Oh, I just KNEW as I was crocheting this rainbow blanket for my niece for Christmas that:
1. I would show you pictures
2. You would want the pattern
and that
3. I wasn’t writing the pattern down.
EEEEKKK!
I know. I know. It’s pretty darn cool, huh?
So I don’t have the pattern for this, but YOU CAN create your own custom blanket if you know a few basic stitches. DON’T BE AFRAID! It’s super easy and you CAN DO IT!
If you’ve never tried creating your own pattern before, this is a wonderful time to do so. Anybody can do this, so let’s march forward!
Here’s how:
1. Assemble your desired colors. I am using loads of scrap yarn in rainbow colors, mostly wool. I combined all types of brands, including my own hand-dyed. It’s like a great big mix of love! All these yarn companies combined into one effort of beauty!
2. If you want to make a circle blanket like moi, then you’ll want to start in the middle of the circle. If you don’t currently know any circle patterns, I’d recommend checking these out on Ravelry. If that link doesn’t work, just search on your favorite pattern site (or look in books!) for “circle motif.”
3. Pick one and work up the basic center motif.
4. Now start adding rows around. How on EARTH am I supposed to do this, you ask? Well, if you have a few years of crochet under your belt, you might have some stitch ideas. What I did was try a stitch pattern for a few inches and see how it was going to lay… And then just kept going if it seemed okay. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, I recommend you look up edging patterns. Again, here are some on Ravelry, but there are also books and other blogs, etc with edging patterns. Just google, “crochet edging pattern.”
Note: You can do this with knitting too! Just look up “knitting motif” and “knitting edging pattern.”
5. KEEP GOING and enjoy the beauty of it all! I chose to change colors randomly. I had originally intended that this be a huge, king-sized blanket, but time became a factor, so it became its ultimate destiny… a lap blanket and perhaps future baby blanket. 😀
Here are some more photos for ya…
I really hope this post INSPIRED you to try new things, to branch out and attempt to create something without a pattern if you’ve never done so and to KNOW you’ve got it in you! There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of and no time is wasted if it’s spent crocheting, I say. WOO!
What do you think? Would you create something like this?
~Chandi
LOVE IT CHANDI!!! I’ve been wanting to “create” something on my own for awhile…this will give me another push!! Thank you 🙂
Where do you live? I would love to learn how to spin yarn and I don’t know of anyone around here that knows how. Been trying to learn how to do hairpin lace crochet and broomstick crochet.. Been crocheting for years and never heard of them until recently. Where have I been? lol ..
This is one of the most original circular blankets I’ve ever seen. The explanation you provide is excellent for anyone who has some knitting experience and could be easily converted as a crochet pattern. Thank you so much for sharing.
I just realized I got in too big a hurry to tell you how wonderfully you laid this out and it is crochet. I do tend to get in front of myself sometimes. I still love it and still intend to to see what I can do with it (crochet of course). If I get real adventurous, I may try to knit it. Once again your creativity is very much appreciated.
Great idea and great timing. My 7 year old daughter just finished her crocheted flute case and needs a new project. Maybe she could do a smaller version of this for her dolls/bears and help me to put some of my random handspun yarn to use. Thank you for your always interesting posts!
I think I’m going to try this with a doily pattern and a largish hook.
Chandi, I have been wanting to “branch out on my own” for awhile. I have done it with hats, but you have given me the confidence to go bigger! Thanks and this is super beautiful!
I am not good enough to figure out the pattern for such a beautiful blanket
and am afraid I need a pattern and help
I have done many beautiful things and after following patterns for a few times I will branch off and change the pattern to suit, but I have never done anything like this and so hope I can. It is simply beautiful. You are an inspiration, Chandi.
Thank you for sharing with us (but I sure wish you would have done a pattern! 🙁 lol
This is very, very pretty–and I am so willing to try making this blanket, as I have tons of yarn! In the middle of packing it up to make a move, so I can sort as I go and see what will go together well. I love your FaceBook page and am enjoying your blog as well–keep the creative juices flowing, and my crochet hooks and knitting needles will try to keep up! Happy Easter Sunday!
I have made several square sampler stitch blankets and loved working them up. Maybe it is time to get into the stash again for a circle blanket! I think I can, I think I can. I really like the look of the circle and using edging patterns is a great tip. Thank you for sharing.
LOVE IT!
Th
I, too, am not confident enough with my skills to try something like this on my own. I absolutely would need a written pattern. So very distraught that there is no written pattern for something so beautiful. Sad face with tears streaming down
I would like to branch off making my own designs too. I really want to do my own mandala cals.
What I am trying to learn is approximately how many stitches the next rows need to still lay flat. I know the earlier ones are going to grow by a multiplier of how many stitches you put in your magic circle and in some way must continue when you change the pattern. I see they computerized it somewhere so someone must know how the stitches and spaces equal out or lay flat. Like how many single spaces does a 5 puff stich chain 2 5 puff stitch make. Is 4 chain spaces or does it get treated more like 8 chain spaces.
I dont like frogging when i find put my stitches were not enough and I started to get a bowl. Do you have tips on this?
Hi Brook, thank you for your comment. I don’t know if there is any written down rule for crochet or knitting of how many sts (e.g. puff sts) need to be added to have a piece that’s worked in the round laying flat. But it’ll definitely have to do with pi. You’re welcome to look for it online, maybe someone did some math and figured it out.
However, I can assure you from experience that the designing process will always entail frogging and redoing, most likely multiple times. That’s just part of the process.
I’m sorry I don’t have a better answer for you. Have a great weekend. 💕