Remember when I made <a href="http://graceakhrem.com/category/misc-life/">2012 new year goals</a> and I decided that I wanted to knit another blanket?  Well this weekend I was bit by the inspiration bug.  I started a blanket, although it isn't knit, its crochet!  I read the most recent <a href="http://www.kelbournewoolens.com/blog/">blog post</a> on the Kelbourne Woolens site and it inspired me to crochet a blanket.  But I decided to do something a little different, I am using all leftover lace, fingering, and sport weight yarns.  I am able to use all those gauges by going all the way up to a size E crochet hook.  I double the lace weight and some of my squares are more dense than others, but I am loving every second of it.

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I didn't want to use all my leftover yarns, just ones that fit the color palate I had in mind.  I knew I wanted to use yellow, greys, browns, and certain shades of blue.  I think I will have to supplement my leftovers with some other yarns.  I have Koigu on the brain.  I can't believe I don't have any left over Koigu in the colors for my blanket!  Don't worry.... I'll get some this week.  Here is a picture of my yarns I have so far and my color palate:

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1432" rel="attachment wp-att-1432"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-1432" title="DSC_0152" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/DSC_0152.jpg" alt="" width="571" height="719" /></a>

Up at the top we have<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/quince-and-co-tern"> Quine &amp; Co Tern</a> then from top left we have: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/kollage-yarns-hope-dk">Kollage Hope</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/debbie-bliss-rialto-4-ply">Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/louet-gems-sport-weight">Louet Gems Sport</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/madelinetosh-prairie">Madelinetosh Prairie</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/louet-gems-sport-weight">Louet Gems Sport</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/swans-island-certified-organic-merino-fingering">Swans Island Fingering</a>. Bottom from left to right: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/madelinetosh-tosh-sock">Madelinetosh Sock</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/malabrigo-yarn-sock">Malabrigo Sock</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/habu-textiles-a-1-2-17-tsumugi-silk">Habu Textiles Tsumugi Silk</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/debbie-bliss-rialto-4-ply">Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/pagewood-farm-glacier-bay">Pagewood Farm Glacier Bay</a>, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/shalimar-yarns-zoe-sock">Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock</a>.

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I am thinking about adding a deep dark purple... but I just can't decide.  I think my yellow (which I love) is a little out there, so I don't know if the purple might be out of place or not, I'll see where the color palate takes me.  I will definitely be adding more shades of tan, beige, white, brown, grey and taupe.... as for more colors I'm on the fence.

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I started off by making a few single colored squares for less finishing work, here is one in the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/habu-textiles-a-1-2-17-tsumugi-silk">Habu Textiles Tsumugi Silk</a> doubled.

<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1430" rel="attachment wp-att-1430"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1430" title="DSC_0129" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/DSC_0129-500x475.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="475" /></a>

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About three squares in I lost interest in the single colored squares and graduated to three colored squares.  In this one I used <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/madelinetosh-prairie">Madelinetosh Prairie</a> doubled for the first tier in the center, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/louet-gems-sport-weight">Louet Gems Sport</a> for the second tier, and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/kollage-yarns-hope-dk">Kollage Hope</a> for the third outer tier.  Yes, there are more ends to weave in, but it's totally worth it and looks fantastic.  Plus it's way more fun!

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1429" rel="attachment wp-att-1429"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1429" title="DSC_0127" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/DSC_0127-500x469.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="469" /></a>

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In this square I used <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/swans-island-certified-organic-merino-fingering">Swan's Island Fingering</a> doubled for the first center square, then for the second square I held the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/swans-island-certified-organic-merino-fingering">Swan's Island Fingering</a> with the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/malabrigo-yarn-sock">Malabrigo Sock</a>, and for the third outer square I used <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/malabrigo-yarn-sock">Malabrigo Sock</a> doubled.  This was definitely a fun square to make.

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<a href="http://graceakhrem.com/?attachment_id=1431" rel="attachment wp-att-1431"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1431" title="DSC_0131" src="http://graceakhrem.com/wpdev/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/DSC_0131-500x495.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="495" /></a>

I think the thing that is most fun for me about this project is since most of the yarns are leftovers they remind me of the projects I used them for in the past. So fun!  Over the next few months or so I will work on these squares on the days I can't think about what I am doing.  Hopefully by the time fall comes around I will have a new blanket to crawl under.  I will definitely post pictures as I make progress and finish my blanket.  So far I have 22 traditional three tiered granny squares that I made yesterday and two mini single tiered granny squares that have yet to find a place in this project, but they are just too cute to add onto.

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I hope this post has given you a bit of inspiration to start a blanket of your own.  Use leftovers... you will find that you tend to use a lot of the same colors. For a good basic granny square tutorial, visit <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/granny-square-project/">The Purl Bee blog here</a>.  If you are having a hard time choosing a color palate a site I have always found to be inspirational is the <a href="http://color-collective.blogspot.com/">Color Collective Blog.</a>  Please feel free to share your pi

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