Ta Dah! Revelation Crochet Along. The End.

Part 8

Round 88 Duck Egg

89 Lincoln

90, 91  Duck Egg

92  Cream

At this point I wanted to finish quickly so that I could finish it in time for my daughter-in-law’s birthday. She loves it!

The next Round, in Pale Rose: hdcs, with 4 in each corner and missing the hidden stitch after the corner.

The last Round I made in Powder Pink. I worked a knot stitch followed by a slip stitch all the way round, with an added chain st after the two knot stitches in the corners.

I really like this edging, it has a look of needelwork/embroidery blanket stitch.

See the other parts here, here, here and here.

 

Inspired by Lichen

I have started a fourth version of the pattern Virtue by Helen Shrimpton

This comes as a free pattern with full video tutorial.

I love the texture Helen creates.

Her patterns are super reliable and this is becoming my favourite, because of how the corners are built up, without masses of ends to sew in.

I am making this for a friend who has asked for colours inspired by lichen and bark. Tricky to get right when one is restricted to the colour palette of the yarn.

In order to get some blending in the colour order, for the first time I am mixing 12 colours from Stylcraft Special DK:

Hint of Silver, Warm Grey, Mustard, Silver, Meadow, Pistachio, Sandstone, Lime, Lincoln, Khaki, Mocha and Walnut

with 2 colours from Stylecraft Batik

Mint and Silver

The Batik yarn has some wool content but the same washing instructions, so I hope it will be ok.  It is working up well so far.

Yesterday I met my daughter and niece for a coffee and a catch up at Fables and Food, a lovely friendly new Cafe in Dorchester, which delicious food.

It was the perfect spot to sit, in the sun, listening to the fountain and sewing in some ends while I waited for the others to arrive

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

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 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.

A Crochet Along called ‘Virtue’

I do love to join in with a crochet along, and Helen Shrimpton patterns are always so trustworthy and easy to follow with brilliant video tutorials.

You get a new part to follow each week.

This is Part 3 completed

I am making it for my niece. I absolutely love choosing colours with the person whom the blanket is for. It means I use colour combinations I would never have chosen otherwise.

S sent me a photo of her sitting room and I noticed this cushion on the sofa. We decided to base our colour palette loosely on the flamingoes and foliage.

Using Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook the circle currently measures 27.5 inches or 70 cm diameter.

In Round 36 made each of the last popcorns independently in Spice (orange) so that the zigzag pattern in Spice and Tomato was more defined.

You can see a list of the colours in this post and I have now added Petrol and Cypress.

Sacred Space for a Wedding Present

At last I can post photos of Sacred Space – a free pattern by Helen Shrimpton, which comes with a video tutorial.

I made it as a Wedding Present for my niece.

In 2017 I made Lucy’s Moorland Blanket for her.

Sacred Space is made with a 4.5mm hook in Stylecraft Special DK in Sage, Storm, Duck Egg, Cream, Petrol

Part One

Round 1,2: Sage

3, 4. Storm.        5,6, 7. Sage

8, 9, 10, 11 Duck Egg

12, 13 Cream

14, 15, 16 Sage

17, Storm

18 Sage ; 19 Storm ; 20 Sage ; 21 Storm

22 Sage ; 23 Storm ; 24 Sage ; 25 Storm

26 Sage

27, 28, 29, 30, Storm

Part Two

31, 32 Sage.           33, 34 Storm

35 Duck Egg.       36, 37, 38 Cream

39, 40, 41 Sage

42, 43, 44 Storm

45 Sage

Part 3

46, 47, 48 Petrol       49, 50 Sage

51 Duck Egg.            52, 53 Storm

54, 55 Sage

Part 4

56 – 63 Petrol

64 Storm ; 65 Sage ; 66 Storm

Part 5

67 Sage        68, 69 Storm

70 Duck Egg

71, 72, 73 Storm

74 Petrol

75, 76, 77 Cream

Part 6

78 – 82 Storm

83 Sage ; 84 Storm ; 85 Sage ; 86 Storm ; 87 Sage ; 88 Storm

89, 90 Duck Egg

Part 7

91, 92, 93 Sage

94, 95 Duck Egg

96 Sage        97, 98, 99 Storm

100 Sage

Part 8

101, 102 Storm

103, 104 Petrol

105 Duck Egg

106, 107 Storm

108 Sage

Part 9

109 Cream

110, 111, Sage

112 Petrol

113 Storm

114 Sage

It certainly was a joy to make.

