Blanket statement

Hello again and welcome to my potential Hydrangea Blanket disaster! 

 

That's probably an overstatement. I mean, I do have a tiny blister starting on the finger the hook swivels over (will park some bandages by my working chair so I don't forget to put one on for cushioning). And the blanket *is* belling, despite my starting with a larger hook and moving on with a smaller. 

 

Mostly. I did swatch a million times, and I did know I needed to go down to a 3.5mm at about the second colour, but the 4 mm was just so comfortable, apart from the blister! I've done it now, and honestly I don't think the red shells look smaller than the others, do you?

 

So I'm carrying on and seeing a little difference already. Just... not in that picture in front of the window.

Plus I'm 5" into this thing, having dutifully run in all the ends every three colour changes, so it would be a heartbreak to rip back! 

 

In good news, the starting chain is so elastic owing to my having cast on twice as much as I needed, and working into every other loop, it's easy to smooth it out and make it flat. When I do the border later, working into all the loops might help stretch it for good. 

Before the smoothening:

After the smoothening: 

One other development is that when I had it all laid out last night on the dining room table, I measured the width, which is 57". The pattern specifies 47". I reduced the number of chains to achieve 47". So what the heck happened? I mean, I have a BLISTER. How on earth can I be that relaxed as to have my work sag out by 10"??

I can think of only two answers. 

1/ I'm on vacation because I got my manuscript done

2/ Crochet really is that restful.  

On the upside (if you don't count those two pleasant things) those AddiSwing hooks are so amazing, I haven't had a single issue with carpal tunnel like I did when I used a regular straight hook. Apart from the blister and the hazards of that much sitting, I could crochet forever.

Here are the next three colours coming up... 

And they are the last. After that, Lucy's pattern shakes up the order of operations so different colours get a chance to team up. These colours are my choices, not hers, so they won't be as fantastic, but it's so much fun to jump to the next! I'm hoping my minty green will look better in context with the next one coming, and in future colour combinations. It is in my drapes, so I'm having faith in it. 

Okay, gotta dash. Have a wonderful weekend my friends, and thanks so much for stopping by! See you next Saturday, hopefully with more blanket and not less, ha!