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Published on September 15, 2020

Gloria Blanket CAL: Main Info Page

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December 4 and 11: Weeks 11 and 12 = Join and Border!

The PDF is now out! Gloria Blanket PDF Pattern Ravelry / Etsy / My Shop

Announcement – Please read

As some of the recommended yarns are difficult to find, I have updated the yarn info below. Please take a look at your chosen yarn and see if I have added any recommended substitutes. I have also added a few more yarn choices and posted the yarn amounts for you! Check it out below.

Introduction

Hello, lovely! Today I am shouting out the announcement for my Gloria Blanket CAL! One of my favorite things to do in my designer life is to host a Crochet-A-Long. I just love the community involvement, and I especially love seeing the different variations being made all over Instagram and my Facebook Group.

Gloria has been several years in the making and I am so pleased to finally release the pattern as a CAL. Originally, I wasn’t going to as my typical CALs have many different motifs to entertain you week after week, whereas Gloria only has two motifs, but lots of folks agreed it would still be a great CAL, so I decided to just go for it!

This CAL will probably be smaller than a VVCAL but I am still thrilled to host it, and I look forward to seeing all of your progress and finished pics.

Social Media Hashtags: #GloriaBlanket and #CypressTextiles

  • Gloria Blanket PDF Pattern Ravelry / Etsy / My Shop – As usual, the CAL will be released free every week here on my website, but I will offer the full blanket pattern in PDF form as soon as I write it up (I’ll have a date soon!)
  • Instagram Sharing – I’m on Insta as @CypressTextiles. Hashtag your WIP and FO pics with #GloriaBlanket and #CypressTextiles so I can share and save them in my story highlights!
  • CypressTextiles Tree Huggers Facebook Group – This is my main FB group (join!). Share your progress pics in this group if you like, and I will share CAL highlights there as well.
  • YouTube Channel (Subscribe!) – Here I will be posting Gloria Blanket CAL pattern videos. Yay!

Here’s what to expect during the CAL:

  • The Gloria Blanket CAL will begin Friday, September 25th, and run through Friday, December 11th. It is a 12-week CAL with plenty of time to make the 63 squares and join / border.
  • Look for CAL posts here on this website (CypressTextiles.net) each Friday during the CAL.
  • The patterns are in US Terms and UK Terms, written, and video instruction form, as well as step by step photos. No charts this time, unfortunately! Video will be helpful for chart readers.
  • Every Friday during the CAL, I will release a new pattern part, and we will make the squares and join them up, and then add a sweet border at the end!

Gloria Blanket Information

For this blanket, there are two motifs. One is a quarter mandala, and the other is a snowflake. You’ll be making them all up separately and then joining at the end.

Whether you choose to make the Metropolis version, or the Whirl version, you will definitely have fun! The tiny 10g balls of yarn in the Metropolis pack are an absolute delight, and watching the Whirl slowly change color is always a sight to behold. I am LOVING the process of both blanket samples.

  • Measurements: Blanket will measure about 50x57in for the Whirl/Whirlette Version and 55x70in for the Metropolis Version
  • Gauge: Squares measure 6.75in for Whirl and 7.5in for Metropolis
  • Notions: US Size 3mm hook for both the Whirl and Metropolis versions
  • Yarn: Scheepjes Whirl+Whirlette or Scheepjes Metropolis (See below for quantity and colors)

Want to see the inspiration?? It’s this floor photo from Instagram account, @IHaveThisThingWithFloors. Isn’t it incredible? I love how unexpectedly the quarter mandala tiles are rotated, and of course I adore the random snowflake placement. The way the simple snowflake pairs with the complex mandala – I just love it!

The motifs you see in the photos above were my first trials of the design. I still have the prototypes, but I really had to simplify the pattern a bit so that it would be easier to work up. The final design flows much more smoothly.

Whirl+Whirlette Version Information

Note: There is a yarn sub listed below for this version as the Ice Whirlette is tough to find.

This version of the Gloria Blanket is really lovely. The blanket has 56 squares of beautiful color changing Whirl, which is faded from one corner to the other using the color placement of the squares.

