Karoo Vintage MAL

On I trundle with the Karoo. What a challenge and an adventure.

Part 6 is complete

I’m now halfway through Part 7 and then there is an edge.

These colours felt strange in the middle of a heatwave a few months ago, but I’m so enjoying working with them now.

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in the Park whilst my grandchildren played with their friends after school, the autumn leaves were falling around me, my blanket on my lap whilst I worked on it, and the warm October sun on my face. That to me is a slice of heaven right there!

The design is by Jen Tyler of Hooks n Tales. Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook.

Pattern on Ravelry.

You can find the list of colours on my Ravelry Page.

This pattern is not for the faint-hearted! and there are literally 100s of ends to sew in, but I do really like the result.

I’d like to make this pattern again in different colours, but I’m not sure when I will be ready to dedicate so much time and attention to such a big project again.

It is very demanding!

Whist sewing in all those ends at home in the evenings, I listen to the radio – this fabulous music programme keeps me company – available on iPlayer for the next 29 days.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

 

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Cosmic Bedspread Complete

Tah Dah!!!       Drum roll please!

At last it is finished

This has been a really fun project to make. The journey began back in April when Helen Shrimpton’s Crochet Along started and I finished the CAL back in June, but I wanted to do a few more rows to make it bigger and work out how to make a scalloped edge.

The bedspread, shown here on a 5′ wide double bed, had to wait patiently in the background whilst I made a couple of dreamcatchers for birthday presents, and then it was hard to pick it up again.

But I did it!!

I can highly recommend Helen’s patterns and this one is FREE and comes with a video tutorial.

To see other amazing Cosmics, join Helen’s Hookaholics on FB and go to the Photo Albums. If you ever need inspiration for colour combinations there is surely no better place to go.

I made this Bedspread with Scheepjes Whirl and Whirlettes and a 3mm hook:

2 x Rosewater Cocktail Whirl

1 x Jumping Jelly Whirl

1 x Citrus Whirlette

1x Blueberry Whirlette

I really enjoyed mixing up the Whirls and playing with the gradients in the colours to get the effect I wanted.

It measures 1m 41cm – 1m 35cm.           or             4’6.5″ x 4’5″

Blog posts showing progress:

Making a start. Parts 1 and 2

Parts 3 and 4

Parts 5 and 6

Parts 7 and 8

Part 9 and beyond

I am so happy with my zingy bedspread!

Silent Sunday in the Karoo

Cosmic Cal Parts 7 – 8

With Part 6 of the Cosmic Cal completed,

doesn’t it look perfect with this chair covered in a luxurious fabric by ‘Timorous Beasties‘…..

…….. on to Part 7 in which we meet the dastardly Cosmic Stars!!!

Helen’s You Tube tutorial for Part 7 is  here.

Continuing with the Jumping Jelly Whirl until completing Round 78, I worked Round 79, the first part of the Cosmic Stars, in Citrus Whirlette.

I don’t know if it is because I am left-handed and following a right-handed video, or because I was using a 4 ply cotton yarn which has no give, but I just could not get the placement of the spokes right – stitch markers to the rescue!

There was much chat on the FB groups about these stars and I was near to giving up on them when one wonderful person suggested working into front posts instead of front loops and this worked much better for me. Phew!

By the time I had worked along one side I was down to only needing the bottom middle marker to show me the way

Finding the ‘eye’ of the star in the completing row was tricky, so I employed a knitting needle to make the hole big enough to get my hook through

I was so relieved to get to the end of those Stars, knowing I would never have to make them again!

However, lots of people said they loved them and are making several more Cosmics including the Stars.

Mercifully Part 8 was delightfully relaxing as I continued into the orange section of the Jumping Jelly.

Part 9 to come.

Crochet Progress

A bedspread in the making for one of my twin Granddaughters.

I am mostly following Helen Shrimpton’s wonderful Rosslyn Pattern. This is a paid for pattern and worth every penny!

