@BonBon I’m really enjoying this project. I love the yarn…a fingering weight superwash Merino and Nylon. And each skein as lovely as the last. This blanket will go on our queen size bed, so it will be a big one!
Eeek! I’ve been dreading this question. How long of a list of excuses will be accepted? Truth be told, progress is slow mostly because I’ve fallen into a trap of my own making. I don’t like what I’m making anymore. Has this ever happened to anyone else? Y’all know I’m not really a lot-a-color lover so keep wanting to tone this down somehow. I know I can’t or it will turn out weird but I’m fighting my instincts. All I’ve got done is the panels joined, the first border on and the first round of 45 squares done (yep, counting those unwoven ended babies as done). I’m thinking I’ll need about 108 for this round but we’ll see once I pick a joining method. There’s a long way to go to get this guy to twin size so I know I won’t be done by the time this CAL is done. Is there a penalty?
I can’t wait to see this when you are done. Those big projects have so much love inside. I’ve also got a queen size on the hook and they do take a while. Looking so good. Is your yarn wool? Superwash?
Sorry mistakenly hit enter. I know it’s superwash, I was wanting to know how the superwash actually washes up.
@Kathy, I’ve got my eye on both a curtain and a tablecloth pattern. Is 20 the “normal” size for these items? Also, are those items usually mercerized? If you don’t use your Mom’s thread, what do you use? I see I should probably be asking all this in the thread crochet topic. Sorry.
I understand that when you’re out of your color element you can start to feel a little unsure. So let me (unbiased observer and lover of color) assure you… that is freakin’ beautiful!!
Oh, and yes, there is a penalty for not finishing on time. You have to send me that blanket 
@pinesprairie Yes, this will be a labor of love. It’s going to be a while before it’s done but I’m enjoying it. It’s also a great on the go project.
@pinesprairie All the yarn I’m using is superwash Marino and Nylon 75/25. They have washed up beautifully. I did get some from Knits Picks and I felt it was a little plumper than fingering and a little fuzzy. Not bad, I’m still going use them, but just an observation. This blanket is going to be on my bed so it won’t be tossed in the wash too often, not like some of the other blankets I’m made.
@BonBon, @Kathy7661 Thanks for those kind words, it’s just what I needed. Inspiration struck and I’ve changed up this next round a bit. You’ve made my day so thank you!
@BonBon, I’ll get right to work on yours
@Kathy7661 I use mostly cotton or acrylic due to people’s allergies so have never used superwash. The smell in some of the handmade wool I’ve used turned me into a cotton lover yet I’d like to give the superwash a go. Can you dry it? Where else do you get yours? Do you wet & pin to block? Thanks for answering.
@pinesprairie I can’t wear wool but the superwash that I’ve used in the past doesn’t seem to bother me as much. This blanket will go over top another light blanket on the bed so I figured I’d have a barrier in between. The yarn seems very soft and nice but you never know.
I’ve been soaking some skeins that I think may run and letting them air dry. When I complete a group of squares I do wet them. I don’t pin them, I just reshape them and let them air dry too. It’s not necessary but I just like having them all squared up.
The finished blanket will be washed and dried.
I’ve been buying most of my minis from hand dyers on Etsy. We’ll be going to the Michigan Fiber Festival next month so I’m hoping to grab more there!
@Kathy7661 Thanks for the info. Going to check it all out on one of my next projects. Here’s hoping the Yarn Gods bless you at the Festival!
Still plugging away at my granny squares for the Battenberg Blanket. Making good progress. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Maybe it’s the beautiful yarn I’m working with but I rarely crochet during the summer and right now that’s all I want to do!
@BonBon We talked before about me using Cloudborn alpaca/silk/wool blend yarn on the virus shawl pattern you’re making, so I came across my photos and thought I’d post it here. Hope that’s okay.
How many squares do you have done? More importantly, how many left? That is truly going to be a work of art. And, there’s never ever anything wrong with you when you crochet. I know what you mean though about the summer. This CAL has got me trying to fit hooky time in the smallest time frame ever.
That shawl is so pretty and I like the color. It goes with anything, anywhere, anytime. You do nice work! 
Well, it looks like my infinity shawl is not going to get done before the deadline. I got almost halfway through it, and realized I made it WAY too big! I’m going to have to frog it back to the very beginning, and start from scratch.
But, I am a little over halfway done with the Diamond Mesh Blanket, and if things go the way they have over the last three days, it will be done by the Aug 4th deadline. I posted these pictures on my blog project thread, but I thought I would post them here, as well.
By the way, when I get this done, finish writing up the pattern, and I get it tech edited, I will be opening a pattern test for this blanket. I will need maybe 3 or 4 testers for it, and anyone that tests for me, receives the completed ‘official’ pattern as a thank you. This will be some where in mid to late August. My tech editor is on vacation, so I will have to wait until she gets back.
@pinesprairie I have about 200 colored squares done. I think I’ll need around 400. And then I’ll need 400 of the cream color. I’ll be here a while!
Thank you for the nice comment about the shawl!
That is lovely! Do you remember what the yarn weight is? I’m using fingering for my Virus, and it is so tedious!!
Loving the sparkly blanket! You’ve been busy 