Yarn Along: Mosaic Crochet Lap Blanket

Stylecraft Special Double Knit and 4.5mm hook. Colours and quantities: 4 Parchment, 2 Copper, 1 Lincoln, 1 Silver, 1 and a bit (enough to do the last row of the border) Cypress

Measurements: 1m15cm x 1m3cm

Pattern by Moira of Daisyknots

I made this for my nephew (30), it was supposed to be longer, but I accidentally missed out a couple of sections in the middle. I was doing the border when I realised, so I had gone way too far to unpick. My nephew says he is happy with the size, which should look good as a throw on a chair or sofa and be the right size for a lap blanket. The colours are to go with his room, which is mainly greens, but he asked that I include a rust colour as he knows how much I love my rust and it would ‘add that Dondi touch’.

‘Dondi’ is the nickname all my nieces and nephews have for me. You might remember that another nephew even co-wrote a song “Singing this song for Dondi”.

I have just got the back border to complete. An envelope border to encase all the ends, as you only work on one side and start a new piece of yarn for each row. Cunning plan!

Joining in with Ginny for her Yarn Along

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I have finished the book!

This is the first novel I have read for years – I don’t know what happened, but at some point I just lost interest in reading fiction.

I enjoyed the almost poetic descriptions – there are some beautiful scenes that really give you a sense of place and I enjoyed the characters. I could have done without the whole ‘whodunnit’ aspect of the book, especially the tying up of the plot which seemed rushed at the end and I did not believe in it.

Maybe Delia Owens would not have found a publisher without it being a murder mystery, which is a shame, because I would have loved to have spent more time in the marshes and enjoyed a few chapters of a happy dreamy ending with the hero and heroine in their isolated cabin.

Have you read it? I know Laurie and Lynn have.

I am interested to know what others think of the book.

Dragon Balaclava

My Grandson, Little Bro, became 8 yesterday. He had asked me to make him a dragon mask some months ago and was so sure that is what he would be getting. I heard him telling his Mum and he was so excited!  At first I had no idea how to begin to make a dragon but he seemed so confident in my abilites that I felt I must take up the challenge.

I found this pattern on Ravelry: Dracoclava

I can’t say I can recommend it. It is a genius design with absolutely terrible written instructions for the pattern. If it were not for the notes of other intrepid knitters who had paved the way, I would have given up. The notes that helped me the most were these by a member of Ravelry from Chicago.

The pattern asks for Aran weight yarn. I didn’t have any in dragon colours so I used two threads of Stylecraft Special DK and an 4mm needle.

The colours: Claret for the main part, Burgundy for the i-cord and a scrap of Tomato to sew round the nostrils.

The neck part is made in the round in the pattern, but if I were to make it again (eek! I really don’t think I could face it!), I would make the front and back as two pieces.

I don’t enjoy knitting in the round, all that fiddling around with the loop of the wire in between, I would rather sew some seams.

However I did discover The Magic Loop, which helped a lot.

Another useful new skill I learned was to make an attached i-cord. There are several You Tube clips for this, this clip has a few other tips and tricks in it.

I did not make holes for the horns, but marked where they were to go.

The i-cord for the brow is an 8 stitch icord, and I stuffed this with crocheted chain of 3 chunky yarn threads together with a 6.5mm hook. I attached a big safety pin to one end and threaded it through.

The ears are knitted separately and will form part of the side of the head.

Following the notes of other knitters, I made the bridge of the nose just 5 sts wide.

The pattern suggests that you knit the bridge of the nose together with the brow when doing the i-cord. By this time the pattern was giving me headaches enough, so to keep it simple I left them separate so that I could sew together later.

Luckily I have a polystyrene head the I can pin things to. This helped enormously in getting the placements right.

at this stage I had a FaceTime meeting with Little Bro to ask if he would like the ears sewn flat to the head/neck as in the pattern, or with the bottom curling out. I wish I could share with you his face beaming with awe and joy. It made all the days of trial, error and headaches worth while!

