Mini Marshmallows

No, not sweets - these marshmallows are the name of a crochet stitch that gives the most wonderful chunky texture.

According to my pattern notebook, I started this blanket last June. I worked on it for a while and then it got abandoned for a bit. One of the good things about recording my yarn projects in My Year in Yarn is that it reminds me of old things and nudges me to get on with them. When I fished this one out in January it wasn't much more than a wide strip of crochet and I'd run out of yarn. A quick order to the Wool Warehouse and I was back on track.

I've been working on it steadily ever since and here it is (with a friend).

It's difficult to show in pictures just how amazing these little marshmallows are. Here they are looked at from above ...

The wrong side looks good too. Does this remind anyone else of pasta?

The yarn is Patons Diploma Gold DK in seven rainbow colours, plus navy blue for the border. When my new yarn arrived I found that the new ball of the pink was much brighter than the old one. I used it anyway and I don't think you notice the difference in the finished blanket.

The new pink is on the left, the old on the right

I finished my blanket with a simple border, one round of trebles and then a round of crab stitch to give it a bit of body.

Should you want to try this pattern, it's available as a free download from my Ravelry Shop. Of course, you could use other yarn and vary the size too (mine is a baby blanket) but, be warned, this stitch makes a seriously heavy fabric so don't get too ambitious. The mini marshmallow stitch would make good bags and cushions too. I'm thinking of working out how to do it in the round and designing a circular cushion, perhaps in pastel colours.

I'm much more of a bright colours than a pastel person but I've been challenging myself lately to use some paler shades. An example of this would be the Primrose Garden crochet I showed you last week which I'm making progress with now. I know it's still quite bright but, for me, this is a very understated colour palette.

That's four of the long hexagons sewn together, plus four top squares. I love the fact that the squares really look as if they're laid on top of a bigger square - just the effect I was looking for.