Attic24

Meadow Blanket CAL :: Part 3

Hello my lovelies, it's good to see you again here in the Attic and I hope you've all had a good week? If I'm completely honest with you I've been very up and down this past week which has been a bit draining. I'm trying to just allow the ebb and flow of emotions to run their course and to accept that this is all part of the process of coming through ten months of altered living. None of it is easy, and a few ups and downs are to be expected.

I've been treating my Meadow blanket a bit like one of those comfort blankets that small children are obsessed with, carrying it around the house with me so that it's always in sight. Even when I'm not sitting with my crochet hook actively making stitches, I just like to know that the possibility of it is right there where I can see it.

As much as I could be truly content to while away many hours with a blanket project on my lap, this sadly doesn't work for me any more. Because of the osteoarthritis in my hands, I find that it suits me best to crochet in short bursts these days. I usually aim to complete 2 or 3 stripes a day if I can, and I spread this out throughout the day. I move around the house depending on the time and what the rest of the family is up to - in the evenings I'm usually sat right beside the fire, but during the day I am sometimes sat on the sofa....

....and sometimes sat in bed. I know it might seem strange to climb into bed during the day, but I honestly love it, it feels beautifully self indulgent and comforting. I'm spending a lot of time in my bedroom as it's the only room in the house where I can close the door and spend short periods alone when I need to. I reeeeaaaaally miss having time on my own, it's probably been the hardest thing for me during the past year.

As you know, when I create these weekly CAL instalments I love to celebrate our online crochet community by sharing photos that have caught my eye on Facebook and Instagram. This week I'm sharing some fabulous blankets which are using the new crossed-stitch meadow stripe pattern but with alternative colour palettes. 

Lets take a look.......

↑↑ Helen is using the Attic24 Woodland palette and working the colours as a beautiful repeating gradient...

↑↑ Dominique is using the pretty Attic24 Cupcake palette for her blanket...

↑↑ Sarah is making a coastal meadow blanket using the Attic24 Coast palette...

↑↑ Sonja is making two blankets together (impressive!) - alongside the Meadow colour story she is creating a beautiful Dune blanket too...

↑↑ Kirsty is using the vibrant Attic24 Aria palette to make this glorious rainbow blanket which is already looking stunning.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but I hope you know that you can join in with the crochet-a-long using any yarn you like, and it certainly doesn't have to be purchased especially. Some of the most wonderful blankets are born from scraps of stash yarn, and I've been delighted to see some Meadow Stripes growing from yarn balls that might otherwise just be sat in storage. 

↑↑ Suzi shared her stash blanket on Instagram and I think the colours are so playful and happy...

↑↑ Bree shared her bright stash blanket, and I love how bold the colours are...

↑↑ Rachel is using a wonderfully calming palette of blues, greens and neutrals for her blanket...

↑↑ Vivien is joining the CAL from Egypt and is using yarn that she was able to buy locally - I think it's looking fabulous!

I wonder if you think about the summer meadow when you're crocheting your stripes? 

Do you picture the grasses and the wild flowers in your mind as you rhythmically create your cross stitches? I know that I do, and I really enjoy the relaxation that comes when I allow my mind to wander back to another time and place. 

In week 3, we will be continuing with the mix of purples, pinks, yellows and greens as we work up towards the centre of the blanket. The feel of this section is similar to last week, but we'll be introducing a new shade - Wisteria. This was inspired by the Creeping Thistle which grows around the rough outer edge of the meadow. This is a common wild flower, often found along hedgerows and verges and it grows in weed-like abundance in my neighbourhood.

The Creeping Thistle plant is tall but the flower heads are quite dainty - a little pompom of delicate strands in the most beautiful shade of soft mauve. 

Wisteria is the perfect match, and as we move up into the top half of the Meadow Colour Story you'll see just how well it works.

The vibrancy of the colours in week 3 are an absolute delight, and at times there are some surprises (Raspberry next to Dandelion? Oooooooo!!)

Would you like to see how the Meadow blanket will look once 45 stripes are complete?

There you go.......isn't it lovely?

I especially love how beautiful the bold yellow stripes look - remember these are the buttercups in the meadow (even though the yarn colour is called Dandelion, it really is the perfect buttercup shade).

I'm absolutely loving watching the meadow blanket grow and am thoroughly enjoying the way the colours are working together to create something so warm and joyful. I am smitten!

I imagine by now that you are very at ease with the cross-stitches and I hope that you are enjoying making these easy-peasy rows. The texture is really great, and as the blanket grows I hope you're also enjoying the squish factor?! As you work on part 3 this coming week, you should begin to have the benefit of those blankety stripes keeping you warm as you crochet - ah well if you are in the Northern hemisphere that is, I guess it's not quite the same level of comfort for those of you in warmer climes! 

Lets have a look at this weeks colours as we approach the half way point of the meadow meander....

Here is the colour info for Part 3 of the "COLOUR STORY" Meadow Blanket.

Remember each stripe is made of two rows of crochet.

Click (( HERE )) for the printable worksheet.

31. Dandelion

INSERT OPTIONAL STRIPE HERE - Grape (for double bed size blankets)

32. Lavender

33. Raspberry

34. Mushroom

35. Grape

36. Pale Rose

INSERT OPTIONAL STRIPE HERE - Lavender (for double bed size blankets)

37.  Dandelion

38. Raspberry

39. Wisteria

40. Grape

41. Pistachio

42. Sage

43.  Lavender

44. Buttermilk

45. Raspberry

Here is the colour info for Part 3 of the "MIXED STRIPE" Meadow Blanket.

Remember each stripe is made of two rows of crochet.

