Seahorse Dance
For the longest time as a kid, I thought a seahorse was a mythical creatures like a unicorn. How can something so tiny also be so intricate? How do they swim with a tail like that?
These two seahorses are doing a lovely dance among hearts and bubble chains.
Interlocking & Mosaic
All of my patterns can be made at least two ways but Seahorse Dance comes with three files.
There is one file for the interlocking crochet technique and two that use the overlay mosaic crochet technique.
When I originally drew this in 2021 I used the same chart for both techniques so you can see the interlocking mesh dots on the original mosaic option. The new mosaic option, created in 2024, uses an adjusted chart so the solid areas are actually solid.
Size
This blanket is larger than those in my Baby Blanket category and thus fits in the Blanket category. However, it is one of my smaller blankets.
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Updated Publishing
Seahorse Dance was originally published in October 2021.
There was one file for interlocking crochet and another for overlay mosaic crochet but the mosaic option used the same chart as the interlocking option so you see the mesh dots.
A third option has been added as of May 2024: overlay mosaic crochet using an adjusted, solid chart.
All three files are included in the listing for Seahorse Dance on Ravelry and Etsy.
Each file contains the fully written pattern, instructions for reading the charts, a single-page chart (good for viewing on a screen), and a nine-page chart (better for printing).
The mosaic options also include instructions for an optional envelope border. My mosaic charts are all marked with X’s.
Original Blog Entry
I used to think seahorses were mythical creatures like unicorns. They amaze me! They are so tiny and delicate looking. These seahorses are dancing a love-dance. Maybe the father will carry some babies soon (see, another reason they sound like mythical creatures!).
I often wished I could make my husband do the pregnant part of having our children. I love my babies but I hated pregnancy. I started feeling sick before I knew I was pregnant and it only ended when the baby came out.
My first baby come a month early. I couldn’t sleep one night and suddenly my water broke. It’s common in movies because it’s exciting and dramatic but in real life less than 10% of births begin with the Premature Rupture of Membranes (PROM). Preterm PROM (when your waters break before 37 weeks) is even rarer and most statistics say it occurs in 1-2% of births. I was definitely not ready for my baby at 36 weeks but that’s life.
Preemie Love Blanket
I wrote a bit more about Alice in a post last year when I created my Preemie Love Blanket.
More Quick Baby Stories
When I was nearing the end of my 2nd pregnancy I truly had no idea when I would go into labor since I had been so blindsided the first time. I was thankful when I made it past the mark of having an early baby and he came at exactly 39 weeks. Remington was a nice, healthy baby boy: 9 lbs, 3 oz / 4167.38 g.
My third child delayed her entrance. Eleven days after her due date I was induced with Melody. She was inside me for almost 6 weeks longer Alice had been and she had the weight to prove it! Alice was born 6 lbs 13 oz / 3090 g and Melody was 9 lbs 11 oz / 4394.18 g when she was born.
My 3rd pregnancy – Melody stayed in there for another month after this picture!
Anyway, back to the crochet…
I originally drew Seahorse Dance to be included in my eBook, “More in the Ocean” but when I was finished I realized I had started with the wrong chart size! All the patterns in that eBook have a chart size of 121 x 121 and this pattern is 161 x 161.
I still wanted six patterns in that eBook so I was forced to try again on the merman pattern. I had pretty much given up on getting him right and was going to put seahorses in the eBook instead. This mistake redeemed itself and now we have “Trident” in the eBook AND this larger blanket pattern with seahorses!
Some people have different ideas on what size a baby blanket is anyway. So they may be more pleased with this larger size. Other people are joining the squares together to create an adult-sized blanket and may find it difficult to add this pattern into the mix.
More in the Ocean
This eBook has baby blankets on a square chart size of 121 so Seahorse Dance didn’t belong in the set.
Yarn Colors
I can’t wait to see your beautiful creations!
My interlocking crochet tester, cyncitycrochet, used some pretty neat ombre yarn in her sample.
White is used as the Main Color (you can tell because those outside border lines are white).
Wrong Side
The Wrong Side (WS) looks pretty awesome too!
When you use the interlocking technique it almost looks like the opposite of the front.
When you use the overlay mosaic technique the WS will be striped (see MadeByMrsJones’ close-up).
Colorwork Techniques and Tutorials
This pattern, like all of my patterns, comes complete with written instructions and a chart for two techniques: interlocking crochet and overlay mosaic crochet. Choose your favorite technique or challenge yourself and learn a new one! I have a few tutorials on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/c/AshleeBrotzellDesigns
The chart that comes with the mosaic method has X’s to show where the dropped double crochets go.