Bold snowflakes pleasantly interrupt the unexpected broken mandala effect of the quarter-mandala motifs. The snowflakes are made along the Whirl color changes, so they will fit in at all areas of the blanket. I’ll probably say it at least 3 times in this post, but watching the Whirl slowly change color as you work is nothing short of breathtaking. When I look down and my motif is that deep teal, I can hardly believe I started out working with the deep purple… It’s truly awesome!

Note: All shopping links below are affiliate links. This means any purchase made through those links will gain me a small commission at no additional cost to you!

For this colorway, I used my favorite Whirl, Blackberry Mint Chip, plus a gorgeous Whirlette, 860 Ice. You can definitely pick any Whirl and Whirlette combination, but I suggest a very contrasting color combo so that none of the pattern and texture is lost. The Ice Whirlette will pair nicely with almost any Whirl, and I have a photo below where I show I was obviously undecided! I love all 3 of those Whirls in the photo! Maybe I will make a couple more sample blankets as we progress in the CAL.

Whirl+Whirlette Colorway Yarn Details

I will be making a sample of this version during the CAL. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post for the schedule.

For this colorway, you will need:

  • 3mm hook
  • 2 of the same color Scheepjes Whirl – or mix it up and choose 2 that coordinate! I show Blackberry Mint Chip in the photos here, and I am almost to the olive green of the colorway
  • 6 Scheepjes Whirlette in 860 Ice or a contrasting color to your chosen Whirl
  • Yarn order info below

Order Yarn for Whirl+Whirlette Colorway

Find the 2 x 220g balls of Scheepjes Whirl Blackberry Mint Chip (or color of your choice) at one of these shops.

Find the 6 x 100g balls of Whirlette No. 860 Ice (or color of your choice) at one of these shops.

Or you can head to the Scheepjes website to find a retailer near you!

Yarn Substitution

If you cannot find Ice Whirlette, Scheepjes Cotton 8 in color 502 White will work great as a substitute. You will need 12 x 50g balls of Cotton 8. You will still need the 2 Whirls.

Find your 12 x 50g balls of Cotton 8 at the affiliate links below:

Metropolis 10g Colour Pack Colorway Information

Note: There is yarn substitution info in the yarn ordering section below. The Metropolis 10g Colour Pack is difficult to find.

I will be making a sample of this version during the CAL. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post for the schedule.

I am in love with the Scheepjes Colour Packs, and the Metropolis 10g Colour Pack is so lush. You’ll be amazed by just how much yardage is packed in each little ball! Setting up the colors is going to be a blast, and I can’t wait for that part of the CAL.

This version of the blanket has 63 squares, and the remaining 17 colors are used up in the border. The color fade is epic; I can’t wait for you to see it!

Metropolis Colorway Yarn Details

For this colorway, you will need:

  • 3mm hook
  • 1 x Scheepjes Metropolis 10g Colour Pack
  • 14 x 50g balls of Scheepjes Metropolis in color 025 “Nice”

Order Yarn for Metropolis Colorway

Find the Metropolis 10g Colour Pack at one of these shops.

Find the 14 x 50g balls of Metropolis in color 025 “Nice” at one of these shops.

Or you can head to the Scheepjes website to find a retailer near you!

Yarn Substitution

If you cannot find the Metropolis 10g Colour Pack, you can make the whole blanket with 50g balls instead. You will need:

  • 13 x 50g balls, each in a different color. Choose 12 colors that fade nicely across when you lay them in a line, or just choose 12 colors that you love!
  • 17 x 50g balls, of all the same color for the background

For example, in the color pack shown below, each row of colors fades nicely across. Look at that second row from the top. What an amazing blue to orchid fade.. add in the 2 blues before, and that deep violet at the beginning of the next row, and you’re set. Maybe you like teals and greens.. On the fourth row from the top, the second 5 balls are lovely teals that fade beautifully. The eighth and ninth rows have awesome green fades. You can easily find 13 colors that look great when laid in a row.

Another option is to just pick 13 colors that you love! Gloria doesn’t have to be a color fade. It will look awesome with a fun mix of colors!

Catona 50g Yarn Version

I will not be making a Catona sample during the CAL, so if you want to follow along, use the yarn stash version. I recommend making 35 squares for a 5×7 layout.

