Autumn Leaves Blanket details...

A few readers commented on my last post that they either had found the book that houses the pattern I used to make the Cinnamon Latte Blanket, or they were going to look for it.  I'm delighted, and I hope you enjoy this pattern as much as I have.  That said, I'm thinking it may be helpful for me to write an addendum to my last post.

I've written some of these additional thoughts in comments over the space of a couple of posts, but I'm thinking it is a good idea to put all the information in one spot.  So here we go!

This was what I wrote in my last post about the pattern and yarn I used for The Cinnamon Latte blanket:

Pattern is called Autumn Leaves and is found in the book, Weekend Afghans (ISBN 0806964863). I started with a chain of just over 200, and undid the unneeded chains once I had it wide enough.  [I've snipped the yarn info -use whatever worsted weight yarn you like]

What I want to add is everything below:

The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn and a size K hook.  While that may work great, I have always made this blanket using worsted weight yarn and a size J hook.  The designer meant for this to be a very drapey blanket, but I have found it plenty drapey using a size J hook.  Your mileage may vary. Experiment and see what you like.

The slanted triple crochet stitches require a very smooth hook.  When I started my latest blanket of this pattern, the hook I started with would occasionally snag on the yarn, but once I switch hooks it was a pleasure to crochet.  

Because I use a smaller hook, but also because this is a "throw" size, and I generally like my blankets larger, I starte with a chain a lot longer than the pattern recommends.  I always begin with a chain of around 200 (though, this time I may have chained more), and I work Row 1 as long as I want it to be (undoing the extra chains later).  Doing this, makes the ending instructions on Row 1 a little tricky for me, but I seem to always figure it out.

Also... Row 3 of this pattern is confusing, and I've concluded it is a typo.  Right after Row 2, the pattern says to "Repeat Row 3 until work measures" [really, whatever length you want the blanket to be].  But there is no Row 3.  I'm sure it means "Repeat row 2".

And in case this isn't clear to someone else (because I'm just now realizing I've done the last step intuitively - I'm sure out of confusion over the way the instruction is written - here's what those last two sentences mean:

For a scalloped finish on the beginning edge, hold the beginning edge of the blanket so that the skipped chains are to the left of each triple crochet "shell" (beginning yarn tail will be on the right, I believe).  Join a new length of yarn with a standing triple crochet, then crochet Row 1 across. I, then, tend to use the ends of my yarns to make the corners a bit rounded on this end as I sew them in.  I just make this part up.  Again, your mileage may vary.

If you give this pattern a go, and think anything I've written here is confusing, please let me know.  I've finally written this all down here as much for my benefit as for anyone following along since I seem to have to figure these things out every time I've made this blanket.  Easy enough to do, I guess, since I've made this four times now.  

Just for fun, I went looking for pictures of each of the blankets I've made with this pattern.

A terrible picture, but my first Autumn Leaves was made using Premier Anti-Pilling Everyday Yarn in Aubergine.  Date finished: March, 2015.  This blanket hasn't gotten much use, so it's still in pretty good condition. 

In May of 2015, I made it again for a friend (an almost second-mother) whose husband had recently passed.  Yarn was Premier Anti-Pilling Everyday Yarn in Orchid.

A year later, in May of 2016, I made one for our living room. This time using Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn in the color Sea Blue.  Now, ten years later, using this blanket as my reference, its shabbiness has become painfully obvious to me.  I'm toying with replacing this one with a fifth blanket - in another color, perhaps.

And Cinnamon Latte, made in several different worsted weight yarns, in five colors.

On another note...  on the chance that anyone remembers a blanket I made (twice) in shades of pink and pink-red that I named Sweetheart Blanket...  That pattern is actually called Corn on the Cob and is from the same book that has the Autumn Leaves blanket.

And for that matter, years ago, I made the Kitty-Cat Afghan, and that pattern (by a different name and designer, and in a larger size) is in this book, as well.

I hope this post is useful for someone.  I think it will be helpful for me to refer back to.  And it was kind of fun to take a trip down memory lane...

"Shades of Brown" got a new name...

After weeks of spilling my angst here over this project, let me introduce you to...

The Cinnamon Latte Blanket:

I came to terms with the colors as the blanket grew.  And at some point, being finished began to feel more important than how I, personally, felt about the colors.  TB, totally reframed the colors for me into imagining a cup of coffee. I told my friend this and she dubbed it Cinnamon Latte.  Perfect!

And you know what...  while I questioned the colors most of the time I was crocheting this blanket, at my friend's house, with her warmly painted walls, it looked great!

I have to admit... I'm loving the cozy vibes.

What I especially love about the pattern is that when it's finished, it's finished.  The pretty edges eliminate the need for a border, and I've never had to block any of the four blankets I've now made from this pattern. That said, I was actually surprised, using five different colors, and slightly different types of yarn that I did not need to block this to make the edges lay pretty and even.

With the Cinnamon Latte finished and delivered, progress on some other projects began immediately.  My colorful large granny square blanket is once again being worked on.  And I've been motivated to get back to working on some Christmas stitches.  Hopefully they'll show up here finished soon.

Pattern is called Autumn Leaves and is found in the book, Weekend Afghans (ISBN 0806964863). I started with a chain just over 200, and undid the unneeded chains once I had it wide enough.  Yarns used: Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn in Cinnamon, Almond Toast, and Latte; Yarn Bee ID in Fawn, and Yarn Bee Soft and Sleek in Tobacco (this is my new favorite yarn - so squishy.  I just wish it came in more colors)

A spring-weight blanket and Easter eggs!

