A Blanket for Haggis

What has happened to me? Making blankets for dogs – oh dear!

When Big Bro and Little Bro saw how much their Border Terrier, Haggis,  seemed to like this blanket they asked if I could make for a blanket for her.

I had made one for Pebble, who lives with my daughter and her children, so how could I refuse.

My son and his wife both love to wear tweed, and since Haggis looks a bit tweedy herself, I searched for a picture of Harris Tweed and used the App (yes sorry NanaCathy an APP!) ‘CrochetStudio’, which was introduced to me by one of the ‘Friends of Attic24:Dorset’ group.

And got the colours for Haggis Tweed. I tried a few options. You can add and subtract colours from your chosen range of yarns.

In the end I went with 9 colours:

Dark Brown, Walnut, Copper, Warm Grey, Charcoal, Graphite, Waterfall, Parchment and Sandstone.

I made the blanket in Extended Linen Stitch (also called Extended Moss Stitch), which gives the most wonderfully dense, warm, reversible fabric.

It looks a bit like weaving when the colours blend together. There are several You Tube videos describing how to do the stitch. I followed this video, but did not find it helped with the edges. If I ever work out how to do it so that the edge does not wrinkle, especially on the side where the colour change is made, I will make a photo tutorial. Have you made anything in this stitch?

I would really like to work it out as I think it is my favourite stitch for a warm and cosy snuggly lap blanket.

Using a 4.5mm hook, the finished blanket is 97cm  x  71cm

Each row took just over 3 grams.

 

Colour order

2 Foundation Rows in Dark Brown

2 rows Walnut, 2 rows Sandstone, 2 rows Parchment

2 rows Mocha, 2 rows Warm Grey, 1 row Waterfall

2 Walnut, 2 Parchment, 2 Dark Brown, 2 Sandstone, 2 Warm Grey,

2 Parchment, 2 Mocha, 2 Walnut, 1 Copper, 2 Charcoal,

2 Parchment, 2 Warm Grey, 2 Mocha, 2 Sandstone, 2 Walnut,

2 Dark Brown, 2 Graphite, 1 Charcoal, 2 Warm Grey, 1 Waterfall,

2 Parchment, 2 Mocha, 2 Walnut, 2 Sandtone, 2 Dark Brown,

1 Walnut, 2 Graphite, 2 Warm Grey, 1 Copper, 2 Mocha

2 Charcoal,  2 Dark Brown, 1 Sandstone, 2 Walnut, 2 Warm Grey,

2 Parchment, 2 Graphite, 1 Dark Brown, 2 Walnut, 2 Mocha,

1 Waterfall, 2 Warm Grey, 2 Mocha, 2 Sandstone, 1 Charcoal,

2 Graphite, 2 Walnut, 2 Dark Brown, 1 Sandstone, 2 Parchment,

1 Waterfall, 2 Warm Grey, 1 Copper, 2 Walnut, 2 Dark Brown.

Edging:

Dark Brown, Copper, Waterfall, Warm Grey,

Last Row of the Edging was in Crab Stitch in Walnut.

If I made something in the Haggis Tweed selection of colours again, I think I would use a higher proportion of dark browns and less of Parchment and Warm Grey, but I don’t think Haggis will mind the current selection.

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Camouflage

My daughter took this of me whilst we were on a walk on Monday.

We have had a lot of rain recently. The roads were so flooded that Miss M could not get to school so we were able to add a couple of miles to our target of walking 500 miles (cue the Proclaimers).

Our rate of clocking up the miles, which when we started was about 48 per year, was first hit by the pandemic and some very busy Summers on the farm. Now Miss M’s very full social life and list of sporting commitments means we have to grab any chance we can get.

We only managed 18 miles in 2020 and last year.

Current total: 185.4 miles.

 

Scrap Happy: Flask Cosies

This could have been a ‘Silly Saturday’ post!

As part of my birthday celebrations (in November), I treated myself and a couple of friends to a day in a hut on the island at Sculpture by the Lakes.

We took a picnic. I took a couple of flasks for hot drinks. To keep them warmer for longer I used my nifty Flask Cosies.

