Attic24: Harbour Blanket

Each year in January, Lucy of Attic24, has a Crochet Along and I love to join in.

This year Lucy took the colours of a harbour as her inspiration. Although I liked Lucy’s colour choices, I was making this for Miss P, who absolutely LOVES bright colours, so I had to go BRIGHT.

Kingston Lacy Christmas lights

Well – maybe not quite that bright.

Starting row of Chain 150, I have made a Lap Blanket

In Stylecraft Special Double Knit (SSDK) and a 4.5mm hook

In Lucy’s Easy Eyelet Ripple

My colour order is:

Lapis, Bright Pink, Clementine, Empire, Fondant, Sunshine, Cornish Blue,

Spice, Turquoise, Matador, Bright Pink, Aqua, Lapis, Clementine,

Sunshine, Aster, Fondant, Spice, Empire, Matador, Aqua,

Turquoise, Lapis, Fondant, Aster, Bright Pink, Sunshine, Aqua,

Clementine, Empire, (a random blue yarn from my stash, but this could be Cornish Blue is sticking to SSDK), Spice, Matador, Fondant, Lapis,

Bright Pink, Turquoise, Clementine, Aqua, Empire, Matador, Fondant,

Aqua, Sunshine, Aster, Spice, Bright Pink, Turquoise, Lapis

49 colour stripes, each of two rows.

Border:

First row to fill in the ripples – Cornish Blue.

1 row of double crochet (US) – Empire – I love that colour!

One row of Single Crochet (US) – Bright Pink

Final row of Half-double crochet – Turquoise

The final measurements are 50″ x 40″ or 127cm x 103cm

In March I spent a glorious day with friends at Sculpture by the Lakes, we hired a private space there, The Pavilion, it was glorious.

and I took the blanket out and about for its own little photo shoot

I hope Miss P will like the blanket. I think her sister might want one as well, I wonder what colours she will choose.

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Attic 24 Harbour Blanket Crochet Along

The annual Attic24 Crochet Along is always such a lovely event to be part of. Thousands of people, all around the world join in.

There is something quite magical about being part of a group of people all making the same crocheted blanket at the same time.

I am making a lap blanket for the granddaughter of one of my closest friends. My friend and I used to collect our grandchildren from the local Primary School every Friday for about 4 years. If the weather was fine we would take them to the Park. The children played on the swings and climbing frames while we chatted and I crocheted.

A few of the children would come to watch the crochet and Miss P was always particularly drawn to the bright colours.

She was very interested in Little Miss M’s blanket, and watched it grow.

Lucy has taken her inspiration from the colours seen at a harbour in Summer. She has 9 different blues in her design. I will swap out a few blues for pinks and reds, keeping the summery feel but going with brightness for MissP, and most importantly, using yarn I already have instead of buying new..

My colour order for the first 15 rows:

Lobelia, Turquoise, Bright Pink, Spice, Aster,

Sunshine, Spearmint, Fondant, Matador, Empire,

Aqua, Clementine, Turquoise, Bright Pink, Lobelia

 

So Summery!

 

 

Skipton

When I realised that my route from Cumbria to Harrogate would go through Skipton, I just knew I had to leave enough time to stop off and visit Coopers Cafe.

This Cafe has become a bit of a Mecca for crochet addicts like me, as it is where Lucy of Attic24 used to have her studio and where she still runs crochet groups. The cafe took some finding, but luckily ‘Maps’ on my mobile phone got me there.

Skipton is much bigger than I imagined and as I was walking towards the cafe I saw lots of intriguing independent shops – just love the name of this one

Many towns in the south are looking sad and forlorn with lots of empty shops, but not Skipton, it seemed bustling and thriving.

Just before I got to the cafe, I saw the canal that often features in photos on Lucy’s blog.

And then there I was having a cup of coffee and soaking up the friendly atmosphere of the Cafe.

You know you are Up North when you see signs like this

going upstairs was a real treat

magazine cuttings were pasted all over the walls, which was very nostalgic for me. As  a teenager I covered part of a bedroom wall with magazine cuttings (my mother was furious!) when I married in 1972, we lived in a shabby farm cottage and I covered our bedroom wall with cuttings and loved the freedom of doing it in my own home.

Lucy’s studio

and there is also another room upstairs

in the loo, the collage continues

– I looked up Samantha Bryan and her delightful mixed media pieces.