It is a wonderful pattern to follow and very relaxing to make. Well it would be if only I could stop myself making a few additions, changes and adjustments as I go – the creative mind is never at rest!

The 5 Changes I have made:

1. Surface sunrays were added over 2 rows
2. The popcorns are closer together than in the pattern – this happened by accident, but I decided to leave them in
3. There are some breaks in the row of popcorns, with some plain stitches
4. There is a colour change in this row
5. 8 colours have been used instead of 5

I was wondering if I was making the pattern look too ‘busy’, but I think I will stick with my changes. What do you think?

The yarn is Stylecraft Special DK, the hook 4.5mm.

The 8 colours:

Soft Peach, Buttermilk, Duck Egg, Pale Rose, Cream, Raspberry, Lincoln, Storm.

At this stage it measures 28 x 28 inches or 72 x 72 cm.

Have you made any of Helen Shrimpton’s patterns? If so please leave a link, I’d love to see them.

And if you enjoy a good old natter, pop along over to Cathy’s place for Knit and Natter Friday.

Afghan, Boyghan or Manghan

At last my blanket for Master R is finished!

My daughter thinks it looks a bit wizardy – I see what she means, the designs could definitely be magical symbols used in an 8 year old’s incantations – he’s reading the Harry Potter books at the moment.

The blanket measures 1metre x 1m30cm, just right to snuggle under on the sofa, or to go over his duvet on his top-bunk bed.

Master R is now aged 8. He was 5 when I started it. He wanted a blanket in purples and greens, not colours I would choose to put together.

I usually LOVE co-creating things for my grandchildren and bringing their ideas to life, but this has been my most challenging project to date.

Back in July I wrote of the journey thus far showing some of the early ideas, experiments and samples that had been rejected by my co-designer.

Together we arrived at these Squares and colours, he knows what he likes!

On the whole I feel it is important to encourage children to make as many decisions for themselves as they can – but I have to admit this one took me to pushing past my own resistances to make something I personally did not love! It languished in the W.I.P. pile for far too long at times.

However I’m thrilled with how it turned out and to know Master R will get what he wanted is very satisfying indeed.

The square patterns are from the Nuts About Squares crochet along.

Master R’s choices:

Esme’s Winter Cottage by  Dedri Uys

and my variation

Denna by Polly Plum

Bavarian Beauty by Heather Gibbs

Made in Stylecraft Special DK and a 5mm hook

Colours

Emperor, Wisteria, Violet, Khaki, Pistachio, Meadow, Lime, Cypress, Midnight, Silver, Grey

I made up the border design

Starting with the surface zig-zag as shown in Esme’s Winter Cottage, then a row of double crochet (US) in Emperor; a row of Single Crochet (US) in Khaki; a row of double crochet in the back loops only, in Meadow; a row of SCs in Khaki; then a row of back loop DCs in Emperor; finished with a row of Crab Stitch in Emperor.

I’m enjoying my Ta Dah! moment!

Joining Nancy Merrill’s Photo Challenge: PURPLE

W.I.P. Wednesday

Going back to the dark side!

The squares are arranged in rows of  like squares at the moment – this will not be the final placement.

I needed to crochet all this:

before I was ready to return to Master R’s colour choices.

I’ve decided to leave it at these 12 squares and do a wide border – I just know it will languish for far too long in the UFO pile if I try to make myself crochet more squares!

Are you struggling with any WIPs at the moment? Leave a link in the comments and we can share your pain!

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!)

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

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 one

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

Hot of the Hook

I’m learning new Crochet acronyms so here is my latest HOTH

If there was Ginny’s Yarn Along to join in with I would, but sadly and completely understandably Ginny has decided to step back gracefully. I just love Ginny’s blog, her photographs are superb and I have to admit to being just a little bit in love with her and all of her most delightful children.

A major WIP, in progress for about 3 years has just been finished – a double bedspread with a Mexican theme.

