I’ve been a little googly-eyed over, Vanessa from Hooked on Sunshine, “Feeling Groovy Blanket” since I first saw her preview post on her Facebook group, Hooked on Sunshine Patterns and Cals.
I’ve struggled at keeping my hooks down and I finally cracked.
I knew it would be perfect for a blanket I was planning on making for my cousin Chloe.

I had a rough idea of the colours Chloe loves, so I set about gathering them together and imagining placement.
Of course this changed over and over again, even while making it, I completed rounds, frogged them back and started again with a different colour. I think I finally got it right.

My plan was to make Chloe a corner to corner, Afghan in green tones, her favourite but when I sat down to start, I felt she deserved something a little bit special. She is one special young lady, and she deserves to have something as special as she is.
Chloe has a heart of gold, she looks out for her Mum and her manners are impeccable. She is a credit to her Mum and Dad, Kelly and Simon, who have brought her up with traditional values and love in her heart. Their family is beyond beautiful. That’s why our Chloe has to have something as beautiful as her soul.

Choosing a pattern was the easy part, yarn and colours were a little more tricky but I finally decided on two different double-knit yarns.
I haven’t mixed yarn brands before but these colours just seemed to go so well together, I just had to go with the flow.
I decided on using, Stylecraft Special Double Knit in the colour Petrol. This would be my main, prominent colour. Using a darker colour always makes other colours pop.
For the other colours, I used a yarn I have only used once before, Hayfield Bonus Double knit, in colours, Petrol, Spearmint, White and Mint.

I decided to only make four, Feeling Groovy, squares, which I made in the following colour order.

Part 1 –
Round 1 – Mint
Round 2 – Spearmint
Round 3 – White
Round 4 – Petrol
Round 5 – White
Round 6 – Mint
Round 7 – Spearmint
Round 8 – Petrol
Round 9 – Petrol
Round 10 – Spearmint
Round 11 – Spearmint

Part 2 –
Round 12 – White
Round 13 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 14 – Petrol
Round 15 – Mint
Round 16 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 17 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 18 – White
Round 19 – Spearmint
Round 20 – Spearmint
Round 21 – Mint

Part 3 –
Round 22 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 23 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 24 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 25 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 26 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 27 – Stylecraft Petrol
Round 28 – Stylecraft Petrol

 

After all four squares were finished, I added an extra half double crochet round on each square, using 2 half double crochet, chain 2, 2 half double crochet, in the corners.

I joined the finished squares with the, Flat surface slip stitch join, using the Stylecraft Special, Petrol.

Once they were all joined, I edged the whole blanket with single crochet, before I started my own border.

For the border I wanted something simple, so it wouldn’t draw the eye away from the four beautiful mandala’s.
I decided on a round of double crochets, one in each colour, with 2 double crochet, chain 2, 2 double crochets in the corners, except on round 5, were I made 5 double crochets in the corner space.
The colour order I used was –

Round 1 – White
Round 2 – Spearmint
Round 3 – Petrol
Round 4 – Mint
Round 5 – Petrol (Stylecraft)

I then finished the border off, continuing in Stylecraft Petrol, as followed –

Half Double Crochet, Double Crochet, Triple Crochet, picot-3, Triple Crochet, Double Crochet, Half Double Crochet in corner stitch/space,
Skip the hidden stitch,
slip stitch in next stitch,
skip 1 stitch,
5 Double Crochets in next stitch,
skip 2 stitches,
continue with Single crochets in every stitch across, stopping 6 stitches before every corner,
skip 2 stitches,
5 Double Crochets in next stitch,
skip 1 stitch,
slip stitch in next stitch,
skip 1 stitch and repeat until you have crocheted all the way around.
Join with an invisible join to finish.

Chloe’s, Feeling Groovy Lapghan measures roughly 58 inches by 58 inches.
Rounding the skeins up, I used 1 skein of White, 1 skein of Mint, 1 skein of petrol, 1 skein of Spearmint and 4 skeins of Stylecraft Special Double Knit in petrol, costing £14.56.

I’m loving how she turned out, which in true honesty doesn’t happen very often, I’m my own worst critic, especially as this isn’t a colour system I normally use.

I just hope Chloe loves it as much as I do and that she finds some warmth and comfort over the chilly winter evening that will soon be upon us. I can’t wait to give it to her, but first I have to finish her Mum’s, Feeling Groovy Lapghan.

Until next time,
Too-da-loo.

🦋🦋🦋