Crochet blanket C15 using King Cole Mirage wool

I found the yarn for this in a charity shop, very reasonably priced.  I had previously knitted a blanket with it, so I knew I liked it, because of the self striping colour and the single ply construction  and despite its acrylic content - half wool half acrylic.  There were 11 balls, 9 burgundy, one blue and one apricot.  And it was suitable for bus crochet again.

 

In the previous crochet blanket I had decided that it was a good idea to do the last row in a block in double crochet stitch because it made it easier when joining.  So in Jan Eaton's book 200 crochet squares - my book for crochet block patterns - I found #37 with treble and dc rounds, ending with two dc rounds.  The pattern is for rounds in two colours, but with the self striping yarn I did it in one colour.

The crochet was fine, nice and relaxing.  The disadvantage with doing trebles in a self striping yarn is the abrupt change when you start a new round, so the blocks look slightly lopsided.  This took me by surprise, but I was not inclined to do anything about it.

When all the blocks are done I enjoy arranging them in a pleasing pattern for joining.  The options are numerous, and I don't spend too much time on it.  You can always find better ways when it is finished.  I didn't have enough yarn left to do the joining, so I bought Drops Delight sock wool in similar colours.  To my mind it looks all right.  The Drops is a sock yarn with wool 75% and nylon 25%, so it washes as well as the Mirage.  I joined the blocks by double crochet, and did a border with one round DC one round crab stitch.

It looks OK from the reverse too.

The picture of the finished blanket is not very good, but I am pleased with it, the blanket.  It is nearly large enough for a single bed, or it can be used as a throw.  It is washable.  Doing the crochet was nice, but I think I have done enough with Mirage now.  It is nice to get back to non-synthetic yarns.  This is the last in my back log of blankets to be finished, and that is a relief.








Blanket C15
Pattern:  Jan Eaton 200 Crochet Blocks, Block 37
Yarn:  King Cole Mirage DK weight wool 50% acrylic 50%
Weight: 1100 gr
Measurements: 156 cm by 123 cm
Crocheted:  7 April to 7 July 2013; finished 18 June 2014