Each year, in January, Lucy organises a Crochet Along, when thousands of happy hookers from all over the world make the same blanket at the same time, to her design. It creates the most wonderful feeling of communitiy and crochet camaraderie.

I have joined in since 2015 when I made the Cosy Blanket; 2017 I made the Moorland Blanket, but changed the colours to Dorset Hedgerow; 2018 I made the Woodland Blanket, oh I did have fun with this one and added squirrels; in 2019 I made the Sweet Pea blanket and started the ‘Friends of Attic24:Dorset’ group, in October 2019 we were thrilled when Lucy, on a visit to her home town, could join us at Slader’s Yard, West Bay and in 2020 I made a Sunset version of Lucy’s Dahlia Blanket.

I was not at Coopers on the right day to meet Lucy, but I left her a voucher for a coffee from her Dorset fans.

For other blankets I have made in both Lucy’s designs and those of other designers got to my THROWS Page.

Onwards to Harrogate!

Sunset Blanket

Oh such a happy photo!

And look at us all so close together – seems light years away doesn’t it.

This was taken on the beach on a windy Sunday in February this year – hard to believe.

We are a group of Attic24 fans who all live in Dorset and we had gathered together at West Bay, Lucy’s old stamping ground, for crochet and a cuppa. It was in those heady days of Dahlia mania as thousands of crocheters all over the world were busy making Lucy’s annual Crochet Along – this year inspired by dahlias.

I used Stylecraft Special Double Knit and a 4.5mm hook.

You can still buy Lucy’s Colour Pack at Wool Warehouse.

I followed some of Lucy’s Colourwash colour order but substituted colours to make it more ‘Sunset’. I reduced the number of sections for each colour to 3 in order to get it fading from dark to light to dark to light to dark.

Colour order as follows:

Each colour is 2 rows of crochet

Foundation chain and rows 1 and 2: Claret

Rows 3 and 4: Lipstick

Rows 5 and 6: Claret

Rows 7 and 8: Lipstick

Rows 9 and 10: Tomato

Rows 11 and 12: Lipstick

Rows 13 and 14: Tomato

Rows 15 and 16: Spice

Rows 17 and 18: Tomato

Rows 19 and 20: Spice

Rows 21 and 22: Sunshine

Rows 23 and 24: Spice

Rows 25 and 26: Sunshine

Rows 27 and 28: Apricot

Rows 29 and 30: Sunshine

Rows 31 and 32: Apricot

Rows 33 and 34: Powder Pink

Rows 35 and 36: Apricot

Rows 37 and 38: Powder Pink

Rows 39 and 40: Blush

Rows 41 and 42: Powder Pink

Rows 43 and 44: Blush

Rows 45 and 46: Shrimp

Rows 47 and 48: Blush

Rows 49 and 50: Shrimp

Rows 51 and 52: Pomegranate

Rows 53 and 54: Shrimp

Rows 55 and 56: Pomegranate

Rows 57 and 58: Fondant

Rows 59 and 60: Pomegranate

Rows 61 and 62: Fondant

Rows 63 and 64: Magenta

Rows 65 and 66: Fondant

Rows 67 and 68: Magenta

Rows 69 and 70: Boysenberry

Rows 71 and 72: Magenta

Rows 73 and 74: Boysenberry

Rows 75 and 76: Plum

Rows 77 and 78: Boysenberry

Rows 79 and 80: Plum

Rows 81 and 82: Claret

Rows 83 and 84: Plum

Rows 85 and 86: Claret

Rows 87 and 88: Lipstick

Rows 89 and 90: Claret

Rows 91 and 92: Lipstick

Rows 93 and 94: Tomato

Rows 95 and 96: Lipstick

Rows 97 and 98: Tomato

Rows 99 and 100: Pomegranate

Rows 101 and 102: Tomato

Rows 103 and 104: Pomegranate

Rows 105 and 106: Shrimp

Rows 107 and 108: Pomegranate

Rows 109 and 110: Shrimp

Rows 111 and 112: Blush

Rows 113 and 114: Shrimp

Rows 115 and 116: Blush

Rows 117 and 118: Apricot

Rows 119 and 120: Blush

Rows 121 and 122: Apricot

Rows 123 and 124: Saffron

Rows 125 and 126: Apricot

Rows 127 and 128: Saffron

Rows 129 and 130: Sunshine

Rows 131 and 132: Saffron

Rows 133 and 134: Sunshine

Rows 135 and 136: Spice

Rows 137 and 138: Sunshine

Rows 139 and 140: Spice

Rows 141 and 142: Tomato

Rows 143 and 144: Spice

Rows 145 and 146: Tomato

Rows 147 and 148: Lipstick

Rows 149 and 150: Tomato

Rows 151 and 152: Lipstick

Rows 153 and 154: Claret

Rows 155 and 156: Lipstick

Rows 157 and 158: Claret

Next on the to do list – the edging.