Click (( HERE )) for the printable worksheet (the mixed stripe is on page 2 of the PDF)

31. Dandelion

32. Lincoln

33. Mushroom

34. Wisteria

35. Grape

36. Meadow

37.  Buttermilk

38. Duck Egg

39. Sage

40. Lavender

41. Raspberry

42. Pale Rose

43.  Parchment

44. Pistachio

45. Cloud Blue

↑↑ I spotted this beauty on Facebook - Janice is following the "repeating colourwash" order for her meadow stripes and it really is looking very beautiful. If you need a reminder of the colour order for this sequence you can find it listed in Part 1 of the CAL.

I wanted to take this opportunity to give you a little nudge with regards to your tail ends.....are there any confessions of straggly edges that need to be shared???? Or have you all been angelic and darned them in as you go? Darning in tail ends is a necessary part of creating a striped blanket, and I would urge you to do them as you go along. It takes mere seconds when you put down your hook - snip, thread and darn, and you are done. I've explained the process of doing it in the Meadow Stripe tutorial if you need a little visual reminder.

Well, I think that's about all the meadow chitchat for today, I hope you have a beautiful, stripe-filled week!

Here are the updated links for you....

🌸 PART 3 PRINTABLE WORKSHEET

🌸 MEADOW YARN PACK

🌸MEADOW STRIPE TUTORIAL

🌸MEADOW PRINTABLE PATTERN

🌸 MEADOW BLANKET INTRODUCTION

🌸 MEADOW CAL PART 1 - stripes 1-15

🌸 MEADOW CAL PART 2 - stripes 16-30

 

 

Meadow Blanket CAL :: Part 2

Well, it's been another very wintry week here in Atticland, brrrrrrrr it's been cold! I've been spending a lot of time cosied up beside the fire and I'm finding that the simplicity and rhythm  of the Meadow blanket stripes are bringing me a huge amount of pleasure and comfort. Those of you who are joining me on my Meadow blanket journey, I really hope you enjoyed seeing your first stripes slowly grow during the past week, and that the colours have been making you happy?

've seen lots of beautiful photos on social media so I know that many, many Meadow blankets are underway all over the world, and honestly I am incredibly thankful to have such wonderful company. These lockdown days can feel quite long and lonesome at times, and more than ever I am relishing the connections made through our online world. 

As is usual for me when I'm making a blanket, I have been loving the slow, mindful minutes and hours of crochet time that allow me to gently wander off on a little virtual excursion. As I crochet those rhythmic criss-cross stitches I've been slowly wandering around the summer meadow in my mind and it's such a delight! I can smell the fresh grass, feel the sun on my face and see the beautiful colours of the wild flowers tangled at my feet. It's the very best kind of escapism.

Ahhhh, I do miss those long summer days, and I absolutely cannot wait for this year's summer meadow to enchant me all over again.

Yesterday we were suddenly plunged into a winter wonderland and the meadow looks sooooo different! Can you even believe that the above photo is in full colour? It was fun to walk there yesterday afternoon when the grass was blanketed in three inches of snow, but it didn't speak to my soul in the same way that the tall wild grasses and flowers do. I am most definitely a summer soul.

I've spent a lot of time immersed in social media this past week attempting to keep up with all things #meadowcal, gosh it's a busy time for me online when the CAL is under way. I have so enjoyed all the enthusiasm and excitement, it really has made me very happy.

So I thought I'd share some photos that have caught my eye, starting with the above image shared by Sarah who is using a journal to keep colour notes about her Meadow blanket - such a lovely thing to do.

I've seen the beginnings of some stunning blankets this week, all with the Meadow colour palette but using different stitch patterns. It's always inspirational to see how my ideas can spark new directions of creativity - never be afraid to go your own way, I am all for it :)

↑↑ Mimma is making her Meadow blanket using the Dahlia Spike Stitch....

↑↑ Anja has chosen the Neat Wave stripe for her Meadow journey....

↑↑ B is using a beautiful stitch called the Granny Spike Stitch which is very good for blending colours together. I think it works beautifully with the Meadow colourwash....

↑↑ Jennie has chosen a "snuggle stitch" for her Meadow blanket....

↑↑ Catherine is working the Meadow colours into a glorious mosaic crochet pattern and I can't wait to see more of this as it grows....

↑↑ Hayles is making a lovely granny square blanket - don't the colours look amazing ordered as a colourwash radiating out from the centre?

↑↑ Judith is very cleverly working her cross-stitches into a square format and I love the effect. The above photo shows the colour story.....

....and there is also a mixed stripe version too. I think I read that Judith is making these as lap blankets to donate to charity (I may have gotten this wrong, my poor brain doesn't always remember things correctly!) 

I'm really looking forward to seeing your blankets grow over the coming weeks, so do please keep sharing on Facebook and Instagram, it's really inspiring to see your photos. 

Week two of our meadow meander continues to see the greens of the summer grasses intermingle with the bright colours of the wild meadow flowers. When I'm working on a blanket as a colour story, it's always exciting when a brand new colour is introduced as it can often change the whole dynamic. In week two, we get to see some Lavender stripes appear..... 

.....inspired by the beautiful shades of Tufted Vetch which scrambles its way amongst the grasses in high summer. 

It's not a shouty flower this one, but oh my, the colours are so beautiful when you get up close to see those dainty little blooms.

At the end of Part Two you will have thirty beautiful, soft, summery stripes to gaze upon.....

.....and I can tell you that the colours are absolutely wonderful together. 

There is such a lovely dash of summer sunshine right there in those squishy stitches....

....and I especially love the above colours together - sage, pistachio, dandelion, raspberry, lavender and meadow. I look at them and I see an abundance of grasses, buttercups, clover and vetch all dancing together in the sunshine.

Beautiful, beautiful blankety stripes - I love them so much!