To use the 50g balls of Catona, you will need:

  • 3mm hook
  • 12 x 50g balls, each in a different color. Choose 12 colors that fade nicely across when you lay them in a line, or just choose 12 colors that you love!
  • 18 x 50g balls, all in the same color for the background

Important note: If you use the yarn amounts above, you can make 35 squares in a 5 x 7 layout, and that blanket will measure about 45x62in. The squares in Catona are larger than the squares in Whirl or Metropolis, so you can make fewer without getting too small of a blanket.

Find 50g Catona at one of these shops.

Catona 10g Colour Pack Version

I will be making a sample with this pack during the CAL if you want to join me. If you want to use this pack, you can make a blanket with 56 squares, in a 7×8 layout and it will measure about 63x71in. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post for the schedule.

You will need:

  • 3mm hook
  • 1 x Catona 10g Colour Pack
  • 20 x 50g balls, all in the same color, of Catona

Find the Scheepjes Catona 10g Colour Pack through one of the following affiliate links, and the 50g balls at the links above.

Stone Washed + River Washed 10g Colour Pack Version

I won’t be making a sample in this pack for the CAL, but you can definitely use it! There isn’t enough yardage in each SW/RW 10g ball to make the squares. You can use more than one color in each square if you want to use the pack. It takes 2 x 10g balls of Stone Washed / River Washed to make 1 square, so that means you can make about 30 squares for a 5×6 layout. And you can use the remnants in the border to make the blanket even larger. Yay!

You will need:

  • 3mm hook
  • 1 Stone Washed + River Washed 10g Colour Pack
  • 12 x 50g Stone Washed balls, all in the same color – preferably a light color, but go wild!, for the background

Find the Colour Pack here at the following affiliate links:

Find the 50g balls of Stone Washed at the following affiliate links:

Or you can head to the Scheepjes website to find a retailer near you!

Cahlista 15g Colour Pack Version

I won’t be making a sample with this pack for the duration of the CAL, but the yarn amounts are listed below, along with some suggestions to use this large square. It measures about 12in, so relatively few will make a blanket, but the pack will make 56 squares (7×8 square layout). That makes a blanket of about 7 feet by 8 feet – huge! I have some suggestions below for different amounts of squares and layouts.

You can perfectly use 2 x 15g balls to make 1 square, plus each square takes 32g of Cahlista 50g ball in a solid background color. The squares are large – with a 4.25mm G Hook they are about 12in Square. So you’ll need fewer to make a blanket.

Suggestions for how many squares to make with this kit (Just brainstorming!)

  • I recommend you make a blanket with 48 squares in a 6×8 layout, and that will be about 6x8ft – plus an inch or 2 for border. That’s a big blanket!
  • You can do 5×7 square layout with 35 squares.. that only uses 70 colors out of the 109 though.
  • You could always do 2 blankets from the pack at 24 squares a piece.. in a 4×6 squares layout. That would make the blankets just over 4x6ft probably 52x76in…
  • You’ll still need to get the background color 50g Cahlista balls. Remember it’s 32g of Cahlista for 1 square. Add in maybe 10 balls for join and border? Depending on how large your blanket is of course.

You will need:

  • 4.25mm hook
  • 1 Scheepjes Cahlista 15g Colour Pack
  • Cahlista 50g balls, all in the same color – preferably a light color, but go wild!, for the background – amounts discussed above

Find the Cahlista Colour Pack here at the following affiliate links:

Find the 50g balls of Cahlista at the following affiliate links:

Or you can head to the Scheepjes website to find a retailer near you!

Gloria Blanket CAL Schedule/Timelines

There will be 3 slightly differing versions of this blanket each week:

  • Metropolis Version
  • Whirl+Whirlette Version
  • Catona 10g Colour Pack Version

Weekly Timeline, Metropolis Version – 63 squares, 55x70in:

Weekly Timeline, Whirl+Whirlette Version – 56 squares, 50x57in:

Weekly Timeline, Catona 10g Colour Pack Version -56 squares, 63x71in:

Yay! I think that is all the information you need to know right now. I will see you again on September 25th for the first week! Get your yarn and hooks ready!

Happy crafting,

Rachele C.

The Art of Crochet Blankets

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