Sunset Beach Throw

Sunset Beach Throw by Lisa van Klaveren

What is Being Made

The Sunset Beach Throw is a crochet blanket designed to capture the natural beauty of coastal sunsets through color and texture. The finished sample blanket measures approximately 50" x 70", making it an ideal size for draping over furniture or enjoying as a cozy throw. The design is inspired by Sunset Beach in Port Waikato, New Zealand, where the pattern photography was shot on location.

Difficulty and Skill Level

This project is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for crocheters with some experience who are ready to work with textured stitches and color transitions. Despite the intermediate rating, the pattern is designed to be simple and easy-to-memorize, featuring just a 2 row repeat that becomes intuitive once established.

Techniques and Stitches

The Sunset Beach Throw showcases several key crochet techniques that create visual interest and dimension:

• Mock-cable effect: Raised mock-cables are strategically placed throughout the blanket to create depth and structure
• Knit-look ribbed texture: The right side of the blanket features a distinctive knit-look ribbed effect positioned between each of the raised mock-cables, giving the crochet blanket the appearance of knitted ribbing
• Color work: The pattern is designed to showcase gradient yarn packs, allowing the natural color transitions to create the visual representation of water, sky, and sunset light

Materials and Yarn

The Sunset Beach Throw is versatile and can be made to any dimensions using yarn and hook of your choice. The sample blanket was created using the following specifications:

• Yarn weight: Worsted weight or aran weight yarn
• Total yardage: Approximately 2,400 yards for the sample 50" x 70" blanket
• Sample yarn used: Value Ball Gradients in two shade packs containing 20 balls of 10 different colors each. One pack featured gradients ranging from dark to light blue-greens and greys to represent water and sky, while the second pack used shades of peach and pink to represent sunset light
• Hook: Crochet hook size appropriate for your chosen worsted or aran weight yarn

Color and Design Inspiration

The Sunset Beach Throw's design philosophy centers on the perfect combination of color and texture. By using gradient yarn packs, crafters can achieve a sophisticated ombré effect that naturally transitions through multiple hues, mimicking the way light and color shift across a beach sunset. This approach eliminates the need for complex color-work techniques while still creating a visually stunning finished piece.