You can rely on Helen Shrimpton’s patterns to work out well.

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.

Bonfire on the Beach at Sunset

The Coastal Crochet Cal (crochet along), Picnic on the Beach, has finished and it was a joy to take part. The pace was just right and although it is not a race it is nice to keep up and be part of seeing all the amazing blankets that are being created at the same time, all over the world. I do love the sense of community that builds through the Facebook page, and by Eleonora sharing picture collages on her Instagram pages and on Facebook.

Eleonora’s video tutorials are excellent. I am excited to see what she comes up with next.

My colours were inspired by the colours I used in Attic24’s Dahlia Blanket and the sunsets I see from my west-facing sitting room window.

One was from last week

A painting in the sky.

I used Stylecraft Special DK  and a 4.5mm hook.

Colours: Lipstick, Spice, Matador, Claret, Burgundy, Clementine, Sunshine, Pomegranate, Blush, Duck Egg, Dandelion, Tomato, Storm Blue, Petrol.

In my last post about this blanket I showed you the horror of all the ends to sew in. Eleonora did provide a tutorial on how to weave them in as the Tunisian Entrlac was being worked, but there were still a LOT of ends to sew in for this blanket. Worth it though, and amazingly they are all sewn in. Sometimes it takes me months to do that job.

The blanket has been designed as a picnic blanket and so is not too big to carry around, and works very nicely as a blanket to snuggle up in on cool evenings.

Coastal Crochet Crochet-Along

I do love a Crochet Along and Eleonora’s pattern, Picnic on the Beach, intrigued me.

It starts with Tunisian Entrelac, which I have never done before.

Eleonora’s video tutorials are superb!

In Eleonora’s pattern the squares represent red and white Gingham, but ever since my Sunset blanket, made from Attic24’s Dahlia pattern, I have wanted to do another project in sunset colours.

There is one drawback

Yikes! All those ends.

I have sewn them all in, but if I did it again I think I would crochet a plain square  in single crochet (US) to cover them up at the back.

The pattern comes with full photo and video tutorials in both US and UK terms.

Week 1

This is the central square.

Stylecraft Special DK and 4.5mm hook

Colours: Lipstick, Spice, Matador for the small squares.

For the basket weave stitches: Lipstick, Claret and Burgundy.

Week 2

We added waves and I was reminded of the colours over the sea I saw from my Christmas Hideaway

Colours for the waves: Clementine, Pomegranate, Blush, Duck Egg, Dandelion.

My background colour and the colour that will tie the blanket together is Tomato.

Now that the waves have been added, the dark edges of the central square makes me think of a bonfire, so the working title is now

‘Bonfire on the Beach at Sunset’

It gives me a warm glow just thinking about that as I am making it.

Yarn Along: Mosaic Crochet

I am having a go at Mosaic crochet for the first time.

The pattern calls for Aran weight yarn, but I have so much SSDK in my stash, I am using that in 5 colours of Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook.

The colours are Parchment, Cypress, Lincoln, Copper and Silver. This will be for my nephew (aged 30).

The pattern is Santa Cruz by Moira Douglas of Daisyknots, on Ravelry

I am left-handed and at first I thought I had to flip the charts over to follow them, but no, they work if read from left to right.

It is easier to create these patterns than I expected it to be. Moira’s You Tube videos were a great help to get me started.

My top tip is not to cut the yarn at the end of each row until you have completed the next row, because it is easy to make mistakes in the placement of each stitch. Put the yarn on a stitch holder until you have finished the next row.

Warning: this is addictive, it is hard to put down as you just want to see how the pattern works out.

Which makes it hard to read a book right now, but I have been lent this book and it comes highly recommended. Have you read it?

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

Crochet: Sunset Blanket Edge

Here it is finished!

Measuring 1m 32cm x 1m 65cm, it makes a cosy lap-blanket or throw.

To see the row order for my Sunset Version of Attic24’s Dahlia CAL go to this post

I love – it makes me feel warm just looking at it.

I think it might be my favourite and I am keeping it for myself!!!

I followed Attic24’s stitch pattern for the edge, but changed the colours.

