Hooked Part 1

My grandma's favorite afghan pattern was the first I used to make blankets. While I was on Christmas break my first year of college, I decided I wanted to start doing projects bigger than scarves, so of course, I enlisted the professional (my grandma) for help. I wanted to make two blankets, one for each of my Resident Assistants, and she helped me choose color schemes and made sure that I bought enough yarn for each blanket. She gave me the pattern and walked me through how to start the blankets, switch colors, and add a border to the finished blanket, and I was off.

That January term, I was taking a class that offered extra credit for every episode of The X Files that we watched outside of class (J-term was weird okay). Being the only class I had for those three and a half weeks, I had plenty of free time to watch X Files, and, of course, crochet. I crocheted morning to night, somehow never getting tired of working on those blankets. Around two weeks later, I had completed the first blanket (minus the border, which I needed a refresher course from Grandma on).

I was hooked. (lol get it? hooked? no? okay bye)

Anyway, I started on the second blanket right away. It took a little longer because the spring semester started up about midway through, but it eventually took shape:

Each color change made me more obsessed with the craft; I loved seeing the colors together and seeing something that started out as balls of yarn become something else by my own hands. I was sending my grandma these pictures as updates on how I was doing, and I was obviously thrilled when they were finally complete: 

Shortly after finishing these two blankets, I found an incredible pattern on Pinterest (of course) and immediately knew I needed to make it for my mom's birthday. I made my friend go to the yarn store 40 minutes away with me the same day I found the pattern because I just couldn't wait. Here's me being problematic in the yarn store: 

I refused to use a cart. I don't know why. I dropped a skein about every ten seconds and Dustin followed behind me picking them up. Dustin is a good friend. (Thx Dusty)

The blanket consisted of thirty 9x9" squares of 10 different patterns that are later sewed together to create the finished blanket; it seemed so easily doable to my brain. The above picture was taken in March. The final product was gifted the following Christmas. Oops. It was much more taxing that I originally thought, but the finished product and my mom's reaction was worth it. 

First semester of sophomore year was the semester of me making WAY too many blankets. The first was for myself (a test blanket, or at least that's how I justified it). I use it almost every day, it's so warm and I'm so proud. 

The next was my grandma's Christmas gift:

And the next three were commissions requested by some friends and family (only two pictured):

I'm taking a bit of a break from the blanket making at the moment, mostly because I can't easily access a yarn store here in South Loop. But I'm definitely not done.