Whit's Knits: Bear's Rainbow Blanket: N o V e M B e R 1 5, 2 0 1 2 Purl Bee

the purl bee - Bear's Rainbow Blanket
http://www.purlbee.com/bears-rainbow-blanket/2012/11/15/whi...
Whit's Knits: Bear's Rainbow Blanket

November 15, 2012 purl bee
Like many parents, I soon discovered after having a baby that I'd never
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actually been busy before. Basic things like taking showers and returning phone calls suddenly seemed overrated. But for me, one thing that has n e v e r b e e n d i s p e n s a b l e i s c r a f t i n g t h i n g s f o r m y s o n , B e a r.
I ' m n o t s a y i n g t h a t I s i t a r o u n d f o r h o u r s , d r e a m i l y s t i t c h i n g a w a y. N o , i t ' s more like a stolen moment here and a quick minute there; a few squares at j u r y d u t y, a c o u p l e m o r e i n a w a i t i n g r o o m , a n d t w o y e a r s l a t e r a b l a n k e t i s born!
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As drawn out as the process was, making Bear's Rainbow Blanket was always an exhilarating ride. Each step contained a world of wonderment, from Koigu Premium Merino's incredible hand dyed colors to this fascinating stitch pattern that magically turns a circle into a square; from the arrangement of dozens of colors and 108 squares to the daydreams of Bear d r a g g i n g h i s R a i n b o w B l a n k e t o ff t o c o l l e g e !
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I think I could have crocheted these squares for the rest of my life, but I finally stopped myself when I had enough to make a 40 x 54-inch blanket, the perfect size for my four year old. The bed pictured here is a queen, but this blanket is also right at home on a twin bed... or under a circle of p i c n i c k i n g s t u ff e d a n i m a l s !
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I've crafted quite a few things in my life, and though I have so much fondness for many of those things, this is perhaps the dearest to my heart. T h i s b l a n k e t e x p r e s s e s n o t o n l y m y l o v e f o r m y s o n , b u t f o r c r a f t i n g t o o . To pursue a grand plan to its very end is the chocolate cake of crafting: a rich and deeply satisfying experience!
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To s t a r t c o n c o c t i n g y o u r o w n g r a n d p l a n , r e a d o n !
The Materials
To M a k e t h e E x a c t S a m e B l a n k e t
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FINISHED SIZE: 40 x 54 inches (9 squares x 12 squares) To m a k e y o u r b l a n k e t j u s t l i k e m i n e y o u c a n o r d e r o u r C o m p l e t e R a i n b o w Blanket Kit right here. It includes 52 skeins of Koigu Premium Merino (KPM), 1 0 0 % M e r i n o Wo o l . T h e y a r e : 11 s k e i n s o f c o l o r # 0 0 f o r t h e b o r d e r s . 41 skeins for the inside squares. One skein of each of the following colors: F i r s t c o l u m n ( f a r l e f t , f r o m t h e t o p ) : 11 7 5 , 11 7 3 , 11 5 5 , 11 4 5 , 11 4 3 , 2 1 2 1 , 11 0 0 , 2 2 2 7 , 2 2 2 9 , 2 2 2 0 , a n d 11 9 5 S e c o n d c o l u m n : 111 0 , 2 2 0 0 , 1 2 4 0 , 1 2 0 0 , 2 1 8 0 , 2 1 0 0 , 2 3 3 5 , 2 4 2 3 , 1521, and 1521.5 Third column: 2339, 1520, 1051, 1532, 1504, 1500, 2130, 1045, 1043, and 1010.5 Fourth column: 3016, 2405, 2403, 2390.5, 2290, 3003, 2164, 2416, 11 5 6 , a n d 1 4 0 0 (The blanket is made up of 108 squares, but this is enough colored y a r n t o m a k e o v e r 4 0 0 i n s i d e s q u a r e s ! [ Yo u w o u l d n e e d m o r e y a r n f o r
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the outside borders.]) Yo u w i l l a l s o n e e d : A size D

