I'm joining with Jennifer's winter project link party. I was too late to join last year and have been looking forward to it all summer. At home in the UK, we are just about to have a double fronted multi-fuel stove fitted to heat both the lounge and dining room simultaneously. There's a stove in the lounge already (that will be replaced) and the wall behind this will be knocked through. I'm not looking forward to the mess but I am looking forward to crocheting in the fireside chairs in the dining room.
I've crocheted this blanket for a single sized bed, I found it whilst browsing Lucy's blog at attic 24. She was inspired by her walks in the Yorkshire Moors and designed the Moorland blanket. Using her photographs she put together these colours in a yarn pack that's sold at Wool Warehouse.
It seems like I've been making the Moorland blanket for ever, it was originally started in January as part of a CAL (crochet a long). The aim was to receive an update from Lucy each Friday with the next instructions and a finish on week 8.
So why has it taken so long? There are many reasons which all seem insignificant now that I try and think of them. Crocheting under the warmth of a blanket in the summer months was one reason. I also found that taking the blanket to local Knit & Natter groups was not without it's own time consuming ventures. People would want to look at it, touch it, pass it round the group. They'd question me about the yarn, the colours, it's eventual use, wanting to see the pictures on-line that inspired the designer. They'd want an explanation of how the Neat Wave pattern is formed, the stitch sequence and generally marvel at it's beauty before allowing me to continue hooking away before it was time to pack up and go home.
In the beginning I arranged the colours on labelled pegs which also gained comments at the Knit & Natter group such as 'you'll run out of wool'. I found wrapping the yarn end round the label was perfectly adequate at keeping check on the yarn colours. I think the light must be bad today as the violet and wisteria shade look blue in this photo. It is nice to see all the yarn together and remember the start of this blanket. When I fold up the blanket after working on it, I tend to forget all about the starting colours.
The blanket began with the deep greens and muddy browns before moving through the rich heather tones.
Next up was the lighter heather and greens drifting up to the sky.
It looks so different now as it's so much lighter in both shade and fresh cool colours.
At the moment, I'm using just these 3 colours - Cloud Blue, Storm Blue and Duck Egg for the last 10 rows. I'm seriously regretting not sewing in all those pesky ends as I progressed. To finish it will need a round of 4 rows to complete a neat edging.
My aim is to finish this blanket before starting anymore projects. Though I may still take something small to Crochet Club, it's just easier that way.
