Make Me Progress ~ Mid January

Stitch by stitch, each day I make a little progress on this blanket and continue to be delighted with the pattern.  I did however, make a rookie error whilst joining the squares (something that I'm not very practiced in).  I used Sandra's amazing instructions (provided with the pattern) but got carried away a bit and joined identical squares together (at the column joining stage) by mistake.  To avoid this mistake I simply had to turn the column.  A simple mistake but I had nearly completed the joining process by the time I realised that my rose centres weren't alternating.

I confess, I did consider leaving it and just carrying on but I knew that each time I saw the blanket in future it would be the thing that I noticed rather than feel pleasure from having completed it.  So, this meant pulling it apart and rejoining them correctly.... grrr.  I have joined most of the squares now and this is where I have gone off pattern.  The reasons for not using the pattern faithfully were partly for speed, partly because of my rheumatic hands getting sore and partly because I was crocheting the larger sized lap blanket and thought that some plainer squares would offset the more intricate designs of the roses well.  So, I completed the Painted Roses squares and flanked them on all sides with basic granny squares.

I have joined the squares with yarn that I had in my stash (purely to make this blanket a little more thrifty) and I am now at the stage where the edging needs to be crocheted.

I have made a few Teeny Tiny Flowers to sew to the centres of the granny squares to help link it all together and to add a bit more texture.  I've yet to add these but I think they will be quite effective.

You may also remember that I plan to use a lovely teddy fleece to back the finished crochet blanket. I plan to join it with blanket stitch around the edge and then incorporate this into a crocheted scalloped edge.

I have two more weeks to go until the planned 'Gifting' day so I hope to make quick work of the final stages.

I look forward to sharing my first Make Me ~ Ta Dah  of 2015 soon!!

J9 x