Here is my latest creation.
Heart of Friendship
This is an idea that has been going around in my mind for months.
Last year I made a few Afghans with large squares, the first was with a “Sophie’s Garden” designed by Dedri Uys of Lookatwhatimade.net.
Then I started playing with large “Granny” squares…
At the beginning of this year I started with two ideas, one was just a huge square Afghan, more about that another day, the other has evolved into “Heart of Friendship“.
I wanted to design a large central square and then also smaller ones to surround it, using elements of the central square for the smaller ones and for the border.
Everything I create has meaning, it’s not just a bunch of stitches, there is a purpose and a significance or symbolic meaning behind my designs.
So the centre starts with a cute little cushion and moves into “hearts” which to me represent the unconditional love of true friends, or the friendships that are formed with new friends through the love of a shared interest.
Within the hearts is a six pointed star, the meaning of the six pointed star is “creation” and faith. When we create with love and shared joy with our friends we are able to spread an amazing amount of joy and positivity.
Next come the dual coloured fans, when we blend and merge our differences everything fits together perfectly.
And the twelve pointed star, who’s points touch the outer circle, represent completion, and the joining together of all our different aspects.
The twelve pointed star also represents manifestation.
Next there are many rounds and stitches which interlink and cross over each other, which represents the magical weaving of thoughts, ideas and different personalities that make many friendships so special to us all.
Then come the three smaller squares…
The first represents the unbreakable links we form with true friends.
The second with it’s soft, squishy, cushioned centre represents the comfort and safety we feel with our friends.
And the third, with hearts, represents that our friends are the heart of our lives.
Finally the border… the two main features here are the small hearts and the “friends holding hands” that surround us and link us all together.
I want to express my heart felt gratitude to the amazing women who have tested this pattern for me, for the love of the craft, for the laughs and support and for the shared frustrations.
Thank you.
Kay Crone,
Terena Todd,
Melissa Gutherie Hayes,
Amanda Jackson,
Christina Reitz,
Lynda Hernandez,
Christina Wright,
and Venetia Smith who has taught me so much about pattern writing.
You can find the pattern here on my Ravelry page.
Please do let me know if you find any mistakes and if you need any help or advice please contact me and I will do all I can to help you.
For the smaller Pink and Grey Afghan I used Stylecraft Special Double Knit.
Colours: Candyfloss, Fondant, Bright Pink, White, Silver, and Graphite.
Three balls of each colour was ample.
I used a 4 mm hook and the finished size is 152 cm / 60 inches/5 feet, square.
You can purchase the pink and grey yarn pack through Loremar, or in my Deramores shop.
For the larger Purples Afghan I used Caron Simply Soft which is an Aran/light worsted weight yarn. (approx. 5670 yards/5184m)
Colours: Off White, Blackberry, Passion, Raisin, Orchid, and Iris.
Three balls of each is ample. Passion is now discontinued, please use Plum Perfect instead.
Finished Size: 193 cm / 76 inches/ 6 feet 4 inches, square.
♥ Please remember this is my design and is covered by copyright law. You may share a link to this page with anyone, or to my Ravelry store, where you will find all of my patterns. You may do what ever you like with your finished items, but please do not copy or reproduce the pattern in any way.
Please love and respect me as I love and respect you.♥
♥ Heart of Friendship – Colour List
The list below gives round number and colour used.
♥ Pinks – Stylecraft Special – Double Knitting
Centre Square – Pinks
1. White. 2. White. 3. Fondant. 4. Fondant. 5. White. 6. White. 7. White. 8. Candyfloss. 9. Candyfloss. 10. Fondant. 11. Fondant. 12. Bright Pink. 13. Bright Pink. 14. Graphite. 15. Graphite. 16. Silver. 17. Bright Pink/ Fondant. 18. Silver. 19. White. 20. White. 21. Bright Pink. 22. Silver. 23. Silver. 24. Fondant. 25. Graphite. 26. Graphite. 27. Candyfloss. 28. Candyfloss. 29. White. 30. Fondant. 31. Bright Pink. 32. Silver. 33. Candyfloss. 34. Fondant. 35. White. 36. Silver. 37. Bright Pink. 38. Graphite. 39. Candyfloss. 40. Candyfloss. 41. Graphite. 42. White. 43. White. 44. White.
Square 1 – Pinks
Ring 1. Candyfloss. Ring 2. Silver. Ring 3. Fondant. Ring 4. Graphite. 1. White. 2. White. 3. White. 4. White. 5. Bright Pink. 6. Bright Pink. 7. Candyfloss. 8. Graphite. 9. Silver. 10. Silver. 11. Fondant. 12. Silver. 13. Graphite. 14. Graphite. 15. Graphite.
Square 2 – Pinks
1. Bright Pink. 2. Bright Pink. 3. Fondant. 4. Fondant. 5. Fondant. 6. Bright Pink. 7. Candyfloss. 8. Candyfloss. 9. Silver. 10. Silver. 11. White. 12. Bright Pink. 13. Bright Pink. 14. White. 15. Bright Pink. 16. Bright Pink.
