Voilà ! the macaroons blanket.

31stof March! just in time….

You probably have already seen some previews on my  Instagram. I finished the macaroon blanket last week, but I have been so busy trying to finalise the last details of the ” secret project” plus I had a few deadlines at work . However, I am now finally sitting down, writing the recipe for the macaroons blanket, so you can all make one for yourselves!

Firstly let me tell you,  it will take a degree of patience! The squares are very easy to make but there are 280 of them!  Saying that… I actually really enjoyed the journey and seeing all of these little bundles of colours growing in my basket… a bit of frustation  at times with the ends to be sewn in BUT it will be worth it in the end as the blanket came out really beautiful !! Like baking, it is with no doubt, a labour of love.

If I can make a suggestion, as often happens to me with any granny square blanket, I find it much easier to make it if the project is running along side  with something else, and most important, sew in your ends as you go! or it will be a nightmare!

THE SQUARE: it is my design. I made a small photo gallery so it is even easier for you to make your own:

FOUNDATION : magic circle

 

ROUND1:

3 ch( makes the first treble),2 trebles,  *3 ch, 3 trebles* repeat ** 2 more times., ss on the 3chs ( which act as  your first treble)  and fasten off.

(12 trebles and 4 ch3 spaces)

ROUND2:

start with a new colour in one of the 3 chs spaces and work  a cluster of 3 trebles together,3chs and another cluster; 3ch and in the next 3 chspace of round 1 repeat * cluster,3chs cluster 3 chs*  ss and fasten off. [ 8 clusters, 8  3chs spaces]

please note as from the photos your squares will curl! do not worry as the final round will straighten down the square.

 

ROUND3:

Start a new colour in any  3 chs space  between 2 clusters and work the angle as follow:* 3 chs ( act as 1st treble) 2 trebles, 3chs,  3trebles.

In the next 3 chs space work 2 trebles, 1 puff stitch in the centre of the 3 trebles of  ROUND 1 , 2 more  trebles*; and repeat **

 

so that is the little mini granny square. it looks lovely both sides

 

Next the yarn used and colours:

STYLECRAFT SPECIAL DK

  • CLARET
  • LIPSTICK
  • POMEGRANATE
  • GOLD
  • SPICE
  • FONDANT
  • APRICOT
  • SAFFRON
  • LEMON
  • CLEMATIS
  • LAVANDER
  • DUCK EGG
  • SPRING GREEN
  • PISTACHIO
  • MEADOW
  • one ball for each of the shades  EXCEPT for the PISTACHIO where you will need three balls in total.

the squares are 280, they measure 7,5 cm and are  organised in 14 columns of 20 squares each.the border is 15 cm deep.

The joining method is a simple row of dcs . I changed colours every time , that has made a lovely “multicolours grid” effect, which makes the blanket interesting both sides!.  the all blanket is 120×180 in total and the border is 15 cm deep.

 

 

THE BORDER:

the border is an adaptation of border number 72 from the new Edie Eckman’s book : ‘every which way crochet border.’ I said an adaptation because I repeated round 1 and 2 several times to make the border more substantial, and as consequence, I had to change the corners too, as I like my borders to be perfectly flat.

 

 

I know it is a nuisance but I can’t post even a partial picture of Edie’s border as that would infringe the copyrights . all I am saying just look at the closeups,  or use another border that is a multiple of 10 stitches.

I hope you will enjoy making the macaroon blanket and thank you for all the lovely likes and messages I received!

Bring on APRIL!!!!!!!

love as always,

Lucia x

24 comments

  1. I absolutely LOVE this blanket, Lucia! Thanks for the pattern, this is one I am definitely going to make (whenI’ve got through the others waiting in line….)