They are made from the sleeves of an old (charity shop) jumper that I felted by mistake in the washing machine. I was chopping the jumper up to see how I could use the slightly felted knitted fabric and once the sleeves were cut off it was obvious to me what to use them for!

The Hut was very cosy, with a wood burner and lovely bright cushions,I also took a couple of my Scrap Happy blankets. To wrap round our knees if necessary. We had a wonderful time, with a wander round the sculpture park and nice gentle chat and a bit of crochet.

I would love to do it again in another season.

Joining Kate for Scrap Happy Day

In a Vase on Monday: Candle Holders

My daughter asked me if I had any candle holders I no longer needed, to go in a line, down the centre of a dining table.

Hmmm???? I thought for a moment and went looking in cupboards.

Ah ha!

One little candle stick, and behind it, a collection of little glass bulb jars, found in charity shops over the years. The ones at the back are for hyacinths.

I have tried growing bulbs in the small ones with no success, but collected them anyway. I think they were made for crocuses. What do you think?

Would they make acceptable candle holders?

Then I wondered if they would also make cute little vases for an IAVOM post

I also tried them with sea glass, in white vinegar, which I like a lot!

After giving the bulb jars to my daughter (she is very happy with them), I put the fennel, rosemary, viburnum and hellebore from my garden into a nightlight holder for my own Vase on Monday.

Joining Cathy and her happy band of gardeners for In a Vase on Monday.

Ice Creams Down by the Sea

This is the title of my latest finished crochet blanket.

I thoroughly enjoyed Eleonora Tully’s recent Crochet Along, ‘Down by the Sea’

Her design uses a few new techniques which have been fun to try and I was inspired to make a few alterations.

I tried Eleonora’s way of representing the balustrades found at seaside resorts,

but they didn’t go with the dreamy quality of the ‘atmosphere’ of the blanket. Can a blanket have an atmosphere?

I wondered if they would look better in pastel colours, but after a couple of days of looking at it, I realised it was the pointiness of the zig-zags that didn’t sit happily in my version and so I changed them for the waves. I also added a picot on top of each ice creamdid two more stripes in the ‘parasols’ and added an extra row of granny stitches to each side to give the blanket a little more width. Ta Dah!

Made with Stylecraft Special Double Knit and various sized hooks.

8 Colours: Cream, white, toy, clematis, powder pink, duck egg, storm blue, lincoln

Scrap Happy Baubles

I guess most people, seeing a old bit of steel cable, rusting in a hedge, would have walked by without a second thought but ….

to me it was treasure and full of potential.

Then I saw Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas and knew what needed to happen next.

Scrunch up some newspaper into a ball and wrap wire around it. Kirstie uses florist’s wire, which I suspect is a lot thinner than my find.I cut the wire with the red handled pliers and then turned the ends into little hooks with the other pliers, hooking each new piece on and pulling the wire as tightly as I could.

Then the fun bit!Burn the newspaper. It takes longer than I thought it would to get the scrunched up paper to completely burn away. I put mine in the woodburner, but Kirstie used a barbeque.

I know these baubles would not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I think they are seriously cool. Especially the shadows they create.And with a few found feathersand a bit of festive blingit is edging dangerously close to looking a bit Christmassy around here.

I am joining in with Kate and her band of Happy Scrappers:

Kate, Gun, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, 
Jill, Jan, Moira, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Jule, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2, Carol,
Preeti, Debbierose, Nóilin and Viv

An inspiring monthly meme which supports using up our scraps of any variety.

Down by the Sea

Another Crochet Along started whilst I was making the Flamingo inspired Virtue blanket.

This one by Eleonora of Coastal Crochet

Resistance, as they say, was useless.

Eleonora’s colour ways are sunny and bright, but as soon as I saw the pattern, I saw it in ice cream colours and then just had to make it.

The pattern is so clever. There is Tunisian crochet made on an ordinary hook in the centre, and there are hook size changes to accommodate different techniques. I am very aware of how much trial, error, unpicking and time that must have gone into creating this pattern.

