To Learn Crochet, or not To Learn Crochet……is a very silly question! EVERYONE should learn to crochet. It’s relaxing, fun to do, great for making beautiful gifts, and just all round wholesome to do. With the new TLC Blanket, everyone can learn to crochet. With easy, step-by-step video tutorials for both left and right crafters, detailed written instructions, and a lot of tips along the way, everyone can experience a bit of TLC time with the TLC Blanket. After all, we all need to have some Tender Loving Care from time to time, and crochet time is TLC time. In this post you find everything you need to know to learn to crochet.
Resources
- Add TLC Blanket to your Ravelry library
- Full PDF pattern containing all 8 parts plus links to all the videos
- All RIGHT HANDED Video tutorials in one YouTube playlist
- All LEFT HANDED Video tutorials in one YouTube playlist
- Scheepjes Chunky Monkey yarn (100g/107m)
- 5.0mm (US size H/8) and 6.5mm (US size K/10.5) hook
- Find help in my It’s all in a Nutshell Facebook Group
- Nederlandse vertaling HIER
- Social Media #itsallinanutshell
Size
The final blanket is about 130cm x 100cm / 52in x 40in.
If you want to make the blanket longer, add a multiple of 24 stitches to the base chain in Row 1. So add 24, 48, 72, 96, etc stitches to make it wider. Each repeat will add about 20cm to the length of the blanket. Adding extra stitches to the blanket means that in parts 5 and 7 you will have to make a few minor adjustments to the pattern to get the pattern to work out correctly. These adjustments are addressed in the notes of that part. To make the blanket wider, simply repeat any of the stitch patterns in this project.
Gauge
As such gauge is not critical in this project. What is important is that you learn to make the stitches correctly, working to gauge will come later. In the tips and tricks I will explain what working to gauge means, and how tension and gauge are related.
Difficulty
This project is aimed at beginners, at those that have never crochet before and would love to learn. However, if you are a more experienced crocheter, you might enjoy this project too because it’s a quick make and easy to do in between your more challenging projects.
Yarn amounts and materials
I have selected 3 beautiful colorways from the wide range of Scheepjes Chunky Monkey yarn. Chunky Monkey is an Aran weight, 100% premium acrylic yarn with 107m on each 100g ball. I have named the colorways Kaleidoscope, Marine and Meadow. Kaleidoscope is a fun, rainbow colorway, Marine is a calm blue colorway, and Meadow is a relaxing pink/purple colorway. Each colorway consists of 6 colors of Scheepjes Chunky Monkey.
Kaleidoscope colorway
- Color A – 7 x Jasmine (1218)
- Color B – 2 x Bubblegum (2006)
- Color C – 2 x Coral (1132)
- Color D – 2 x Lemon (1263)
- Color E – 2 x Emerald (2014)
- Color F – 2 x Ultramarine (2011)
Marine colorway
- Color A – 7 x Cream (1005)
- Color B – 2 x Baby Blue (1034)
- Color C – 2 x Aqua (1422)
- Color D – 2 x Air Force Blue (1302)
- Color E – 2 x Deep Turquoise (2012)
- Color F – 2 x Teal (1829)
Meadow colorway
- Color A – 7 x White (1001)
- Color B – 2 x Blush (1130)
- Color C – 2 x Rose (1241)
- Color D – 2 x Amethyst (1432)
- Color E – 2 x Iris (1277)
- Color F – 2 x Mulberry (2009)
Other supplies that you will need are
- 5.0mm (US size H/8) hook
- 6.5mm (US size K/10.5) hook
- Stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
- Scissor
I have kits for all 3 colorways available in my shop. The kits for the Kaleidoscope, Marine, and Meadow colorways include the yarn and the pattern.
Scheepjes Chunky Monkey is available from many Scheepjes retailers, including Wool Warehouse (UK/Int), Jimmy Beans Wool (USA), The Knitting Network (UK/Int), and Caro’s Atelier (NL/EU).
Patterns
We will make our TLC Blanket during the summer holiday weeks. The pattern for TLC Blanket is divided into 8 parts; in each part you learn a new skill or technique. The free, written patterns are available in English US Terms from the following links. Note: not all parts are published yet, I will update the links as they become available.