Thank you!
I hope you enjoyed my little stories and I hope you really love this new pattern! .
The links to Etsy and Ravelry are both here; if you don’t have a preference I think Ravelry is better (less fees for me, easier to update patterns when needed, nice library to keep things organized, photos of everyone’s projects) but I offer both platforms so you can make your own choice!
Important Details
I use two different colorwork techniques for all my patterns: interlocking crochet and overlay mosaic crochet. They can both produce an image on a blanket but there are slight differences between the two techniques.
Check out my tutorials for both of these crochet colorwork techniques.
Adjusted Mosaic Crochet Definition
This term – ‘adjusted mosaic‘- is what often confuses people.
When I originally drew this in 2021 I used the same chart for both techniques so you can see the interlocking mesh dots on the original mosaic option. The new mosaic option, created in 2024, uses an adjusted chart so the solid areas are actually solid.
Both of the mosaic crochet files included with Seahorse Dance are for the overlay mosaic crochet technique. The stitches and technique is the same for both files, but the charts are different and thus the final blanket will be slightly different.
Learn more about these techniques at https://ashleeslint.com/tutorials/interlocking-and-mosaic-crochet/.
Interlocking Crochet
Interlocking crochet is a colorwork technique where you create two layers of mesh locked together. You work one row at a time, alternating between the two contrasting colors.
Interlocking crochet / LFM crochet file includes:
- line-by-line written pattern
- instructions on reading a chart
- a one-page chart (good for viewing on a screen)
- a nine-page chart (better for printing)
Details
- Chart is 161 x 161
- Gauge: 8 (DC, ch) x 8 rows = 4”
- 40″ x 40″ / 102cm x 102cm
- 4.5 mm hook (US7)
- Worsted weight yarn (2030 – 2130 yards total)
- Main color (MC) (seahorses) – 1040 yards plus 100 for optional border
- Accent color (AC) (background) – 990 yards
Interlocking crochet sample of Seahorse Dance crocheted by CynCityCrochet. White used as Main Color (MC) / first color used.
Original Overlay Mosaic Crochet
This was the original version of Seahorse Dance. The chart is exactly the same as for the interlocking crochet version except there are X’s marked for the dropped double crochets.
Original Overlay Mosaic Crochet option includes:
- line-by-line written pattern
- instructions for optional envelope border
- instructions on reading a chart (one tutorial)
- a one-page chart marked with X’s (good for viewing on a screen)
- a nine-page chart marked with X’s (better for printing)
Details
- Chart is 161 x 161
- Gauge: 16 sc blo stitches x 16 rows = 4”
- 40″ x 40″ / 102cm x 102cm
- 4.5 mm hook (US7)
- Worsted weight yarn (1975 – 2475 yards)
- Main color (seahorses) – 975 yards
- Contrasting color (background) – 1000 yards
- Optional envelope border – 500 yards
Overlay mosaic crochet sample of Seahorse Dance using original, dotted option crocheted by MadeByMrsJones. Multi-colored yarn used as the Main Color (MC) / first color used.
She added a decorative envelope border of her own design.
Adjusted Overlay Mosaic Crochet
In May 2024 I added a third file: the adjusted overlay mosaic crochet option.
The overlay mosaic crochet technique does not require the interlocking mesh dots to be visible so in this option I have removed them. I also remove the duplicated border lines that go around the design (they lock the two mesh layers in place but are not needed with mosaic crochet) so the chart is a few stitches shorter and narrower than the original design.
You’ll still receive multiple x-marked charts along with a fully written pattern.
Adjusted Mosaic Crochet option includes:
- line-by-line written pattern
- instructions for optional envelope border
- instructions on reading a chart (one tutorial)
- a one-page chart marked with X’s (good for viewing on a screen)
- a four-page chart marked with X’s (better for printing)
Details
- Chart is 157 x 157
- Gauge: 14 sc blo stitches x 15 rows = 4”
- 45” x 42” / 114cm x 106cm
- 5 mm hook (H-8)
- Worsted weight yarn (2130 – 2630 yards)
- Main color (seahorses) – 1000 yards
- Contrasting color (background) – 1130 yards
- Optional envelope border – 500 yards
Overlay mosaic crochet sample of Seahorse Dance using the adjusted, solid chart crocheted by CrochetCarob. White used as the Main Color (MC) / first color used.
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