In order to create the verticle stripes there are chains across the back, and because I chose to make them in two colours my chains are longer and create a thick woven look on the back. If one wanted to create a blanket to keep out the cold, this would be an excellent stitch to choose. I might catch them down at the back once the blanket is finished if I feel that the long chains would be a nuisance in use.

As the green strands became longer to get round the corners, I did the rows on each side separately

I am posting progress photos on Instagram

Made with Stylecraft Special DK

Colours: Cream, White, Toy, Powder Pink, Clematis, Duck Egg, Storm Blue, Lincoln.

 

Crochet Along Complete

I did love making this blanket and it feels wonderful to have finished it.

Started on 30th September, this year. A Crochet Along really helps to get a project done.

Ta Dah!

16 Colours used of Stylecraft Special DK:

Spice, Tomato, Vintage Peach, Blush, Parchment, Lincoln, Storm, Duck Egg, Cream, White, Clematis, Soft Peach, Buttermilk, Stone, Petrol, Cypress.

The colours were inspired by Flamingos on a cushion.

The pattern is by Helen Shrimpton and comes with an excellent video tutorial.

This photo was taken at an earlier stage

I love the texture and using colours that I would never have thought to put together. I am so looking forward to giving to my niece when I see her later this month.

A Week of Flowers: planting combo

Again from West Dean in July, I love this planting combination

And I am on the look out for one of these

what a colour.

Joining Cathy for her Week of Flowers – what a joy it has been.

A Week of Flowers: Hot Princess

A favourite plant in my garden

She is such a beauty in my favourite colour with a delicate scent.

She was given to me by Cathy when I went to meet her in Yorkshire in 2018. It is always so good to meet fellow bloggers and we had the most wonderful time.

You can read about my visit HERE.

Gosh, it has been a joy to read again through my posts about that very special time.

Cathy put such thought into finding the perfect gift for me – a rose in flower on my birthday, in my favourite colour and what a name! I love having Hot Princess in my garden.

Cathy at Words and Herbs is inviting us to cheer up this week with flowers – and oh boy – it’s working! Going through photos of the summer and bringing back lovely happy memories has been a joy. It has been so uplifting to visit other bloggers posts as well. Thank you Cathy. 🙂

A Week of flowers: Silly Saturday

I bought these sandals in May and they really cheer me up to look at them now.

They are fun and very silly because they are not easy to walk in!

Brightening up Winter with Cathy and her Week of Flowers.

Week of Flowers: Friday Flourish

Here are some photos of the greenhouses at West Dean College, taken in July.

Joning Cathy for her Week of Flowers to brighten up the Winter.

Week of flowers 2022: Day Two

Cathy of Words and Herbs has invited us to ‘brighten up December’.

So here is a bit of sunshine in the form of a courgette flower, growing in my garden in June.

I am surprised by how much joy it brings to go through the photos of my garden in Summer – thank you Cathy. 🙂

Cathy’s Week of Flowers

Cathy of Words and Herbs  is inviting us to join her in posting photos of flowers to cheer our Northern Hemisphere winter days as we move into December.

Here is a collage of the snapdragons that were flowering in my garden on 17th October this year.

Mostly self sown, they had struggled all summer and then chose late September and October to put on a show.

It has been a weird year in the garden.

Gratitude: A Walking Meditation

Some of you might remember that back in the Summer I went to West Dean College on a Land Art course with tutor, Dan Lobb.

I was telling you about my piece of installation land art, centering on a bench, which became a focus for GRATITUDE.

And then my computer started to malfunction and my posts about the installation stopped.

So this post is a bit of a throwback to the summer, just to round things off.

A short meditation walk of gratitude.

In a Vase on Monday: Party Time

My wonderful daughter, A, my ‘bright morning star’, created the most perfect party for me a couple of weekends ago.

I picked flowers from my garden to help her decorate the hall.

I fear it is a sad reminder of climate change that I have so many flowers blooming, but they make for a cheery sight.

The calendula, having not flowered all summer are putting on a glorious show right now.

The jug is a favourite of mine, given to me by my Mum (becuase I like bright colours), and found on a market stall. Made in the former Yugoslavia.

