To begin with... my stash of Hamanako extra fine merino offered much more colours than the seven the pattern asked for and I really wanted this blanket to be made from what I had, so I began to group and swap colours in order to find a task for all of them. (Meanwhile I had to restash and also got some new colours I didn't have before I started the blanket)
The next colour gain...
Partly substituted...
Here is a colour that got just replaced by another because I had only one ball of the original colour but three of that one I changed it into... the pattern asked for three balls of the original colour so I decided to substitute with the yarn I had lots of and combine the single ball with something else (see above). All very pragmatic reasons that led to my colourscheme, you see?
Lime green... a colour the pattern actually asked for...
Splitting it up into these three colours I had on stash didn't seem too far fetched. The yellow I would have never used otherewise. It was a leftover from these for which Dagny had absolute colour control.
Can you tell me how the colour on the right is called? Maybe apricot? Peach Orange, I found it here. All I can say to describe it is, this is one colour I do not like at all. A colour I'll always connect with toiletries... Hm, I would never mention something like this on my blog but regarding this colour it seems just adequate. Bought it for a very zigzaggy ripple blanket project in one of my favourite colour combinations for classic, decidedly zigzaggy ripple blankets - ugly. There is a right time for everything, isn't it?!
Basically the blanket is striped, diagonally. Certain colour combinations alternate in between the different rows of hexagons. Because of the swaps and heterogenous grouping of colours this striping sometimes is very obvious, sometimes not at all.
Although I am following a pattern making new hexagons never got boring till now. The grouped colours which I use in a fixed order bring much surprise - I never know how the next block will look like until I pick the yarn for it. And this is just as entertaining as the shuffle modus on my iPod or having lunch at the university's canteen which never failed to surprise (in a good way! I really loved eating there!). Oh well, I guess I am still the child that's rejoicing over a Wundertuete (goody bag)...
So far I am happy with how the blanket is turning out, it's colourful but still not overwhelming. Some blocks I really do not like (the very pale ones with beige, the real lime green and grey brown, or the ones where yellow is appearing together with lime green), also I am a bit worrying about the obvious striping, but maybe the blanket looks so nice scrappy-ish especially because of these flaws. I hope I could answer some of your questions.
These days I find it particularly difficult to sit down at the desk to post or write emails... summer holidays have begun and I do my best to let my little girl having a good time. Don't think I wouldn't care for you when I reply even less than usually... if this was even possible... well I just made a hopefully time saving decision a few hours ago: Craftwise I will declare this year's summer as over. I had some plans for summer clothing for Dagny and me but there isn't really a point in doing them. While inside the house we are almost naked most of the times and for going outside I have my eternal brown corduroys and a couple (as in the exact same blouse twice) of blouses I bought a year ago plus two (different!) I got this year.
Dagny has what she had last year (partly better fitting partly just shorter but still fitting) and also a bunch of new dresses and shirts we got from nice crafty people all over the world... Together a sufficient amount of clothing as I reckon.
I will skip the rest of the season and will, if I ever get back to make clothes again, just start with autumnal wardrobe instead. Right after knitting sweaters, scarfs and socks for winter...
Did I mention I am awaiting some sock yarn from Oregon?! A certain family member will have a nicely filled suitcase on his flight home at the end of the week... Aren't those traveling husbands just blissful?! Just kidding. Of course we suffer. And getting that yarn is just a little mollification after these hard days...
Have a good day!