A Bedspread for Master R

This has been my most challenging project yet! It turns out that co-designing with a 7 year old boy is not easy!

First of all he asked for SQUARES – not my favourite things to crochet. Secondly he asked for the colours to be PURPLES and GREENS – not an easy colour combination for me to enjoy.

I started this project in July 2016 when he was just 6 and in my mind young children like bright colours so I set to work creating squares that combined purples and greens with other colours (of course, now I realise it is me who likes bright colours!)

crocheted squares

I didn’t like the look of this and neither did he. I scoured Pinterest for inspiration.

So next up, a selection of smaller squares, grading the colours

small crocheted squares in graded colours

Master R did not like them, he was very polite about it and spent some time explaining his reasons …….. I knew that this idea had to be abandoned …….. so, what to do? ……

In the process I have amassed and huge pile of squares!

They will probably go into a blanket for refugees, I know Mrs Snail is contributing to the 60 million trebles project, so they might go that way.

I was at a loss to know how I was going to come up with something for Master R that he likes and I like well enough to want to make it. His two sisters have blankets they love: Miss E has this oneCrocheted Ripple blanket with appliqued daisies

and for Little Miss M I made this one, which, of course was perfect for all those occasions when you want to be a ghost, or a monster.

large ripple bedspread

Both were made with nice easy relaxing ripple stripes – but Master R is set on having squares.

How could I make the colour combination work – I looked to garden design – there was a lot of purple and green at Chelsea and now this Hampton Court Flower Show garden is a beautiful example. Photo taken from the BBC website.

p02w21nk

Then, like a knight in shining armour, galloping over the hill in February, along came the Nuts About Squares Crochet Along (CAL) 

Hurray! Something I would enjoy joining in with and a blanket made of squares.

The patterns are quite complex, I would learn new things. Some excitement about the project began to creep in.

Week 1 – Esme’s Winter Cottage by Dedri Uys

Nuts about Squares, Esme Winter Cottage

Master R’s loves this square. He tells me he loves “the design and the texture” – he knows what he likes!

I’m not so keen on the diamonds so I made this variation – thankfully Master R thinks this design is ok.

Nuts About Squares, variation of Esme's Winter cottage

Although he doesn’t really like the introduction of the Cream colour, his favourite colour after purple is khaki green – Oh lawks! Can I bear to stick to only dark colours!

He is pushing me way out of my comfort zone here.

Work in Progress! On we go!

34 responses to “A Bedspread for Master R

  1. Pingback: Afghan, Boyghan or Manghan | Wild Daffodil

  2. no not a boy thing, my favourite colours are blues, purples and black, I’m not keen on your first photo but love the second, we are all individuals,
    does it have to be lots of small squares what about one big square, or a block in the middle of smaller squares inside a large square, also I have seen blankets/throws made of different sized squares joined in an abstruct pattern,
    get some square paper and coloured pencils/crayons/feltips and have him colour his blanket, doing different colour combinations is fun, relaxing and saves a lot of time and yarn, Frances

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Ha ha! Good intentions made very difficult by a little boy who knows his own mind! Purple and khaki sound like my worst nightmare and I would struggle to motivate myself to pick this up to work on each night, so good for you for following it through. I must admit though, that the squares in the CAL might make it interesting enough to keep going. Good luck!

    Liked by 1 person

    • You understand my pain Sheila!
      The patterns are intriguing so they are pulling me through.
      The video tutorials are wonderful, I don’t think I would want to attempt these patterns without the tutorials.
      Thank you so much for your encouragement.

      Like

  4. I hope you manage to find something that you both like, Daffy. It looks like you are getting there now! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  5. What an interesting young man he is–he certainly knows his own mind! I am quite sure you’ll figure out a way to make both of you happy!

    Liked by 1 person

  6. It’s great that he loves what you do and wants his own blanket. Even if it isn’t quite to your taste!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Gray would make a nice change up….it is the color of Armour, and would go well with purple and khaki green. Maybe he would allow some light and dark gray and a grass green for a little relief here and there? those are all very knightly…..good luck!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. And my mother used to call me ‘soft’! You have done a great deal of work already. I prefer your version of the new squares. Some khaki green is lighter than others. Maybe you need to take him to the wool shop with you and choose different shades of green and purple.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Laurie Graves

    What a project, with two very definite ideas about which colors go together. I love the purple squares and can’t wait to see the finished results.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Those complicated squares are fabulous. No wonder he likes them. Perhaps a gray color instead of the cream color? Sort of gun metal gray. So manly. Good luck. I hope it doesn’t take you too far to the dark side.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Murtagh's Meadow

    Love the purple and green colour combination and patterns and your patience with a young man who obviously knows what he likes!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Mm interesting commission. Would he allow a splash of orange? The squares look very complicated. I enjoyed making my squares blanket this year. Your Mum’s home would love lap blankets.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Definite ‘NO’ to the orange! I remember when my brother was 12 he wanted his bedroom decorated with 3 black walls and one dark red – and a while ago when I made a cushion for Big Bro he wanted it all in black – I think it might be a boy thing!
      Brilliant idea about the lap blankets Cathy, I hadn’t thought of that – I made one for my Mum and she won’t be parted from it. She gets very agitated if she can’t see it. She also loves the doll I gave her – it is the size of a one month old baby and quite life-like.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Master R is quite the character, isn’t he? Those squares are just beautiful, so unusual and full of creative imagination. Perfect motifs for a knight in shining armour.

    Liked by 1 person

    • He certainly is a character as you say Deb! He was here yesterday and dressed up as a knight, fighting other imaginary knights in the garden – all the soft toys were lined up under the oak tress with sticks for swords.

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  14. Aww I love the graded squares, what a shame he doesn’t!

    Liked by 1 person

  15. It’s always interesting to work on something to someone else’s taste. I love making squares, so would be in my element in this project. I’m sure you can make purple and khaki work and I’m sure he’ll love the finished blanket… sometimes being led down a different path can be very inspiring.
    Oh, by-the-way, my planned trip to London has been cancelled at the end of July, so a meet-up may be possible if you have any free time.

    Liked by 1 person

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