He wanted the ears flying free at the bottom and so that is how I have made them. I always like the children to have some say in the design, but with lockdown in progress it has been a bit trickier.

I did not get it to him for his birthday but at least he was able to see it complete and he absolutely LOVES it.

 

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along.

 

Yarn Along with Ginny

The Scrap Happy Throw is coming along. If you remember I started this as an easy project I could take with me whilst travelling to Egypt. Great to make on the plane and anytime I did not want to have to think about what I was doing.

It is a great project for using up all sorts of scraps of yarn of all different weights – all tied together with a Reef Knot. I will be leaving the ends on show.

I am making it as a throw to protect a kitchen armchair (not this one) in my daughter’s new house. Perfect for her farmer husband to sit in when he comes in for lunch covered in farm grime.

It needs about 10 more rows before adding a one coloured edge.

I have also just completed a little 6″x6″ cotton doily as a housewarming present for a friend.

Made with a 2mm hook in Scheepjes Sugar Rush crochet cotton, Capri Blue.

This is the second time I have made this pattern – it is not the easiest to follow, I probably won’t make it again.

#1 Favorire on Ravelry.

I’m joining in with Ginny and other Yarny Crafters in Ginny’s Yarn Along.

I’m not reading any books but I am listening to The Horn Section on Radio 4 Extra .

 

Yarn Along with Ginny

A peek at the corner of the Rainbow Amanzi Throw I’m making for my 8 year old granddaughter. Her birthday is in April, I think I will have it finished by then.  Anyone who knows the pattern will see that I have made some modifications – Jen Tyler’s designs encourage experimentation!

I’m enjoying these lively colours in the depths of Winter amd to offset the ‘noise’, I’m enjoying revisiting the book “Returning to Silence”.

It was published in 1988, I first read it, and loved it, in 1998 and now I’m enjoying it again. Like so many similar books, it is about coming back to the self, being present in the moment, knowing your peaceful centre, no matter what you are doing. I like the way it soothes me and takes me there again.

Meanwhile I keep crocheting these bright zingy colours!

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

Yarn Along: Land, Sea and Sky

I have SO enjoyed making this blanket.

I usually have 3 main projects on the go at any one time.

One that is Work, one for Rest and one for Play.

This has been my ‘Rest’ blanket that I have been making when I need a break from complicated patterns that require focus and concentration like the Karoo Vintage Mystery Along (a Play project) and the Dreamcatchers. (Work projects as they had to be done by a certain date).

I have made this ‘Land, Sea and Sky Blanket’ in odd moments, in the evenings, whilst waiting for appointments, when I have felt too tired to do anything else and when I’m out and about with the grandchildren.

Lucy’s Cosy Stripe Pattern is the most relaxing pattern to make, with just enough interest so that it does not become boring and stitches (double crochet -US) I can do without looking at it for a lot of the time.

From the left the stripes start with sky, then go to sea, sand, land, sky, sea, sand, land, sky.

I made up the sequence and colour choices as I went along.

Mostly made in Stylecraft Special DK yarn with a 4.5mm hook.

Colours: Cloud Blue, Sherbert, Denim, Teal, Storm, Aster, Cream, Buttermilk, Camel, Silver, Grey, Cypress, Sage, Meadow, Mocha, Pale Rose, Soft Peach,

and a variegated yarn and pale turquoise from my stash that I had used in this blanket.

This is the sort of project I make when doing other things, so it takes no time at all and is using yarn from the stockpile in my loft. I’m sad to see it come to an end as now I have to do the edging and finish sewing in the ends, so it will briefly fall into the ‘Work’ category.

It has been a delight.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along .

Ginny asks us to include a book we are reading. I rarely read nowadays but I do listen to a lot of Comedy and Drama on Radio 4 Extra which I believe is possible to access from other countries. This is a nice bit of silliness: Revolting People by Andy Hamilton.

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.

 

Yarn Along: Rosslyns

The Rosslyns are coming along.

