Christmas 2021 will ring in an unconventional stitch along called The Study of the Journey. It is rare for a paid pattern to be filmed but as a tutorial host and our other Study of Series are filmed, I felt it was important to film this to lend support to our community.
The blanket is a journey of stitches I have learned since 2008. It's a heavy mix of textures that will have you feeling an incredible sense of pride. A tremendous amount of thought when into the execution of the ordering and colours. Designed with only 3 colours.
Errors Located In the Book - SEE ALL ERRORS
This pattern is in our first ever book that launched in September 2021. Simply called The Crochet Crowd, Inspire, Create and Celebrate.
I'm Taking a Chance On You
Usually, when a paid pattern is filmed, it lends itself to people handing over the pattern illegally through doing copies and distributing the pattern without purchase. No, the individual pattern isn't available for purchase as the cost of the book is affordable with 15 patterns with high-quality photography and diagrams that Daniel has done.
The yarn inside the trunk is Patons Inspired.
So, I am directly asking you not to hand over the pattern freely and allow people to purchase the book as literally there are 1000's hours invested into the book. I took a stand with my publisher to trust in us and he agreed it was okay. I told my publisher that I cannot put out a book with no pattern support for at least one project.
The finished sample was done with the following:
Patons® Inspired™ (150 g/5.3 oz, 203 m/222 yds)
- Contrast A - Silver Gray Heather 4 Balls
- Contrast B - Pacific Blue 4 Balls
- Contrast C - Sapphire Teal 3 Balls
Use size 6.5 mm, U.S. K/10.5 hook or hook size to obtain gauge. The project total is 1547 m/1692 yds. You will have some yarn leftover on the last ball of each colour assigned. Measurements approx 60” x 60” [152.5 x 152.5 cm]. Gauge 12 sc and 13 rows = 4” [10 cm].
I did this afghan in chunky format, which is unusual for me, but it grows faster and gets you to the finish line faster.
The design really taxed me in conceptual and thought processes. Our testers did multiple different yarn options that are in the book such as Caron Simply Soft, Caron Cotton Cakes and Scheepjes Colour Crafter. I did the original prototype in Caron Cotton Cakes but I wanted something heavier.
Cotton Cakes Gauge: 13 sc and 14 rows = 4” [10 cm]. Colours I used in prototype shown above as as follows:
Caron® Cotton Cakes™ (250 g/8.8 oz, 485 meters/530 yards)
- Contrast A Silver Cloud, 2 Balls
- Contrast B Cream, 2 Balls
- Contrast C Lilac, 2 Balls
To get this monster to sit down flat from going from the huge circle to the square was my nemesis but I kept trying. I vowed I wasn't going to leave the table until I had the right mathematics and trials. I sat at the dining room table from the morning to sunset during July 2020 to figure it out. Testing, frogging, testing, frogging and so on.
The Crochet Crowd Book
Our book is available for ordering (pre-orders depending on stock levels), available for order at your local book stores and/or online sources.
Book officially launches in September 2021 though pre-orders are now being processed and shipped.
ISBN: 978-1-77276-160-3
This was one of the hardest things I have ever done to create. Your purchase means a lot to me personally. We do almost everything pattern and video support for free. Investing in me keeps the tutorials and free patterns pumping out.
Please consider a purchase and if you want to play along with the free tutorials for this stitch along, the book will be our guide and the pattern won't be shown on camera but just following the book instructions step by step.
Bonus Free Week 1
Here's what you can expect in the book. Here's Rounds 1 to 10. Diagrams are included in the book. For the remainder of the afghan, please refer to the book.
- Join stated at the end of the rounds is assumed to slip stitch to the beginning stitch or top of the beginning chain. Unless otherwise stated.
- For the instructions in rounds, each instruction is followed by a breakdown of stitches.
Where It All Began
1st rnd: (RS) With A, ch 3 (ch 3 doesn’t count as st in this rnd). 12 dc in 3rd ch from hook. Join with sl st to top of first dc. 12 dc.
2nd rnd: Ch 1, 2 sc in same sp as sl st. 2 sc in each st around. Join. 24 sc.
3rd rnd: Ch 1, 1 sc in same sp as sl st. 1 sc next st, ch 2, sk next st. *1 sc in next 2 sts, ch 2, sk next st. Rep from * around. Join. Break. 16 sc and 8 ch 2 sps.
4th rnd: With C, join with sl st to next ch 2 sp. Ch 3 (counts as dc in this round and throughout). 4 dc in same ch 2 sp. *5 dc in next ch 2 sp. Rep from * around. Join. Break. 40 dc.
TIP: In the next round, our testers thought it would be easier for you to put a stitch marker at the top of trfp. It’s easier to find where the 2 sc goes into the top of the trfp in rnd 6.
5th rnd: With B, join with standing sc in the same sl st. 1 sc in next 4 st. 1 trfp around both sc sts in 3rd rnd. The trfp is an extra st that is in front to help the circle grow bigger. Start next st in the next group of 5 sts. *1 sc in next 5 sts, 1 trfp around both sc sts in 3rd rnd. Rep from * around. Join. 40 sc and 8 trfp.
6th rnd: Ch 1, *1 dcfp around the last trfp st that we just passed in rnd 5. 1 sc in next st, ch 2, sk next st, 1 sc in next st, 1 dcfp around next trfp in rnd 5, 2 sc in top of trfp st. Rep from * around. Join to beg dcfp. Break. 8 ch 2 sps, 32 sc and 16 dcfp.
7th rnd: With A, standing sc in same sp as sl st. 1 sc in next st. 2 sc in ch 2 sp. *1 sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next ch 2 sp. Rep from * around to last 4 sts. 1 sc in last 4 sts. Join. 64 sc.
