Love at first stitch
Oh Cloudberry crochet Blanket. You were my first (crochet) love, and don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you. And ever since, my trips to Michaels will never be the same. (Ever take a trip to Michaels without adding another ball of yarn to your stash? Me neither).
This was the first time I ever picked up a crochet hook, and I admit – was a bit intimidated by the design. Although there are not that many different types of stitches, each row has a different pattern.
This is great though. Just when you get comfortable with one set of stitches – voila! You’re on to the next set. This is awesome for 2 reasons:
- You accomplish a new set of stitches every row. So you get to say, wow I’m pretty freaking awesome every couple of hours/days/months.
- It’s a yarn-lovers Christmas morning….over and over and over until you have a big beautiful crochet blanket in your hands!
New to crochet?
If you don’t know how to crochet, or maybe just want to brush up on the basics, we have a great resource for you.
Hop over to the Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Crochet.
This breaks down the basics of what you need to learn, in what order, and links you directly to some great resources! And best of all, it’s FREE on the blog. Enjoy!
Before you pick up your yarn…
My sister in law, who is largely responsible for my love of crochet, suggested I use a test yarn to work through the first couple rows before I dove into the chunky cakes yarn.
Why? Trying out your pattern with test yarn can be good if:
- If you want to try out the stitches to make sure you got it down.
- If the yarn you’re using can fray easily. Go ahead, work those kinks out before starting, so it doesn’t look like your yarn has been dragged through the mud if you have to redo a stitch a couple times.
- If your yarn doesn’t frog easily.
In case you’re wondering why I just talked about a frog.. Well, when you make a mistake and you have to undo all your stitches (ugh, it happens to us all), you rip it out. Say that out loud. You “ribbbit” out. I don’t know who made that up, but well done friend.
This step is definitely not mandatory, just a good suggestion if you think you need it.
Let’s get stitchin’
Time to get down to business.
- Crochet pattern? check!
- Yarn and hook? check! (I used Caron Chunky Cakes in Ballet Sorbet)
- Cup of coffee and find a spot of sunshine? check!
After completing about 5 rows with my test yarn, I was confident I could switch over to the real deal. Since this was my first crochet project, I did quite a few rows to make sure I had the basic stitches down. For beginners, I would definitely recommend practicing your stitches for a row or 2 to work out any kinks.
Just 2 rows in, your blanket should resemble this adorable little circle.
Please disregard the difference of color in these photos! Is is in fact the same yarn. The pink appears much more vibrant in outdoor light and a bit softer in indoor light.
You may notice a green thing in the middle of my blanket. Any idea what that is? If you guessed a makeshift stitch marker, you’re right! You don’t always need fancy tools to get going.
Say it with me…. COLOR CHANGE!!
The wonderful thing about Caron Chunky Cakes is how quickly it works up. Once you hit 10 rows, it really starts to shape up!
PSA: When you’re crocheting on a hot Sunday afternoon, a cold beverage is the perfect pairing with some heavy yarn!
And not before long, here she is, all finished!
This crochet blanket was such a joy, it was very bittersweet so know it was all done. With that said, I have a feeling this pattern will have to be a repeat!
Supplies
One of the most fun parts of a new project is picking out the perfect yarn.
Since this was my first project, I heavily relied on my sister-in-law’s yarn suggestion and hook suggestion. And let me say, she has good taste! As we ventured down the yarn aisle, I first thought, wow thats a lot of yarn. Why are there so many? (Forgive me, I was so naive).
Self striping yarn
For this crochet blanket, I used a self-striping yarn. If you aren’t a fan of weaving in lots of ends, self-striping yarn is a great choice! However, weaving in the ends is nothing to be afraid of! If you need some help on how to weave in the ends, my tutorial walks through through each step.
Plus, you get to squeal “ohh color change!!” every so often. Its the little things, am I right?
Bulky yarn for crochet blankets
Since bulkier yarns work up quicker and give you the feeling of accomplishment early on in the project, Caron Chunky Cakes was the perfect choice for this crochet blanket.
Crochet hook
Now that we’ve decided on our yarn, time to pick the right hook. For this project, I went with the hook size suggested by the yarn label.
Depending on your tension (whether you tend to make your stitches tight) and how you want your piece to drape, you may chose to go up or down a size.
If you are following a pattern, don’t feel like you must get the same yarn weight & hook size specified. If you are crocheting a hat or garment – or something wearable – it may be more important to follow the suggestions and pay attention to the gauge. However for blankets, there’s a lot more leeway since there is no right or wrong size.
For this project, I used the Ergonomic Aluminum Crochet Hook by ‘Loops and Threads’, 8mm (size L). Hooks with ergonomic handles are a couple dollars more than the aluminum hooks, but however they do provide a bit more cushion for your fingers. It’s personal preference though – wooden hooks, metal hooks, ergonomic hooks. Another brand I use and love is Boye. You can find their full hook set here if you’re starting out!
Pattern
I followed the Cloudberry Blanket pattern by Mijo Crochet – here is the link to the pattern.
This beautiful pattern was designed and so well-written by Johanna. Have a browse through her designs, you won’t regret it!
Other useful crochet references
- Crochet hook size conversion chart – Since different sets of numbers and letters are used to classify crochet hooks, this chart easily brings it all together in 1 place.
- yarn weight conversion chart– This links the US number and US category, ply (used in AUS and UK), and other terms commonly used to ensure you aren’t left guessing what weight of yarn you’re about to purchase!
- Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Crochet – This breaks down the basics of what you need to learn, in what order, and links you directly to some great resources! And best of all, it’s free the blog. You can also purchase the inexpensive ad-free printable PDF of that Guide from my Etsy Shop. Enjoy!
- Need help mastering the double crochet stitch? No worries, check out this free double crochet tutorial.
What yarn do you think would be best to try for the Cloudberry Blanket 2.0? I’d love to hear your thoughts, leave a comment below!
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Thanks as always, and see ya real soon!
Happy crocheting,
Jennifer
