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Say Hello to the Ventura Crochet Afghan!
Ventura is an awesome beachside community in Southern California. It has totally worth-it restaurants, wide peaceful beaches, and great vibes. I used to stop by Ventura for some sushi back in the day but never had a chance to explore. Until…
I went to Ventura for a week in the Spring of 2019 to attend the Craftcation Maker conference. Yes, you can totally tell what the conference was all about: crafts (ok, and business) and having a vacation while doing it! It was such a wonderful event!
Craftcation is a conference with classes to teach you how to run your craft-based business, but also to learn actual crafts like macramé and metalwork and art journaling and sewing galore.
I had a time of my life in Ventura and later that week my family joined me there and we explored local restaurants and chilled by the beach.
You know I had to create a cozy chunky blanket just for this beach town!
That’s how Ventura Crochet Afghan was born!
I picked a DC Shell stitch to make it because… beach! My daughters and I collected a bunch of shells there so I thought that shell stitch would be the perfect one, especially one made of double crochet so it’s tall and totally makes a statement. I used rows of SC (single crochet) stitch in between to really hold up the texture.
And what I loved about using these two basic stitches all throughout the blanket pattern is that once you get through few rows, you get into the rhythm and you don’t even need to think about it. Crocheting this blanket is relaxing and soothing.
Since Ventura is all about beaches and sand, I decided to use Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Oatmeal. The beiges with dark speckles that are used in this yarn always remind me of the sandy beach. The color is warm and cozy and perfect for a blanket.
To make the fabric of this afghan even softer and fluffier I used a 15mm hook from Lion Brand instead of the 9mm hook that is generally recommended for this yarn.
I totally love how this fluffy throw came out. The DC Shell stitch gives it a unique look and makes it look more complicated to make than it is. It is so reminiscent of the beach with its motif and color.
It’s a perfect through to have around the house, to wrap yourself in it while watching the flix or sipping hot cocoa by the fireplace.
It’s just as good to take on your trip to the beach and will keep you cozy when the evening chills sneak up on you. This soft throw will keep you warm while you watch the stars and listen to the waves crash onto the shoreline.
If you’ve been thinking about making a blanket that is more than just a bunch of DC rows, this is a great project to try out. The pattern makes a throw that is 50”x60” but gives you tips on how to make a blanket that is smaller or bigger than that.
Want to make your own?
Grab your copy of the Ventura Crochet Afghan pattern here. For more crochet blanket patterns, check out the Crochet Pattern category on the Kind Of Knit blog or hop over to my Etsy Shop.
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[…] Single and double crochet stitches are the base for a variety of other stitches like a cluster stitch and a shell stitch, so once you master these simple stitches, you can create other pretty blankets like this one. […]