Joining Cathy for In a Vase on Monday.

I put little jam jars of flowers in the loos and on the tables, but in the rush to get things ready, I forgot to take photos of them.

But there are some here on the magnificent banquet table that my talented daughter created – doesn’t it look sumptuous! Two varieties of homemade humous and my favourite cheese, Cornish Yarg, are included.

It is a family tradition that we have to have a pineapple present at any big celebration
We were not permitted to put anything on the walls and the ceiling was too hight to hang mandalas from, but I had to include them somewhere. A couple went in the entrance hall on frames I got from Hobbycraft.

I had intended to do something with the netting-waste ribbons, but time ran out.

I left them there for colour and a bit of surrealness

The surreal theme continued on the top of the wine cooler

and for the children, it wouldn’t be a Granny Party if we didn’t have sausages!

A huge thank you to my family and friends for making it such a special time: to my daughter for organising it (with all the many ups and downs along the way) and creating a such fabulous feast; for son 2 for a really funny and lovely speech; and son 1 for being the Mojive king of the night.

 ❤  I am still on Cloud 9  ❤

Strictly Silly Saturday

I have just had a landmark birthday.

And knowing how much I love to dance, my daughter threw a ‘Strictly Come  70’ birthday party for me.

Strictly Come Dancing is a very popular TV dancing show here in the UK.

This is me in my Rosa Bloom outfit flanked by my sisters. The one on the left came as Claudia Wrinkleman (Claudia Winkleman is one of the presenters of the show)

This is me and my wonderful kids – always up for a party!All the grandchildren came as well as lots of friends -it really was the most wonderful party. I feel truly blessed.

 

 

Silly Surreal Saturday

I thought it would be fun, on this grey, wet Winter’s day, to think back to my wonderful time at West Dean College.

At the end of Summer School there is a magnificent party which is themed with Dali in mind. We were all invited to dress accordingly

I donned one of my knitted wigs and my Frida Kahlo headband.

I don’t usually wear make-up and am so out of practice that my attempt at ‘surreal’ meant that I looked as if I had two lurid black eyes!

The dinner was fabulous with many Dali references

The art students created Mae West lip masks, after the sofa. One of the original sofas is at West Dean College.

I also wore some crazy trousers that I bought in the early 1980s and some flashing trainers that I bought to wear to my daughter’s recent 40th birthday party.

In the photo with me is C, a student on the sculpture course. She gave me permission to post the photos – thank you C!

The Summer School Party was very silly and a LOT of FUN!

Silly Saturday: Kelp!

This happened on a day on Climping Beach, West Sussex, during the Land Art Course I was on at West Dean College

All that seaweed – couldn’t resist!

A Blanket for Miss E.F.

I have made a blanket for each of my children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces, plus a few for friends. I am now borrowing the grandchildren of friends to make blankets for. I just don’t feel right unless I have one on the go.

I made one for Miss P.  She used to sit next to me on the Park bench after school and always took an interest in the crochet and the blankets I was making. She particularly loved the colours in the blanket I made for Miss M.

She still likes bright colours and I gave her the Harbour Blanket I made last year. Miss P. has a sister Miss E.F. and a brother Master T.F. so it is only right that I should make a blanket for them as well.

I have a box of all the little left-over bits of Stylecraft Special DK and I took it round to them after school one day.

Miss E.F. is one of those hugely positive and energetic smiley children and her favourite colour is blue – she wanted them ALL! and set about sorting them into the order she wanted them to appear in the blanket.

She decided on the pattern of the Attic24 Neat Ripple  and I have made a start

Foundation Row: 154 + 3

4.5mm hook

Stylecraft Special DK

Colours so far: Midnight, French Navy, Royal

I am trying to use some of my little balls of yarn and weigh them to see if they will complete a row, which takes about 6gm.

This is a very relaxing pattern that I can do in front of the TV and pick up in odd moments, whilst I wait for Part 4 of the Virtue Blanket Crochet Along.

I will tell you which colours Master T.F. chose in another blog post.