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Tuesday 31 March 2009

Project 14: the crochet blanket

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It was my birthday on 15th March and Aunty Pauline bought me a book - Simple Crochet by Erika Knight. I was delighted - Aunty Pauline can crochet and I had asked her to teach me after my slow progress earlier in the year (basically I didn't know where to start! I was like learning Mandarin Chinese, a whole new language.) She spent some time trying to show me how to crochet (for the flowers on the knitted bag, project 1) but I didn't have long enough to practice as we were only there for the day and Charlie was poorly. I had a few half hearted attempts back home watching tutorials from You Tube, but


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eventually gave up.  This lovely book inspired me to pick up my needles again and - hey presto - I got it! It took a lot of concentration at first, but watching Aunty Pauline and the You Tube ladies was a real help, actually. Once I started to get the hang of it, I realised that the movements I was making "looked" right. Thank goodness for modern technology. My other big techo-revelation is www.ravelry.com. It's a fabulous place. It took 7 days for my password to come through, but it has completely reawakened my passion for all things knitted and crocheted. I had become a bit despondent after the Christmas scarf-fest (10 scarves in 4 weeks).   Here is the crochet blanket to date - it's a modern Afghan (or Granny Square) and I like it because when we were children my brother and I had a "poorly blanket" crocheted in the same pattern (although it was black and multi coloured, from what I remember). The pattern is for 36 squares - a dog blanket. I have now crocheted 35, but I want it to be single bed size. I am aiming for 72, which should be about 1.5m squared (although I can change the shape of the blanket to a rectangle rather than a square by rearranging the pattern of squares, if that makes any sense)


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This is a long project, I think it will take me most of the month. It's great because I can use up all sorts of bits and pieces of wool I have bought over the years and either not used, or have oddments left. I hadn't realised how much blue / neutral wool I had - must be the result of having two baby boys! I am going for a slightly faded, sea colour surfer look I think. No idea how to edge the blanket though - all colour suggestions appreciated. The kitchen still isn't finished, next week is Easter so we are hoping to do it then. I also started painting the long garden fence adjoining the veg patch as we hope to grow beans and peas up it. It's a lovely sunny spot that just isn't taken advantage of. We've also inherited an old rabbit run from Freecycle for the chickens, so we have a little more control about where they go and what they eat, whilst they still get some freedom. Dom and the boys have been busy planting seeds, some of which have already sprouted. We have a good crop of last year's perpetual spinach ready to pick, so I am planning to whip up a curry with it tomorrow night. I am really enjoying my home life at the moment. I just wish I could win the lottery and be here all the time!



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