Yarnplaza & Anke Wintermans
We’re super excited about the blanket and our collaboration with Anke. She’s made a beautiful blanket! The designer will first tell us a little about herself, and then we’ll talk in detail about the blanket—because it’s definitely beautiful! We asked Anke a few questions about herself, her crocheting background, and, of course, these beautiful blankets! She’ll tell you everything you need to know. We’ll hand it over to Anke:
Who are you, and how might people know you?
My name is Anke Wintermans. I live with my boyfriend and my cat in a small village in the center of the Netherlands. Some of you may have already seen me on my Instagram @Crazy_Crochet_Catlady or in my Facebook group CrazyCrochetCatlady, where I regularly post about my crochet projects and my cat.
How long have you been crocheting?
I've been crocheting for as long as I can remember, but I've also done knitting, embroidering, painting, baking cakes, and so on. But somehow, I always came back to crocheting. Because that's what I enjoy most, and it's where I can best express my creativity.
What do you crochet most often, and why?
When I first started crocheting, I made a lot of stuffed animals and amigurumi. Eventually, I always ended up going back to making little blankets. As soon as my friends and acquaintances started having kids, I really went all out, making a themed blanket for every baby. I often crocheted amigurumi from a pattern, but as soon as I started making blankets, I was too stubborn to follow a pattern. From then on, I started creating my own designs.
Who or what is your greatest source of inspiration?
Haha, how cliché is it to say, “my mom”? But it’s true. For as long as I can remember, my mom has always been doing crafts, even with a busy family and a job. We wore a lot of homemade clothes. She can both sew and knit, and she still makes the cutest creations for my nephews and niece. I definitely got my restlessness from her. Always having something in our hands and never a dull moment!
Which crochet technique do you like best, and why?
Ever since I discovered mosaic crochet (overlay) in December 2020, I’ve been completely hooked. I haven’t made much else since then… I especially love creating images or patterns that are sometimes very complicated, even though you really only use one color per row (or round). I used to do a lot of graph ganch (creating images using only single crochet stitches, with many different colors), but the color changes and having to weave in the ends to make the back somewhat presentable really started to get on my nerves… I think the big advantage of mosaic crochet is that you can make truly beautiful things without having to change colors within a single row.
The Magical Blanket
Yes, mosaic crochet! The Fleur Blanket is all about overlay mosaic crochet. It’s crocheted using a selection of Stylecraft Special DK colors and features a stunning design. Each of the three versions has its own color gradient with curves and swirls weaving through it—a truly gorgeous piece! As mentioned earlier, this blanket uses the overlay mosaic technique. This involves using double crochets and single crochets, working primarily in the back loop. With this blanket, you don’t have to cut the yarn after every round because you work from the center and only change colors at specific points. This means you have fewer loose ends to weave in compared to other mosaic patterns. To create the mosaic pattern, you crochet double crochets into the front loops of the underlying rows. Because these loops are on top of the work, this method is called overlay crochet! Want to learn more about mosaic crochet? We’ve already explained this in detail in a previous blog post. Check it out here! We’ll show you the different versions of the blanket and list what you’ll need to crochet this stunning piece yourself! For the pattern, visit Anke’s Ravelry or Etsy store, where she sells it in Dutch and English!
Color 1: Sunset
This color combination, with its beautiful color gradients and graceful curls, looks just like a sunset. A real treat for anyone who loves warm colors!
For this color combination, you'll need:
- 7 balls of Stylecraft Special DK, color 62
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 5
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 20
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 263
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 114
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 711
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 723
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 246
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 123
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 35
Color 2: Forest
You can already smell the pine trees with this color combination! It's just like walking through a magical forest, full of beautiful trees, flowers, and all the cute little animals that go with it.
For this color combination, you'll need:
- 7 balls of Stylecraft Special DK, color 5
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 123
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 29
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 806
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 709
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 823
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 852
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 826
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 116
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 9
Color 3: Forest Fruit
The third blanket once again features a stunning color gradient combined with those beautiful, graceful curls. It brings to mind delicious fruit cocktails and picking wild berries in the woods.
For this color combination, you'll need:
- 7 balls of Stylecraft Special DK, color 5
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 123
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 35
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 827
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 61
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 425
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 854
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 708
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 116
- 1 ball of Stylecraft Special DK, color 9
Now that we’ve been introduced to this beautiful blanket and its three different color combinations, we’d like to hand the floor back to Anke, who’s going to tell us all about her new design!
You've designed something special. Can you tell us more about it? How did you get started on this blanket?
I wanted a blanket with elegant shapes and was particularly drawn to the French lily, the Fleur-de-lis. I started drawing around it and tried to create a cohesive whole using curves and swirls. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself!
How do you decide on the color schemes for the blankets?
I really wanted to create a beautiful color gradient. Whether it’s the Dark Red fading through yellow to white or the Dark Green fading through yellow and Brown to Green, this effect turned out great! For the third version, I wanted to use beautiful, deep, dark colors with cream as a contrast. Three very different variations, but they still make a lovely combination together.
Who is this blanket suitable for?
Who isn’t it for? ;) For people who’ve used the mosaic crochet technique before, crocheting from the center might be a fun challenge. But even if you’ve never used this technique before, the Blanket is totally doable! I’ve included links to online tutorials on crocheting mosaics in the round, and I’ve created a photo tutorial to provide some extra guidance on the corners. And even for those who’ve tried crocheting mosaics from the center before, it’s a fun pattern with enough variations to keep things interesting. My testers and I, for one, really enjoyed watching the pattern come together!
Do you have any specific Tips for this design?
If you haven’t used this technique before, I’d definitely recommend checking out the tutorials. They clearly explain various important points, such as how to join stitches invisibly. Using the stitch chart along with the written pattern sometimes gives you a little extra guidance to make sure you’re still on track. An app like KnitCompanion can also help you keep track of where you are in the pattern. Be sure to keep counting, and if you get stuck, feel free to reach out! There are lots of helpful people in my Facebook group. The testers who made this pattern and I will do everything we can to help you out!
Are you going to crochet this amazing blanket? Be sure to let us know on our social media and share your creations using #Yarnplaza!
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