This fulfils another one for  17 for 2017 challenge (12 WIPS finished) [Update: Oooops that is misleading, sorry, I have now done 6 out of the target of 12 WIPS, this one shown is one of the 6 and moves me closer to the target of 12 done in the year]

I YAP a lot!

If you would like to share a current HOTH, CAL, FOTH, JOTH, PHD, YAP, WIVP or WIP. I’d love to see them!

 

Smokey and the Blanket

This picture came in an email yesterday, along with this lovely message:

“Thought I’d share some more appreciaters of the blanket, everyone loves it!
We love the extra weight of it on our bed too, it’s super snugly as well as beautiful xx”

Seems the whole family loves that blanket.

‘Ickle’ on the right is an old-timer and a bit wary of the young virile Smokey, who joined the family just over a year ago as a kitten, and showed his love also for a crocheted blanket early on.

You can see my Ta Dah moment for this blanket here.

Cal9: Cosy Blanket. Ta Dah!

This blanket follows Lucy’s Cosy Stripe blanket Crochet Along (CAL), changing the colours slightly so that I could use what I already had. This really is a lovely pattern using Stylecraft Special DK. The way Lucy balances the colours is truly beautiful so I stuck as close as I could to her colour order. Her colours have an autumnal feel, mine are a bit more summery I think (my colour list is near the end of this post).

I started way back in ….. November 2014 – oh, so only just over a year! I thought it was longer!

In my last post about this blanket, I was still working out the edging. The edging was added as, halfway through making it, we (my daughter A and I) decided to change it from a throw for a single bed, to one for her double bed.

Laura on Ravelry, had used a border of African Flower Squares, (click on the link to find an excellent tutorial). It looked so pretty, so off I went, not quite realising how working out the colour sequences and lengths to fit, would turn this into such a marathon project.

I wanted to create a random sequence of flowers, set within the three different greens. I do make life complicated!

11 squares were needed for each short side (including one each at the corners) and 13 for each long side. 48 squares in all.

The easiest way to attach the squares was to join then in a long line first and then, sitting on a cushion on the floor, mattress stitch the line of squares to the edge of the blanket. I realise now that it would have been much better to have blocked the squares first – I was far too eager to see how they looked sewn together.

After sewing on the squares I did a row of single crochet (US) in the Lime green, making sure to keep the edges tight by not adding stitches at the seams between the squares

And this is how I worked round the corners:

Then after all that sewing, and working things out, and going around once to create a foundation for the outer border, I could relax into a few rows of speedy crochet before working the final edging.

Lucy’s edging seemed just a little bit too narrow for this size of blanket so I tried a larger variation so that A could choose which she liked the best

Lucy’s pattern goes horizontally across the top, my variation on the left.

A chose my adaptation (Let me know if you would like more details about how to do this edging). I wanted to finish in time for A’s birthday in October……

But ……. I didn’t.

I really enjoyed the feel of the weight of the blanket over my knees as I worked on the edging, such a relief to be making good progress, with the end in sight.

Then after a few more ends to sew in – just the signature heart needed in one corner …..

and

TaH DaH!

It was finished in time for Christmas!

 Hurray! Round of Applause! and Party Poppers!

What a relief! I feel a huge sense of achievement and it is SO great to have finished it. I haven’t managed to take a photo of it in situ yet, but A took this photo with her phone and emailed it to me. She absolutely loves it and it makes their room so cosy and bright.

It does look right at home in that log cabin!

~

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn along

Book: ‘Heidi’ by Johanna Spyri, this was one of my favourites as a child, I read it to my daughter and I have just started to read it to Miss E. Such Joy!

~

Here follows the nitty-gritty of how to make the bedspread:

The width was the same a Lucy’s pattern, which is a width for a single bed.

