I haven't posted in a while due to this humongous project. But, I have finally finished crocheting each and every panel of my Mario Blanket. They are all crocheted together. All that is left is crocheting a border around it. However, I have been working my buns off on this thing and I don't know when I'll finish the border. I'm so freaking excited to have it "done" that I'm going to be unveiling it.........NOW!
Here it is, in all of its technicolor glory:
It's so huge, I had to lay it out in my foyer and go upstairs to get a photo. Here's a pic of my birthday boy stretched out on it for a size perspective. My honey is 6'2".
Ok- I ain't even going to lie....this is my hands-down all-time favorite of all the panels. I dreamed about making this panel since the very beginning. It came out just as I imagined! I am so incredibly proud of it! It's HUGE! It's 3 panels wide and 2 tall- roughly about 4' x 3'. It can be a wall hanging- something I've been debating about doing. I wanted to keep this one all by itself b/c it's so awesome. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this one!!!!
This blanket/bed spread has been a real obsession of mine for a very long time. I had just taught myself how to crochet and decided to make a Mario granny square blanket for my brother- this was over a year and a half ago. My husband saw it and wanted one of his own. However, I could not let my husband have the same blanket I made my brother....oh no, my friends. His had to be so much....MORE. I woke up in the middle of the night and had the beginnings of the blanket in my head. I scribbled out a rough draft of a map and was so giddy, I had a hard time falling asleep. I had never used Tunisian crochet before, so I had to practice.
Long story short, a little a year and a half later, but with crocheting in earnest for 2 months, I've finally completed my SMB obsession. I LOVE it and am soooo proud of it!
Thanks for looking!
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ETA: I responded this in #84.
Thank you guys soooo much for the amazing positive feedback on my work!!!!
To answer a few questions:
There is no pattern that I followed. I searched the internet for screen shots of SMB and then used them for the map I had in my head. There is no "master graph" for any of the panels, much less for the entire project. I have absolutely no intention of creating a graph of my entire work; however, there may be a time when I decide to make a graph of a panel or two.....dunno when/if that will happen, though..... I seriously need a break from this.
The reason the images came out so crisp and accurate is because I used Tunisian crochet- the stitches are more or less square and there is no turning of the work so there is only the "right side" when you are working.
The back is not even close to being finished....
I'm definitely NOT weaving in all the ends....I'm going to tie them into square knots and trim them and then sew a king sized sheet (if it's large enough...) as a backing. My hubby has offered to help me with all the tying....he knows how lucky he is!!!! Especially after reading some of your hilarious responses!! Men seem to really appreciate this work. Wow- a crochet blanket a man actually wants made for him! I think that's one of the things I'm most proud of- to show so many people that crochet isn't some old timer's way of passing time for just making doilies. It can be, and is indeed, ART.
As for the yarn I used- it's mainly RHSS....some Vanna's Choice and the skin is a peach Caron Simply Soft....but mainly RHSS. They had the best colors!!! And, considering the amount of yarn that went into this baby, it was the most economically prudent yarn to use.
I have the entire story, including individual shots of each and every panel and the story behind them, on my blog:
Part one:
http://gegecrochet.blogspot.com/2009/03/mario-party-part-1.htmlPart two:
http://gegecrochet.blogspot.com/2009/03/mario-party-part-2-my-quest.htmlPart three:
http://gegecrochet.blogspot.com/2009/03/mario-party-part-3-my-quest-ends.htmlFAQ:
http://gegecrochet.blogspot.com/2009/04/mario-follow-up.htmlI am so amazed at the response this has gotten- it was just an obsession of mine...I seriously felt like Isaac from "Heroes" (or any other "future painters") when he got an artistic impulse....my eyes glazed over and I worked and worked on it until it was done. There was no "patience" involved- just a lot of impatience until I finally finished it!!
Thank you all again!!!!
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