8-Bit Super Mario Brothers Blanket - IN PROGRESS

I am in the process of making an 8-bit Super Mario Brothers Blanket all in Crocheted Granny Squares

I used a 5 MM hook and bulk yarn in yellow, red, green, blue, black, orange, and white

I saw the original idea for this blanket on Pinterest, though it was created using a corner to corner stitch and not granny squares. But I liked the idea of creating multiple pictures in one blanket so I took out some graph paper and started drawing out the pictures I would eventually create out of the granny square. I used square per square on the graph paper to give me an idea of how many squares I would need per pictures, as well as how they would fit to be centered.

Now comes the fun part: I had to use math, yes math to figure out how big of a square to use and how many squares I would want per pictures not to go overboard. Math isn't exactly my forte, so there was a lot of scribbling and crossing out, changing hook sizes to change the gauge, and more scribbling and crossing out.

My notebook became less than ideal to read, so when I finally decided on a hook size, I rewrote all the information i needed in a more logical, organized way. Then I sketched out the squares, as you can see from the picture, and totaled how many squares of each color I would need, compared to the amount of yarn I would have to purchase - you guessed it...more math!

I created a key at the bottom of the page to keep me on track.

At the moment, I am currently still at step two. I am about halfway through all of the squares, ticking off the colors one by one (and finding out that my basic addition stinks and Undercounted my white squares by about fifty or so!)

To make the granny square itself, I created a magic loop and then double crocheted 12 times inside the magic square, broken into four sections with two chain stiches between every third double crochet. Then, when I completed the 12 double crochet stitches, I slip stiched to the top of the first double crochet created, chained two and double crocheted into each stitch.

When i got to the gap created by the chain stitches, I crocheted two-double crocheted stitches, chain stitched twice, and then crocheted another pair of double crocheted stitches. I followed this pattern until I got to the end of the square and then slip stiched into the top stitch of the first double crochet.

And repeat for another five hundred plus times...with two hundred plus to go!

Stay tuned for more steps after I finally finish the never ending pile of squares needed!