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Remember that TV commercial, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing?” I don’t even remember what was being advertised but it came to mind as I put the finishing touches on my version of the Kathy Merrick’s Babette Blanket.
Using Worsted Weight Yarn Resulted in a Huge Babette Blanket
As you can see, I had to stand a few feet above the blanket to get a full-view photo, so the dimensions look a bit skewed. The finished blanket is about 5 ft x 5 ft, definitely large enough to cover me on a cool Hawaii evening.
Sewing all the squares together was easier than I thought it would be. I just followed the pattern diagram until I had three big sections to sew together. The last section two sections I sewed were #10 to the rest of the blanket.
Mistakes Were Easy to Hide
I have to confess that I’d made mistakes in a couple of the squares, leaving out a ch-2 corner in one and not having enough stitches on one side of a couple of the squares. But at that point, no way was I going to correct them.
The big challenge, however, was making squares that often were not the same gauge fit into the overall pattern. This was fairly easy to fix because the squares themselves have a finite number of stitches per side, so all I did was match stitches to stitches as I sewed.
The “Crab Stitch” (aka Reverse Single Crochet) Border
Adding a border also helped to create a uniformly square blanket. I used an “H” hook to crochet the squares and a “G” hook to crochet the border. I thought that would help encase the blanket in a nice sturdy enclosure and hide the gauge issue. I did the final row of the 5-row border in reverse single crochet or “crab” stitch. I thought that was a nice decorative touch, not to frilly, yet distinctive.
Last Tasks – Weaving in the Ends and Washing
I still haven’t woven all the ends in. Once I do, I’m not sure if I should wash it at this point (at some point I’ll have to, seeing as how things tend to get dirty). That’s easy enough to do since I used acrylic yarn, mostly Red Heart.
I was thinking of hanging it on the wall, and the unwashed version is stiffer than I know it will be once washed and dried with fabric softener, and thus better able to hold the weight. On the other hand, my daughter has been making subtle hints that she would like to be its proud owner. We’ll just have to see about that.
Will I Make Another Babette Blanket?
Probably not. This was a HUGE undertaking and I have to tell you I was starting to go bonkers sewing all the squares together.
Would I recommend this pattern to crocheters, novice and advance alike? Absolutely! It was really fun playing with the colors. I had no idea how my color selections would turn out. Kind of like a freeform crochet project where you have this vision of how your piece will turn out, only to be delightfully surprised by a different end result.
23 comments On My Babette Blanket – I Can’t Believe I Made the Whole Thing!
That is spectacular! I agree, the border helps pull it together. The colors are fantastic.
Um, I can’t believe it’s Red Heart? I’m going to have to reassess my opinions on Red Heart.
i LOVE it!
Wow! that’s great!! Nice work!!
Hey Debbie, Sandy and M.K., thanks for stopping by and thanks for the feedback!
Yeah, M.K., Red Heart’s not so bad once washed, plus it lasts for centuries. I will admit, some of the yarn is harsh on the fingers while you’re crocheting, but it works well as an affordable alternative to the animal fibers.
I’m finding that, for some reason, the smaller skeins of Red Heart, i.e., Red Heart Classic, or softer than the larger, Red Heart Supersaver skeins. Don’t know why. Might have something to do with the dyeing process.
your babette it wonderful. I amd in the process of making one. i started it about 2 years ago for my neice (a baby present). It’s currently a UFO though I’d like to finish it for christmas! you make my finger itch to finish it.
lovely work!
Hi Allena! Thanks so much for the positive feedback!
You’ll be surprised at how fast your Babette project goes once you get back to it. Even though I made mine over a 4 month time span, I didn’t work consistently for 4 months, maybe 2.5. Good luck with it!
Beautiful… I’ve been wanting to make one for a long time…. Maybe soon…. do you think it would be possible to assemble as you crochet… to save time and worry? or am I being too optimistic???? It’s part of what is stopping me.
good work!!!
Merci beaucoup, Potiron! My French sucks so I’ll stop there.
Assemble as you crochet … hmmm … it’s doable; you would have to create the squares using the schematic diagram, so that, for example, you crochet all the squares in section one, then sew them together, then crochet all teh squares in section 2 and sew them together, and so on. There are ten sections total, so you would still have to sew these ten sections together at some point. Hope that made sense.
P.S. I love the little sweater you knitted. I like your version with the long sleeves.
Thanks for stopping by.
Looks great! I love the colors, somehow all the brights together makes it not look at bright.
Interesting observation, lilikoi! I think the blues (turquoise, light blue) help tone it down too, as well as the border.
Thanks for your positive feedback :-)!
Very pretty. I love the colors
Hey Theresa! Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for the feedback!
Hello Patrice, Thank you for visiting my blog. I think the site is still up it is the Dishcloth Botique. http://www.jimsyldesign.com
Thanks, Theresa! The patterns are great. I really like the ballerina dishcloth!
Nice! I have been putting mine together in sections as I go along, and forcing myself to weave in all the ends for each section before moving on. I just don’t see myself ever finishing if I have to sew all at one time.
Oh, and I think the ad was for Alka Seltzer, for the indigestion you got after you at the whole thing… am I showing my age by remembering that??
Hey again, Beth. I crocheted over all my ends, so the only ends I had to weave in were the first and the last. I just couldn’t see myself weaving countless ends; it would have driven me crazy.
Thanks for remember the Alka Seltzer commercial. I remember it now!
yeay!yeay!! Bellisima! Good Job!
Thanks, Anjelica!!
I made a similar afghan years ago that was called “Stained Glass.” Using scrap yarn, I was fairly random with my colors, but the last round of each square was black. Then, by using black to connect the squares AND to do the surrounding border, each color “popped” in the final blanket. The completed project was bedspread [queen bed] sized, and given as a wedding gift. My only regret was not getting a picture of the completed project because, trust me, I don’t expect to tackle something of this size again in this lifetime.
Hey Deb, your afghan sounds wonderful. I’m familiar with the technique of edging the squares and the entire afghan in black. It DOES make the colors pop. And I know what you mean. I will probably never make another Babette unless it’s for an infant :-). Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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