Here is the colour info for Part 2 of the "COLOUR STORY" Meadow Blanket.

Remember each stripe is made of two rows of crochet.

Click (( HERE )) for the printable worksheet.

16. Raspberry

17. Lavender

18. Buttermilk

19. Meadow

20. Mushroom

21. Grape

22. Pale Rose

INSERT OPTIONAL STRIPE HERE - Meadow (for double bed size blankets)

INSERT OPTIONAL STRIPE HERE - Raspberry (for double bed size blankets)

INSERT OPTIONAL STRIPE HERE - Buttermilk (for double bed size blankets)

23. Sage 

24. Pistachio 

25. Dandelion 

26. Raspberry

27. Lavender 

28. Meadow 

29. Buttermilk

30. Sage 

So here is the colour info for Part 2 of the "MIXED STRIPE" Meadow Blanket.

Remember each stripe is made of two rows of crochet.

Click (( HERE )) for the printable worksheet (the mixed stripe is on page 2 of the PDF)

16. Pale Rose

17. Grape 

18. Sage 

19. Dandelion 

20. Meadow 

21. Wisteria 

22. Raspberry 

23. Mushroom 

24. Cloud Blue 

25. Lincoln 

26. Buttermilk

27. Pistachio 

28. Duck Egg 

29. Lavender

30. Parchment 

** A note about those making larger mixed stripe blankets - I'll give out an additional add-on section at the end of part 6 if you'd like to increase the length of your blanket from 6ft to 7ft.

I've seen the start of some lovely repeating Colourwash blankets this week too, the above photo by Mandy-Jane shows off the colours beautifully. If you need a reminder of the colour order for this sequence you can find it listed in Part 1 of the CAL.

I hope this week brings you some quiet, mindful time with hook and yarn. I love to think that these colours might deliver a dose of peace and joy into your days, like the first rays of sun on a still summer morning in the meadow.

I also really hope you love the Lavender this week, little pleasures in life, you just can't beat them....

.....happy meadow wanderings my lovelies, have a fabulous week xxxxxxxxxxx

Oh, and here are some links for you, should you need them....

🌸 PART 2 PRINTABLE WORKSHEET

🌸 MEADOW YARN PACK

🌸MEADOW STRIPE TUTORIAL

🌸MEADOW PRINTABLE PATTERN

🌸 MEADOW BLANKET INTRODUCTION

🌸 MEADOW CAL PART 1 - stripes 1-15

 

 

 

Meadow Blanket CAL :: Part 1

Hello, and welcome to the first instalment of the Meadow Blanket CAL. If you're anything like me, you may well be finding that these drab, grey, cold winter weeks feel especially long and bleak at the moment, stretching ahead without anything good to look forward to just yet. Here in the UK we're just at the start of our third national lockdown which looks like it'll be in place for at least six weeks, maybe more. It feels more important than ever to nurture our souls and practice self care in whatever way feels right, and I strongly believe that indulging in gentle creativity and happy colours can provide a lot of feel good.

As you probably know, my Crochet-a-Long blanket projects have been taking place every January and February for quite a few years now (this is the fifth year) and Meadow is following on from Dahlia, Sweet Pea, Woodland and Moorland. This year it just so happens that the CAL coincides with us all needing to spend long hours at home, so I hope that having a colourful project to work on right now will bring you lots of joy. 

Back in the summer last year (which feels sooooo long ago now), I walked in my local meadow almost every day. It became a place I felt drawn to when I needed a little solitude and some time to quiet my thoughts and emotions. I began to think of it as a sanctuary of sorts, a place that felt very healing and calming to me when our lives were feeling a little out of control. I spent many hours wandering around the grassy pathways of this special meadow, taking in the beautiful colours and amazing details of the grasses and wild flowers which grow in abundance every summer. I loved being there so much, and it seemed like the most natural thing to create a colour palette which captures something of that therapeutic place.

I chose colours which tell the gentle story of the summer meadow - the shades of wild flowers aren't showy like cultivated blooms, but when you look closely and observe what is growing amidst the tangle of tall grasses, well the colours really are there. And they are beeeeeeautiful! A stunning mix of yellows, pinks and purples - shades of buttercup, meadowsweet, vetch, thistle, clover, hogweed and shepherds purse. The colours of the summer grasses were also a joy - a mixture of beautiful greens and pale neutrals as well as the smoky purple of the Yorkshire fog grass which captivated my attention. And to round the palette off, I couldn't resist including the summer skies - those soft shades of blue are among my absolute favourites and remind me so much of my early morning meadow walks. 

I wrote lots more about the inspiration behind the Meadow blanket in my Introduction blog post which you can find ((here)).

You can find the Meadow yarn pack in my shop at Wool Warehouse, click on the following link...

MEADOW YARN PACK

These fifteen summery shades really do make my heart so so happy! While we're looking at these delicious balls of yarn, please can I give you a little reminder to make a note of the shades if you are joining in with the CAL? Some of the colours can look very similar especially in artificial light (Wisteria and Lavender, also Mushroom and Parchment) so it helps to have a note of the colour names alongside a snippet of yarn for reference. The colour names of Stylecraft Special DK are printed on the ball band.

Starting out on a new blanket journey is one of my most favourite things in life, and if you could see me in action, you would know this without a doubt. I am buzzing with happy vibes right down to my toes when I am immersed in colour play!

Once I've settled on my colour palette, I put in a huge amount of work to create the final blanket design. I sample endlessly until I have worked out a suitable stitch pattern, and then there is the business of ordering the colours so that they take you on a very special journey. I knew as soon as I'd created my final Meadow colour palette that it would be perfect for a "Colour Story" blanket. If you know my previous blankets (Moorland and Woodland) then you will know how a colour story works - this is where the whole of the blanket works to evoke the feeling of walking in the place that inspired the colours. 