Using Stylecraft Special DK, and a 4.5mm hook, make a foundation chain of 198, and work 78 rows for the body of the blanket. (This is a little shorter than Lucy’s pattern)

Here are the colours in the order they were crochetted:

The colours in bold are the same colours as Lucy used, although not necessarily in the same order (I have listed the colours I have substituted in Cal4):

Petrol, Meadow, Saffron, Spice, Bright Pink, Lime,

Khaki, Wisteria, Magenta, Clematis, Spice, Raspberry,

Denim, Bluebell, Khaki, Petrol, Spice, Lime, 

Saffron, Spice, Bright Pink, Magenta, Clematis, Bluebell,

Denim, Meadow, Saffron, Clematis, Raspberry, Spice,

Saffron, Lime, Petrol, Magenta, Wisteria, Khaki,

Clematis, Meadow, Denim, Bright Pink, Saffron, Spice,

Raspberry, Bluebell, Lime, Saffron, Denim, Magenta,

Spice, Meadow, Bright Pink, Clematis, Saffron, Khaki,

Spice, Wisteria, Petrol, Bluebell, Raspberry, Spice, 

Saffron, Lime, Bluebell, Magenta, Spice, Saffron,

Meadow, Petrol, Raspberry, Bright Pink, Khaki, Denim, 

Clematis, Wisteria, Spice, Magenta, Lime and Petrol.

 

I had fun mixing and matching the colours for the border as you can see from these previous posts :

Cal5

Cal5 decisions and choices, where you can see many of the squares as well as the ones that Miss E and my daughter chose as their favourites

Cal7, where you can see more squares and me trying to work out how many for each side. I realise now that I did not need to add any rows at all as the seam lines add sufficient extra length to the squares to fit.

If you want to know any further details about this bedspread, let me know. There are over 500 variations on Ravelry, so plenty of inspiration for other colour combinations.

It was an absolute joy to make!

I might just have to make another one.

Cal 8 – still on the edge

I have been trying to get the Attic24 Crochet Along bedspread finished for my daughter’s birthday today – but alack and alas I did not make it.

It was back in March when I last showed you the difficulty I was having fitting the border of squares.

I finished the short end by adding a row of DC (US) on each of 3 squares all in the ‘lime’ colour and spaced them evenly along the side.

I realised on sewing up it is best to have slightly less on the edge and slightly stretch the edge as you sewn it on, to prevent getting an edge that goes a bit frilly.

One short end and one long side have been attached, there are still ends to weave in and a few more squares to create, before I get to the more relaxing final few rows to go right round the blanket.

The Stylecraft Special DK Colours I’m using are: Petrol, Meadow, Saffron, Spice, Bright Pink, Lime, Khaki, Wisteria, Magenta, Clematis.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along: Whilst working on the bedspread yesterday I listened to ‘North by Northamptonshire’ on Radio 4 Extra – a bitter sweet comedy about small town life – love it! Anyone else heard it?

❤  *HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful DAUGHTER*  ❤

 

Edgy Decisions

I have crocheted all these little daisy squares to go round the edge of the throw for Miss E.

Design Decision 1: I was intending for them all to have pale yellow centres. When I showed Miss E she requested that they had different colours for the centres.

Design Decision 2: When I lined them up around the blanket I wondered if they were a bit too much. With hindsight I think I would have crocheted another round of pale blue to give more space around the daisies. I did some plain squares to go in alternately.

Miss E had the choice, and she has chosen solid daisies.

Design Decision 3: We could have daisies scattered on the surface and sewn on, or leave the ripples as they are.

When I first suggested this Miss E put her head slightly on one side and said , “that might be a bit over-the-top Granny, let’s wait and see”, as if she has learnt that Granny needs reining in on her crazy ideas sometimes!!!

Having seen them as in the first picture she is now considering it, but still wants to wait and see what it looks like once the edge is on – wise girl – one step at a time!

Linking in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

What design decisions are you making today?

Whoop! Whoop! I Won a Giveaway!!!!

Do you know people who often seem to win things, raffle prizes, lottery money, games of chance? I do, my son is one of them – it is a bit of a family joke. Me – no – it is not something that I’m familiar with – this winning thing – however maybe the tide has turned!