Wigs and Blankets

As Storm Dennis rages outside and local social media is full of trees falling on cars, high banks sliding across country lanes and coast paths collapsing, I am staying safe and cosy, warming myself up with a wonderful array of oranges, pinks and purples.

The blanket above is my version of Attic24’s current Dahlia inspired Crochet Along. I have been loosely following Lucy’s Colourwash version. I just can’t resist playing around with the colours, using the way Lucy puts colours together as a jumping off point.

This is the 6th or 7th Attic24 Crochet Along I have been part of and I can highly recommend them. They are always rich in warmth and a sense of community, especially if you follow Lucy’s blog and the Hooked on Attic24 Facebook Group.

The first CAL I joined in with was the Cosy Stripe ; then the Neat Ripple, link to Lucy’s pattern here ; the Neat Wave, Lucy used Moorland Colours, I made mine in Dorset Summer Hedgerow Colours; the Woodland Blanket was one of my favourites; and last year was the Sweet Pea inspired Trellis Stitch blanket.

As the rain beats against the windows and the wind plays music with my photovoltaic roof panels, I have been finishing off a few wig W.I.P.s

This wig is to add to my collection of variations on my Curly Wig. The basic pattern can be found on Etsy and Ravelry.

This new version could be just the thing to keep the ears warm on a day like today.

Stay Safe and Cosy.

When Lucy came to Dorset

I have just had the most wonderful weekend.

On Saturday I went to see my sister’s art exhibition and on Sunday, we had our Friends of Attic24: Dorset gathering at Sladers Yard art gallery and cafe, in West Bay.

What made Sunday extra special was that Lucy of Attic24 happened to be in Dorset and could pop in and join us for a couple of hours!!!

How lucky was that!!!

A few more joined us after the photo was taken and we had a gatherng of 17 in all.

We had such a lovely time. Great coffee, cake, crochet and chat …….. wonderful!

Lucy was very generous with her time, tips and hints and it was fun showing her some of our Attic24 inspired makes and discussing the details of colour choices and variations.

What better way to spend a wet Sunday morning

There is something timeless and quite magical about a group of women crafting together

We said our fond farewells and Lucy departed for her long train journey back to Skipton. A huge thank you to Lucy for coming to join us, you are welcome any time!

Our group will definitely be meeting again in January at the start of Lucy’s Annual Crochet-Along, which promises to be a corker!

Think Dahlias …. that’s all I’m saying.   😉

A Bunch of Sweet Peas

What a happy bunch we were!

The picture is missing Jenny, who joined us later.

Sladers Yard (in West Bay, Dorset, UK) were very accommodating and welcoming. We had a board of yummy cakes garnished with strawberries and cherries – I wish I had taken a photo! And they had set aside two tables at the back of the room for us.

There were nine adult crocheters altogether and a delightful junior knitter.

There is something so deeply comforting about being with a group of women coming together and making things together – it is timeless – a connection with our ancestors reaching back over the centuries.

It is great to share ideas and talk about our current a future projects, equipment and how we store our stash.

And don’t you just LOVE Helen’s craft bag!

I admit to a bit of Craft Bag envy!

We felt we had to get at least some pictures on the beach, to show us firmly placed in West Bay, especially to send to Lucy, the designer of the blanket that had brought us all together. Lucy comes from these parts and often returns here for holidays and family visits.

Some of our group had other places they had to be for lunch, so there were fond farewells and talks of meeting again, before a few of us went to the beach where as you can see – it was a bit windy.

I’m hopeless at selfies!

Just right for paragliders

And then there were 3, we had a wander around the harbour

Time for a few more photos

I love this one of Kay and Sandra

And then back to Sladers Yard for a lunch.

