into next ch sp, 1dc into next ch sp] twice; repeat from * to last 3sts, 1dc into each next 3sts, changing yarn shade to Duck Egg (Duck Egg) on the final step of the last st, turn (199sts)
The following row includes the instruction dc3tog (double crochet 3 stitches together) and dc2tog (double crochet 2 stitches together). These stitches are worked as a way of decreasing the stitch count. It is common to find the instruction dc2tog or dc3tog within everyday crochet patterns, but decreases like these can sometimes be worked over more stitches.
To work dc3tog insert your hook into the next st, wrap the yarn around the hook and draw through the stitch, repeat this action twice more so that 4 loops are on your hook (one loop was already there before you started the decrease) wrap the yarn around the hook again and draw through all 4 loops.
To work dc2tog work as for dc3tog but pick 2 loops up over 2 stitches instead of 3 loops over 3 stitches.
Row 29: Using Duck Egg (Duck Egg) 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into next st, dc3tog over next 3sts, 1dc into each next 11sts, dc2tog over next 2sts, * 1dc into each next 12 sts, dc2tog over next 2sts; repeat from * to end, turn (183sts)
The following row includes the instruction dtr2tog (double treble crochet 2 stitches together)
To work dtr2tog wrap yarn around the hook twice, insert your hook into the next st, wrap the yarn around the hook and draw through the stitch, work the dtr stitch until one loop of yarn (plus the original loop) is left on the hook, thus stopping one step before completing of the stitch, repeat this action into the next stitch so that 3 loops are on your hook (one loop was already there before you started the decrease) wrap the yarn around the hook again and draw through all 3 loops.
Row 30: (RS facing) Using 4mm (3.5mm) hook 4ch (counts as 1dtr), skip st at base of 4ch, 1dtr into next st, * 1tr into each next 2sts, 1htr into each next 2sts, 1dc into each next 2sts, 1htr into each next 2sts, 1tr into each next 2sts, 1dtr into next st, dtr2tog over next 2sts; repeat from * 12 more times, 1tr into each next 2sts, 1htr into each next 2sts, 1dc into each next 2sts, 1htr into each next 2sts, 1tr into each next 2sts, 1dtr into each next 2sts, turn. (170sts)
Row 31: staying on 4mm (3.5mm) hook, 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each next 84sts, 2dc into next st, 1dc into each st to end, working last st into tch made at beginning of last row fasten off. (171sts)
Work other piece to match.
Each piece should measure 19cm. (7 1/2in)
Next month you will be given the patterns for a lovely flower edging - its a little bit complicated but so worth the hard work!
The next patterns will be available 8th August.
Each piece should measure 19cm. (7 1/2in)
Next month you will be given the patterns for a lovely flower edging - its a little bit complicated but so worth the hard work!
The next patterns will be available 8th August.
With thanks to the team at Crochet Now Magazine
