The giddy limit

Hannah Cross talks about the in nite possibilities of blankets

Over the past few years, Hannah Cross’ blog and crochet design business, HanJan Crochet, has grown beyond her wildest dreams. She’s also a regular designer for Simply Crochet and loves turning her hand to all sorts of projects. Blankets were her first love, though, and she thinks they always will be.

What was the idea behind your blanket design?

I challenged myself to create both a geometric and colourful motif design that gave interest from all sorts of angles. I wanted the colour to grade in and out on the diagonal and in rows, and for the geometric side of it to do the same. I want people to be able to see different things each time they look at the blanket. From a making point of view, I wanted the design to be accessible to everyone, of any skill level, so I kept the stitches really simple.

What do you imagine it being used for?

I see the blanket being fabulous in so many rooms in the house, for a really fun sofa or bed throw, or even a massive adventure playmat – my little boy would love driving his cars around the pattern!

What inspired your warm colour palette? Bright and happy times! I chose colours that make me think of warm, sunny, happy days. There are so many beautiful, bright choices in the Scheepjes Cahlista yarn that it was easy to choose a palette. Tell us about the alternative colour range

For the cool palette I still wanted to make sure that the blanket was vibrant and fun, so I stayed away from muted and pastel colours and went for bright blues and purples, to symbolise water.

What do you enjoy about designing blankets?

I love the endless possibilities of blankets. You can work motifs, panels or entire blankets, use a constant stitch or change stitch every row, work in rows or work in rounds, and have fun with colour or keep them plain. There really are no limits, and every single blanket that I have designed and given has been loved, cherished and enjoyed. For me, they are like a good book; I get lost in them.

What other blankets have you designed?

My two favourites would have to be the Mandala Throw I designed for Simply Crochet earlier this year (issue 72) and my classic baby blanket, The Zigzag Blanket (issue 69). I loved designing them both and love to see other people enjoying them, too.

Have you made any other crocheted items that have a particularly warm or cool colour palette? Yes! My Larksfoot Blanket is another warm and colourful blanket that I love, whilst The Seaside Blanket is a more muted and cool design.