The Crochet Bobble Texture Blanket and Pillow is intended to give you the encouragement of new skill-building of creating your blanket. 5 distinct sections include the following:
- Ridge and Loop Stitch - 12" tall section.
- Bobble Stitch Diamonds - 10" tall section.
- Diamond Trellis - 12" tall section.
- Loop Stitch Diamonds - 10" tall section.
- Ridge and Cables - 12" tall section
- Border is 1.5" thick.
The blanket is 46" x 57.5". The pillow is 14" x 24". The stitch sampler-based blanket is considered an intermediate level and the pillow is an easy level. Crochet written instructions, diagrams and video tutorials will compliment this series filmed for JOANN.
Alternative Stitches for Loop Stitches
There were requests for people who don't like the Loop Stitch to have a different option. Erin, the designer, has come up with an alternative for where the loop stitching is. She did testing swatches to ensure. Fair warning, this results in increasing your yarn quantities.
You can print or save the designer's diagram by clicking on the pictures.
Week 1 - Alternative (2 Choices)
Chain Stitch
You could create the loops by working a ch-6 between single crochet stitches instead of the loop stitches and then pushing those chains to the right side of the work, but this will significantly increase the yardage requirements. I have sketched this option in row 4 of the Ridge and Loop Stitch Pattern below and similarly in the 18th row of the Loop Stitch Diamond Pattern.
Treble Crochet
The treble crochet stitch in place of the loop stitches will form subtle bobbles. When they are worked between single crochet stitches, the extra length of the treble crochet stitch will get squished down to stick out of the fabric (the bump should be pushed to the right side of the work), forming little nubbly bobbles. This will only work when they are used with at least one single crochet stitch before and at least one after them, so instead of working 1 treble crochet for each loop stitch, you would have to work 1 treble crochet stitch for a loop stitch and then 1 single crochet stitch for the next loop stitch- continuing in this way, alternating 1 treble crochet and 1 single crochet, along the row where the loops stitches are patterned. I have sketched this option in row 4 of the Ridge and Loop Stitch Pattern below and similarly in the 18th row of the Loop Stitch Diamond Pattern.
Week 4 - Alternative (2 Choices)
Chain Stitch
You could create the loops by working a ch-6 between single crochet stitches instead of the loop stitches and then pushing those chains to the right side of the work, but this will significantly increase the yardage requirements. I have sketched this option in row 4 of the Ridge and Loop Stitch Pattern below and similarly in the 18th row of the Loop Stitch Diamond Pattern.
Treble Crochet
The treble crochet stitch in place of the loop stitches will form subtle bobbles. When they are worked between single crochet stitches, the extra length of the treble crochet stitch will get squished down to stick out of the fabric (the bump should be pushed to the right side of the work), forming little nubbly bobbles. This will only work when they are used with at least one single crochet stitch before and at least one after them, so instead of working 1 treble crochet for each loop stitch, you would have to work 1 treble crochet stitch for a loop stitch and then 1 single crochet stitch for the next loop stitch- continuing in this way, alternating 1 treble crochet and 1 single crochet, along the row where the loops stitches are patterned. I have sketched this option in row 4 of the Ridge and Loop Stitch Pattern below and similarly in the 18th row of the Loop Stitch Diamond Pattern.
Yarn Quantities
During the filming, I used more yarn than suggested in the pattern for the Bernat Symphony. Though the pattern calls for 8 balls, I would buy 9. The sizing of the loop stitch is dependent on your fingers and how your tension is, you could be like me and use more yarn due to having loose tension or your fingers are thicker than the original designers.
This Bernat Symphony and Bernat Freesia is only available at select JOANN Retail Location. For the USA, you may order through JOANN.com to have it delivered.
For those in Canada, Bernat Symphony and Bernat Freesia will be available on Yarnspirations.com for home delivery as it won't be available in Canadian Stores at this time. An exact date is not known as the yarn is in transit to the distribution centres of Yarnspirations at this time.
