Thin Mint Blanket

I don't know about you, but I don't like shopping for gifts off of registries.  The concept is good, getting people what they want and not duplicating it, but in application it never works out quite like that.  People forget to use the registry and you end up with four crock pots.  Also, the gifts don't really show much thought or originality, not to mention that the stuff tends to be overpriced.  So, for baby showers I like to give baby blankets and for weddings full sized blankets.  When it is handmade, it will not be duplicated!

So, if there is a wedding of a close friend coming up, start crocheting, and you'll have a unique gift they will hopefully keep forever that will be memorable.  When I decide to make someone a blanket for their wedding, I first inquire as to their wedding colors.  If they picked them for the wedding they obviously like the colors.  Then I get creative and come up with something using those colors.  If you don't know where to start, look through some pattern books and see what you like: try to visualize the pattern in the color scheme.  Then get crocheting!

My buddy is getting married soon, so I made a blanket for them.  When I bothered him about the colors for the wedding he told me to 'think Thin Mints' as a description of the green and brown colors they had chosen.  So, I've thought of this blanket as my 'Thin Mint Blanket' even before I began it.

This blanket is an application of the Half and Half striping pattern.  The diamond portion of the blanket changes colors every two rows, so this color pattern applies so yarn cutting is not required.  I do however cut the brown yarn when each set of diamonds is complete.  It would be a little ridiculous to carry the brown color up through 13 rows of green.

Here's how to make it:
Chain 164
Row 1: sc in 2nd chain from hook, (ch 3, sk 2, dc, ch 3, sk 2, sc) across (green)
Row 2: ch 4, turn, dc in sc (sc in dc, [dc, ch 1, dc, ch1, dc] in sc) across, (dc, ch 1, dc) in last sc (brown)
Row 3: ch 6, turn, sc in sc (ch 3, dc in middle dc, ch 3, sc in sc) across, ch 3, dc in last dc (brown)
Row 4: ch 1, turn, (sc in dc, [dc, ch 1, dc, ch1, dc] in sc) across, sc in last dc (green)
Row 5: ch 1, turn, sc in sc (ch 3, dc in middle dc, ch 3, sc in sc) across (green)
Rows 6-13: repeat rows 2-5 twice
Row 14: repeat row 2
Row 15: repeat row 3
Row 16:  ch 1, turn, (sc in dc, [dc, ch 1, hdc, ch1, dc] in sc) across, sc in last dc (green)
Row 17: ch 3, turn, dc in every ch 1 space, hdc, dc, and sc across  (green)
Rows 18-27: ch 3, turn, dc across (green)
Row 28: ch 1, turn, sc, (ch 3, sk 2, dc, ch 3, sk 2, sc) across

Repeat Rows 2-28 5 times, ending with Row 16 (There will be six sets of diamonds)

Border: (brown)
Round 1: sc around, 3 sc in corner
Round 2: dc around, 5 dc in corner
Round 3: sc around, 3 sc in corner
Round 4: (dc, ch 1, sk 1) around, (dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, dc) in corner
Round 5: sc around, 3 sc in corner
Round 6: dc around, 5 dc in corner
Round 7: sc around, 3 sc in corner

The final dimensions were 75" x 110", weighs 4.4 lbs, and took about 10 skeins to complete.

I made this using I Love this Yarn, Mid Green and Coffee with a J hook.