About Winter Blanket by Emma Aldous

Have you seen this stunning winter blanket? It is called “Sophie Loves Lilla Björn” and it was made by Emma Aldous. Emma put several patterns together (my Dandelion Mandala, Dandelion Border, Circles of the Sun and parts of Sophie's Universe CAL by Dedri Uys from LookAtWhatIMade) and created this wonderful masterpiece. She launched a fan page on Facebook where all the notes and details about this blanket were shared. And finally a pdf with complete instructions about how to make this blanket is available as free download. You can grab it HERE on Ravelry. I’ve asked Emma to write a guest post for my blog and share the story of her blanket. And I am so happy she agreed! So here it is:
  

The story of Sophie loves LillaBjörn winter blanket

By Emma Aldous

Some of you will have seen my blanket project before, either here or on Facebook. I’d like to thank Tatsiana for asking me to share the story with you.

Like many people I took part in the Sophie’s Universe CAL, using up my stash and improving my crochet skills. It was a lovely pattern, and once it was finished I didn’t know what to do with my evenings. I thought about doing another Sophie, started a couple of other CALS, but they didn’t inspire me.

My Sophie had gone to a childhood friend in New Zealand and when I was telling another friend about it she made a casual remark about how much she’d liked it. So I decided that my next project would be making a blanket for her as a Christmas gift. The Lilla Björn dandelion patterns had already caught my eye, then I read this blog post and saw the mandala with flower used as the centre of a Sophie’s Universe. And so the idea was born!

I decided to make the dandelion mandala, square it up using the same method as Sophie’s Garden, then add the dandelion border. I had no idea how I was going to make it big enough for a blanket but knew I’d think of something. And sure enough, before I finished the dandelion border, the Circles of the Sun CAL began and was the obvious next step.

Once the blocks were added I was so pleased with it that I wanted to share it. But as my friend is on Facebook it had to be somewhere she wouldn’t see it. So I posted it to the Facebook crochet group that hosted the Sophie’s Universe and Circles of the Sun CALs. The response took me by surprise, so many people asked about the blanket, how I’d put the patterns together and wanting me to write it up it was a bit overwhelming. So I contacted Dedri and Tatsiana and asked if I could share the making of the blanket and, happily, both agreed. I was very excited when Tatsiana added it to her Circles of the Sun gallery.

I planned the colour scheme to be darker in the centre, become lighter at the squares, then darken again. After the blocks I wanted something based on Sophie’s Universe, so I chose the roses and adapted them to work as overlay crochet. Then I added a longer version of the dandelion border. And, finally, the dancing dandelions, which I’d really been looking forward to. Designing the dancing dandelions border was so absorbing that when I finished and looked at the time I was surprised to see it was 2:30 in the morning! Having worked and reworked just that small section I now have a real appreciation of the amount of work that goes into making a pattern!

I made a Facebook page to share my progress, notes and instructions. I’d like to thank everyone there for their support, it’s been a real pleasure having so many people making positive and encouraging comments. It’s taken me five months to make and I’m really proud of the finished blanket. I like to thank both Dedri and Tatsiana for the inspiring CALs and patterns they have created, and for allowing me to share my notes.

All the notes and instructions are available as a PDF, which can be downloaded HERE or HERE.
And there is a Ravelry group HERE.

I already have my next project started, and this time it’s a blanket for me so I’m using my favourite colours! Watch out for the “Sophie loves LillaBjörn spring blanket” I wonder if you can guess which pattern I’m starting with this time… ?

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I just loved reading Emma's post. Did you? :) 

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