It is fun to make the same pattern in the same colours but in a different order.

I’m not totally sold on the pale pink (Soft peach) rows in the one on the left – what do you think?

It might look better when I have done a few more rounds.

I don’t like how the ‘roses’ turned out in the one on the right so I will be making some flowers to sew on for the other one.

This is Helen Shrimpton’s paid for pattern made in Stylecraft Special DK with a 4.5mm hook

8 colours:

Buttermilk, Duck Egg, Storm, Lincoln, Cream, Old Rose, Raspberry, Soft Peach

Joining Ginny’s Yarn Along

Ginny likes us to add the book we are currently reading, but as you may know I hardly ever read fiction nowadays. I do however love to listen to the Radio whilst crafting and am really enjoying the new comedy on BBC Radio 4, ‘Ground Control’, starring Tamsin Greig.

Yarn Along with Gudrun

I love Ginny’s Yarn Along – a chance to meet up with other yarn lovers and see what they are making and what they are reading.

Here is my progress report on the two Rosslyns so far

A paid for pattern by Helen Shrimpton.

This is a really lovely relaxing pattern to make and just the thing to be making alongside the current Cosmic Cal. I usually finish the rows given for the Cosmic Cal a few days before we are given our next set of instructions, so I then move to working on the Rosslyns.

As I have mentioned before I have made a few alterations to the pattern

and now I have also added some butterflies – pattern by Debbie Dearest.

My intention was to make a single bedspread, as a birthday present for each of my twin granddaughters (they will be 6 in October). The butterflies were there to make the finished bedspread rectangular rather than square.

Once I had done the butterflies and a bit of the border, it felt like the right time to stop.  Just to be sure I tried one out on Little Bro’s bed

Yes, that looked fine so I made the edging and finished one, with just the butterfly bodies to complete and ends to sew in.

This means they will be lap blankets instead of bedspreads but they can still go on their beds.

Also joining Ginx Craft.

Whilst crocheting I have been enjoying the

The Gudrun Saga by Lucy Catherine

I’ve listened to all of the Series and currently Series 4 is being serialised on BBC Radio 4

Overseas readers might be able to catch it on 4 Extra

Do you listen to the radio or podcasts whilst crafting? If so I’d love to know which ones.

 

Rosslyn

My Wednesday Wip this week is one of Helen Shrimpton’s paid for Patterns – Rosslyn

Photo taken with my iPhone, it looks a bit harsh as if made of cotton, but it is in Stylecraft Special DK, made with a 4.5mm hook.

8 Colours chosen from the centre:

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

This is a wonderful pattern to work with. A pattern I will be happy to make twice as I am making one for Twig and one for Twiglet, my 5 year old twin Granddaughters.

I’m loving the way the characters of each of my 8 grandchildren are reflected in the colours and patterns of their blankets. I have already made 4.

The first was Miss E’s daisies . To see the finished blanket go to the Throws Page and scroll down through links to other blankets and throws I have made.

I am joining Ginny in her magnificent YARN ALONG – she asks us to share a book we are reading and this is mine

Novels take up too much crafting time for me but I have been bingeing on watching Outlander on DVD whilst crocheting

I loved the books by Diana Gabaldon in the days when I did read fiction,  now I’m enjoying the emotional rollercoaster of the DVDs.

There is a mass of Outlander knitting pattern sites on Etsy .

Happy Yarning!

 

 

Yarn Along is Back!

I am ridiculously excited about the return of Ginny’s Yarn Along, I’ve missed it.

Now appearing monthly rather than weekly. I love Ginny’s blog, the photographs are superb as she shares with us her tales of knitting, dyeing, making and family life in such a gentle, honest way. I often read her posts several times and wonder at her photography – if only I could take such beautiful photos.

Whilst I wait for Attic24’s Woodland CAL to start (eeeeek – only two more days!) I have been working on a blanket for my nephew. It is in a nice relaxing linen stitch that I can do in front of the TV or whilst watching the children play, giving me a rest from the intricacies of the mandalas I’ve been making recently.