A huge thank you to everyone who came and made our Gathering such an enjoyable one – and thank you to all those who have said they would like to come to another one – yes there will be another meeting, not sure when yet.

Any one of the group might arrange a meeting in their area and I will do my best to get there. I will be arranging one in early Summer and will give plenty of notice here on my blog and on Facebook and Instagram.

Thanks also to Stylecraft Yarns for sending such amazing goody bags – everyone was thrilled! We all have plans for our Batik Elements Yarn. The colours on the website do not do it justice, they are much lighter and lovelier! The youngest member of our group used hers as a friendship bracelet for her cuddly toy – just the right fit!

And I have some goody bags left for anyone new who comes to the next meeting.

Thank you to Sladers Yard for their wonderful hospitality, and to some of the other customers who came to chat about crochet.

One guy told me that he had learnt to knit when he was 8 and loved it but his Grandad had ridiculed him for ‘being a girl’ and he’d stopped. I told him about all the many examples of men knititng and crocheting online and he said he might take it up again in his impending retirement. He said we should exhibit our work in a gallery as it was so good! Now there’s a thought …….. !

Of course the biggest thank you has to go to Lucy for creating such a friendly and fabulous crochet community with her heart-warming blog posts and wonderfully colourful designs. This is the fourth Lucy Crochet Along I have done and each one has brought a wonderful sense of community but there seems to be something about these colours that have inspired many of us to gathering in groups all over the world, to share the Sweet Pea journey.

A picture of the Sweet Pea set in the snow.

Pattern for the jacket is in this post.

 

There’s a Whole Lot of Crochet Going On

Hello everyone!

I have been a bit quiet in blogland for a while – I’m in hibernation mode and loving it. Warm fires, stews bubbling away on the woodburner and plenty of dark evening time for crochet and doodling.

For the 4th time I’m joining in with Attic24’s January Crochet Along. The first was the Cosy Cal, second the Moorland, Third was last year’s Woodland and now I am making this year’s Sweet Pea Blanket – oh what a joy it is to be part of this wonderfully supportive cosy crochet community. The Facebook Group Attic24 Moorland and More is a great place to spend some time for crochet chat.

I love the colours Lucy has chosen, I would never have put Magenta and Pomegranate together, but she is a genius when it comes to mixing 15 colours in a blanket design. In the past I have substituted some of the colours but this year I’m sticking to her colours …. but not her order! My creative mind just has to have a play.

Part 1 completed in Stylecraft Special DK and using a 4.5mm hook

Lucy gives three options for the colour order: Posy which is what she calls organised random, Colourwash, which blends blocks of colours and Repeat which is all the colours in a repeating sequence of 15 rows. I could not decide which one I liked best so I am making a Baby Blanket size and am mixing up the Posy and Colourwash styles and hope it works.

I’m not quite sure I like the above order, so I did a sample doll’s blanket with a slight adjustment

Here is the Doll’s Blanket order, going from bottom to top:

1. Violet (foundation chain, sc (US) row and row 2)
2. Lavender (row 3)
3. Violet (row 4)
4. Lavender (row 5)
5. Plum (row 6)
6. Magenta (rows 7 and 8)
7. Pistachio (row 9)
8. Magenta (row 10)
9. Meadow (row 11)
10. Cypress (row 12)
11. Pomegranate (rows 13 and 14)
12. Blush (rows 15 and 16)
13. Candyfloss (row 17)
14. Blush (row 18)
15. Candyfloss (rows 19 and 20)
16. Cream (row 21)
17. Pistachio (row 22)
18. Cream (row 23)
19. Meadow (row 24)
20. Fuschia Purple (25 and 26)
21. Magenta (27)
22. Fuchsia Purpke (28)
23. Magenta (29)
24. Wisteria (30 and 31)
25. Soft Peach (32)
26. Wisteria (33)
27. Pistachio (34 and 35)

The Sweet Pea blanket has caused such a buzz! It is exciting to be part of it.

Over 5,000 – yes FIVE THOUSAND, Sweet Pea Packs have been sold by Wool Warehouse!

It makes my heart sing to know that the world is being wrapped in Sweet Pea blankets!

I am hosting a Sweet Pea Gathering for anyone making the blanket, so on Sunday 3rd. February I will be somewhere in Bridport at 10.15am for coffee and crochet, with anyone who wants to join me! When I know how many would like to come along I will fix a venue – I have a couple in mind.

