Sunday 22 January 2012

New Project!

Whoops, I've left it too long between posts again! At least this time I have a new project to update with!
My auntie has recently bought a new house and my Mum has asked me to crochet a bed blanket as a house-warming present. I had free rein to make whatever I wanted, as long as it was colourful. I agonised over this for ages - granny squares, solid squares, granny stripes, ripple, vintage vertical stripe? Having already made two granny square blankets last year, I was a bit doubtful about making another; not least because it would mean I would have to weave in about a million ends. However, squares make for a much more portable project, and it's always fun trying out different colour combinations. Then again, I do love the ripple pattern, and it would mean fewer ends to weave in.
In the end I decided to go for the Flowers In The Snow pattern - colourful circles against a cream backdrop.
The best thing about this project was that my mum was paying for the yarn, yay! I ordered 20 colours of Stylecraft Special DK, plus some cream, and also added in some stash yarn.

From top, L-R: Lipstick, Bright Pink, Pomegranate, Shrimp, Plum, Raspberry, Emperor, Grape, Magenta, Violet, Lavender,
Wisteria, Aster, Turquoise, Cloud Blue, Sherbet, Teal, Aspen, Spring Green, Saffron, Fondant, Clematis, Baby Pink.
 So far, I've made 95 circles since the yarn arrived two weeks ago. My aim is to make 270. I have a plan of sorts; that is, to make a roughly equal amount of blues, reds, yellows, oranges, greens, light purples, dark purples and pinks - I just cannot do totally random colour combinations! 



 Photo is not very good due to lack of light! Hopefully I will manage to take some soon.

I am really enjoying this blanket, having so many colours to play with is a delight, and I am actually being good and sewing in my ends after I've made 10 circles or so - makes it much more manageable!

Another project I am working slowly on on the side is my Janet Bell Beach Hut cross stitch, which hubby bought me for my birthday.


       I've got quite a bit further since this pic was taken though. Haven't done cross stitch for a few years, so this has been fun. I think I will hang it in the bathroom when it is done. 

Monday 2 January 2012

2011 Crochet

Well, one of my New Year's Resolutions is definitely to blog more!!! I really find it helps spur me on to complete projects, rather than leaving them languishing in my yarn basket.

I will post a list of my crafty intentions for 2012 soon, but first a mosaic of my 2011 crochet projects:


      From top, L-R:
      ROW 1
      1,2,3: Seafoam Granny Square blanket for our bed. 4: Stripy fingerless mitts, which I still need to        photograph properly

       ROW 2
      1: Granny Tea Cosy for a friend of my mum 2: Granny Bunting for Madam's bedroom 3: Pincushion from Attic24's Christmas decoration pattern. 4: Sweet Heart Wall Hanging

       ROW 3
      1: A bigger picture of the heart wall hanging. 2: Stripy bunting for Madam's door. 3: Hat which I more or less improvised (and it shows!). I don't wear it very much as I made the headband too tight, and it's not particularly warm. Still, it was a valuable lesson in counting my increases properly <bitter about countless non-flat circles>  4: Summer Garden Granny Squares for the Ice Cream Granny Blanket

      ROW 4
      1,2: Ice Cream Granny Blanket in progress. 3,4: Ocean Ripple in progress. 

      ROW 5
      1: Finished Ocean Ripple! 2,3: Finished Dr Who scarf for my step-dad. He is a massive sci-fi geek so was really chuffed with this Christmas pressie! :-) 4: Reverse side of my Granny Square Hot Water Bottle Cover. 

      ROW 6
      1: Front of Granny Square Hot Water Bottle Cover 2: Easter stripy and granny bunting. I'm not sure if I'm really pleased with this, the colours are a little too pale for my tastes. 3: Hallowe'en bunting. A good way to use up some of that Stylecraft Special Jaffa, which is shockingly bright. 4: Snowflake Christmas bunting/

      ROW 7
      1: Christmas Stocking Garland. 2,3: Flower Patch Hot Water Bottle Cover, adapted from Attic24's cushion. 4: Purple Heart Garland, for stringing across the mirror in our purple and cream-themed dining room.