It's a really fun way to create a blanket and I adore the whole process of working it out, although it does present a pretty major design challenge. I can't wait for you to watch your blanket grow over these coming weeks and for you to walk through the meadow in your mind as you see the colours begin to play out. From the tangle of grasses and wild flowers around your feet, out to the distant hills beyond, and finally up into the wide blue summer skies above. Beaaaaautiful, all of it!!

The stitch pattern I settled on is very simple, but felt like a perfect fit for the Meadow blanket. The stripes are constructed using pairs of crossed-over trebles which create a beautiful, subtle surface texture. I love that the criss-cross effect echoes the tangle of flower stems among the tall grasses, and yet there is a rhythmic calmness to this stitch which makes me think about the calming effect of slowly walking around the meadow.

The pattern repeat is very simple and there is next to no counting, so I'd say this stitch is perfect for relaxation. As it uses just one stitch (a UK treble) it's also a great pattern for beginners. Working the cross-over stitch takes a little practice in the beginning but it very quickly becomes rhythmic and natural. I absolutely love it I have to say.

I created my usual photo-heavy tutorial to help you crochet your tension sample and learn how to work the crossed treble stitch. You can find it by clicking on the following link >>

MEADOW STRIPE TUTORIAL

And due to popular request, I also made a simple written pattern that you can download/print if you don't need the step by step help and prefer to have a traditional printed pattern to pop in your bag. You can find it by clicking on the following link >>

DOWNLOAD MEADOW BLANKET PATTERN.

Even if you are an experienced crocheter, I would strongly advise you to crochet a small tension sample before beginning your blanket. This is just 34 chains, then 6 rows of the pattern which is enough for you to familiarise yourself with the way the rows work, as well as giving you reassurance that your hook size/tension is correct. It doesn't take long, and is worth the extra bit of effort I think.

In the tutorial, I also included some help with darning in ends for this particular blanket which I hope you find useful. As always, I would strongly advise you to darn in your ends as you go along - trust me, it really is the best way!

Once you're happy with your tension sample, you can get started with those first few rows. The pattern gives you starting chains for different sizes of blanket, so although I make my blankets a standard 120 x 175 (single bed size), you could easily make smaller or bigger versions if you prefer.

The first row of a blanket can be tricky for beginners - working into that long wiggly chain can be a real challenge. My advise would be to make sure you can fully concentrate (you need to count accurately) and take your time. I placed stitch markers every 50 stitches along (you can place them more often if you need) so that if I lost count along the way, then I only had to go back as far as the last marker. You must make sure you end up with an even number of stitches (multiple of 2).

When you work the first stripes of your blanket, it's a good opportunity to check your gauge again and make sure you're on track. The best way to do this is to use digital kitchen scales. There will 6 stripes of each colour in the Meadow blanket and as a  rough guide, I'm using approx 12g of yarn per stripe. This means 72g of yarn in total from a 100g ball, leaving enough left over to work a border.

I love love love the very first few rows of a blanket - so much promise of the journey ahead! Once you have the first few stripes done and dusted, the pattern is very, very easy to follow I promise you. It's pure hooky pleasure all the way.

Each week throughout the crochet-a-long I'll be giving you fifteen stripes to crochet (90 in total, spread across 6 weeks)

Remember that as this is a "Colour Story", you won't be using all the colours to start with. 

As the blanket grows, you'll begin to see the colours slowly changing as we walk further through the Meadow - I really hope you love it as much as I do. I find it magical to allow my mind to be transported by these stripes!

You can see how pleasing the stitch pattern looks too - the cross-over stitches give a beautiful soft texture and there is a wonderful calmness somehow, in the way the little crosses stack so precisely on top of each other. I absolutely love it.

J helped me create a graphic which shows you how the Meadow Colour story plays out - I hope this gives you a clear idea of the finished design without giving too much away?!

Oh, I need to mention one important thing - this blanket is designed to have 90 stripes which will give a finished length of approx 175cm. It's therefore not suitable for making smaller length blankets (you will need to follow the "Mixed Stripe" for smaller blankets). Each week I'll add in some additional rows which are optional - this will allow you to add on an extra 30cm if you are making a double/king blanket. You will need two yarn packs for the larger sizes. Starting chains for all sizes are given within the pattern/tutorial,  I hope this makes sense!

So here is the colour info for Part 1 of the "COLOUR STORY" Meadow Blanket.

Click (( HERE )) for the printable worksheet.

1. Meadow (Foundation chain & rows 1 & 2)

2. Pistachio  (rows 3 & 4)

3. Pale Rose (rows 5 & 6)

4. Grape (rows 7 & 8)

5. Dandelion (rows 9 & 10)

6. Raspberry (rows 11 & 12)

7. Mushroom (rows 13 & 14)

8. Buttermilk (rows 15 & 16)

INSERT OPTIONAL STRIPE HERE - Pale Rose (for double bed size blankets)

9. Pistachio (rows 17 & 18)

10. Meadow (rows 19 & 20)

11. Dandelion (rows 21 & 22)

12. Grape (rows 23 & 24)

13. Pale Rose (rows 25 & 26)

14. Sage (rows 27 & 28)

INSERT OPTIONAL STRIPE HERE - Pistachio (for double bed size blankets)

15. Meadow (rows 29 & 30)

As an alternative to the Colour Story, I'm also giving out a colour order for a "Mixed Stripe" version of the Meadow blanket. Because of my hands not being so good these days thanks to osteoarthritis, it hasn't been possible for me to crochet a mixed stripe blanket alongside the Colour Story, so I hope the above graphic will give you an idea of what it'll look like.