 

 

I joined in with Lucy’s Moorland Cal last year, but chose Dorset Hedgerow colours for the blanket I gave to my niece, she is training to be a vet and loves the Dorset Countryside.

Her brother was quick to mention how much he also loves to curl up on the sofa with a blanket, so what to make for Harry? When I think of him I think of surfing and the sea, and we do live on the World Heritage Jurassic Coast so…….

I gathered a Coastal Palette together

Using Stylecraft Special DK and Stylecraft Batik in the hope that I can blend some of the stripes together.

Ginny asks us to share a book we are reading along with our yarny projects – and synchronicity! – I am currently reading a book about the life of Mary Anning, one of our local heroines.

I have been making a few little ammonites using Eleonora’s cute pattern . I have made them so that I can play around with working out the order of the stripes.

Woodland Fairy Jacket

Little Miss M beautifully modelling my latest pattern to go live.

Oh my word I’m so excited to be publishing this pattern today! It has taken years for me to develop and test.

Special thanks go to Sheila at Sewchet for test-knitting it for me. And here it is!!!!  Hurray!

Ravelry:

http://www.ravelry.com/designers/wild-daffodil

and Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WildDaffodil

The pattern is for a toddler Aged 1-2

But as you can see in the top photo it has lasted well. I always make the arms a generous length and all my grandchildren seem to get a few years wear out of their yarny  tops.

The inspiration came from this amazing book:

‘Knitted Pirates, Princesses, Witches, Wizards and Fairies’ by Annette Hefford

The publishers kindly gave their permission for me to develop and sell the pattern so long as I credited the book. There are so many fabulous patterns in the book – well worth a look.

I have set up a Facebook page for sharing progress, finished articles and other favourite faerie patterns

https://www.facebook.com/knittedfaerie/

I do hope you like it. I’m planning to publish the pattern in other sizes as soon as I have tested them.

Just published in time to put a link on Cathy’s  ‘Knit and Natter Friday’  post

and

Rachell’s Yarn Along.

 

Hedgerow Edge

Finished!

Well the body of the Dorset Hedgerow (Attic 24’s Moorland Cal) Blanket is anyway – and all those pesky ends are sewn in.

It has been a joy to make, enhanced by joining a delightful dedicated Moorland Cal Facebook group – what a wonderfully supportive group of fabulous women from all over the world. Crochet could save the world!

Now I have just the edge to do.

Help!

Decision time.

Should I do the edge in pinks and greens

or

Blues?

Any ideas? What would you choose?

I’d really appreciate your thoughts.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along.

Ginny asks us to share a book we are reading. Last weekend I was staying with my son and his family in London and he was reading ‘Black Box Thinking’ – he was so enthusiastic about it, I started reading it myself……. in between making yet more seahorses, which were just the right size to take on the train

 

 

Ammonites

Eleonora over at Coastal Crochet has created a cute Ammonite Pattern.

Of course, I couldn’t just make one. Once I had the pattern in my head I started making bigger and smaller ones.

I thought they might combine well with my seahorses, or make some beachy greetings cards.

Ideas are swimming around …..

Thank you Eleonora for the inspiration.

Linking in with Ginny’s Yarn Along 

Ginny suggests we add a book to the post. I haven’t got a book on the go but whilst I am crocheting I’m also watching/listening to a DVD: River Cottage: Edible Seashore

Yes, I’ve been eating seaweed – yum!

 

Seahorse Giveaway: The Results

I’m sure you have all been on tenterhooks! Ha!

The winners for the Seahorse Giveaway were drawn on 11:11, sorry to have taken this long to let you know.

I wrote a list of the entrants and gave each one a number

Master R wrote out the numbers

and put them in a little pottery cupcake

painted by Little Miss M

Then Miss E, Master R and Little Miss M each picked a number.

They immediately wanted to know who had won, but I had left the list at home.

