Intro and a Free Pattern

This blog has been in the ponderings for a while. Yes, I made that up. It's my blog. :) I'm excited to start documenting the creative things inspiring me, and hopefully you'll catch some inspiration too. Whether I am crocheting or sewing, working on some project, or taken with a particularly exciting idea... I'd like to share with you.

So to get on with it. Last year about this time I was full of ideas for Christmas, as I am now, and wanted to crochet something for my little girl. She inspires me a lot these days as she gets every bit as excited as I do over creative things. I couldn't find the pattern for what I wanted anywhere, so I made it up. And was Christmas day ever fun! So, I'm going to share the pattern because maybe you know a little girl that loves all things colorful with hearts on it and made with love.

Rainbows and Hearts Blanket
(My first published crochet pattern so please leave feedback if a part is unclear or incorrect)

I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn but any yarn would work. Gauge is also not as important. I used a G size crochet hook. My finished blanket is 46 inches x 64 inches long.

When changing colors:
--Changing color after a sc: Insert hook into stitch below, grab yarn with your hook and pull through the stitch, grab the new color yarn with your hook and pull through the 2 loops on your hook to finish the sc.
--Changing color after a dc/shell: On the last dc of the shell y/o, insert hook into the stitch below, grab yarn with your hook and pull through the stitch, grab yarn with your hook and pull through 2 of the loops on the hook, grab your new color yarn with your hook and pull it through the last 2 loops to finish the dc.

Chain a multiple of 12, plus 5 more (I chained 150 for a blanket 46 inches wide.) For each multiple of 12, your finished product will have one heart across. I had 12 hearts across, 12x12=144+5=150.

Row 1: sc in 2nd chain from hook, skip 1, 3 dc in next (these 3 dc are a shell), *skip 1, sc in next, skip 1, shell in next* repeat between *s to end of the row, chain 3, turn (38 shells, 38 sc total)
Row 2: *sc in middle dc of shell below, shell in top of sc below* repeat between *s to the end, chain 3, turn
Repeat row 2 for each row after.

Color Pattern:
*2 rows of light pink
3 rows each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple in that order
2 rows of light pink
6 rows of dark pink with light pink hearts (see below for how make the hearts)
2 rows of light pink
3 rows each of purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red in that order
2 row light pink
6 rows dark pink with light pink hearts*
Repeat between *s until reach the length you desire. (I did 3 sets to make a blanket 64 inches long)

To Make the Hearts: You continue the same stitch pattern as above when working the hearts. There are several tricks though to make the hearts look right and make your blanket look good on both sides. If you change colors as described above and work through how to hide the strings from the color changes, it is not hard. So bear with me while I explain in detail.

To hide color change strings:
I cut my light pink strings for each heart but I just stitch over the dark pink ones to hide them...
--To sc or shell over the dark pink strings. When you insert your hook into the stitch below to make a sc or dc, pull the string you want to hide alongside the stitch and insert your hook under it too. YO and continue to make your shell/sc as usual. This will secure the thread above or below the heart, where you will not notice it later.

Steps to make the hearts:
1) On the third row of dark pink work: sc, shell, sc, in dark pink.
2) After that 2nd sc switch to light pink.
3) Make 1 shell in light pink, working it over the dark pink strand to hide it. At the end of this shell, switch back to dark pink. This light pink shell is the point of the heart, the bottom half.
4) In dark pink work sc, shell, sc, shell, sc. Then follow directions above in steps 2-3 to make another bottom half of a heart.
Repeat steps 2-4 to the end of the row. You’ll end the row with a sc, shell, sc, shell, ch 3, turn in dark pink.
5) On the next/4th row of dark pink work: sc, shell, sc in dark pink, switch to light pink at the end of the 2nd sc
6) Work shell, sc, shell in light pink. Switch back to dark pink at the end of the 2nd shell, but leave some slack in the dark pink yarn strand. When doing the next row you will work the shells and scs on top of the hearts over this strand to pull it up over the heart.
7) Work sc, shell, sc in dark pink then switch back to *using light pink shell, sc, shell, using dark pink sc, shell, sc* repeat between *s to the end of the row, ch 3 turn.
8) On the 5th row (next row) of dark pink be sure to work all shells and scs over the hearts over the dark pink threads to hide them.

With all my patterns feel free to use for personal use, gifts, and charity. Please don't sell the finished product though. Thank you!