You will need to follow this order each week if you are making shorter length blankets.

So here is the colour info for Part 1 of the "MIXED STRIPE" Meadow Blanket.

Click (( HERE )) for the printable worksheet (the mixed stripe is listed on page 2).

1. Grape (Foundation chain & rows 1 & 2)

2. Pale Rose  (rows 3 & 4)

3. Parchment (rows 5 & 6)

4. Cloud Blue (rows 7 & 8)

5. Pistachio (rows 9 & 10)

6. Dandelion (rows 11 & 12)

7. Sage (rows 13 & 14)

8. Duck Egg (rows 15 & 16)

9. Wisteria (rows 17 & 18)

10. Raspberry (rows 19 & 20)

11. Lavender (rows 21 & 22)

12. Meadow (rows 23 & 24)

13. Lincoln (rows 25 & 26)

14. Mushroom (rows 27 & 28)

15. Buttermilk (rows 29 & 30)

I wonder which version you will choose???? In my mind I always saw these colours working as a story, but I know that many of you prefer to have the all over mixture.

In typical Attic24 style, more is always more, right?? In previous years I know many of you have enjoyed working up a repeating colour wash blanket using the colour order in my sampler (shown above). If you choose this option, then you don't need to wait for my weekly instalments as the fifteen colours will be repeated in the same order each week.

And.......there is also one more option.

Are you ready for this?????????

I am thrilled to share with you this beautiful Meadow Harmony blanket created by Kaz Hall who is one of the amazing admins in the "Hooked on Attic24" Facebook group. Kaz took my meadow colours and added two additional balls (Cypress and Lime) to create this stunning version of my Summer Harmony blanket. 

The Meadow Harmony blanket is being run as a mini CAL within the Hooked on Attic24 Facebook group. Kaz is organising this herself with my blessing, so if you would like to use your yarn pack to create your own Meadow Harmony, head on over to the Facebook group to join in. Remember you will need two additional balls of yarn (Cypress and Lime) to follow along.

Well, I think that's about all for this week - remember you can share photos or questions on my Facebook page, in the "Hooked on Attic24" Facebook group, or an Instagram (please use the hashtag #meadowcal so I can find your posts).

I really hope you get your blankets off to a great start, have a fabulous, happy hooky week my lovelies!!!!!!!!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

🌸 MEADOW YARN PACK

🌸MEADOW STRIPE TUTORIAL

🌸MEADOW PRINTABLE PATTERN

🌸 MEADOW BLANKET INTRODUCTION

🌸 PART 1 COLOUR WORK SHEETS

 

 

 

 

New Year Beginnings

Hello, and a very, very Happy New Year to you! *** Today (Monday) is the last day of our holidays before Little B returns to school in the morning and honestly I'm wishing that the relaxed pace of the holidays could continue for just a little bit longer. I don't feel ready to be dashing out the door at 8.30 in the morning, and yet I know that once I'm actually out there I'll love it, I always do.    *** edit to add :: since writing this earlier today, we have just found out that a full lockdown starts tomorrow, so back to home schooling for us. No dashing out the door for the foreseeable future - I really don't know whether to be glad or sad?! 

I de-Christmased the house on new years eve, it's the earliest I've ever done it but the time felt right. I needed to bring some clear breathing space back into our living room, and as I've still got twinkly lights and candles it doesn't feel too sparse or gloomy. As predicted, my hyacinth bloomed for the turn of the year and it is currently looking so fresh and pretty. I love the simplicity of it so much and it seems I'm craving the pared back look right now as I haven't wanted to faff either of my mantels just yet. Well, I stuck some dried eucalyptus into a bottle, but that doesn't really count as full faffery I don't think.

I've got an organza bag of wintery decorations ready and waiting to come out to play (including my winter balls garland), but I'm not quite ready to go there yet. Soon though.

We don't usually celebrate New Year in any major way, but that doesn't mean to say it isn't a day to be enjoyed to the full. We opened a bottle of champagne in the late afternoon, a very generous Christmas gift from my Big Teen who amazingly is now old enough to purchase (and drink) alcoholic beverages. Woah, that really gave me such a huge surge of Mumsy feels on Christmas morning I can tell you. I totally forget that he is now eighteen. Eighteen........but how?????????!

For the first time in aaaaaages, I decided not to bother getting dressed on New Years Day. It really has been a long while since I enjoyed a full pyjama day and it was all kinds of fabulous. I dug out some super-cosy fleecy pyjamas that are years old, pulled on some woolly socks and felt ridiculously snug and contented all day. I did manage to cook a full roast beef dinner mind you (popped a pinny on top of the pj's and all was good) so it wasn't all idle loafing, but mostly you could find me in various positions very close to the warmth of the fire. It was such a good day.

Over the festive period I enjoyed some really lovely sweet treats (most of my modest gifts were of the edible/drinkable variety this year which I was very, very happy with). Take the above offering - a salted caramel and dark chocolate acorn, wow, these were insanely good I can tell you. Mouthfuls of pure luxury!

All my festive chocolate has been consumed now, and the gold carat gin and sparkly champagne has become just a delicious Christmas memory. I am ready to embrace clean eating again, and to leave the sugar and alcohol behind for a while. It really does feel good I have to say. The past few days I've gone back to making oat pancakes for breakfast (recipe on my blog here) and I have love love loved eating them. So good.

I've ordered a new recipe book which should arrive tomorrow (it's this one) and I'm excited to try out some new family meals. Yesterday I sat down and menu-planned for the week ahead which is something I've slipped out of doing in the past month - January is such a good month for resetting all sorts of little routines and habits don't you think?