I chose Bridport as it is my old stamping ground and where Lucy grew up. She still visits and blogs about the area, so I thought it would be fun and a nice link to meet there. I’m very excited to see who turns up.

Have any of you been tempted to join in with Lucy’s Crochet Along this year?

Joining in with Ginny’s January Yarn Along

WiP Wednesday

I have been away for a few days and needed a small easy project to take with me, so I made a start on the Coastal Cosy.

Pattern by Lucy of Attic 24 

Thank you for all your helpful input on the colours. As you can see the Pink (Soft Peach went in). I have no idea why I wanted to start with the sky bit, but there we go, I did.

Then on to the sea – but it is looking a bit dark and stormy so I will add in Aster next to cheer it up.

I’m waiting for a yarn delivery and I’m excited to see if Blush will be added to my next ‘sky’ section.

Squirrel Nutkin and Old Brown

Click on the link for the free Squirrel Motif Pattern – I still have more photos to add, but I’m glad to have heard from a couple of people who have been able to make a squirrel.

The throw measures 1m60cm, 5’3″ long, and I have decided to stop here (just short of the end of Part5) as this will be just the right size to go on Little Bro’s bed and for him to carry it downstairs to the sofa for snuggling under with his Big Bro. Any bigger and I think it might be too cumbersome for him.

We Attic24 Woodlanders eagerly await the intructions for the edging, which will be posted on Friday. I have been loosely following Lucy’s Random Colour Order and have substituted Mocha with Walnut (brown)

Toooo-whit-tooooo-whoooooo-hooo-hooo!

Crochet Squirrel Motif

As the Woodland Blanket is being made for Little Bro aged 5, I wondered if he would like a few leaves and squirrels.

He would!

and so it seems would some of you!

I was pleasantly taken aback by the squirrel-love that poured in when I posted a picture on Facebook and Instagram, with lots of people asking for the pattern.

Oh my goodness – creating a squirrel is relatively quick and easy compared with creating a pattern for others to follow.

These mischievous little creatures have led me a merry dance, but at last I have arrived at a pattern.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Pattern for the Squirrel Motif

Stylecraft Double DK

4.5mm hook

US crochet terms. I am left-handed so the photos will show work from a LH perspective, but the pattern should work just fine for right-handers. Working with the right hand the squirrels will face the other way.

Starting with the back leg

Make a magic loop, Ch1, 8sc into the loop, pull loop together, sl into the 1^st ch. to join.                                                  8 sts

2^nd Round

Ch1, 2sc into each st, sl into the first ch. to join.                                          16 sts

3^rd Round

Ch1, 2sc, 2sc into next st,

(back foot) ch4,

sc into 3rd and 4th st from the hook, sc into same st as the 2scs

sc into the next 4sts.

2sc into each of the next 3sts, sc, 2sc into next st, 2hd into next st, 2dcs into next st, 2 tr into next st.

(neck) Ch4 

work 4dc into the 4^th ch from the hook

** please note that is between the bottoms of these stitches that you will work scs in Round 4. See Picture 6 in Round 4**

sl into same st of Round 2, 2sl, sl to join.

4^th Round

Sl into next 3sts. sl into next 2 loops (back foot)

Picture 1

2sl into next st, which takes you round the end of the ‘foot’,

Sl into next 9sts, 4sc,

Picture 2

(tail) 4sc into back loops (if you can find another loop lower down, at the back of the work, to work into as well this stabilises the back loop stitches), 2hd into back loops, ch7,

Picture 3

3hd in 3^rd ch from hook,

2dc, 2tr, dtr (yarn 3 times round the hook)  in next ch,

miss 1ch,

Picture 4

2dtr, tr in next ch

2tr, dc, in next ch, sl into next st of Round 3

Picture 5

2sl, Work 5 sc in the gaps between the next sts. (also covering the thread at the base)

Picture 6  **

Here are a few more photos to explain where the single crochets go

and in a different colour for clarity

Hope that helps.

Picture 7

At last it begins to look like a Squirrel

(head) ch3, sl in 3^rd ch from hook,

sl into one of the ch3 (into, not over), sl into first dc of the neck,

Working into the gap between: 4sc, hd, sc.

Picture 8

2sl, hd.

