Another beautiful Dream Blanket has emerged from the Crochet Hook of Haakster Monique. Jolanda then grabbed her Knitting Needles and knitted an identical twin of the crocheted Dream Blanket! Find out in the interview below how the designers went about it and what they think of the Dream Blanket 4.0. And... why you really should crochet or knit this Blanket!
Dream Blanket 4.0 is a large, two-color throw blanket made using various stitches, such as the bold spike stitch and the bean stitch. You can either crochet or knit the blanket.
We’ll start the CAL/KAL on March 3, and from then on, you’ll receive an email every Tuesday for 10 weeks. The email will include a section of the Dream Blanket 4.0 pattern and a video tutorial (explaining the stitches).
- All the info about the Dream Blanket 4.0 + the private CAL/KAL
The stylish ruffles and Granny Squares give the blanket a very feminine look, but the Dream Blanket 4.0 CAL also has a cool, edgy vibe thanks to the picot stitch. The tassels along the edge of the blanket, on the other hand, give it a bohemian look. With 15 color combinations to choose from, the Dream Blanket 4.0 CAL complements any interior.
- Check out the knitting and Crochet Kit for the Dream Blanket 4.0.
All Dream Blankets (1, 2, 3, and 4) were designed and crocheted by Monique. Monique is the Haakster at Yarnplaza, and she specializes in crocheting the most beautiful home decor items.
Jolanda designs all of Yarnplaza’s Knitting Patterns and knits beautiful creations at a rapid pace. She’s turned the Crochet Pattern for the Dream Blanket 4.0 into a Knitting Pattern! Below, we asked both ladies all about the Dream Blanket 4.0. Want to read along?
Interview with the Designers of Dream Blanket 4.0
Here it is… Dream Blanket 4.0! Are you happy with it?
Monique (crochet): Yes, I’m so happy that the Dream Blanket (and the pattern) is finished! I designed all the Dream Blankets, and I think it’s important that each Dream Blanket 4.0 is unique. And fortunately, I’ve managed to do that again with Dream Blanket 4.0.
Jolanda (knitting): I was tasked with adapting the crocheted Dream Blanket 4.0 into a knitted Blanket. This was quite a challenge because it uses many crochet stitches that don’t exist as knitting stitches, but I managed to pull it off. Both Blankets look similar and are therefore both beautiful!
Monique, how did you come up with this pattern?
Monique (crochet): I knew well in advance that I wanted to incorporate the zigzag stitch and floss into the Dream Blanket 4.0. Of course, that’s not enough for an entire blanket (haha), so I spent some time thinking about what other stitches would look nice. I gathered various ideas and combined all these “separate ideas” into a beautiful whole.
Why is Dream Blanket 4.0 yet another new and surprising addition to the previous three Dream Blankets?
Monique (crochet): The Dream Blanket 4.0 looks completely different from the previous blankets! This is partly because different techniques and stitches were used. There are a number of stitches that give this blanket a lot of character. For example, the spike stitch, pearl stitch, zigzag stitch, Granny Squares, and ruffles are very eye-catching stitches and a joy to crochet and knit.
Jolanda (knitting): Yes, I totally agree! And of course, it’s great that you can both crochet and knit the Dream Blanket 4.0! It’s also unique that after the zigzag stitch, you eventually go back to crocheting or knitting “straight.”
Why is it fun to make the Dream Blanket 4.0?
Monique (crochet): This is the perfect crochet project to really lose yourself in! Sometimes a big project (one that takes a long time) can get boring, but the variety of stitches and techniques keeps this project challenging. What was also new to me was starting (and ending) with a separate piece that I then attach to the rest of the Blanket. I really wanted to start with the zigzag stitch but eventually go back to crocheting straight. Since you start with a large zigzag, it’s not possible to go back to straight crochet right after the zigzag stitch. So I filled in the ends of the zigzag with Granny Squares and attached this section to the Blanket! This makes the Blanket truly unique and keeps the crocheting very varied. In the end, you finish by making tassels—it’s a nice change of pace from crocheting, and they look so cool!
Jolanda (knitting): Knitting the Dream Blanket 4.0 is varied, educational, and results in a project you can be proud of! As a knitter, you’ll not only learn many existing knitting stitches but also entirely new ones. That’s because I’ve adapted crochet stitches into knitting stitches. For example, the spike stitch doesn’t exist in the world of knitting, but I managed to make it work, and the result is really cool. And the great thing is that all the stitches are combinations of basic knitting stitches.
The knitted Dream Blanket looks just like the crocheted Dream Blanket.
Jolanda, how did you manage to do this?
Jolanda (knitting): Looking at patterns and making gauge swatches! I took a very close look at the crocheted Dream Blanket 4.0 and translated each crochet stitch into a knitting stitch. I also made several gauge swatches to see how many rows I need to knit to achieve the same effect.
Monique (crochet): It sounds really easy, but Jolanda did a fantastic job—hats off to her!
The most frequently asked question… is it hard to crochet or knit the Dream Blanket 4.0?
Jolanda: It’s challenging, not difficult! If you read carefully and actually follow the instructions, you’ll be just fine. Of course, it’s a little harder if you haven’t been knitting or crocheting for very long, but then it’ll just take you a little longer, and you’ll make a Gauge swatch more often to try out a (new) stitch.
Monique: It’s important that you’re already familiar with all the basic stitches and have crocheted a variety of projects. If you’ve mastered all the basic stitches and you really do read the pattern carefully and watch the video tutorials, you should be able to do it! If you find the pattern very difficult, it helps to write out the pattern yourself and/or draw it out.
Where would you put the blanket in your home?
Monique (crochet): a very standard answer… but just on the couch! The blanket really stands out there, and you can snuggle up under it, too. And if I were to crochet the blanket in cheerful colors (like cream and mustard), I think it would look really nice in the kids’ room, too.
Jolanda (knitting): I agree; just drape it playfully on the couch.
What would you like to say to the creative people who are going to crochet or knit the Dream Blanket 4.0?
Monique (crochet): That's so cute! Have fun crocheting! To make crocheting (and knitting) easier, you can use Stitch Markers. And you can make the tassels really easily with the Prym Love Tassel Maker!
Jolanda (knitting): It’s so much fun—you learn a lot of new stitches that you can then incorporate into your other projects. Here’s another tip: knit with a Circular Knitting Needle! It’s very comfortable to knit with, and it makes it easy to knit back and forth. Plus, you can just leave your work on the needle when you switch ends.
Dream Blanket Crochet and Knitting Kit
The Dream Blanket 4.0 Complete Kit includes everything you need to start crocheting or knitting the Blanket right away on Tuesday, March 3. With this kit, in addition to the lovely Yarn and Colors Happy yarns, the Dream Blanket bag, and the Dream Blanket label, you’ll also get access to the private CAL/KAL starting Tuesday, March 3.
Are you going to crochet or knit the Dream Blanket 4.0?
Share your creations on our Facebook page or on Instagram using #Yarnplaza #droomdeken4.