We took a walk into town on Saturday morning to get stocked up on fresh fruit and veggies from the market and I am so grateful that we get to do this on a regular basis. There is something really satisfying about returning home with bags full of fresh produce, knowing that we have supported a number of great local businesses (butcher, baker, deli, plus fruit/veg and cheese from the market).  This routine is something we started in the summer when our first lockdown ended and our little shops and market re-opened and I'm happy to say we are still enjoying it.

Can you see the canal is frozen in the above photo? We've had such cold, cold temperatures here this past week and our boiler is still messing us about so it's been a bit tough on the home front. Some days it has worked fine (oh, deep joy) and other days (like today) we managed a few hours of heat before it packed in. We are still waiting on an engineer, they tell us it'll most likely be into next week before they can come out as they are so busy. All the layers are needed I can tell you. Today I'm wearing a sports bra, a vest, a long sleeve t-shirt, a thick hoodie, an oversized fleecy pyjama top, plus woolly socks and mitts, oh and a scarf too. And I have two crochet blankets wrapped around me and a hot water bottle. At least we are still able to shower (our electric shower is separate to the central heating) and we have our beloved fire so it's not too dire, we are managing OK for the time being.

Just after Christmas, our local area moved into a higher tier of Covid restrictions which meant that cafés and restaurants were forced to close. I am more than happy (delighted in fact) to support my local indie coffee shop which has stayed open to offer takeaways. Hot milky coffee and woolly layers have been making these freezing cold mornings at home feel special, and I am thankful for this luxury.

However, everything is about to change yet again as the whole of the UK moves into another full lockdown as from tomorrow. We will be back to home schooling, only going out for essential food supplies and for exercise. It's such a strange time, and yet oddly I feel comforted by the idea of simply staying at home. Staying home I can do, and I am determined to make the most of the coming days of slow living and simple comforts.

On Saturday soon after we came home from the market, the weather suddenly changed from icy to snowy with absolutely no warning. As far as I know we weren't expecting snow, so it caught us all by surprise. We watched as the flurries grew heavier and heavier and within an hour there were a couple of inches of perfect soft, powdery snow covering everything.

On the spur of the moment we decided to head out and enjoy the wintry whiteness, J and I, plus Little B and Little Lady.

We haven't been able to take this walk across the fields in a long while because the mud has been next level, so it was really enjoyable to be able to stride out across familiar footpaths frozen hard and covered in a layer of snow.

So different from our many summer walks across here!

It was absolutely beautiful....

....everything so still, quiet and tranquil.

This road looked like something out of a fairy tale, the scene looking like it was straight from Narnia. It was magical I thought.

In complete contrast to all the wintry whiteness outside our door right now, I am currently immersed in all things summery and floral. The Meadow Blanket CAL begins on Friday 8th and I am absolutely delighting in the total escapism of it......all the warm, sunny vibes are flowing here! I'm working with J making the stitch charts and printables this week, as well as the very full photo-heavy tutorial which will be released here on Friday. I am SO excited to take off on this journey across the meadow with you, it couldn't be happening at a better time. Slow, rhythmic, colourful hooky stripes are the very best kind of therapy when all is topsy turvy in the world.

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Twixmas

I think twixmas is an absolutely magical word and it perfectly seems to fit these delicious, relaxed days that sit between Christmas and New Year. The word originates from the old English word 'betwixt' which means 'between', so it makes perfect sense and well, I just love it. 

I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas and enjoyed some time to just be content in the moment. We had a really lovey day here in the Attic, in fact I can't remember a more laid back and relaxed Christmas. The Little Peeps were a delight and seemed super-happy with their smelly and edible gifts which magically appeared in their stockings, as well as the ££'s which landed in each of their pockets. As is our tradition they got to open their pyjama gifts on Christmas Eve, and although there wasn't the same level of excitement as when they were very small Little Peeps, it was still a lovely moment.  

J and I went out for a brisk walk on Christmas morning before coming home and enjoying a champagne breakfast with warm pastries (alllllllll my danish pastry fantasies came true, it was heavenly!). We ate our main meal around 2.30pm, and it was just the most lovely, relaxing day from start to finish. 

On Sunday evening Storm Bella raged through our little town and we could hear the wind whistling down the chimney and the rain battering against the windows. In the dark of the night we had no idea that the rain had turned to icy snow, so it was a real surprise to wake up on Monday morning to a snowy white view out across the hilltops. Although we had very little laid on the ground down in the town, it still felt beautifully wintry.

I love love love when the seasons deliver a dose of correct and appropriate weather, and this felt absolutely perfect for Twixmas. 

J and I have walked every day this past week, wrapping up in warm layers and enjoying the fact that the very muddy paths have been frozen and hard under foot.

We walked at Bolton Abbey one morning (with the Little People in tow), but mostly it's just been the two of us tramping around our very familiar woodland route as we've been doing most days since March.

Sometimes I just can't get over how much happiness seems to enter into my soul when I am out walking, I love it so, so much. Even when our lives are so restricted and we are walking the exact same route day after day after day I never get tired of it. It's such a beautiful way to observe the slowly changing seasons throughout the year and never fails to lift my spirits.

Yesterday morning we dragged Little B from his nest and walked through the park to the farm shop. He's been thoroughly enjoying his lazy pyjama lifestyle this holiday and we've mostly let him do as he pleases, but I do believe in the good of getting children away from their screens and out into the fresh air from time to time.

It was a cold, icy walk, but the farm shop was quiet so we decided to stop for a bit and treat ourselves to a late breakfast in the café there. Little B was delighted with his eggs and bacon on toast and agreed that it was worth putting his shoes on for. I have to say, I agreed with him.

Late yesterday afternoon, Little Lady asked me if I fancied heading out for a quick walk as the weather was too good to stay indoors. I was delighted with the offer to be out and about in the beautiful wintry landscape for a second time in one day, and we were very soon wrapped up and out the door.