Here is my colour order:

Shrimp, Blush, Claret, Magenta, Spice, Tomato.

~~~~

Another project finished during lockdown – very satisfying.

❤ Keep safe. Keep Well. ❤

 

 

Lost Garden: Vintage look.

The Lost Garden throw is finished. This is a wedding present for the daughter of one of my closest friends, following the colour scheme the engaged couple have in their sitting room. This is not a palette I would have chosen myself, but it has been oh so soothing to work with.

Some people on Helen’s Hookaholics Facebook group have said it reminds them of snowdrops, Meissen china, Victorian design and Poldark so I thought ‘vintage’ probably brings all those descriptions together.

The pattern is by Helen Shrimpton and it is a delight to work – very relaxing, nothing too demanding or complicated.

Made with Stylecraft Special DK in Parchment, Lincoln, Cream, Stone and Toy and a 4.5mm hook.

It measures 1m 43cm square.

I have listed the colour order, up to the border in two previous posts:

Victorian Snowdrop Garden

and

Lost Garden Corners

and now for the border order!

Vintage Lost Garden Border

Round 67: Toy

Round 68: Stone

Round 69 and 70: Toy

Round 71: Lincoln

Round 72 and 73: Toy

Round 74: Stone

Round 75: Toy

Round 76, 77, 78, 79: Parchment

Round 80: Lincoln

Round 81, 82: Stone

Round 83 – 89: Parchment

Round 90: Lincoln

Round 91, 92: Cream

Round 93, 94: Parchment

~~~~~~

I’m sure to make this pattern again one day and I’m wondering what it would look like in a graded yarn like one of the new Scheepes Whirl Cakes, Turquoise Turntable or Jade JimJam for instance. Or Melting Macaron, working from the centre out and then joining with the outside of Turquoise Turntable – mmmmm – mouthwatering!

Karoo Vintage Mystery Crochet Along

The Woodland Colours would not leave me alone – I really should NOT have started another project, I have so many WIPs knock-knock-knocking on my conscience but when there is a creative itch that strong – there is nothing for it but to give in!

Along came Jen Tyler with the lure of her Karoo Vintage Mystery Crochet Along – I can’t seem to resist a CAL and I love a mystery. I love the sense of community that builds up around crochet-alongs. So, with my sensible head telling me not to, I started the Karoo Vintage Mystery Along back in July.

Crocheting along with Jen is like going on a crochet Safari, one never knows what is around the corner – it is a rocky road and not for the faint-hearted, be prepared for a challenge! She does not have her patterns tested before publishing them and so there is the odd mistake. She gets her puffs and popcorns mixed up on the video so one has to remain alert and cross-check with the written pattern. But her patterns are still worth the effort.

You can see more photos of the stages of this one on my Ravelry Page,

If I made this pattern again (I will NEVER make this pattern again!) I would make changes to simplify it and add to the stitch count in certain rounds which pull the work too tight – that middle dark brown section for instance.

But! it is done and it is an amazing piece. The details are extraordinary. I learnt a lot. – it is finished apart from about a month’s worth of ends to sew in! Yikes!

It is worked in Stylecraft Special DK and a 4.5mm hook and it measures 1.5m square.

The colours I used are as follows: Gold, Lime, Claret, Burgundy, Copper, Tomato, Bottle, Pistachio, Mustard, Khaki, Spice, Walnut, Dark Brown, Meadow, Cypress.

I did enjoy making it, but I have to admit it was an effort to finish it: mainly because I have no specific use for it and it does not go with any of the colours in my house. But I am sure that by the time all those dratted ends are sewn in it will have found a home and a purpose.

Remind me, I must not be tempted by another Crochet Along until I have finished the 8 blankets for my 8 grandchildren ……. oh wait – I’m doing one now! with Attic24.

What can I say, I am a hopeless case.

Karoo Vintage Mystery Along

Jen Tyler of Hooks ‘n’ Tails is another fabulously creative crochet designer.

Her style takes a bit of getting used to

but so worth it if you can cast pre-conceived ideas to the wind and go with her!

This pattern is a Mystery even to Jen herself, she is making it up as she goes along and each week gives us another few rows to work on. The pattern starts with a flower and then We’re OFF! on a voyage of discovery.

Texture, overlay and all sorts of avant garde instructions follow.

If it were not for the videos, I don’t think I would ever be able to follow the patterns. They are clear and well written but the stitches and methods of achieving them are unconventional, often taking a bit of working out and it makes my head spin.

Even the videos are not easy to follow.

They are not tutorial videos, but more Jen racing along with her crochet hook and me scampering behind trying hard to keep up! Sometimes I re-play the video 4 or five times to work things out.

I have just arrived at the end of Part 3 and it measures 67cm (26″)  square.

This project is like going on a Crochet Safari – you have to keep your wits about you and you never know what exciting new experience is round the next corner.

It is fun! And I have to concentrate so hard that all other worries melt away for hours on end – so therefore it also gets to be relaxing.