Picture 9

(front foot)

2sl, ch2, sl in 2^nd from the hook, sl into the body at base of front foot . Cut yarn and pull through to the front, then take the end to the back (leave a long tail of thread if you will be sewing this on as applique), or sew in the ends.

Pin to shape and block.

How did you get on? I’d love to know. 🙂

See the finished blanket here: Squirrel Nutkin and Old Brown

Warm

Here we are at the first Tuesday of February with our Photographic Monthly Meet Up.

The theme this month is WARM, so join us by leaving links in the comments to any photographs and/or posts both current and archive. Let’s all meet up for a huddle to keep warm – cos ‘baby it’s cold outside’! At least it is here. Any photos of warmer climes will be much drooled over and appreciated!

It might be frosty outside this morning but inside I’m indulging in some cosy hooky time before getting out of bed!

I’m loving the warm colours of Attic24’s Woodland Cal and in the 5th week of the Cal the blanket is big enough to keep me warm whilst crocheting.

I’m already thinking of new projects using these scrummy colours.

Going back to February 2013 I found this post – and the colours fit with the Warm theme

And this post from February 2014 when I was in Abu Dhabi for two gloriously WARM weeks.

In February 2015 I was keeping cosy under the Attic24 Cosy Cal

In February 2016 I knitted 14 bobble hats to keep my family warm

In February 2017 the Attic24 Cal was once again keeping me warm with my Hedgerow version of Lucy’s Moorland Blanket.

How are you keeping warm?

The theme stays open all month, just leave your links in the Comments.

I’m really looking forward to seeing your take on WARM.

Now I’d better get up!

 

Update:

This photo is of Bentley, a very warm dog, trying to cool off on a hot summers day. Sent to me by my sister, you can see her wonderful paintings and silver jewellery on Instagram

 

 

Attic24’s 2018 CAL:2

The Woodland Crochet Along, Week 2 completed.

It doesn’t matter how long we take to do the Woodland Blanket, it’s not a race, but it is a good feeling to keep up with the group of avid Attic24 fans as hundreds of us all over the world are walking along the woodland paths with Lucy.

Last night I finished Week 2’s 18 rows. I’m mostly following Lucy’s Random colour order, but I have substituted Mocha (beige) with Walnut (brown).

The blanket had not been earmarked for anyone in particular when I started out, but I was with Big Bro and Little Bro and Little Bro asked me who I was making it for. When I said I didn’t know yet, he told me he liked it very much! You should have seen his face light up when I told him it could be his.

He is only 5 but wanted to know all about the CAL and how it worked. Then we laid it out on his bed. There were many questions about how long it would be and about what a border or edging is and how it might look in the end.

He has brown eyes so it suits him very well and I’m delighted to know who will snuggle up under it when it is finished.

You might remember how much he liked the Dorset Hedgerow blanket when I was making that a year ago.

 

 

 

I am loving some of the colour combinations in this blanket

Storm Blue, Spice, Tomato and Mustard – yummy!

Enjoying the journey

Now on with Part 3!

If you want a good old natter about all things yarny and other subjects that pop up at random, zip over to Cathy’s and see who’s there for a chat.

Edit: To see the finished blanket click here.

Woodland WiP Wednesday

The Woodland CAL created by Lucy at Attic24 is growing on me!

Week 1.

I struggled to get the pattern to work at first – my own fault – it looked so simple I just steamed ahead. After masses of counting, re-counting and undoing (or frogging) The penny dropped = LOOK AT LUCY’s TUTORIAL!!!!

Lucy does the best photo tutorials I know – I trust her implicitly – and there was the answer. Check that every third stitch in the ‘valleys’ lines up with the third stitch in the corresponding row below – sorted! Now I can wander along and enjoy the Woodland Walk.

Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook

I have substituted Mocha (beige) with Walnut (brown) and I’m following Lucy’s Random colour order with slight adjustments to accommodate the Walnut.

My colour order so far: Lime, Cypress, Meadow, Mustard, Tomato, Spice, Storm, Duck Egg, Copper, Walnut, Gold, Pistachio, Grey, Lincoln

4 more colours to go, for this week – we get the next 18 on Friday.

Taking a walk in the Woodland today is a sweet creature made by Little Miss M out of self-hardening clay and some sticks.