It was around 3.30pm when we climbed up to the top of the hill, and the late afternoon sky was breath taking. We timed it perfectly to catch the very last rays of the sun before it disappeared behind the hill, and despite the very, very muddy slip-sliding that we had to do to get up there, it was amazing. 

Tomorrow we will be heading into a more restrictive time as lockdown measures tighten up a notch, but thank goodness we will still be able to get out and enjoy the local countryside. I am so thankful for where we live, I appreciate it every single day.

I think that as tomorrow is the very last day of 2020 I am going to pack up Christmas a little earlier than usual and clear the way for a fresh start to the new year. I am really enjoying my festive blooms though, so I'll keep them going for as long as they last, but.........I am already looking forward to replacing them with some early sweet narcissus which is a little tradition of mine. Little daffies are always the first fresh flowers to come into the house at the start of a new year and I look forward to them very much. I've already seen them in the supermarket ready and waiting - my fingers honestly twitched when I spotted them today, no joke. But I'll wait just a little bit longer, it is still 2020 after all.

Twixmas this year in our house has been very very cold, quite literally, as our boiler stopped working on Monday. Of course at this time of year it's impossible to find anyone who will come out to do boiler things, so we have had to manage without the luxury of central heating or hot water for a few days. It's been manageable - the upstairs part of the house has been baltic but thanks to our open fire we've been able to at least keep our downstairs living room warm and cosy. I absolutely hate being cold so I've been wearing lots of extra layers (even a woolly bobble hat and gloves stayed on indoors this morning as I was just too cold to take them off). Woolly socks and crochet blankets have really come into their own and I've been pretty much living under layers of yarn. I've either been on the sofa or tucked up in bed (which is where I am right now, writing to you with my laptop on my lap, a hot water bottle on my feet and my feather duvet pulled right up to my chin).

I put Big Blanket on the bed yesterday for the first time in ages as the temperature dropped to minus two last night. I haven't needed any extra layers on the bed for a long time due to being a hormonal super-heater at night, but the sight of this blanket made me so, so happy, even after all these years (I made it in 2009). And oh, the cosiness of it was an absolute joy! There is something about the weight of a large blanket which is so very comforting and reassuring, and I had the best sleep last night.

Well, I hope that you are all staying warm and cosy (or cool and chilled if you're down on the other side of the planet), and that you have been enjoying these in-betweeny twixmas days. I am sending lots of love out to you all, life feels a little bit of an uphill struggle at the moment, but taking it one day at a time is the way to go. Twenty-twenty is almost done and dusted, and doesn't that feel good?!

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Festive Spirit

Helloooooo!!!! How are you all doing? I hope that you've had a good week as we prepare for Christmas to come, and that all is calm and bright in your nest. We've had a very chilled week pottering about close to home and enjoying the relaxed pace of our days. J is taking a break from work for a whole two weeks, and the Little Peeps are home from school too, so despite the huge amount of uncertainty in the world at large, life here at number twenty four is filled with happy.

I have twinkly white fairy lights strung along my mantels all year round and I absolutely wouldn't be without them, but it doesn't mean to say there isn't the need for a whole load more at Christmas. I've been enjoying the bright glow of our Christmas tree very much, especially in the early morning when I get to perform the daily switch-on. The magic of Christmas lights never gets old.

Candy canes made it onto the tree a little late (as per usual), but I think they were appreciated. They never hang around for long and as far as I know they are all now deceased. RIP candy canes, you lasted just over a week which is good going.

My second hyacinth grew, bloomed and faded and it was a blue delight, although to be fair it really was a stinker. Even I had to admit to feeling a bit nauseated by it towards the end when it was in full throttle. It has now been replaced by Miss Hyacinth the third, and I opted for another white one for Christmas. Unfortunately I mis-timed it as it's still tightly in bud, but I think it should bloom for the start of the New Year which will be just lovely.

I selected some colours to crochet up a Festive Mandala for the Christmas table, and I love the mix of red, greens and blues with a touch of sparkly gold added for good measure. Alas the days ran away with me this week and the yarn balls are still sitting patiently in the little project basket, so I feel a bit annoyed at myself for that. And being that today is Christmas Eve, I can't see any last minute hooky miracles occurring, particularly as there has been gin involved in my afternoon. But this could well be the perfect Twixtmas project so I shall see if I can make it happen.

Ah, talking of gin, this glorious bottle of festiveness has been making me ridiculously happy during the past few weeks. It's sooo beautiful!! It's this years limited edition offering from Marks and Spencer, a fruity clementine gin liqueur which also does double duty as a light up snow globe. I know!!!!!!!!!!!! Tis a magnificent idea beautifully executed - the "snow" being 23 carat edible gold flakes (oh, the luxury!), with a built in light in the base of the bottle which gives 40 seconds of enraptured entertainment for all ages. We've had so much joy from the bottle alone, never mind the scrummy alcohol it contains. 

We've been enjoying it with lots of ice, tonic and some fresh clementine slices and it tastes so so good. A real festive treat and I'll be sad when it's all gone.

We've also been enjoying our annual box of Extremely Chocolately biscuits, well the Little People have at any rate. This has become one of our festive traditions, and it amuses me to watch the Little People deliberate (at high volume) over which one to have as an after dinner treat each day.

Outside of the home we've been tramping around the woodlands as per usual, and I continue to take great pleasure in watching the seasons unfold in nature.

Winter is my least favourite of all, yet there is still beauty in the landscape especially when the low slanting sun comes out to play.

But oh my life, it's been a mud fest out there beneath the trees and I've never been more glad to have my feet tucked up warm and dry in hand knitted woolly socks and comfy wellies. 

