My friend is the lucky recipient of the afghan blanket commission. We spent some time talking about where and what she wanted to use it for. She took some pictures of a very pretty rug she had just bought, we discussed colour and I checked out what I thought would meet the brief.
I’ve been really lucky that the commission has worked so brilliantly. I put this down to a strong understanding of my friend and her likes and dislikes. In future I’d like to put together a mood board to check I’ve got the colour, feel and pattern right for the client setting out the inspiration before I start.
When we first discussed an afghan for her lounge we started with some items I’ve already made. My friend really liked the shawl I made last year, shown above, a triumph for me as it was my first complicated pattern. I took my time with it so it took a while but the result has been beautiful and has stood up to a lot of wear over the last few months. I’ve been using it as a scarf rather than a shawl. This shawl project was a real turning point for me, it helped me to realise that I am a very good crocheter and was the trigger to start this blog to record what I learn as I make new things.
Making a blanket is an emotional journey, I started this one with the most amazing enthusiasm and made the first few squares relatively quickly. It wasn’t the only project I was working on at the time, the crochet hearts where a also a being created. I have found that something quick in between something that’s more time consuming works really well to keep my interest and motivation levels high. It counteracts the”Blanket Fatigue”, as mentioned earlier, when I am half way through a big project its hard to see the end and my enthusiasm wanes so doing an alternative small project really helps.
For this project I bought the most essential crochet accessory, a granny blocking board. It has totally transformed the quality of my work. It made the end result so much more professional, I recommend investing in one for anything you make from granny squares. The test squares for my next project are already perching on the block for better shape. You can see the before and after results above.
Yarn, Pattern and Hooks
For this blanket I used Drops Alpaca Eskimo Uni colour in shade 52, light blue grey, super chunky. In total I used 23 balls and crocheted with a size 8mm addi swing hook. All purchased from Woolwarehouse. The pattern is a Drops Designs free pattern called Winter Crystal. Drops website and patterns are excellent there are even video tutorials if you get stuck or if there is a new stitch you haven’t tried before. I really liked the big wool its so quick to make. You could use this afghan as a bed throw as below, I’ve shown you below what it might look like. I can see it in all sorts of colours. This pattern is a beautiful way to bring crochet up to date, it shows a different perspective on what’s possible.
Future Commissions
If you are interested in a paid for commission, I am happy to make something for you. I don’t yet have an online shop so please contact me via the Contact page on the main menu bar of this page.