WBS Blanket Progress: First Color

Blanket One: First Color

Join me in my journey to become part of a world record - Let's help make the squares that will create the World's Biggest Stocking!

To learn more about the project from its creators, click on the World's Biggest Stocking button in the right sidebar.

To find out what drove me to make more than one blanket for the project, see this Yarn Tales Tuesday post.

  I'm taking time off from designing patterns to do some charity work, but I didn't get very far yet. I came down with a cold. But if there's one good thing about having an autoimmune disease like RA, my immune system seems to work really fast at attacking viruses so it can get back to attacking me.

Don't mess with me, germs! I got a crazy, out of control immune system that's gonna kick your...!

  Anyway, let's get to the subject because we have lots of pictures to go over... The first blanket that I'll be sharing my progress on is a simple large granny square blanket with color changes. No carrying colors; no pattern changes: Pretty easy. 


  To get the pattern for this blanket, download it here. Remember, these patterns are not my design, and I'm not affiliated with the companies involved in the project! I simply want to help you guys out if you need it, because as of now, that Stocking Tracker is still only at 10%, and that sucks. Come on, people, make a blanket! (Or, go join Guidecentral, give all my guides a "like" so I can make some extra money, and I'll be able to afford to make an extra blanket - which doesn't cost you any more than a little of your time!)


  Once you've downloaded the patterns for the World's Biggest Stocking, look for the Big Granny Square Blanket (pg. 6). Remember, you can make these blankets in any color you choose, as well as any brand of yarn, as long as the finished blanket measures 36" (91.5 cm) square - But try to keep the colors cheery! As I said before, this is a simple granny square pattern. The basic form of the pattern will stay the same as you work, adding more sets of double crochet every round.  

-One last thing before we begin: I'm still learning the new camera. Sorry about a few of the photos looking a little washed out.

Ready? Let's set a world record!

The very first thing you really ought to do is - make a gauge swatch! You should have 12 double crochet in 4" (10 cm).

But, the pattern gauge (currently) says you should also have 3 rows in that same measurement - And my 3 rows don't add up! I have changed hook sizes, and I can't get close. I tried pulling my stitches up taller, and couldn't meet the gauge. 

To begin, chain (ch) 5, joining into a ring with a slip stitch (sl st) in the farthest ch from the hook.

Chain 6. This counts as the beginning double crochet (ch 3) and the ch-3 corner space.

 Need to know how to make a double crochet? Let's learn it! If you're already familiar with the stitch, you may want to skip ahead a few steps...

To make a double crochet (dc), yarn over the hook from back to front.

Insert the hook in the center ring.

Yarn over, pull up a loop. (3 loops on hook)

Yarn over, pull through two loops on the hook. (2 loops remaining)

Yarn over, pull through the remaining two loops. (Dc complete)

Now you've got the double crochet down! Let's get to the rest of the pattern:

Make two more dc in the ring.

Chain three for the next corner space.

Make three dc in the ring, then chain three for the following corner space.

Make three more dc in the ring.

Chain three for the last corner space of the round.

Make two more dc in the ring.

Locate the third chain of the beginning ch-6. Insert the hook.

Yarn over, pull through the stitch and the loop on the hook for a slip st.

That's round one! There's one more round to make with this color; let's see if we can go a little faster this time...

To begin the next round, insert the hook in the ch-3 corner space.

Yarn over, pull a loop up and through the loop on the hook for a sl st.

Chain 6 (to count as the beginning dc and ch-3 space), make three dc in the same space.

Don't forget to chain one before moving on to the next corner space!

In the next ch-3 corner space, make (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc).

*Chain one, make (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in the next corner ch-3 space.*  Repeat from * to* for the following corner. Chain one before moving on to the next step.

In the same corner ch-3 space as the beginning of the round: Make two dc in the space before the beginning ch-6.

Join with a sl st to the third ch of the beginning ch-6. Cut the yarn to bind off, pull the tail through the stitch.

  So, until next time, you have time to weave in those ends! Well, you don't have to, yet. I guess if you want to, you can wait until the whole project is finished, then spend tons of time on the tails. And develop nightmares like I did when I saved the weaving in for the end of a three-strand, three-color full sized afghan. I still have it stuffed in a cabinet, afraid of those human-eating-tentacles... I mean, tails.

Click here for the next tutorial

Happy Crocheting!