If you want a crochet adventure, this is definitely the right pattern for you!

There are plenty of other brave explorers who have picked up the challenge and you can see all their amazing work on Instagram, Facebook and Ravelry.

Details:

Karoo Vintage Mystery along by Jen Tyler

4.5mm hook and Stylecraft Special DK in woodland colours.

I loved working with Woodland colours for my Woodland Ripple so much, I was just waiting for another project in which I could use them again.

Joining in with Ginny’s monthly Yarn Along.

I rarely read books nowadays but I do listen to stories and dramas on the Radio whilst I crochet and The Little Ottleys has been a delight to listen to whilst going on safari in the Karoo.

 

Cosmic 4

 

I am thoroughly enjoying following Helen Shrimpton’s Cosmic Crochet Along (Cal). She really is an outstanding designer with plenty of challenges to keep you on your crocheting-toes.

Following  Part Two came the excitement of Part 3 in which we would be learning a new stitch – Star Stitch!

Cute!

But first there were a few more rows to square up the hexagon……

The rows of doubles and trebles (US) in this 4ply cotton yarn were getting to look a bit like a string vest in the corners so I decided to add a bit of texture in the form of popcorns and bead stitches.

To keep in with the Cosmic theme, I’m calling them Sputniks

The yellow for the two rows of Star Stitch came from the beginning of my second ball (yarn cake) of Rosewater Cocktail.

I continued with the first cake, which was now moving into the pink mixed with turquoise.

The photo below shows Parts 3 and 4 completed

I was thrilled that the first Whirl just made it to the end of Part 4.

The tail of yarn you can see was all that was left!

Joining in with

 

Coastal Cosy: WiP Wednesday

This is so relaxing to make and I’m enjoying making up the colour order as I go.

I started from the top of the picture with sky:

Cloud Blue, Sherbert, Cream, Soft Peach, Sherbert, Cream, Buttermilk, Soft Peach, Silver, Cloud Blue.

Then the sea:

Denim, Petrol, Storm, Denim, Aster, Cloud Blue, Petrol, Aster, Cloud Blue, Sherbert.

Breaking waves in Cream, Sherbert, Cream

onto a sandy beach: Buttermilk, Camel, Buttermilk

and one row of pebbles in Silver.

All in Stylecraft Special DK (acrylic) and a 4.5mm hook.

Pattern: Cosy Stripe by Lucy at Attic24.

I have made this pattern before when I joined in with Lucy’s Crochet Along (Cal) and I’m loving making another.

Graphite rocks will come next and then some grassy cliffs, followed by more sky …………

and so to choose more pink for the sunrise/sunset

Soft Peach is in the first bit of sky. Do I keep it calm and soft and gentle by just adding Pale Rose

Or liven it up with the corals of Pomegranate and Blush

Or go wild and vibrant by adding Fushcia Purple and Pomegranate

Which I think would require a more colourful sea beneath it, so I would add Empire into the blues. That Empire blue is much more vibrant in reality – you can see all the colours on the Wool Warehouse website here. But even there it is difficult to see the true colour. Blush is much more peachy pink than it looks on the website.

Which pinks would you choose? I’d love to know!

As Miss E would say when she was about 2 “cany’elp me?”

Joining today’s Daily Post: Lines

 

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!

 

Birthday Blanket

Miss E’s design is coming to life. The daisy squares have been added

The edging done

Only the daisies to sew on in the centre.

I’m hopeful it will be finished in time for her birthday.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along.

Bedspread for Little Miss M

A finished project is something to celebrate!This one started out as one of the throws I was making to go beneath my favourite painting, ‘Summer Flight’ by Carolyne KardiaI was trying to choose colour and design to compliment the picture and go over the back of the sofa beneath.  Not a good idea as it turns out –  all the ripple designs I tried seemed to fight with the picture – they were not happy together. But experimenting was enjoyable and resulted in quite a few cushions and a couple of throws that have been put to good use elsewhere.

This one is much loved by Smokey the kitten. It has now become a bedspread for Little Miss M.

It took some time to work out how to do the edging, but with crochet this is quick and easy.

Filling in the rippled ends took a bit of working out. I just sort of made it up as I went along, but I think it worked out well enough in the end.Smokey and the girls think so anyway.

Made with Stylecraft Special DK, 12 Colours:

White, Cream, Soft Peach, Fondant, Bright Pink, Magenta, Aspen, Turquoise, Teal, Aster, Bluebell and Lavender.