  2. I am so in love with your granny pattern … I was terribly impatient until you actually disclosed the instructions above. Thank you a million for your generosity to let us use it for free!
    Talking of impatient, I am already curious again about the next project ☺

  3. So, SO pretty! I absolutely LOVE it, Lucia! You are amazing. The colours are delectable! And the border is a perfect match to the structured squares… very clever. 🙂 It’s definitely got a French vintage feel about it. You must be thrilled at how well it’s turned out ( no surprise of course ). xxx

    1. Thank you Jen!! you never know exactly what the blanket will look like until it is all done.
      I love the process to build it one square at a time and then the border to finish up.It is a LOT of work, but it is a fabulous way to unwind and relax ( well relax once you have figured out what you are doing!! ) said that my blankets are never as complicated and detailed as yours!!
      Your projects are getting bigger and bigger!
      love,peace n blessings xxx

  4. Hahaaa…yes, my projects are getting bigger, but I really can’t see myself going full blanket! I get bored with the slog of it all!! Even if the outcome is worth it! Mind you, I am VERY tempted by your Macaroons Blanket. It looks like a perfect “aside” project. I have so much admiration for your determination to see a big project through to the end. I’ll probably stick to my squares while drooling over everyone else’s gorgeous blankets. Looking forward to seeing your next project, Lucia. Wishing you a FAB weekend! 😀 xox

  5. Lovely Lucia as usual. Have you ever thought of doing colour packs? This is one I would love to do! in fact I love all yours! Very inspiring! Xx

  6. Absolutely Stunning Lucia! I have just ordered the wool as per your colour palette – thank you for sharing….could I ask just quickly when you join, do you join in strips of squares and use one colour wool all the way down the edge of the strip of squares, or do you join one square at a time and change colour on each edge? Just trying to figure out how the horizontal joins intersect the vertical, thank you! x

    1. Hi Stephanie, the squares are organised in 14 rows and 20 columns. I stack up every row and number the pile.
      I start from the bottom left corner square. That square will be the base of the row1 pile; then I proceed from left to right stacking up the squares. So the bottom right corner square of the blanket is the top of pile 1.
      Then I stack up row 2 again starting from the left edge towards the right. When I got all the pile ( in this case there are 20 of them), I m ready to join in.
      I pick up the first square on pile 1 and start to crochet together, with a double crochet stitch, with the first square of pile 2 . my joining line of DCS is from right to left.
      Then the second square of pile 1 with the second square of pile 2…and so on so I do first all the horizontal joining ( in this blanket every join is done with a different colour. you got to cut the ends anyway so it is not a big deal to change the colour.)
      When you have finished to joining row1 to row2, I proceed in the same fashion adding row3 to row 2 1 square at a time.
      When I finish connecting all the different pile horizontally, I turn the blanket 90 degrees, and I start to stitch the vertical gaps, again crocheting the dc changing colour for each column. weare still working from right to left along the column .

      Now last bit…it is up to you to decide if you want the ridge on the right side of the blanket or on the wrong side. The squares are nice both sides, so it is very much a preference, I made the ridge in the ‘wrong’ side of the blanket, but I then find out that it is pretty much interchangeable. And doesn’t feel like that the blanket has a right and a wrong side.
      I don’t know if it is clear enough if you struggle with it get in touch and let me know and I will try to make a diagram; it might be easier to understand
      lucia xx

  7. Lucia wow! Great explanation thank you so much , I really appreciate you taking the time to explain that in so much detail ! My wool has arrived and I can get cracking now . Thank you again xxx

  8. Lucia . Could I trouble you one more time please ? I am trying to follow your photographs to pick colours but can’t quite see some of the if it’s not too much trouble could you point out one square that has fondant in it and on that has clematis .i can’t quite tell which is which on my phi Thank you x

    1. Ok, best way is to use the close up with the border which is the last picture on the post: so 1st row 1 st square on the right is fondant the square directly above the 2 row is clematis then still second row, 3 square from the right it is clematis. basically, all the fondant is the brighter hue, and the clematis is the pale purple. Remember that there is just only another purple and that is the lavender ( 3rd row from right to left 5th square) so you should be able to spot the clematis.
      hope it helps, and, please do not worry about it, it might take me a day or 2 to answer, but if there is anything else I can help with, just get in touch.
      lucia xx

  9. Hello Lucia. Please could you tell me where the puff stitch starts in round 3. Is it in the top Stitch of the middle treble of round 1, or around the post of the treble? Mine seems to be pulling in a little, so my square isn’t square.
    Thank You
    Suzanne

    1. it is in the middle of the stitch . just pull it a bit , it might sit a bit funny but the square will get perfect once they are joined all together

  10. Hi Lucia I’ve ordered the wool for this lovely blanket, it’s my next project. Did you plan the colours in each granny or did you pick at random?

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