One of my most favourite things to crochet are Granny Squares, the only trouble being is which one to make first and what colours to use.
I’m a massive fan of monotone blankets, especially in timeless colours, like white or cream.
Some times though the beautiful detail in the pattern can get lost, which is a dreadful shame as the designers have worked so very hard to design the perfect square, with intrigue details and texture.
When it comes to picking colours, I’m a little out my comfort zone and question myself constantly. I’ve also got the added pressure of a little OCD or shall we call it wanting perfection.
Then add the pressure of, “Do the colours work together?”
Thank goodness for colour boards and the colour wheel, but still I question my final decision.
Luckily there are crocheters and designers, out there who always hit the nail on the head and come up trumps with their colour choices, which give inspiration or the perfect colour combination.
Emily from The Loopy Stitch, did just that and I fall head over heels for the colours she used in her, Mandala Madness Afghan, by Helen Shrimpton, from Crystals and Crochet.

I have used Emily’s colour combo many times now and I still adore it, even though I’m not a great fan of purple.

I’ve wanted to make a Granny Square Lapghan using her colours for a while now and as I’m determined to get as many Granny Squares made for my Mum’s, “Nuts About DNA Afghan” as possible, I decided that every square I make, I’ll make it again using Emily’s colours.
I decided on making 12 squares, join and edge them to make a nice size lapghan.
Every square is finished with a stitch count of 44 Half Double Crochets, with a chain 2 in the corners, perfect for my chosen border.

The colours used were –

🧶Yarn – Stylecraft Special Double Knit.
Colorway – 1005 Cream
Purchased at – Wool Warehouse.
🧶Yarn – Stylecraft Special Double Knit
Colorway -1061 Plum
Purchased at Wool Warehouse
🧶Yarn – Stylecraft Special Double Knit
Colorway – 1828 Boysenberry
Purchased at Wool Warehouse
🧶Yarn – Stylecraft Special Double Knit
Colorway – 1820 Duck egg
Purchased at Wool Warehouse
🧶Yarn – Stylecraft Special Double Knit
Colorway – 1725 Sage
Purchased at Wool Warehouse
🧶Yarn – Stylecraft Special Double Knit
Colorway – 1708 Petrol
Purchased at Wool Warehouse

I replaced Parchment with cream, to make the colour palette a little lighter while not drifting too far away from Emily’s original colours.

Each square was modified for stitch count and size, all details can be found on my Ravelry.

I made the following squares.

🧶BuffleHead 12″ Texture Afghan Block Square By Margaret MacInnis

🧶Clarissa by Helen Shrimpton, at https://crystalsandcrochet.com

🧶Northern Diamond Square II by Torun Johansson

and the Tristan, border by Polly Plum

🧶Ariane by Diana Krenz

🧶Joyful Afghan Square, By Tamara Kelly, at Moogly

🧶Festive Julie Ann Square by Linda Dean

🧶The Lilliana Square, which you can read about here.

🧶Athene Afghan Square by Diana Krenz

🧶Crumpets and Tea Square by Lorene Haythorn Eppolite- Cre8tion Crochet

🧶Rosebud Flower Square by CherylDeeCrochet

🧶Larksfoot Inspired 12″ Granny Square by From Home

🧶Firenze Afghan Block by Julie Yeager

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I joined the finished squares with the, Flat Surface Slip Stitch Join, using cream.

Once they were all joined I edged the whole blanket with a round of, Half Double Crochet (hdc), making 3 hdc, in the corner spaces.

For the border I use planning on using “Zig-Zag Blanket Border” by Tatsiana Kupryianchyk, from Lilla Bjorn’s Crochet World, but my oldest Son Con, decided the blanket needed something simple and wouldn’t draw your eye away from the squares.
So I made the following rounds –

🧶Round 1 – Cream – Double Crochet (Dc) across, making 3 Double Crochets in 2nd corner stitch.
🧶Round 2 – Sage – In back loops only, Single Crochet (Sc) across, making 3 Single Crochets in 2nd corner stitch.
🧶Round 3 – Plum – In back loops only, Single Crochet (Sc) across, making 3 Single Crochets in 2nd corner stitch.
🧶Round 4 – Petrol – In back loops only, Single Crochet (Sc) across, making 3 Single Crochets in 2nd corner stitch.
🧶Round 5 – Boysenberry – In back loops only, Single Crochet (Sc) across, making 3 Single Crochets in 2nd corner stitch.
🧶Round 6 – Duck Egg – In back loops only, Single Crochet (Sc) across, making 3 Single Crochets in 2nd corner stitch.
🧶Round 7 – Cream – In back loops only, Half Double Crochet (Hdc) across, making 3 Half Double Crochets in 2nd corner stitch.
🧶Round 8 – Cream – Double Crochet (Dc) across, making 3 Double Crochets in 2nd corner stitch.

And here it is in all it’s glory.

She measures roughly 48″ x 36″ and I used 8 skeins of yarn, one of each colour and 2.5 of cream.

With so many projects in mind, which should I choose to make next?
Please pop back soon and see what I chose.
In the mean time, why not check out Emily’s beautiful crochet on her website, her Instagram, her Ravelry, her Facebook Group or her Facebook Page, and dont forget that her book is available on Amazon.

Too-da-loo for now.

🙉🙊🙈