Square 3 – Pinks
1. White. 2. White. 3. White. 4. White. 5. White. 6. Silver. 7. Fondant. 8. Fondant. 9. Graphite. 10. Graphite. 11. Bright Pink. 12. Candyfloss. 13. Graphite. 14. Graphite. 15. Candyfloss. 16. Silver. 17. Silver.
Join. White.
Border – Pinks
1. White. 2. White. 3. Candyfloss. 4. Silver. 5. Silver. 6. Silver. 7. Candyfloss. 8. Graphite. 9. Candyfloss. 10. Graphite. 11. Candyfloss. 12. Fondant. 13. Candyfloss. 14. Bright Pink. 15. Bright Pink. 16. White. 17. Bright Pink.
♥ Purples – Caron Simply Soft – Aran/Worsted
Centre Square – Purples
1. Off White. 2. Off White 3. Blackberry. 4. Blackberry. 5. Off White. 6. Off White. 7. Off White. 8. Orchid. 9. Orchid. 10. Grape. 11. Grape. 12. Iris. 13. Iris. 14. Off White. 15. Off White. 16. Off White. 17. Blackberry/ Passion. 18. Off White. 19. Iris. 20. Iris. 21. Blackberry. 22. Grape. 23. Grape. 24. Passion. 25. Orchid. 26. Orchid. 27. Off White. 28. Off White. 29. Orchid. 30. Grape. 31. Iris. 32. Off White. 33. Off White. 34. Passion. 35. Blackberry. 36. Passion. 37. Passion. 38. Blackberry. 39. Blackberry. 40. Grape. 41. Iris. 42. Orchid. 43. Orchid. 44. Iris.
Square 1 – Purples
Ring 1. Grape. Ring 2. Iris. Ring 3. Orchid. Ring 4. Passion. 1. Off White. 2. Off White. 3. Off White. 4. Off White. 5. Passion. 6. Passion. 7. Blackberry. 8. Grape. 9. Iris. 10. Off White. 11. Iris. 12. Orchid. 13. Orchid. 14. Orchid.
Square 1 – Purples
Ring 1. Orchid. Ring 2. Off White. Ring 3. Orchid. Ring 4. Off White. 1. Passion. 2. Passion. 3. Passion. 4. Passion. 5. Iris. 6. Iris. 7. Grape. 8. Orchid. 9. Blackberry. 10. Blackberry. 11. Passion. 12. Blackberry. 13. Grape. 14. Grape. 15. Grape.
Square 1 – Purples
Ring 1. Iris. Ring 2. Grape. Ring 3. Blackberry. Ring 4. Grape. 1. Orchid. 2. Orchid. 3. Orchid. 4. Orchid. 5. Grape. 6. Grape. 7. Blackberry. 8. Orchid. 9. Off White. 10. Off White. 11. Iris. 12. Off White. 13. Passion. 14. Passion. 15. Passion.
Square 1 – Purples
Ring 1. Blackberry. Ring 2. Off White. Ring 3. Iris. Ring 4. Passion. 1. Grape. 2. Grape. 3. Grape. 4. Grape. 5. Off White. 6. Off White. 7. Passion. 8. Blackberry. 9. Orchid. 10. Orchid. 11. Grape. 12. Orchid. 13. Iris. 14. Iris. 15. Iris.
Square 2 – Purples
1. Blackberry. 2. Blackberry. 3. Passion. 4. Passion. 5. Passion. 6. Blackberry. 7. Off White. 8. Off White. 9. Blackberry. 10. Blackberry. 11. Iris. 12. Grape. 13. Grape. 14. Passion. 15. Orchid. 16. Orchid.
Square 2 – Purples
1. Passion. 2. Passion. 3. Off White. 4. Off White. 5. Off White. 6. Passion. 7. Orchid. 8. Orchid. 9. Passion. 10. Passion. 11. Blackberry. 12. Grape. 13. Grape. 14. Iris. 15. Grape. 16. Grape.
Square 2 – Purples
1. Iris. 2. Iris. 3. Orchid. 4. Orchid. 5. Orchid. 6. Iris. 7. Blackberry. 8. Blackberry. 9. Iris. 10. Iris. 11. Passion. 12. Off White. 13. Off White. 14. Grape. 15. Blackberry. 16. Blackberry.
Square 2 – Purples
1. Off White. 2. Off White. 3. Grape. 4. Grape. 5. Grape. 6. Off White. 7. Iris. 8. Iris. 9. Off White. 10. Off White. 11. Orchid. 12. Passion. 13. Passion. 14. Blackberry. 15. Passion. 16. Passion.
Square 3 – Purples
1. Orchid. 2. Orchid. 3. Orchid. 4. Orchid. 5. Orchid. 6. Passion. 7. Grape. 8. Grape. 9. Blackberry. 10. Blackberry. 11. Grape. 12. Iris. 13. Passion. 14. Passion. 15. Iris. 16. Blackberry. 17. Blackberry.
