Youngest daughter Susie’s boyfriend loves our aran throws and when he is visiting he always snuggles up in Susie’s.

I said I would make him one for his birthday in April, so I had better get my skates on!

He chose the colours himself after getting all of my Stylecraft bobbins out and re-arranging them until he was satisfied with his choice.

I already had a few balls of each of the colours, so I can go ahead, nothing to stop me!

Luke had even decided the pattern panels he wants as well. He is nothing but thorough.

He doesn’t like the bobble stitch, too girlie! so he has chosen panels of diamonds, basketweave and celtic weave.

Can you see my ball of yarn. I am using a sleeve that is meant for wine bottles in transit. The holes are a little big and the edges catch a little on the yarn. I recently got some flowers for Mothers Day and the roses had tubular protective netting on them, so it gave me the idea to put them around my yarn. I am still trying to get the smaller gauge netting and will update if I find it.

I have completed the first colour panel, Luke chose Cloud Blue for this, but DD Libby and I decided that it looked a little babyish for a mans blanket and the shade difference was too big a jump to the Lapis I am pleased that I frogged the Cloud, I am much happier with the slightly darker Aster, which plays very nicely with the other two blues. I can see that Lapis is going to be one of my new favourite Stylecraft colours and Luke hasn’t noticed that I have made the substitution.

You can find Youtube videos for Bonnie’s patterns here

You can see all of my aran throws here, I have made a few!!
For a few tips see below for sts used in these throws:-

Popcorn - 4 + 1 over 4 rows (I always use dc instead of sc and don’t change hook size as recommended, (I make my Popcorns with 4 dc ch1 sc ch1 4dc popcorn).

Cable = 3 + 1 over 2 rows

Arrow = 4 + 2 over 2 rows

Celtic Weave = 4 + 2 over 4 rows (I would use a size larger hook for this one as it does nip in at the edges)

Basket-weave = 6 + 1 over 6 rows (I always use a size smaller hook for this pattern and work an extra row of beige before and after the basket-weave to give a neater appearance). (note to self: 1 decrease 3 sts and used 3.75 hook)

Diamond - 6 + 1 over 8 rows, I use 3.75mm hook and decrease 3 sts along the row.

Stats:
Used 4 mm hook throughout unless otherwise stated:
251 ch = 250 sc to start.
83 Cables
62 Arrows
41 Diamonds 3.75 mm hook and decrease 3 sts.
Basket-weave 3.75 mm hook