Putting it together

I have now been working on my Granny Hexagon blanket for months.  It started as a challenge to myself to try a new pattern and to push myself and try and become more confident in my crochet abilities.  I had always had more success with knitting in the past.  When I crochet I struggled with my tension and reading patterns is still something I need to work on, but through this project I have found my stride and really have grown to enjoy crochet (in some areas even more than knitting).  While I still like the look of a knit hats better than crochet one, I must confess the ease of fixing a mistake in crochet makes so happy that I might end up reaching for a hook rather than needles. I think each has there perks, but being able to switch between the two techniques makes all the hours in this project so worth it.

As I moved on to the last part of this project I returned to Bella Coco for her fantastic tutorials.  If you haven't read my original blog on this project check it out to find the link to the YouTube channel that has helped so much. If you fast forward the video you come to the part where she explains how to join your hexagons as you go.  It seems complicated at first but it actually moves very quickly and creates a really secure connection.  For my blanket I have not really thought out the joining together, and had I done so I would used the dark gray round on each hexagon to join the blanket....but alas I got carried away (shocking I know) and had to make an adjustment.  Each of my hexagons is one round bigger than the ones in the tutorial because of this.  But I am actually really happy with the look of the dark and light gray contrast. And it makes my overall blanket slightly bigger which I am also please about. 

When preparing to work on joining I went to my blanket all laid out and safety pinned to a sheet and transfer three-four rows at a time onto a scrape piece of fabric that I could carry with me around the house or on the go...although the bigger the blanket gets the harder it is to cart it with me places...

I decided not to make half hexagons to square up the blanket.  I think that irregular edge is part of the charm on making something out of a hexagon shape.  If the funky edge is not your style Bella Coco does have a half hexagon tutorial.  

The Best part about making a blanket is that as it grows your get to both work on your project and snuggle up under a warm blanket (only nice right now if the AC and/or fan is on).  For my Puggle Harper she just can not wait for the blanket to get finished before she starts to love on it.  Every time I pull out the blanket to work on it she is by my side in seconds.  She starts off to the side and before I know it she has worked her way under the blanket and is snoring (loudly) away. 

 She has been eyeing the blanket even back when it was still in hundreds of pieces. She is the whole reason I had to safety pin it to a sheet when I laid it out.  I am over the half way mark of putting everything together and in the next few weeks I will be putting the finishing touches on it and putting a big check mark in the finished projects check list. 

"Are you making those for me mom?"