My Babette is done!

So, a couple of weeks ago I finished my Babette blanket. Crocheting the squares was great fun and went fast. I started with the biggest first down to the small ones.
I did not block the squares but steam ironed them on the wrong side. The finished squares had a few days to get over the harsh steam handling, before I mustered the courage to assemble the whole thing.
I knew if I had to sew them together, it would never be done. And I also knew, that sewing with Noro Kureyon was out of the question, the yarn would break every couple of stitches.

I've crochet toegether squares on the backside before, using slip stitch. That of course left a million ends to weave in. I did not want to do that here, even though I worked in the ends as I went. It would have been only the ends created by crocheting the squares together. Still, I didn't want to do even those, that's why I choose to crochet them together with single crochet. In the end I had four ends to weave in, those ends I just missed during the procedure.

My Babette was hard to capture with my camera, as you can see here. The side in the shade looks right, the sunny side looks washed out, and that's just not what it looks like. Even though, I'm a little dissapointed how the colores turned out.

I love the orange squaers popping out. I'm not a fan of the border either. I made 5 rounds, two rounds just didn't look right to me. The border is a little wavey, but I can live with that. A surprise was, that after washing the blanket (with beating heart) in the washing machine (on handwash, cold only) it came out a tiny bit felted, which I thought was fine, it holds the blanket together, but also softer. I did not get that with my other Noro Kureyon blanket, it did not soften up like this one. Now, that's a good thing!


While I was assembling the blanket there was a big thunderstorm, and Sam was afraid of the thunder. He thought section 10 was the savest place in the house. He didn't even mess it up that much.

pattern: Babette by Kathy Merrick (ravelry link) from Interweave Crochet, Spring 2006 magazine or find it at Interweave online store

yarn: Noro Kureyon in color # 92-10x, # 185-4x, # 188-8x; 2 balls for crocheting the squares together (lost color #) and 4 balls for border - 28 balls Noro Kureyon altogether.

hook: H 5mm

size: after washing (handwash in machine): 56" x 58" : it softened somewhat with the wash and it felted a little, not much, and I like it, it holds the blanket together.

start-finish: April 17 - May 12

fazit: I would make this blanket again. It was great fun!


I like this shot of the blanket best, because the colors are the most accurate (and because Sam's on it too).

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Delores took the time to make this youtube tribute to Sam. If you'd like to watch it click here. That was such a kind and sweet thing to do. Thank you, Delores!

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