😦

Miss E thought there ought to be a prize for the best idea too. They are away at the moment, when they return I’ll ask them to choose what they think are the best ideas and let you know.

So

Drum Roll please!

and a swim past by the shoal (herd?) of Seahorses …………….

Number 3: 10000hoursleft

Number 8: JPeters from Onto My Next 40 years

Number 13: Judy of Edwina’s Episodes

And for the new Followers, only one entry

The Peelings

CONGRATULATIONS!

~

And Cathy of Nanacathy, had a cunning plan – she suggested we swap a Tinsel Owl for a Seahorse

Ollie arrived! And immediately made friends

then this happened!

Hmmm! I’ll have to watch that owl!

I decided 2 seahorses should swim their way ‘up North’ as a swap, and so after a final farewell hug they are now on their way

thank you Cathy for suggesting such a lovely way to exchange handmade gifts.

A huge Thank You to everyone who took part in the Giveaway and contributed so many creative ideas – I love co-creating things so much and hope to put the ideas to good use over the coming months.

It has been fun!

If you are one of the winners please go the the ‘Contact Me’ Page at the top and let me know colour and yarn preference and your postal address and I will be delighted to send the 4 seahorses on their merry way.

For anyone wanting to make a seahorse, the pattern is now available on Ravelry and Etsy.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along.

 

Beach Clean Hoodie

The Beach Clean Hoodie is a great success!

Why Beach Clean? Miss E and I are working towards an art exhibition based on all the things we find on our Dorset beaches – the weather is getting colder – the hoodie is cosy and warm, just right for winter beach cleans.

Miss E chose these 3 seahorses and she wanted them on the hand-warming pouch – I just love co-creating designs. You can find the The Seahorse Pattern here.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along.

Ginny asks us to share books we are reading. I don’t read much nowadays but I was watching the film ‘Big Eyes’ whilst finishing off the hoodie. A true story.

Yarn Along in Solva

This morning starts on the best window seat in Solva, with ‘The President’s Hat’ and the start of a new crochet project. Couldn’t be happier!

I am making another version of my Woodland Hoodie pattern, planning to adjust and improve slightly. Master R loves it so much and is still wearing it – now in it’s third year.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along

Yesterday I went in search of the yarn bombed footpath sign I’d seen on Coastal Crochet

from a certain angle it looks like a bird or a llama don’t you think?

I climbed down the slipway (centre bottom of the pic) and set off across the beach following this man who walked all the way to the sea, swam and walked all the way back again, no towel, not a hot day – brrrrrrrr!

the tide was right out at 4.30pm

so I could walk round the headland to St.Elvis Bay

and do a bit of Beach Cleaning

and then meandering back

amongst families, artists

dog walkers and fishermen all enjoying the late afternoon and early evening…..

….. before a fabulous meal at the Harbour Inn, followed by our must-do-when-in-Solva – Tony’s Tuesday Bingo – “seven and six, was he worth it”, “Theresa’s Den, number ten”, “two little ducks, quack quack…..”

With a chance to do a few rows between the rounds and the banter.

Perfect day!

Yarn Along on the beach

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along, where she invites us to share a yarny project and a book we are reading.

At last I am reading a novel! This is one of my 16 for 16 challenges, I am on page 133 and am still with it – I’m relieved!

I used to love reading, but nowadays I spend so much time reading and writing blogs that I think that might be one of the reasons I haven’t read a novel for ages. The other reason is that the story has to be cheerful, interesting with very little jeopardy, but not too trashy – definitely nothing to do with war, death or violence – that cuts out a great many.

So far so good with ‘Enchanted August‘ by Brenda Bowen.

I was attracted to it because it is about Maine where Melissa of The Aran Artisan comes from. I’m not sure how much I will learn about Maine, but I’m fascinated with all the very English place names, Dorset being mentioned a lot.

