Modern Granny Square Blanket

There's nothing I like more than a special event or occasion. Weddings, births, house warming, anything that marks the beginning of a new phase of life.

In my humble opinion, special occasions require special pressies. Easier said than done, I hear you say. I agree.

Thankfully, for me, I love an excuse to get out the yarn, cloth, hooks needles, whatever just happens to be the latest making phase I'm going through, and the chance to embark on a new challenge.

What 's more special than something handmade - something utterly unique that no-one else has, that you just wouldn't be able to buy, with out having to commission.  

It was a couple of lovely old friends who were tying the knot. They'd been together a while, long enough to have already established themselves as a family with two gorgeous boys of 7 and 5, and me and my little posse were thrilled to be invited to celebrate with them.

I seem to have rather an awful lot of clever, creative friends and these two are no exception. Means only one thing - they like cool stuff. Instantly the stakes are raised. Don't get me wrong, these folk totally get 'handcrafted', whatever shape or form it may take, but in this case, I felt something a little more was needed. I wanted it to have a modern twist - something for both the Designer and the Artisan.

I'd been wanting to make a chunky blanket for a while. I love 'em.

I've been impressed by some of the beautiful patchwork ones I'd seen, spread out  across the internet, and always thought that basic granny squares was something you could do something really quite contemporary with.

1.Feathered Hues - Design seeds. 2. Ellsworth Kelly quilt - spontaneous color.  3. Colour Explosion Quilt - Sew English Rose, Folksy. 4.Bears Rainbow Blanket - The Purl Bee.

Here's what I Did

In a wool/acrylic mix (wearability combined with washability), knitted with two strands of DK yarn. Chunky would've done, but the colour choice of chunky yarns is always so restricting... and for this project I wanted some full-on colour -  

a simple two row granny square.

Hundreds of them.

488 of them to be precise.

My, clever other half came up with the excellent visual effect of colours scattering from the corner - just like a mini explosion. It looks simple and random but had to be planned quite carefully, taking into account the careful mix and concentration of colours and neutrals. I wasn't sure if it was going to work.

When all the squares were made.

they then had to be joined together,

and all the ends had to be woven in.

I can honestly say it's probably the biggest project I've ever done. At times I thought I'd never finish. Anything like this is always going to be labour intensive - that's what makes it so special. 

Three months and 2,200g of yarn later, tadahh, and what a great sense of satisfaction.

Finished off with a simple row of charcoal single crochet, thankfully I think it works.

When my young daughter saw it she said "Mum, it looks like it's going 'Boom"

I think that was the effect I was after.... so I called it my 'Boom blanket'.

Here's to Chris and Lucy.
Hope they like it 

Wishing them many more happy, cozy years.

Cheers!

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