Sunday, 14 April 2013

Blanket Squares - Get The Random Look - Sudoku Method

Hello!  Thanks for the lovely comments recently!

Ok... I thought it was time I let you in on my method of arranging the squares in my Waterlily Blanket.

I wanted a random look, but I also needed a plan.  I couldn't just crochet squares willy nilly, not knowing what was going to happen when I tried to put them all together - my nerves couldn't have stood it!  (I am rubbish at random!!)

So, I came up with an idea.  It so happened that I had picked 9 different colours to use (plus the cream for the edges) - so I thought... Sudoku!

I decided that I would create a 9 squares x 9 squares blanket, and use the Sudoku rules.  This meant that in each row there would be one of each colour, in each column there would be one of each colour, and in each of the 9 clusters of 3 x 3 squares, there would be one of each colour.  I came up with this:


I tried using some existing Sudoku puzzles - so that I could just assign a colour to each number and away I'd go.  However, I had another requirement that Sudoku puzzles don't have.  In Soduku, you can have the same number touching diagonally, between the 3 x 3 clusters, but I didn't want to have the same colour touching diagonally!  So, I just had to work it out myself.  Took a fair bit of fiddling about - some may wonder if it was worth it - but I was finally happy with the result!

In the end, I started to run out of yarn - and didn't think I'd make it to the end of 9 rows, so I just did the first 7 rows, making a 9 x 7 squares blanket (but I was safe in the knowledge that there was no repetition of colour in any of the rows or columns!)

If you happen to be making a blanket using 9 colours, then feel free to use this method.  Below I've created the same chart, but using numbers, so you could assign a colour to each number.  You can even print it out and colour it in if you like!


Who would have thought you could combine Sudoku and crochet?!


9 comments:

  1. wow, now that is dedication!

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  2. Wow, how very well planned. Sounds like it took you a bit of time, but by the pics youve shown its been well worth the effort. ;o)

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  3. Thats brilliant - really helpful! I know what you mean about not being able to do random, it's hard isn't it? Thanks for the good idea xx

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  4. So clever I will definitely save your grid x

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  5. Ypou are clever! well done i am going to refer to this at some point.

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  6. That's a brilliant idea, thanks for sharing it, x

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  7. Yessss, this is so brilliant. I think we are on the same wavelength when it comes to planning projects - you don't have to dig deep to find the OCD ;)

    Pinning.

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  8. So clever!...I shall definitely keep this in mind for the future...
    Happy Sunday to you,
    Susan x

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  9. Wow this definently amazing . Love it. I found your blog through Gillian ( from Tales from a happy house) and I love it. I will definently come back.

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