crochet hook
To M a k e a C r i b S i z e B l a n k e t
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FINISHED SIZE: 32 x 41 inches (7 squares x 9 squares) To m a k e a s m a l l e r v e r s i o n o f t h e R a i n b o w B l a n k e t , y o u c a n o r d e r o n e o f our Rainbow Crib Blanket Kits right here. It includes a total of 13 skeins of Koigu Premium Merino: 7 colors for the inside squares and 6 of color #00 for the outside borders. Arrange the 63 finished squares however you want! C h o o s e f r o m s i x d i ff e r e n t R a i n b o w C r i b B l a n k e t K i t s ( s h o w n a b o v e ) :
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( t o p l e f t ) : 2 3 9 0 . 5 , 3 0 0 3 , 11 5 6 , 2 4 0 3 , 2 1 6 4 , 2 4 1 6 , a n d 2 2 9 0 + 6 skeins of 00 K i t c h e n G a r d e n ( t o p r i g h t ) : 11 9 5 , 1 2 4 0 , 2 2 0 0 , 2 3 3 9 , 1 5 2 1 . 5 , 1 0 5 1 , a n d 1521 + 6 skeins of 00 Dolphin (middle left): 1500, 2130, 1043, 3016, 1504, 1045, and 1010.5 + 6 skeins of 00 Mineral (middle right): 2335, 2403, 3003, 2180, 1200, 2290, and 2390.5 + 6 skeins of 00 P i x i e ( b o t t o m l e f t ) : 1 2 4 0 , 11 7 3 , 2 2 0 0 , 11 4 3 , 2 1 2 1 , 11 5 5 , a n d 2 1 0 0 + 6 skeins of 00 Pickup Truck (bottom right): 2403, 2229, 2390.5, 2405, 1010.5, 3016, and 2227 + 6 skeins of 00
Pebble
Yo u w i l l a l s o n e e d : A size D
crochet hook
To D e s i g n Yo u r O w n B l a n k e t
Here is what you need to know to: Each skein of KPM is 50 grams and 175 yards. B e a r ' s R a i n b o w B l a n k e t i s 9 x 1 2 s q u a r e s ( 1 0 8 s q u a r e s t o t a l ) . To m a k e the same size, you'll need at least a total of 22 skeins of KPM. If you w a n t a b o r d e r c o l o r, y o u ' l l n e e d 11 o f i t , p l u s a t l e a s t 11 m o r e s k e i n s for the inside squares. Each square uses about 32-34 total yards of KPM; 17-18 yards for the i n s i d e s q u a r e a n d 1 5 - 1 6 y a r d s f o r t h e o u t s i d e b o r d e r. 1 s k e i n o f K P M c a n m a k e 1 0 i n s i d e s q u a r e s o r 11 o u t s i d e b o r d e r s . Each square measures 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches. A skein of KPM Needlepoint Yarn is 3.125 grams and 10.9 yards, so for 1 inside square you need 2 KPM Needlepoint skeins. Purl Soho always has a beautiful selection of Koigu's KPM. Click to see it all, and have fun!
here
Notes On Koigu
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Koigu Premium Merino is hand dyed in small batches so please know that each dye lot is unique. This means that if you use one of our kits, it will look a lot like ours but will have some variations. It also means that if consistency is important to you, buy enough! K P M i s m a c h i n e w a s h a b l e o n a c o l d , g e n t l e c y c l e . H o w e v e r, I w o u l d recommend pre-soaking any dark or saturated skeins in a warm white vinegar bath before you roll them into balls.
Crocheted Square Pattern

