below the starry clusters bright

Oh, the temptation to call this post something else at first! But while I was trying to come up with something classier, Marissa stopped me in order to read The Lady of Shalott when I shamed myself by asking, "Who the hell is Tennyson?" And holy mother of King Arthur, I found the most fitting title!

I've been wanting to crochet a blanket with the scintillating colors (soft pinks, magenta, teal, dazzling gold, purples, burnt orange, deep reds, saffron, spiced browns) inspired by the bejeweled Bollywood fashions. Our cat, Kali (named after the Hindu Goddess because of her many extra toes) kept dragging out from my closet a long, skinny scarf that I had crocheted several years ago. It finally dawned on me that the colors (and length for the, um, width) were perfect for what I had in mind!

If you've read my blog for some time now, you know when it comes to crocheting, it doesn't take deep thoughts to throw me off. I can be thinking of how I don't really care much for cake or ice cream, yet I love ice cream cakes, but not ice cream and cake in a bowl together — and then I'll look down at what is in my hands and be all, "What the hell is this? When did this get here? How am I doing this?" And I will have to learn how to crochet all over again.

So when it comes to the pattern, I have chosen something simple, but not boring (since it will probably take three years to finish), and gives the illusion of intricate details. The blanket will alternate between rolls of striped single crochet stitches and rolls of various clusters, bobbles, puffs and other fancy stuff. I will be double-stranding some rows with baby yarn (and other novelty yarn) that has metallic thread — to give the sparkling Zari look.

Below are several links to help you learn the cluster stitch (which is what I'm adding to the scarf, er, blanket first). Clusters, bobbles and puffs go by interchangeable names and if you're not forewarned of this fact when one source shows you one way to make a cluster and another source shows something completely different, you honestly start to think someone spiked your Pepsi with Percocet. Just sayin'.

Written instructions: www.dummies.com/how-to-crochet-a-cluster-stitch

Visual instructions (repeat steps for larger cluster): Crochet Geek ~ Cluster Stitch

Click to enlarge photo of cluster pattern and scroll with arrow keys to view page. :)

Wanna get hooked too, but don't know how? Check out the "Beginner Crochet/Crochet Geek" series by Art of Crochet by Teresa on YouTube!