8th rnd: Ch 6 (counts as dc and ch 3 sp). 1 dc in next st. *Sk 2 sts, 1 dc in next st, ch 3, 1 dc in next st. - big v-stitch made. Rep from * around. Join to 3rd ch of beg ch 6. Break. 16 big v-sts.
9th rnd: With C, join with sl st to next ch 3 sp. Ch 1, (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, ch 1) in same ch 3 sp. *(1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, ch 1) in next ch 3 sp. Rep from * around. Join. Break. 32 sc, 32 hdc, 32 dc and 16 ch 1 sps.
10th rnd: With A with standing sc in ch 1 sp of the next petal point. Ch 5, *1 sc in next ch 1 on the next petal. Ch 5. Rep from * around. Join. 16 ch 5 sps and 16 sc.
The tutorial will have added hints and tips that really only verbal teaching can do. I used standing single crochet and standing double crochet when I can that is not on this pattern.
Crochet Diagram Week 1
You can click on the picture to save or print it.
Timeline - Launching Wednesdays
I have one ball of every colour on hand and a few that has several balls. My goal is to randomize the blanket to use up what I have. Tutorial Version will be randomized in colouring with Patons Inspired that include the following colours:
I will record if I use more than 1 ball of colour in the tutorial as I go.
- Gray Heather
- Raspberry
- Honey Spice
- Olive - I USED 2 BALLS
- Burgundy
- Cocao
- Ginger
- Rich Teal
- Celery (not shown in the group shot)
- Violet (not shown in the group shot)
- Fucshia (not shown in group shot)
- Purple Gray (not shown in group shot)
- Rich Teal (not shown in group shot)
- Clay (not shown in group shot)
See the bottom of the article for the ordering of the colours done in the tutorial.
Gauge Check
- November 24, 2021 - Rnds 25 - 29
- December 1, 2021 - Rnds 30 - 37
- December 8, 2021 - Rnds 38 - 46
- December 15, 2021 - Rnds 47 - 59
Tutorials
Releasing November 3rd, 2021
All yarn is Patons Inspired.
- Rnds 1 & 2 = Honey Spice
- Rnd 3 & 4 = Silver Gray Heather
- Rnd 5 = Burgundy
- Rnd 6 & 7 = Mineral Teal
- Rnd 8 = Olive
- Rnd 9 = Raspberry
- Rnd 10 = Cocoa
Releasing November 10, 2021
All yarn is Patons Inspired.
- Rnd 11 = Cocoa
- Rnds 12 & 13 = Ginger
- Rnd 14 = Olive
- Rnd 15 = Cocoa
- Rnd 16 = Mineral Teal
- Rnd 17 = Silver Gray Heather
- Rnd 18 = Raspberry
- Rnd 19 = Silver Gray Heather
Releasing November 17, 2021
All yarn is Patons Inspired.
- Rnd 20 = Celery
- Rnd 21 to 23 = Fucshia
- Rnd 24 = Rich Teal
Releasing November 24, 2021
All yarn is Patons Inspired.
- Rnd 25 = Mineral Teal
- Rnd 26 = Purple Gray
- Rnd 27 = Burgundy
- Rnd 28 = Honey Spice
- Rnd 29 = Clay
Releasing Dec 1, 2021
All yarn is Patons Inspired.
- Rnd 30 = Clay
- Rnd 31 = Fuschia
- Rnd 32 = Violet
- Rnd 33 = Olive
- Rnd 34 = Ginger
- Rnd 35 = Celery
- Rnd 36 = Mineral Teal
- Rnd 37 = Silver Gray Heather
Releasing December 8, 2021
All yarn is Patons Inspired.
- Rnd 38 = Honey Spice
- Rnd 39 = Cocoa
- Rnd 40 & 41 = Olive
- Rnd 42 = Cocoa
- Rnd 43 = Rich Teal
- Rnd 44 = Clay
- Rnd 45 = Fucshia
- Rnd 46 = Mineral Teal
Releasing December 15, 2021
All yarn is Patons Inspired.
- Rnd 47 = Raspberry
- Rnd 48 = Celery
- Rnd 49 = Cocoa
- Rnd 50 = Purple Gray
- Rnd 51 = Fucshia
- Rnd 52 = Honey Spice
- Rnd 53 = Burgundy
- Rnd 54 = Silver Gray Heather
- Rnd 55 = Purple Gray
- Rnd 56 = Olive
- Rnd 57 = Raspberry
- Rnd 58 = Orchid
- Rnd 59 = Ginger
Jen says
Any suggestions for substituting the Silver Gray Heather? I can't seem to find it locally. The love the colorways you have in the videos and want to stick with that as closely as possible.
Mikey says
I'm really not sure. It's hard to know what you have locally where you are to be tossing suggestions. Other people have done the Journey Afghan and posted on Facebook so there may be choices that others have done that you have access to.
Kirstin says
I usually avoid projects like this because I hate sewing in all the ends! What is the trick for sewing in the ends so that they don't stick out? I've been crocheting for years & still haven't figured that out on projects like this with lots of color changes. I love the texture in the blanket & it will be great for using up some of my stash. Thanks for another great pattern!
Mikey says
In the first week of this series, I show how that is done. Weaving in the ends 3 times back and forth. A project can never stretch in 3 ways. Meaning the weaving in is permanent. Use about 1 or 2" of distance of maximum security.
Jennifer Hunter says
Hi Mikey, I am loving the Study if the Journey afghan but after completing rows 13, 14, after the peaks, I can not get it to lay flat. I have frogged 15 times. Help please.
Mikey says
It should sit flat if you go beyond that step. What was your gauge check when you started? Did you match the gauge?