I’m in a magazine!

I am pretty excited to see my blanket in a magazine. Persistent Blossoms has been published in the spring 2023 issue 93 of Crochet Now! magazine.

I spent many, many, many, many hours creating this colorful spring-time blanket and Crochet Now! magazine has staged it so beautifully on a chair (maybe I should get a fancy chair?) and they’ve given the go-ahead for us designers to share about Issue 93 now!

“Persistent Blossoms” by Ashlee Brotzell, photo courtesy of Practical Publishing

Here in Canada, I am having a hard time finding it on shelves.

I found a really old, dusty copy of Crochet Now in Walmart the other day. I couldn’t find the issue number. It was in a bag with some cool accessories and the price was $24.50 (which seemed a bit much to me so I didn’t buy it).

Waiting for the Blossoms

I am on a waiting list at McNally & Robinson (local bookstore).

They called me yesterday to say the magazine was in, but I remember from 2 years ago when I tried to get my copy of the magazine that they called me, I drove there, and it wasn’t the issue I wanted – so I double checked this time. Sure enough, they ignored that part of my request and it’s not my issue.

So I’m back on the waiting list and they’ll call when the next issue is there (or possibly they will actually wait until my issue is there).

Subscribe?

I tried looking into subscribing to the magazine but it’s quite costly and I just KNOW that I’d be sorely tempted by all the beautiful projects and I’d have less time to do my work. (*cue the giggles*) So I must resist!

This new issue, 93, that I haven’t yet seen in person, has 41 patterns! So, if the price ends up being $24.50 for me, I suppose that’s really not that expensive actually.

This issue is advertised as having an exclusive crochet macramé kit and Slumber Party crochet collection pattern book. Plus a mum and baby dinosaur set, sea turtles and seasonal makes for kids (so I’ll definitely have to make something for my kids)!

Self-Publishing

In four months, the rights will revert back to me and I’ll self-publish Persistent Blossoms to Ravelry and Etsy. Subscribe to my newsletter and you’ll be notified when that happens (plus you’ll get an exclusive discount code)!

Magazine Errata

There’s a tiny mistake in the mistake. These things happen. Experienced crocheters will likely not even notice the mistake and just go ahead and crochet it all up properly. But, to be thorough and make sure everyone is clear on the process let’s go over this quickly.

The key in the magazine shows 4 things: a split-colored square with a “C” for the corner stitches, a split-colored square with an “X” for the tr in FLO 2 rnds below (in US terms I call this a dropped DC), and then 2 separate boxes for the dc in BLO (in US terms, this is our SC in BLO).

The dc in BLO (US: SC in BLO) should also be on a split-colored square.

The colors on the chart don’t affect the stitch – only the mark (C, X, or blank). Each round uses a single color of yarn.

Crochet Now, Spring 2021

Did you know I have been published in Crochet Now magazine before? My Eiffel Tower Wall Hanging was originally published in the spring 2021 issue of Crochet Now!

Click Here to read more about my experience the first time I was in a magazine!

Secrets

It’s been hard keeping the secret for these last few weeks.

I wanted to scream on the top of a mountain for everyone to hear! I was so excited!

But, I had to quietly make my blanket and wait for the right time.

Now that the time is here, there is still not a whole lot to tell you. You’ll have to look in the magazine.

Yarn Used for Persistent Blossoms

The magazine chose Caron Simply Soft yarn for this blanket.

You will need 4 skeins in White 9701 (MC), and 1 skein each in Strawberry 0015 (CC1), Gold 9782 (CC2), Cobalt Blue 9784 (CC3), Lavender Blue 9756 (CC4).

Yarn Substitute

You can, of course, choose to use a yarn substitute instead of the Caron Simply Soft I used.

To find something similar, first think about the yarn I used. Simply Soft is a 4 – medium weighted yarn. It’s on the thinner side of worsted weight yarns. YarnSub.com can give you some suggestions!

Hook Size

I used a 5 mm hook. You can use whatever hook works to make your fabric look the way you want it. Some prefer a tighter stitch, others like a looser drape. Some have tighter or looser tension.

Hook size is always highly dependent on your personal tension and yarn choice.

Support Video

I am creating a video walk-thru of the small border squares (which also happens to be the inner portion of the large squares) so that should get you hooked on the technique and make it easier to approach this pattern. The video will be published at the same time as my self-published pattern.

Center-Out Overlay Mosaic Crochet

Currently, through the magazine, Persistent Blossoms is an overlay mosaic crochet blanket made from many squares which are worked from the center-out.

When I publish it, I MAY include an interlocking version of the square. I haven’t yet decided. Let me know if you think I should by answering my poll below!

UPDATE

Persistent Blossoms has now been published on Ravelry and Etsy. I did make an interlocking crochet addition to this pattern. Both techniques come with a support video showing the step-by-step process of crocheting the small square.

Read more details here: https://ashleeslint.com/2023/09/14/persistent-blossoms-now-available-on-ravelry-and-etsy/