So my 2020 square a day project didn’t turn out as I might have liked but then again, neither did 2020. This time I decided to try and keep things a little more simple.
Rather than track moon phase and star sign I’m just going to stick with moon phase. I’ve increased the number of chromatic shades and will change colour based on the percentage illumination at the point I look at it (based on my moon phase app). This should result in a nice colour change which replicates moon phase calendars.
I still wanted to incorporate a star into the final blanket, and be able to join as I go or else I’d loose the will to live sewing all the parts together. Fortunately I found a vintage blanket tile pattern by Annoo which could be turned into a join as you go module blanket tile by dropping the final round and modifying the corners from a 3dc cluster into a v-stitch cluster. I also decided to drop the colour change and worked out how to complete the joining round without breaking the yarn.
Unfortunately I found the starting change did not work for me. At first I didn’t understand why so increased it from 23 to 26 chains, placing my first dc into the 6th chain from the hook. It wasnt until I’d finished the third days tile that I realised what the problem had been… I’d read the pattern wrong.
The pattern title of had locked my brain into a traditional granny cluster placed in chain spaces, like a traditional granny square or stripe. So, using the original starting chain, I created clusters. This of course didn’t work out, resulting in a tight and uneven first and second rows. I checked back on the pattern, couldn’t see what I was doing wrong, so added the three chains and changed the first worked stitch, assuming that there was a typo.
I should have more patience, because I was not reading the pattern with due care and attention. Annie’s pattern is worked across stitches of the previous row, anchoring stitches rather than leaving them floating in chain spaces. This results in a slightly more ridged tile, though I dont think the over all size is affected.
By the time I’d realised what I’d done wrong I already had three tiles joined and weaved in all my ends and was not massively keen on frogging or just abandoning the yarn and starting again, particularly as I like the effect and the star doesn’t loose anything in its form. I have decided that at the end of every month I will block the blanket by pinning it out on the living room carpet, which is not something I did for last years Moon and Stars blanket as it should help with the overall shape of the final blanket.
Hopefully the pattern snafu will be the only problem this years project has, just like I hope one instance of open insurrection in the United states is the the worst thing we have have to deal with this year… though excuse me while I don’t hold my breath on either count.
Knot Magick 