babette's feast [of colour]

I fear that Babette would have a tummy ache.

The Vital Statistics
Pattern: Babette Blanket by Kathy Merrick.
Size: Ah, there's a reason this is not called the Barbara Blanket - it's tiny!! Mine measures 84 x 76cm which indicates that I didn't achieve the gauge recommended by the pattern (which gives a finished size of 109 x 101.5 cm). Usually I wouldn't be so concerned with gauge on a project like this, although I am a tad disappointed that it didn't come out larger.

Yarn: Lots of them!

• Patons UK - Crocus  in black; a vintage yarn purchased at Lake City Value Village
• Cleckheaton Merino Bambino 4 ply in 2158, a mid-blue
• Debbie Bliss Rialto 4 ply in 26 (yellow) and 20 (purple), previously used for my kashmir shawl
• Patons Australia Patonyle in a steel blue which I used to finish Tim's dad's socks
• Rowan 4 Ply Soft in a burnt orange
• Ski Yarn Fingering (中細) in 1876, a beige, purchased at Capitol Hill Value Village
• Zwerger Garn Opal 4-fach / 4-ply in a pink/blue/white colourway, unravelled from a baby jacket purchased at an op shop in Benalla
• Zitron Trekking (XXL) in 126 and 81, purchased at Capitol Hill Value Village
• Rowan Pure Wool 4ply in '449 - vintage', '436 - kiss' and '450 - eau de nil', also used in the kashmir shawl
• Rowan Scottish Tweed 4 Ply in '20 - mallard'
• Louet Gems Fingering Weight in sage
• Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock Yarn in '01 - blues in the night' which I received in a yarn swap and used for breaking the waves
• Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Solid in 'manzanita' with which I previously attempted the In the Pink shawl
• Heirloom Baby Wool 4 ply in 415 (light blue) and 407 (dark blue)
• Grignasco Strong Print in a blue/pink/yellow colourway, previously used for my illicit socks
• Grignasco Bambi in 416 'camel', previously used for the acorn hat, knit for life cupcake and rhubarb pie liza

So, twenty-one separate yarns.

Hook: 3.25mm for the motifs and 2.75mm for the edging. 
Stash/recycle content: Oh hooray, all of it! Yes, crocheted entirely from stash. Yarn previously purchased for something else, yarn left over, yarn given to me and yarn bought at the thrift store.
Start to finish: 9 March 2011 to 24 May 2012 - actually not so long. It felt like longer ...

I'm so desperate to get a photo of this finished project out there, and I have so much to say about making it that I need some more time to think: to be continued ...