Gauge
6 1/4 double crochets crochets = 1 inch

Finished Size
Each square is 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches
Inside Square
R o u n d 1 : Wi t h t h e I n s i d e C o l o r, c h a i n 3 i n t o a n double crochet (dc) into the loop...
adjustable loop
, make 15
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... join to third stitch of beginning chain with a
slip stitch
. (16 stitches)
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Round 2: Chain 3, [2 dc into next stitch] 15 times to beginning chain, 1 dc into base of chain...
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... join to third stitch of chain with a
slip stitch
. (32 stitches)
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Round 3: Chain 3, *2 dc into next stitch, 1 dc into next stitch, repeat from * to last stitch, 2 dc into last stitch, slip stitch into third chain. (48 stitches)
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Round 4: Chain 4, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, 1 chain...
treble crochet
[tr]) into the base of the
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..*skip 2 stitches, 1 half double crochet (hdc) into next 2 stitches, 1 sc into n e x t 3 s t i t c h e s , 1 h d c i n t o n e x t 2 s t i t c h e s , s k i p 2 s t i t c h e s , ( 1 t r, 2 d c , c h a i n 2, 2 dc, 1 tr) into next stitch, repeat from * 2 more times, skip 2 stitches, 1 hdc into next 2 stitches, 1 sc into next 3 stitches, 1 hdc into next 2 stitches, slip stitch into 4th chain.
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R o u n d 5 : C h a i n 3 , 1 d c i n t o n e x t 2 s t i t c h e s , * ( 1 d c , 2 t r, c h 2 , 2 t r, 1 d c ) into corner space, 1 dc into each stitch to corner (13 dc's), rep from * 2 m o r e t i m e s , ( 1 d c , 2 t r, c h 2 , 2 t r, 1 d c ) i n t o c o r n e r s p a c e , 1 d c i n t o e a c h stitch to beginning chain (10 dc's), slip stitch into 3rd chain. Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch.
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Outside Border
Round 1: Join Border Color into a corner space. (Chain 3, 1 dc, chain 2, 2 dc) into corner space, *1 dc into each stitch to next corner space (19 dc's), (2 dc, chain 2, 2 dc) into corner space, repeat from * 2 more times, 1 dc into each stitch to beginning corner (19 dc's), slip stitch into 3rd chain.
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Round 2: Chain 3, 1 dc into next stitch, *5 dc into corner space, 1 dc into each stitch to next corner space (23 dc's), repeat from * 2 more times, 5 dc into corner space, 1 dc into each stitch to beginning chain (21 dc's), slip stitch into 3rd chain. Cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch.
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We a v e i n w h a t e v e r e n d s y o u d i d n ' t a l r e a d y c r o c h e t o v e r.
Layout
If you are making the same exact blanket as this one, here is the layout of all the squares. (Note that in some of the story's photos the blanket is flipped over so that this layout is a mirror image of what you may see in the photos.)
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Assembling
T h e r e a r e l o t s o f w a y s t o a t t a c h y o u r s q u a r e s t o g e t h e r. S o m e p e o p l e l i k e t o crochet them together using a slip stitch or even a single crochet, but I prefer to sew them together with a length of yarn and a tapestry needle. And again there are several of ways to do that: a running stitch, some variation on a blanket stitch, or my preferred method, a whip stitch. Experiment and decide what you like best! To w h i p s t i t c h , I b r o u g h t t h e n e e d l e u n d e r b o t h s t r a n d s o f t h e e d g e s t i t c h e s . I n s t e a d o f t u r n i n g t h e n e e d l e a r o u n d t o c o m e b a c k t h e o t h e r w a y, I p u s h e d my needle through in the same direction for every stitch.
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Remember to save yourself some trouble and sew over whatever ends you can!
I hope you enjoy this project as much as I did! And happy hooking!
Article originally appeared on the purl bee (http://www.purlbee.com/). See website for complete article licensing information.
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Whit's Knits: Bear's Rainbow Blanket: N o V e M B e R 1 5, 2 0 1 2 Purl Bee

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the purl bee - Bear's Rainbow Blanket