I've been a monogamous crocheter this week and I'm glad to say I finished the blanket I've been working on before my self-imposed finish date of April 1st!

The blanket pattern is from the book Weekend Afghans by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss.  I like the pattern so much this is the third blanket I've made using it.    It's a nice feminine blanket that is airy and light.  What I really love about it, though, is the pretty edge the pattern makes along the length of the blanket...



and a nice scallop on the top and bottom edges...

And now with that completed, I'm chomping at the bit to begin the Mandala Madness CAL that actually started a week ago - so I've got some catching up to do.   I may also start The Midwife Blanket as it's been calling out to me for some time now and having recently seen a pretty edging I want to try on it, I almost can't wait to start...

But first we celebrate Easter today.   First thing this morning we enjoyed Easter breakfast at church followed by worship and a baptism.  And now it's home for a bit of a rest before preparing for sons and guest(s) to come for a supper meal and some games.  Yesterday my 20 year-old son and I colored and decorated eggs.   The activity was almost contemplative compared to younger years when dying eggs carried a level of excitement with it.

We'll see which egghead is the hardest in a game of egg wars later (a tradition from hubby's childhood family).  Then it's into an egg salad with these babies. Mmmmm.

A happy, joyous Easter to you!   To see what other Yoppers are up to, visit this week's thread on Ravelry.

Hook and needle...

Being accustomed to normally having several different projects in the works at any given time, it's been interesting crocheting on only one project this week.  On one hand, it's great because I really want to get this blanket done before April...

A little over half way finished, I may make my goal.

But then feeling an itch to do something else this weekend, I decided to pull out an old cross-stitch project that I don't think has seen the light of day for maybe... 5 years???    I have to admit...what got me itching to cross stitch again was having discovered Flosstube this week.  Cross-stitchers (and maybe embroiderers?) podcast their creations.   Fortunately for me I had an easy thing to pick up and work on when the urge finally struck (after the 2nd, or 3rd, or 12th??? Flosstube video)...

I'm pretty sure the cloth is 16-, maybe 18-count Aida and once I started working on it I remembered why I had put it away.  It's hard to see!   With progressive eyeglasses it's not the easiest thing to go back and forth from printed page to work in progress.  But I plugged away on finishing the wording (though I'm not really crazy about letters, I've decided) and started the little lamb.  

I may need to get a magnifier and/or a brighter light if I'm going to continue to cross stitch (or embroider, which I'd love to also get back to), but even with the challenge of middle-aged eyes I still enjoyed doing this - so much so I've been trying to decide what my next "flossy" project will be.  ;^)

To see what other Yoppers are up to, visit our thread this week on Ravelry!   

Yarn Along...

Feeling the need to do something small after crocheting several blankets I started a Linen Stitch Scarf this week.



Using Loops & Threads Woolike, double-stranded I'm enjoying experimenting with a variety of color combinations.   This is an almost lace-weight yarn so even double-stranded it makes a lightweight, but warm scarf.  I know...it's a simple thing.  But I was craving doing something more free-flowing - just to see where it takes me.  So far I'm liking it.

Of course, there's still my Arrowhead Afghan in a basket waiting for me to get back to it.  With the cooler weather we're having this week, it's actually a perfect time to pick it back up and work on it.

But my little scarf is calling me..

Small Things blog hosts a weekly yarn-a-long that showcases many other yarny creations. Check out the latest.

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I'm glad to say I finished and put in yesterday's mail a blanket I've been crocheting for a dear friend who's husband passed recently.  Bob and Eileen were an "older" couple when my husband and I met them at church over a quarter of a century ago - at the tender and respective ages of 25 and 20.  My, how time flies.  We're now probably a decade older than they were when they first took us, and a group of other young adults, under their wings.  I know it's a trick the mind plays on a person, but those seem like such innocent and carefree days now.

While that was a season with its own trials, the memories are sweet indeed.  I hope Eileen feels like she has a yarny hug when she receives this blanket - and that sweet thoughts of days-gone-by, and prayers said by many today bring comfort to her.

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Yarn Along...

I'm almost finished with the blanket I'm crocheting for a friend.  I can't wait to get it in the mail to her.  Hopefully by the weekend!  Though the weekend appears to be a busy one, so I'd better make Monday my goal for sending it off.

I finished From the Kitchen of Half Truth and highly recommend it as a light fiction read for any female reader, teen through adult.

And I've decided to revisit The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis.  I started it during the weeks leading up to Easter and had to put it aside as I was finding myself in an almost too reflective place (following the death of a dear older friend).  But I've decided it would be good to pick it back up again. This translation is a rich and honest look at the Christian life and how we are to live.  The truths are simple and honest.  A very relatable translation written for modern readers, but with a touch of humor that crosses over from another time with truth and eloquent wit.  I highly recommend this for a devotional read. You'll be tempted to read this through (leaping from one reading right into the next), but I'm finding it is best savored slowly with time to contemplate between each sitting.

Visit Ginny's Yarn Along  and check out the variety of yarny creations others are working on.  Wander about the Small Things website and you'll, no doubt, be charmed by pictures of Ginny's family and her sweet way of telling about their lives.