Crochet Project: Lots of Dots Blanket

My Lots of Dots project, started at the end of December 2012, is finally finished!!!
crocheted blanket that has lots of colorful dots (small, medium and large) scattered randomly over a brown background.
For this blanket, I used a size F crochet hook, this Circles to Squares afghan pattern, and lots of different kinds of sock yarn. I used Knit Picks Stroll in "Fedora" for the squares edging, and various shades of Knit Picks Chroma, Felici, and Imagination, as well as a few other brands of sock-weight yarn for the colorful dots.
More dots.
I originally tried a different circles-to-squares pattern for my project idea of making a light-weight blanket out of all my leftover bits of sock yarn, but I didn't like the results of that pattern. So, since I love the Wall Hanging I made a couple of years ago from the afghan pattern linked above, I decided to use the basic idea of it again for this project. However, this time around I used an entirely different design layout; I made A LOT more squares - 126 in total (18 large, 36 medium and 72 Small). I used nearly all of my colorful sock yarn leftovers for the circle parts (color C rounds), and the dark brown yarn for turning the circles into squares (color B rounds) and connecting all the dot squares.
Completed blanket draped over a chair. Close-up of some squares to show the stitch detail.
When I was about a third of the way through crocheting squares, I decided to only work the color C and color B rounds for each square, not the outer-most color A rounds included in the pattern. Why? Well, I was running out of brown yarn (of which I couldn't afford to buy much more). So, I needed my dots have less brown “space” between them. This change resulted in a somewhat smaller blanket - approximately 42 inches by 56 inches after blocking - still plenty big for me.
Close up of a medium-sized purple dot close-up of a large teal dot.
As several people recommended, I worked an extra round of single crochet stitching (working in back loops only) in brown around each circle’s edge before going on to turn the circle into a square (between the last color C round and first color B round). This kept the circles looking nicely round (instead of slightly hexagonal), and it also helped prevent the corner stitching from stretching/leaving such big holes in the medium and large squares.
Close-up of a large metal darning needle threaded with dark brown yarn, in the midst of stitching blanket squares together.
I have spent the last month or so sewing the blanket squares together (using the invisible seam technique), during any spare moments. However, because sewing is not my favorite part and since I was so close to being done with the whole thing, I repeatedly talked myself out of making more Work in Progress posts for it. Here are all the WIP Wednesday photo-heavy posts I did make this year though, which may contain more helpful details on this project, in case anyone is interested: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12, Week 13, Week 14, Week 15.
Working the finishing edge around the blanket - simple rounds of solid double crochet stitching. Completed blanket laying out flat on a white sheet.
After finishing all the sewing earlier this week, I also worked three rounds of solid double crochet stitch around the entire the blanket. It's a simple/plain edging, but I think it does give the project a more finished look.
Close-up of the finished blanket draped over a wooden chair.
Despite the five month break from crocheting squares in the middle (and another almost three week break during the sewing part), the entire project came together much more quickly than I originally expected it to. And I am very happy with how this colorful, snuggly-warm project has turned out. It has been a lot of fun! :D
Blanket covering up my legs outstretched on a couch. Close up of a large blue/purple dot with the rest of the dotted blanket out of focus in the background.

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