The biggest joy is that I have joined the Attic24 Moorland and More Group again. It started up during last year’s CAL and has continued since. It is a brilliantly friendly and supportive group. I revel in all the detailed yarny chit-chat and practical tips.

How are you getting on with your WiPs this Wednesday?

New Beginnings

Exciting New Beginnings today.

I’m joining Postcard from Gibraltar for the new weekly Friday Photo Challenge

I can see Fridays are going to be busy from now on. There is Cathy’s Knit and Natter, which I love; this new weekly photo challenge from Gibraltar; a new Photo Challenge using our 2017 list over on Magic Sparks; and the most exciting new beginning for me is the Attic24 Woodland Crochet Along (CAL), which started at just past 8am this morning.

I’ve had the bag of yarn sitting waiting patiently for a few weeks and this morning I actually hugged it before getting out the Lime for the foundation chain – as seen on my keyboard.

The Jurassic Coast blanket has been put to one side (with a little touch of sadness) and the Woodland has been started. There has been such a world-wide buzz in the Facebook Group, we were all sharing our excitement until late last night – crazy I know – but I hope I’m amongst friends here! Ha! All my non-blogging friends just do NOT understand.

So I have many windows open on my computer and have been keeping up with the gossip in Yorkshire, Gibraltar and on the international Attic24 Facebook pages.

Life intervened all morning – grrrr – then the fuses blew – so no electricity or internet for a while til I discovered that it was the washing machine causing the problem – but other than that it has been the most fabulous day! and a cosy evening ahead in front of the fire wandering the yarny woodland paths……… bliss!

Looking forward to seeing other New Beginnings.

Moorland, more and more

I am so pleased to have joined in with Attic24’s Moorland CAL. The whole experience was made so much richer by following the thread on Facebook, both on Lucy’s Attic 24 FB page and a new Page set up by Clare, especially for the Moorland Cal. Such camaraderie is a joy to find.

Lucy chose the purples, greens and browns of the Yorkshire Moors for her colour palette, but a few of us chose colours from our own environment.

Jan chose sunset colours :

I took my inspiration from Dorset summer hedgerows and found this photo on the internet to show you the sort of thing I had in mind,

and came up with this palette.

My grandson seemed to like it whilst it was being made

I am very pleased with the finished article.

and it is already much appreciated by my niece who will take it back with her to Uni

If I was to make the blanket again I would substitute the dark green Khaki for the lighter green Pistachio and would use Lucy’s Cosy Stripe pattern, which I find much more relaxing to make.

Update: The edging I used was one row of single crochet (US) in Meadow, one row of Double Crochet (US) in Duck Egg Blue and then a row of Crab Stitch.

Hedgerow Blanket 2

I am joining in with Attic24’s Moorland Crochet Along. Week 6 has been published, but I have just started Week 5. It is not a race but I am itching to get the series of blues that represent the sky and finish the blanket – just 8 more rows to go til I get to ‘Duck Egg’ blue.

Lucy’s colour choices are based on the Yorkshire Moors, mine a Dorset Summer Hedgerow.

You can see my list of colours in order in this post: Hedgerow Blanket.

Whilst crocheting I am watching BBC4’s archive arts programmes. Today, this one with a young Germaine Greer interviewing Paule Vézelay in 1984.

Linking with Ginny’s Yarn Along.

Hedgerow Blanket

I am joining in with Attic24’s Moorland Crochet Along (CAL) .

The colours I have used are as close to Lucy’s as I could manage whilst using yarn I already have. All Stylecraft Special DK Acrylic.

My substitutions so far:

Lucy’s Moorland Colours            Substitutions

Pistachio                                           Mustard

Mocha                                                Parchment

Walnut                                               Silver

Grape                                                 Raspberry

Plum                                                  Pale Rose

Violet                                                  Soft Peach

 

Lucy used Mocha and Walnut to represent the earth and for me the Parchment and Silver represent a stony path or track below a hedgerow.

The greens are much the same as Lucy’s and instead of the purples for the heather I have gone for pinks to represent blossoms found in the grass below the hedge and in the hedge itself. I think these colours represent a late Spring or early Summer English Hedgerow – do you agree? I’m quite pleased with the way they are turning out.

