Winter Project Link Party - December

Hello everyone! Well it's finished at last! The Moorland blanket, details here, I started it in January 2017 and finished the last stitch on Friday night. It could have been finished much earlier but... excuses, whoever wants to listen to those! I did enjoy crocheting it and unpicking bits too. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to crafting and it has to be right. Many a time after working on it, I've had to frog it, oops! Too much chatting at Knit 'n' Natter. 

Whilst I was busy crocheting away, I kept thinking about 'the next blanket', as you do... but now I've finished it, I'm just not sure. As this one was a CAL (crochet a long), the idea is to stay on target. Of course you can take as long as you like or need but it does become an issue after a while, knowing that you should be working on it but itching to start something else. Lucy over on Attic24 has many other blanket designs I could consider.

I've loved making this, each stitch including the edging was enjoyable. The colours are rich and soothing, the pattern with its neat wave going up and down showed the stitches were lining up correctly. The Knit 'n' Natter group have loved seeing its progress so I'll take it along soon to show them. Making the blanket has produced a bit of a yarn stash and as I was wanting to make some bunting, this will be made in some of the Moorland colours. The bunting is just for celebrating birthday etc not to be left out all year. The Moorland colours, when together, are ideal as they are fairly gender neutral.

For now I'm enjoying 'the finish'. It's good to be able to look at other things and think, yes I can make that. I have free time! I've started a small reindeer kit that was free in Crochet Now magazine. I'm not sure I'd buy it again, at £5.99 I think it's a bit pricey. I started a knitted Shawl last year that needs finishing, that was a KAL (knit a long) with a picot edging and beads. Like many people I have a long list of craft projects waiting, knitting, crochet, sewing and cross stitch that I would like to see finished. A while ago I purchased some yarn for knitting some socks, in fact teen 2 has put 'knitted socks' on his 2017 Christmas list, for - 2018. He is so cheeky, but alas... correct. I now need to surprise him by knitting him a pair before then. The challenge is on!

Maybe in the future I will make another blanket, possibly with a more natural wool type yarn. For now natural or recycled yarn remains expensive and not widely available. If you know of supplies please do leave a comment, I'd love to know and will check them out. Most that I've seen on-line, start from £6 upwards for a 50g ball.
Thank you.
Cx

Winter Project Link Party - October

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.