Spring blanket....

Yippee! The Spring blanket is finished! And it is still Spring!

Don’t get me wrong, I have really enjoyed making this blanket, but there is nothing quite like finishing a big project.

I wasn’t loving the white border, but then I found an edging in Crochet Unravelled by Claire Bojczuk. It is called “cluster edging” and consists of a treble cluster, one picot and another treble cluster. I just did 2 trebles, a picot and 2 trebles though. Why? Something to do with being too lazy to get up and find the book and trying to create it by memory... at least I’m honest!

So, once the now “double cluster” border was on it’s merry way, I began being a lot happier about the border. The border consists of 3 rows of treble clusters and the final fourth row is the "double cluster"edging. I officially LOVE this blanket.

I may disappoint a few of you dear readers because I am not an organised person and I cannot tell you how many balls of yarn I used or how much the blanket cost to make. I have made bunting and a cushion and stool cover out of the same yarn colours along the way... The yarn used was predominantly Stylecraft, with the odd ball of Woolcraft yarn used, simply because I liked the pink and coral colours.

The pattern I used was from Yarning blog and I used a 4mm hook. It is a heavy, warm blanket. I know a few of you have emailed to ask how I joined the squares and there is no fancy method, just slip stitch. I tend to join 9 squares at a time and then make up a panel consisting of four 3 by 3 squares. I have tried to sew in ends and join panels along the way, because this gave me the impetus to carry on. There are 216 squares, 12 by 18 rows. The blanket was made to be big enough to go over the 3-seater sofa.



It has been so lovely when I have received a comment or email telling me I have inspired you to start your own Spring blanket. It is well worth the time and effort, believe me!

I truly believe I would have one or two cushion covers with white borders if I had not started blogging... documenting the progress of the blanket and receiving so many kind comments, has kept me going with this project. It is quite an undertaking producing a crochet blanket and I truly admire the people out there that can do one after the other.



I can't decide which sofa - the 2 or 3 seater to put
the blanket on...This is the two seater sofa. I don't know
 if I'm ready to let people SIT on it!

So there you have it.... my second blanket under my belt in the first six months of being a crocheter! It wouldn't have been half as much fun without you all. x

Oooooo.... I forgot it is the last day of April... here is the April mosaic...

How do you crochet yours?

latest find... 50p Rose plate

... I know, this isn't studying... but I'm having breakfast and typing between coffee and toast! I'm finding it both funny and interesting reading the comments from yesterday's post. It never occurred to me that a lot of you dear readers out there would never contemplate crocheting OUTSIDE IN PUBLIC ....

I do; I find most people are interested in having a look at what is being created... and surely the stigma of crochet being "grannyish" has gone - crochet came down the catwalks of New York, Paris and London in its droves this year? At the end of the day though, crocheting - indoors, outdoors - makes me happy and that's what counts really.

So I'd love to know.... how do you crochet yours? Do you brave the great outdoors with your crochet hook or are you a closet crocheter?

April flowers...

It has been a beautiful sunny day here and I just could not resist sharing these photographs from our walk...

I'm on the edge!

Beautiful little primrose dish, bought the
 other day for 50p!

 Oooohhh.... I’ve been to Ikea for the first time in five years!

Disappointed overall – I think I love my charity shops too much at the moment – but still got a little basket full of loveliness. I think the problem was Ikea doesn't do my colours!


I have been coveting a stool like the beauties featured on Wood and Wool Stool, since I stumbled upon their blog. I have trawled every second-hand furniture store since, trying to find a suitable stool. They are like gold dust! So when I found one in Ikea for £8.99 I snapped it up.

Wood & Wool Stool...don't you just want every single one of these?

 ...I'm looking forward to a lovely little project to transform a basic stool with crochet magic. Ahhhh... the land of new projects never disappoints!

Also purchased were voile panels for the lounge... I explained to my husband that it was imperative we have “summer” window dressings. They add a completely different atmosphere to the room and add light even on a grey day. It's so wonderful sitting in the rocking chair (painted by my beautiful husband) by the open French windows; a view of the garden and the birds, a little hooky loveliness and the new voiles billowing in the breeze!

I'm on "the edge" of the Spring blanket dear readers....216 squares completed.

I do love this blanket and I’m so pleased I have persevered with it.

It has been very heart-warming to know I have inspired some of my followers to do a Spring blanket and I’m looking forward to seeing your creative endeavours...
 

Ooohh...I've enjoyed making this blanket, but it's a great feeling to be "on the edge".

"Easter Tree"... featuring last years beads from Italy...



I'll leave you with this photo of our very first apple tree with its first signs of blossom. It basically consists of a few twigs at the moment, but they are strong enough to hold the odd bird and they are about to explode with beautiful blossom. Hope you have a happy weekend  x



Granny stripe love...

...a rescued broken daffodil

I veered off the Spring blanket path this week and started – very unintentionally – to make a cushion cover using Lucy’s granny stripe pattern. I like this pattern and will use it again in the future... maybe for a small blanket.

I love the colours on the granny stripe cushion. I have used the Stylecraft Spring blanket yarn; the colours look so different without the white. As I have already confessed, I started this piece with little planning and it was going to be too big for one of my 18 inch cushion pads. By chance I had a “light-bulb” moment and thought about using a rectangular pad I had instead!

I will hold my hands up now and say I am quite particular.... I like to crochet a back to all the cushion covers I make in the same yarn used on the front. I don't find it takes that long and it makes me happy!

So here is the finished result with the WIP blanket...



Reverse side granny stripe cushion

 .... a while back I told you all I had purchased some "Spring-like" material from a charity shop. It has been bugging me slightly as to what to do with it and I just haven't felt like getting my sewing machine out. So I have folded it in half and using it as a tablecloth. Until I think of a suitable project, this will brighten up the dining area nicely. It doesn't go with the dining chairs though, so there might be a story to tell about four bargain-olicious Ercol chairs and a tin of paint soon....watch this space!

Happy crochet-ing this weekend x