- Tips and Tricks 1 : Crochet hooks and how to hold your hook
- Tips and Tricks 2 : Yarn weights and how to hold your yarn
- Tips and Tricks 3 : Keep track of your yarn colors and organize your yarn
- Tips and Tricks 4 : Keep your used balls tidy by wrapping your yarn wrappers
- Tips and Tricks 5 : Attach a new ball of yarn halfway through a round
- Tips and Tricks 6 : Crochet stitch anatomy
- Tips and Tricks 7 : Gauge, tension & how to influence them with the golden loop
- Tips and Tricks 8 : Crochet abbreviations & difference between US / UK terms
- Tips and Tricks 9 : Crochet stitches and techniques guide
- Tips and Tricks 10 : Blocking crochet items
- Tips and Tricks 11 : Why does a granny square center turn?
- Tips and Tricks 12 : How to speak crochet slang
- Part 1 : Essential stitches (chain, single, double, treble)
- Part 2 : Combining stitches and colors
- Part 3 : Granny stitches
- Part 4 : Squares
- Part 5 : Joining squares to the blanket
- Part 6 : Front and Back post stitches
- Part 7 : Popcorns
- Part 8 : Working with two colors & border
Video tutorials
There will be free video tutorials available to help you every step of the way. I will release these videos on my YouTube channel when I release the free patterns. The video’s are available in English US Terms, and in both left handed and right handed versions.
Support
I hope that by watching the videos you will see how to make the stitches and that most of your questions will be answered. However, if you need any extra help. I am available in my Facebook group It’s all in a Nutshell Crochet Nuts. Also if you would like to show us your blanket, my Facebook group is a great place to do so.
#itsallinanutshell
If you would like to share your blankets, use the hashtag #itsallinanutshell to help me find it on Facebook or Instagram. You can also share your work in my It’s all in a Nutshell Crochet Nuts Facebook group or tag me in one of your posts.
With love,
Esther
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Copyright (c) 2014-2024 It’s all in a Nutshell Creations. All rights reserved.
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This is a lovely gift for any one. New to crochet but I find it calms the mind and helps with my anxiety. Its brings joy to the soul when you complete a project.
With age my hands became to painful to knit, I tried crocheting and I haven’t looked back, I love it – so relaxing and so many great people to follow and get inspiration from instagram and tutorials on Utube thank you all x
Ik kan niet wachten om mee te doen! Na 2 juli heb ik als het goed is mijn P in the pocket. Volg de HBO-V duale variant. Heb na ruim 20 jaar een kantoorjob een switch gemaakt naar de zorg. Tijdens de hoorcolleges haak ik sinds kort.. heel rustgevend. Heb dit mezelf aangeleerd. Nu wordt het rijd echt te gaan leren haken en dit lijkt me perfecte moment er mee te beginnen. Ik ga sowieso mee doen en met een tas erbij naruurlijk nog leuker. 😉
Word blij van deze mogelijkheid.
I’ve been crocheting myself for years, and I almost always carry a skein of yarn and a crochet hook with me anywhere I go, safe to say I am an addict 🙂 My best-buddy colleague has been in love with my crocheted stuff ever since she first laid her eyes on it, so my goal was to learn her how to crochet before her contract finishes in September this year. But then corona hit, and she had to move back to her parents in the UK to take care of them. She hasn’t been able to return to Amsterdam since, and I honestly don’t think I’ll see her in person again before her contract ends 🙁 So then I bumped into your TLC blanket and thought this would be the perfect way for her to learn how to crochet after all! Long story short: I am not enrolling in this give-away for myself, but I would love to win for her so she can finally learn how to crochet after all 🙂
I’ve learned so much from you about crochet from watching your tutorial videos! I love watching your videos and you make crocheting an Afghan so easy! Thanks!
I’m confused, Esther. I looked on here and it says the pattern is free on the blog. I ended up on Ravelry where it says the pattern is free on my blog. I end up on this page and there is no patter, just another link that says the same thing. Where am I going to get this pattern? I just don’t have the $$ right now with covid to buy another pattern, but I would love to make this happy blanket for my granddaughter. Thank you for your help.
jana
I could be wrong but I read somewhere that the pattern would be released July 1st. Maybe then it will be available on the blog?
On July 1st, the full pattern will be available on Ravelry at a small fee. On the blog the pattern will be available for free, but will be released in parts. On the blag only part 1 will be released on July 1.
This looks great! I have never yet managed to master crochet but maybe this will help
I’m really struggling to make my granny squares the correct size to fit the width of my blanket. Can I skip this portion and continue on to the next, or any tips for me? I’m a beginner and this is my first project, thanks!
You can skip this part if you want to, sure. A tip, line up your squares and when they have the same length as the blanket, then use that amount of squares for your blanket. So if you have one more or one less due to size, it really doesn’t matter. Just make sure you have 145 stitches on the edge for joining and then it will work out just fine 🙂