I am one to the lucky 4 winners 0f a Giveaway on Janette’s wonderful blog “the Green Dragonfly” in New Zealand.     Hurrrraaaayyyyy!!!!!

Janette (that is her picture below) made these House Slippers from a pattern by Tara at Mamachee

and wore them in a post – she got such a response that Tara was generous enough to offer not one but TWO patterns in a giveaway, to not one but FOUR lucky followers of Janette’s blog and Yippity-do-dah! It turns out I am one of the four – how happy am I!!!!!

I have chosen the pattern for the House Slippers, like Janette’s above AND the Fox Slippers, click on the links to see pictures and where you can buy the patterns.

I think my grandchildren will love the Fox Slippers – but Yikes! that means making 16!!! Hope the patterns arrive soon so that I can make a start to get them done before winter sets in. (Maybe winter 2016 is more realistic?!)

A huge thanks goes out to Janette for hosting the giveaway and to Tara for generously offering the prizes. Isn’t this blogging community ❤ GREAT! ❤

I am joining Ginny’s Yarn Along with this post, and she invites us to add a book that we are reading. Now I used to read avidly, but something happened, not sure what , and I just seemed to lose the concentration for reading. However Cathy mentioned a couple of books in our Photo Challenge, this week. The subject is ‘Wisdom’ which is a pretty tough subject to photograph, don’t you think! It is always fascinating to see the variety of interpretations within the challenge. One of the books Cathy mentioned as containing WISDOM is Charles Kingsley’s ‘The Water Babies’. I’ve never read it, and think that now might be a good time to do so. I was able to download it for free onto my iPad.

While I wait for the patterns to arrive I am still working on the edge of the Cosy Cal blanket – I think it will look great when it is finished, but oh boy – remind me never to edge a blanket in squares again – it really is demanding time and concentration to get them to work out.Are you enjoying any Yarn related fun this week? Click on the link below to join in with Ginny and all her many wonderful Yarny friends who also write great book reviews

CAL5 decisions and choices

This is as far as I have got with the Cosy Stripe Blanket. I laid it across a double bed to see how much more to crochet. This is the way it will lie on my daughter’s bed.  I have 8 more colour stripes to do to complete Cal5. The colours do not come out so beautifully in the photo –  as in reality, they are just GORGEOUS!!!    Lucy’s blanket is for a single bed and has 15 more colour rows (Cal6) than I will be doing. As I am adding a border I will stop at the end of Cal5.                                                                 I am loving co-creating this project which has been a comfort and a joy these last 2 months.                                                                                                                          Miss E was looking through my pile of African Flower squares, I told her I was going to ask her Mum to choose her favourites so that I knew which to make most of, for the border. MissE set about working out which was her favourite. First she separated them into groups – most favourite to the right of this picture then in a row in order of preference, most favourite to the left of the picture above and….after much deliberation and discussion, (I just ❤ LOVE ❤  these creative chats, one of the highlights of Grannyhood for me) she came to decide her most favourite (on the right) and least favourite on the left. My daughter’s choice (above) is more akin to mine, and I will be making 2 or 3 copies of each African Flower above to go in the mix of squares for the edging. I’m really excited now to see how it is going to look when it’s finished.

Update: you can go to Cal7 to see how the edge is coming along

and then Cal8 for more progress.

Cal5

I’m in week 5 of Attic24’s Crochet Along and it’s time to make some design decisions. 

My daughter would like it as a bedspread for their double bed, and that is why I am experimenting with African flower squares to add as a border. I am so grateful for the idea from Laura on Ravelry.  I’ve made a selection to see if my daughter likes the idea, if she doesn’t they can easily be turned into a cushion.

I get into mini obsession mode when I just want to go on and on forever making African flowers. There is something very soothing about making lots and lots of the same thing. The ‘flowers’ start off as these cute little circles and then I am immersed in playing with different colour combinations.This hot mix is my favourite!

Go to Cal8 for an update on how the border is coming along