My first blanket - finished!

Once upon a time last February I found some extra blue yarn and a hook and thought, "maybe I will make a blanket."  My idea was that the whole process would be faster if I made several 25x25 stitch squares and then stitched them together. It made the most sense to me, especially since at the time I only knew how to do your basic chain/single stitch (still not even sure if that's what you call it).  I posted this post on Feb. 29, 2012 and my plan was to make one GIANT blanket for E and I after we got married. 

Well, on March 3, 2013, I finally knotted the last stitch and called it finished. It's not the GIANT blanket that I originally envisioned, but it's big enough to cover most of us if we're sitting on each end of the couch, which we usually are. I have to say though, despite lacking in size, it's prettier (and warmer) than I imagined it would be. I want to take it places with me and show it off because I am so excited about it.   

I couldn't get the colors quite right in the photos, but the soft tones add to it's comfy and coziness. My mom taught me the double crochet stitch and how to make the little windows, which sped up the process of joining all the rows together, and I love the effect.  

Now E wants me to make a REALLY REALLY BIG one. I'm game, but I need to find a pattern I can figure out, some really BIG yarn, and a BIG hook, because the idea of a REALLY REALLY BIG blanket using only single stitches sounds like I'll be sweating under a half-made blanket, working away in the middle of summer, and that doesn't sound as fun.  

I'm  excited to have one project under my belt, and I am ready to start another. Right now I am playing around with some crocheted hearts and looking around for the right yarn/pattern for blanket #2. If you've got suggestions, please pass them on! 

XO