The Making of the Daisy Blanket

July 1st, 2009
This is what I'm working on now. This is a 3D granny square, a BEAUTIFUL pattern by  Maggie Weldon (click here to see her website)  whose creations are all amazing. I don't think I am doing it much justice, but hey, Maggie, I'm trying!!!


I want to mention that when I had a question about the yarn that is in mentioned in the book, I contacted the Customer Service and they were INCREDIBLY helpful, kind, and really got out of their way to give me the substitutions and answered in a short amount of time. This IS customer service!!! I am very happy with Maggie's whole organization. Fantastic job!!!


The pattern calls for 35 squares, meaning 7x5 blanket, but I plan to make 40, so it's a bit bigger. This is going to be my niece's blanket for her room... when she's born, in January 2010. And I want it roomy!!!

Update: July 31st, 2009

Ok, I finished the Granny squares... I have to say... this is the most beautiful blanket, and I adore it. The design is beautiful and Maggie's costumer service is the best there ever was... but I am positively sure that I am not going to start another one until I learn to pace myself. 

I love to crochet, even though I have been doing it for less than a year and I have only completed two afghans. But I am hooked, especially when it's a project made out of granny squares.  I love to have something to do all the time, even during down time, and I love the product... but I got so, so obsessed with this project, that sometimes it actually made me feel nauseous but I couldn't stop!  My mother said that I should let it rest for a while and start another project, but I couldn't do it because I was so eager to have the finished blanket!!. So, there I was, getting sicker and sicker, and more and more obsessed by the minute. My husband even blamed my insomnia to this obsession... and the reading of a book that I wanted to finish fast.

So, here's what I did, in photos: 

The center:

The granny square:

 

The beginning:

 

The middle:

 

The "almost" end:

  

Finally, the edging:

 

Alfredo really likes it, and I like it too...But guess who likes it the most?

 (Don't worry Megan, my niece is getting it nice and clean.

This was just to warm David a bit, and Luigi got in, too!)

Now, it looks like a granny square with a lot of little wholes everywhere, but this blanket is REALLY WARM. Really warm.

Well... what to do with all my free time, now that I'm not obsessing about a crocheted afghan? hmmm.... what about some toasty slippers for everyone's Christmas presents?

Sunflower throw

It all started with my interest in learning to crochet. I had been imagining a sunflower throw because I recently became obsessed with sunflowers. I wanted one for my living room, that would be warm but look fresh.
I spent about 1 month looking for a pattern. I decided on the one called "Blue Lagoon" designed by
Margret Willson and listed in Caron International's free projects. A free pattern that I thought, with a different color scheme, would be what I wanted. Click here to see that pattern.


I made some research about sunflowers, basically to see the colors, so I would try to emulate them with the yarn. We went to JoAnn, and bought the Caron One Pound yarn, at 2 dollars off!! Yaaay!!


I started right away, and made some color tests. My husband and son gave their opinions, and we decided on the final square. And from there.... well, why don't I get the images talk?


The beginning... my first square!

4 Squares!!

12 squares... 3 days and nights!

17 or so...

Almost there... but I was growing tired of the project. I didn't know if it would be worth it, and I was doubting about the whole thing...

DONE! FINALLY!!! 

All 35 squares... tidy and pretty!!

The putting together of the squares was messy and troublesome, so I really forgot to take pictures. I'm kind of glad I didn't, I would have looked like a psycho!!! But here, I'm going around the whole throw, with the last row of single crochet.

 

A bed of sunflowers!!!

I am giving this throw as a donation to the Boy Scout fundraiser. It allows us, parents, to pay a bit less for the fantastic camp in the summer.

One last look!!!