As you can see in the photo above, I was taking a break from Beach Cleaning on Monday morning, (more photos here) by reading and knitting a wig. You can see more wigs, and patterns for them, in my Etsy shop

The wig will look something like this when it is finished

Wabi Sabi

Ok! Before I start – just imagine fireworks actually exploding in glorious technicolour right out of the screen!

Yep!

That’s how my heart felt when I received this wonderful book in the post from my lovely friend, Linda.  ❤  THANK YOU LINDA!  ❤

It hits so many targets! There are collages as illustrations and a sweet fable of a story about finding beauty in unexpected places. Haiku are sprinkled throughout, with references to classic Haiku Masters at the end. The haiku are also written in Japanese. This book is so utterly beautiful to me.

Set in Kyoto, it is written by Mark Reibstein with art by Ed Young and published by Little Brown and Company.

I am drawn to all things Japanese at the moment – still head-over-heels in love with the place. So this book is a delightful feast and a lovely book to be looking at as I knit a stack of hats.

In February my family is gathering for a weeks holiday together – to have all my children, their partners and their children under one roof is such a treat and something we only manage every other year. I have a picture in my mind of all 8 grandchildren in knitted Aran bobble hats, I want the photograph!

I could not find a suitable pattern so I am creating this one myself. It will be one of the new patterns that will go in my Ravelry and Etsy shops (one out of 4 new patterns for my 16 for 16). It takes several knit-throughs to get the pattern right and ready to sell, and I need to do them in 3 different sizes.

Here is a hat before sewing up the seam, the rib will fold up to give a double thickness to keep little pink ears cosy.

The mock Aran cable does not need a cable needle so that I can knit away quickly and get the 8 finished in time.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along.

Do you know of any other knitting, crochet or yarn meme’s to link in with?

Update: Thanks to Cathy for pointing me in the direction of Frontier Dreams, I’ve linked in.

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.

First evening in Japan

I have been really looking forward to sharing my trip to Japan with you all, so here goes.

This textile tour was booked through Arena Travel, who I am happy to recommend. We met up with our multi-talented and highly experienced quilter, tour leader Janice Gunner at Heathrow and after an hour’s flight delay, due to fog, we settled into our 12 hour British Airways flight to Tokyo over Finland, Russia, and Siberia

I was delighted to be able to crochet a relaxing ripple whilst watching the in-flight movies and art programmes.

This will be for my niece who loves all things mermaid, it is made mainly with Stylecraft Special DK with a couple of glitter yarns added in. (more about that in another yarny post).

We had a very smooth flight but for the last half an hour of pretty ghastly turbulence during our descent, which left me feeling rather queasy for a couple of hours afterwards. Safely at Narita Airport we were met by our delightful guide Yuka. Janice had worked with her before and two women in our group who had been on the Jan 2014 textile tour exchanged warm greetings and we were all made to feel very welcome immediately.

A 90min coach drive took us to our luxurious hotel,

The Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa (view from my balcony) which has a beautiful large Japanese garden. Below is a map of the garden, with the hotel as the white rectangle at the bottom.

One of the first people I saw was this kimono clad young woman hurrying through

There is a large bell in its own roofed structure, that is rung by striking it with the end of a thick piece of bamboo suspended on ropes.

Since April 1st 2009 it has been rung 10 times, 30seconds apart, once each day, the sign says “our wish is for peace and happiness throughout the world”.
The woman who was about to carry out this daily ceremony as I was reading the sign, asked me if I would like to ring it. Of course I would!
She counted each second silently then said to me,” 3, 2, 1 go”. She had pebbles to keep the count of 10 and moved each one along a piece of wood as the bell resonated above us, sending out the ripples of sound.
It was magical. What a beautiful start to the trip.

We had a lovely chat afterwards, she loved her trip to London 2 years ago, she had studied Shakespeare at university. Looking up at the hotel from the garden.

Back to my room for a green tea and a spot of crochet before meeting the others for a supper of Tempura at a small local restaurant.

 

 

The end of an amazing day…… Goodnight Tokyo

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along