Lucy’s Sequence                             My substitutions

1. Cypress
2. Lime
3. Khaki
4. Meadow
5. Pistachio                                    Mustard
6. Mocha                                         Parchment
7. Walnut                                       Silver
8. Lime
9. Meadow
10. Khaki
11. Lime (I missed this one out by mistake, and have added it in after colour 35)
12. Pistachio                                    Mustard
13. Cypress
14. Walnut                                        Silver
15. Lime
16. Grape                                          Raspberry
17. Pistachio                                   Mustard
18. Meadow
19. Khaki
20. Mocha                                      Parchment
21. Grape                                       Raspberry
22. Lime
23. Walnut                                    Silver
24. Cypress
25. Meadow
26. Khaki
27. Lime
28. Walnut                                  Parchment (order of these two colours were swapped by accident)
29. Mocha                                   Silver
30. Knaki
31. Grape                                   Raspberry
32. Walnut                                Parchment
33. Sage
34. Plum                                    Pale Rose
35. Grape                                    Raspberry

Lime ( I added this here to make up for the previous mistake)

36. Meadow
37. Plum                                    Pale Rose
38. Violet                                 Soft Peach
39. Sage
40. Walnut                              Silver

~

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

Yarn Along: Attic24 Cal

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along and Attic24’s Moorland CAL.

I’m using slightly different colours to Lucy’s Moorland palette, as I really could not allow myself to buy more yarn, so am using colours from my stash. I think the result will be more hedgerow than Moorland, but I’m happy with the substitutions so far.

More details of the colours will follow in another post. They are all from the Stylecraft Special DK Acrylic yarn which I get from Wool Warehouse, but Deramores are also a very good mail order firm. You can find the fabulous Attic24 packs at Wool Warehouse.

When I was in Pembrokeshire (Wales) recently, I found the book, a wonderfully evocative tale of island life with lots of delightful black and white photos.

I’m itching to tell you all about my 31 days retreat to a gorgeous treehouse near Solva.  There is so much to tell you and hundreds of photos to sort through!

It was such a blissful time of beach walks, new friends, family history, sand circles and wild food foraging. It will take a while for me to put it together into some coherent posts but in the meantime pay a virtual visit to the treehouse via its listing on Air BnB which is how I found it – my review is there for you to read as well.

 

 

A Wild amount of Daffodils

I am in the grip of Daffy Mania – sometimes these creative ideas strike (like lightning!) and just will not let me go until they kinda work themselves through

Does this happen to you?

It started with a few yellow daffodils for the feature photo at the top of this blog, I’ve been meaning to do this for a long time. You can find the pattern at Attic24.

Then, as I have mentioned before, my Mum became ill and I spent many hours sitting by her bedside crocheting, so I had time to keep going with the daffs. Because she is Welsh it felt strangely comforting to be crocheting the flower emblem for Wales.

She has dementia and she does not remember much, but her fierce pride in her country of origin remains intact.

Then in pops the idea of making a ‘Welsh’ daffodil, in the colours of the Welsh Flag

And another, and another ……

What do you think? I’m never sure if these ideas are in the category

“just because you can, do you think you should?!”

or

“Wow! That’s really cool!”

But I have to let them run their course and just keep going…….

Cue a quote from Andy Warhol as seen on Facebook

I’m not really so concerned about what everybody else thinks about it, but what I eventually think about it myself.

Sometimes I make things that I think are SO FAB-U-LUSSSSSS in the moment and a few weeks later, I’m a bit shocked that I ever wanted to make it at all – so only time will tell.

However the thoughts of others do have an effect on where my thoughts go – if others love it, I tend to go further with it, if they don’t it doesn’t bother me but it takes some of the energy out of the current mini-obsession – I like the ebb and flow of this process which always bears fruit of some kind or other, and the thoughts, ideas and opinions of others often inform the next twist and turn of the creative process, which feels like creative collaboration- one of my very favourite things!

Anyway, back to the daffodils, ‘there was an English, an Irish and a Welsh…..’, I know, I’ve missed out Scotland – the blue and white Scottish one is yet to be made.

A narcissus

and a few Wild Ones

which includes one made with Miss E’s favourite colours

and my favourite colours

and a peace daffodil…

I’m thinking of making some into brooches, some as a garland, but other than that ….. where next …… any ideas?

Oh, and my Mum, well she has made a remarkable recovery and lives to smile another day – the healing power of crocheted daffodils!

~

❤

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along and Cee’s Flower of the Day