Square 3 – Purples
1. Iris. 2. Iris. 3. Iris. 4. Iris. 5. Iris. 6. Grape. 7. Off White. 8. Off White. 9. Orchid. 10. Orchid. 11. Passion. 12. Orchid. 13. Iris. 14. Iris. 15. Blackberry. 16. Grape. 17. Grape.
Square 3 – Purples
1. Passion. 2. Passion. 3. Passion. 4. Passion. 5. Passion. 6. Orchid. 7. Blackberry. 8. Blackberry. 9. Iris. 10. Iris. 11. Blackberry. 12. Grape. 13. Off White. 14. Off White. 15. Passion. 16. Orchid. 17. Orchid.
Square 3 – Purples
1. Blackberry. 2. Blackberry. 3. Blackberry. 4. Blackberry. 5. Blackberry. 6. Iris. 7. Orchid. 8. Orchid. 9. Passion. 10. Passion. 11. Off White. 12. Passion. 13. Blackberry. 14. Blackberry. 15. Grape. 16. Iris. 17. Iris.
Join. Orchid.
Border – Purples
1. Orchid. 2. Orchid. 3. Passion. 4. Off White. 5. Off White. 6. Orchid. 7. Blackberry. 8. Grape. 9. Blackberry. 10. Grape. 11. Blackberry. 12. Iris. 13. Blackberry. 14. Passion. 15. Passion. 16. Off White. 17. Orchid.
And here are some of the amazing afghans made by my awesome testers…
Made by Kay Crone
Kay used
Stylecraft Special DK. Colours: Petrol, Denim, Storm Blue, Silver, Parchment, and Cream.
Made by Terena Todd
Terena used Stylecraft Special. Colours: Petrol, Cream, Graphite, Grey, Teal, Turquoise.
Made by Melissa Guthrie Hayes
Made by Lynda Hernandez
Aren’t they just gorgeous 🙂
I would love to see examples of your Heart of Friendship, please feel free to share on my
facebook page. Crystals and Crochet
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Just trying to get on the list for your newsletter
I have now made sure it is on the right hand side of every page 🙂
Can the friendship border be used on a rectangular blanket. I purchased the pattern to use it on a different blanket and I’m at round 3 and it’s not falling exactly like pattern.
yes, but you would have to work out the repeats, from round 7 it needs to be multiples of 8 plus 6
Hi Helen, do you think it would be possible to share the colour order for Kay Crane’a version. I am hopeless at colour placement and my mother in law loves her version.
The list of colours Kay used is on the post, but I am sorry I do not have the colours per round for her version. Although you can maybe see from the photo. 🙂
Hello, I love your patterns and just bought the radiance blanket pattern 10 minutes ago from the american site. Would love to buy the Heart of Frienship pattern but could not find the link on your website. Do i have to get it from Ravelry?
Yes Heart of Friendship is on Ravelry 🙂
Love this so much, especially like that you tell us all the meaning behind
everything you do. I’m looking for the Caron colors on line for the purple one,
and can’t seem to find the raisin or passion anywhere??
It’s so hard to tell exactly what colored they actually are. Maybe those 2 colors were discontinued?? A way, if you could just let me know what a goid replacement would be for those two!
Thank you, oh, and LOVING Mandala Madness!
I have a feeling they may have been discontinued now, but not sure if they have replaced with other similar colours! I will see what I can find out 🙂
Hi i love that blanket, but i wanna know if the pattern its translated?
I was reading your explanation of all your lovely squares and have ended up with misty eyes. Just beautiful – both the words and the blanket.
Bless you Pam, love and hugs to you 🙂
Love this afghan Helen. Love the story and meaning of the stitch patterns, it’s beautiful. Good luck with your blog.
Cheers Maggie
Thank you Maggie 🙂
Love these, is it possible to have a list of Kay Crones colours
Thank you Lesley, I’ll ask her 🙂
Kay’s colours are now added.
thank you
I love the colors on Terena Todds blanket…Would it be possible to list the colors she used? Thank you in advance. I just bought the pattern and can’t wait to start!!!
I will ask her 🙂
I have now added Terena’s colours you can see above by her photo.
Beautiful work and thanks for sharing
Thank you Paddy x
I wanted to stop by and wish you much success with you new website and to tell you that I absolutely love the new pattern. I will be purchasing that on my next payday. I made a lovely poncho with the spiro star granny. Your directions were really very clear and easy to follow. Thanks again. I wish I could upload a picture of the completed project here for ya but there doesn’t seem to be an option to do that
Hi Adrienne
Thank you so much 🙂
I will be writing a blog about the Spiro Star and the 4 square poncho so I would love to share a photo of yours.
You can link up with me on Facebook and send me a photo through pm there. xx
Helen, it is just lovely and I loved reading about all the meaning behind your design elements. Great luck with your website !
Thank you Carolyn x