I had the pleasure of working with the new Tropical Cyclone Aran weight yarn from Kismet Yarns, based here in South Africa. As an ambassador for Kismet Yarns, I get to test out their brand-new yarns, which is always exciting!
Originally, I planned to create a cardigan with this Kismet yarn, but when I started the project it turned out too big for that purpose. So, I decided to make it into a blanket instead. I chose to gift it to my husband because I’ve never made something personal for him with my crochet work. This was the perfect opportunity, and the yarn was also the perfect colour for him.
Another reason why the afghan was a better choice was that after finishing the first two skeins, I realized I had asked for the wrong color for the remaining skeins. Initially, I was worried, but once I started crocheting, I saw that the colors blended beautifully. One of my followers mentioned it looked like an ocean with the different shades of blue, grey, and warm tones, which perfectly captured the vibe this afghan was giving and another follower came up with the name “Ocean Breeze Afghan”.
My Thoughts on Kismet Tropical Cyclone Yarn
This yarn is amazing to work with. It’s super soft and works up fast due to its Aran weight (Weight 4 / 10 ply). The thickness of the yarn is consistent throughout the skein, which is great because, in the past, I’ve found that variegated yarns can have issues with thinning when lighter or darker colors are used. I used 7 skeins, and all of them were knot-free with no weak spots where the yarn pulls. This made the crocheting process smooth and enjoyable, allowing me to focus on the design rather than dealing with yarn issues.
Yarn Specs:
- 100g/185m per skein
- 100% acrylic
- Preferred hook size: 5mm
- Needle size: 4.5mm-5.5mm
This yarn is sold here in South Africa, and you can get it from The Wool Shoppe. Use my code: YARNOVER to get a 5% discount on your next purchase. Whether you’re making blankets, scarves, or any other cozy project, this yarn is a fantastic choice.
The Ocean breeze afghan pattern
Difficulty:
- Easy /beginner
Supplies:
- 5.5mm (I) Crochet hook
- Scissors
- Needle
- Medium weight 4 yarn/Aran/10ply (I used Kismet Tropical Cyclone colours 702/706)
Amount of yarn:
7 skeins 100g – 700g / 1295m / 1417yards
Gauge:
(4,33 inches x 4,33 inches) 11cmX11 cm= 4 clusters x 4 rows
Finished Size:
Not stretched: 1.3m x 1.07m ( 51inch x 42inch)
Abbreviations (US Terms):
- ST(s) – Stitch(es)
- CH – Chain
- DC – Double Crochet
- CL- Cluster (3 DC in one stitch)
- *…* – Repeat sequence between start
Blanket size can be adjusted, Foundation Chain must be crochet in multiples of 3 stitches, +6 chains at the end.
Graph image:
Row1: CH 138, Plus 6 stitches [144]
Row2: DC 2 in the 6th Chain from the hook, *Skip 2 CH’s, CL* Repeat x 45, DC in the last chain, CH 3 and turn your work.
Row4: DC 2, in the first gap next to the DC from the previous row.
Row5: Place a CL between each CL from the previous row, Skip the last gap of the row and DC into the top of the CH3 when you reach the end of your row.
Row6- 70: Repeat Row 1 and 2 for 73 rows, or to the desired length of the granny square blanket.
You can find the video tutorial for creating granny square stitches in rows on my YouTube channel {HERE}