Bernat Symphony Version
This version doesn't have you change colours for each suggested time. You simply crochet until your heart's content and then dive into the next ball. This will self-stripe your afghan.
Bernat® Symphony™ (7.9 oz/225 g; 309 yds/282 m)
- Sea Spray (21006) 8 balls (I would buy 9 balls if I were you.)
Bernat Velvet Version
This version requires you to change out your yarn colours to match the sample. However, the colour changing is subjective to you.
Bernat® Velvet™ (10.5 oz/300 g; 315 yds/288 m)
- Contrast A Indigo Velvet (32007) 3 balls
- Contrast B Softened Blue (32008) 2 balls
- Contrast C Velveteal (32005) 2 balls
Bernat Freesia Version
This also requires you to change your colours to match the sample. Colour changing is indicated on the pattern.
Bernat® Freesia™ (7.9 oz/225 g; 309 yds/282 m)
- Contrast A Indigo (24007) 4 balls
- Contrast B Vanilla (24002) 3 balls
- Contrast C Frosted Pine (24006) 3 balls
Hook and Gauge
Size U.S. K/10.5 (6.5 mm) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge.
Each Section Builds On - No Sewing
The 5 sections continually build up. So there is no sewing. However, you should know that the week 1 foundation chain works for all 5. It's multiple is 12+28. This will give you 124 chains to start.
1st Row: (RS). 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook. 1 sc in each ch to end of ch. Turn. 123 sc.
It's the 123 single crochet (sc) that makes this work for all 5. There's a further opportunity.
Mix & Match
We learned in the Spring Stitch Along with the mosaic that you love to mix and match. The designer has given you the power to know the stitch multiples for each section. Just keep in mind, if you mix and match, you will change your yarn quantities, however, I still think it's great to know.
Each of the sections gives you the stitch multiples for the individual stitch itself. If you really love one of the sections, you can do it as a solo blanket too. However, if you want to mix and match with the other sections, the 123 sc across needs to be maintained.
Each section has it's own stitch multiples if starting from scratch. It's also covered in the tutorials in each introduction for the section.
Please note that The Crochet Crowd is not collecting photos for the knitting versions.
About the Designer
From the same knit and crochet designer, Erin Black, from Ontario Canada. Erin is the same designer that did the Crochet Mosaic Woven Blanket we did with JOANN back in Spring 2020.
Erin is known for layers and really pushing boundaries of textured concepts. Behind the scenes, she's engaging and really helpful. She shows courage in pushing challenges for us crocheters that help us build up our skills.
VIDEOS
Main Introduction
Tutorials
Provided in Left & Right Formats. Closed Captioning provided by Diane Suder. Each section took Mikey about 4+ hours to complete.
Week 1 - September 14, 2020
Week 2 - September 21, 2020
Week 3 - September 28, 2020
Week 4 - October 05, 2020
Week 5 - October 12, 2020
Week 6 - October 19, 2020
Marjorie H Gibson says
Mikey thank you for the alternative stitches. I could not master the loops (still practicing and getting a little closer to success but still not there). I had done my own alternate for the ridge and loops section (bobbles) before you posted this but now am doing the 6 chains for section 4 (I am doing that in place of section 2 so I don't have two bobble sections together. Section 2 will be done during week 4.) I am glad I bought 12 balls of the yarn. I may not have enough for the pillow now but I am so happy with my blanket. Thanks for all you and your team do to help us succeed with our projects.
Stephanie says
Is there a way to print out your blog posts?
Mikey says
We just have the option to print the patterns, not the posts itself. We had something but it was malware. We had something else but then people get confused on pushing print and it's the article without the pattern included. So it's a catch-22. I can relook for something.
Stephanie says
Thank you so much for adding that feature to your blog. You do so much for the crochet community and it is greatly appreciated.
Pooey says
Hello can I use a worsted weight yarn instead of a bulky yarn?
Marina King says
you could but you would have to adjust your hook size, and it will work up smaller so you would have to adjust chains according to the size you want.