We continue to walk most days, J and I, in all sorts of wintry weather. Of course I am happiest when it's sunny and bright but there is a certain calming pleasure to be found when the rain falls lightly through the bare trees making rings in the still water. 

We very rarely leave town at the moment and don't often use the car either, so a simple trip out this week felt rather exciting. This was on Tuesday, a quick drive out over the moor tops to walk at Bolton Abbey. I love this narrow rural road where I am required to leap out of the car and open the gate for J to drive through. It's a public road, but further down it runs right through a farm and there are often sheep free roaming the road here. We passed by the big barn where we spotted three glorious peacocks strutting around looking regal and fabulous, a bright jolt of vivid colour against the dullness of winter.

It was such a tonic to walk along the riverside, it was bitingly cold but with a welcome amount of brightness. We walked a long loop, criss crossing the river and stopping for a much needed hot milky coffee and a mince pie half way round.

I decorated the house for Christmas at leisure this year, and after the tree went up and our main mantel was complete, I took my time with the other bits. My granny star Advent Garland is still going strong (made in 2009) and it's such a pleasure to unpack these hand made decorations year after year. I do so enjoy the familiarity of them and the memories they bring to the fore. I find it crazy to think that when I made this garland I must have been heavily pregnant carrying Little B who was born in early January 2010. Wow. I can't even get my head around the the fact that it was over a decade ago. (Oh, I just hopped back in time to December 2009 to see my baby bump....hello Little B!!)

Although I do truly delight in keeping the same Christmassy things going year after year, it's also nice to occasionally bring in something new. I've always wanted a Christmas mug, one that gets packed away with the baubles and unpacked with ceremony at the start of Advent each year. I pootled around on eBay and found a pre-loved Cath Kidston one featuring a Christmas street scene which I fell in love with. It has even has a reindeer sleigh flying around the inside of the mug. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to drink coffee in this mug, and I know for sure that it'll make me giddy for years to come when I get to bring it out again and again. I am easily pleased, we have long established this simple fact I know.

About a month ago, I received an advertising email from the flower delivery company Bloom & Wild with a generous discount code attached. I was curious enough to go take a look at what was being offered up for Christmas as I do have a soft spot for seasonal blooms. I usually have cheap and cheerful red supermarket tulips on my table at Christmas, but when I saw that the "Florists Festive Pick" was discounted by 30% I decided on impulse to treat myself. Have you ever done this, ordered expensive flowers as a gift to yourself? It's ridiculously indulgent and I confess I did feel a smidge guilty for spending on myself in such a frivolous way......but well, I think every so often it's perfectly OK to have a treat.

I placed the order, choosing for them to be delivered to me on the day of the Winter Solstice. Of course I completely forgot  about it and was suitably surprised when they dropped through my letterbox on Monday. Happy Solstice to me!

I have to tell you the flowers (and foliage) are absolutely stunning, and seeing them on my table every day has been the best kind of visual treat this week. I want to show you my new jug too, it's an enamel water jug but I bought it especially for my annual festive flowers. I love love love to have my flowers in a jug rather than a vase, there is something so charming and homely about displaying flowers this way, even posh blooms.

So here we are on Christmas Eve and all is feeling quite wonderful in the Attic. Present wrapping happened very last minute of course (late this afternoon in fact, after we came home from a lovely but bitterly cold walk). We've kept things very simple for the Little People this year, opting for consumables (and by that I mean indulgent sweet treats and smelly body products) and spending money. Oh, and there are new pyjamas too as this is a tradition in our house and the Little People always seem especially excited about this bit of Christmas.

So we shall wait and see how the day unfolds tomorrow - it's all different this year as for the first time the Little People didn't write Christmas lists and I don't think we will be putting out snacks for the Big Fella and Rudolph this year either. It's all a bit precarious as Little B (who is almost 11 years old) hasn't come right out and said that he doesn't believe, but we are fairly certain that's where we're at. It's bitter sweet I can tell you. I'll still make sure the stockings get magically filled with (edible/smelly) gifts tonight as I can't imagine a time when that won't still feel like magic. It's like the candy canes on the tree - a few years ago I decided the Little People were possibly too old for them and didn't bother to buy any, but of course they gave me an earful and told me that there just HAD to be candy canes on the tree. I suspect it's the same with the stockings.

I would love to hear from those of you with older children - how do you do Christmas gifts and do you still hold onto any traditions and rituals from their childhoods? Do you still hang stockings?

Even though everything feels strange for the world this year, for us personally our quiet Christmas traditions remain intact. I shall continue to embrace this simple time staying home with my family as we always have done, enjoying the pleasures of good food, relaxation and a warm, cosy home. Holding onto the familiar rituals and looking forward to it all gently unfolding.

I hope that these festive days are full of light and sparkle, and that there are some brilliant moments of fun and joy, laughter and love, peace and calm. Enjoy and savour every moment, and I'll see you all on the other side......

Merry Christmas!

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Winter Solstice 2020

Today marks a turning point in the year as we celebrate the passing of the shortest day. As you may have guessed by now, this is one of my absolute favourite days of the whole year, and I woke up this morning feeling very happy and more than a little emotional. Winter Solstice is traditionally a day for rest and quiet reflection, for staying close to hearth and home and counting your blessings. It's a time to welcome in the winter months as we prepare to rest our bodies, nurture our souls, and make gentle plans for the year ahead. I like to think about these kinds of things as I go about my solstice day, and to remind myself (at frequent intervals) that every day from now on will be a little bit longer and a little bit lighter than the day before. Thank goodness, oh ThAnK GOODnesS!!!!! Bring. Me. The. LIGHT!!!!!

Hmmm......as you can see from the above photo, the weather today in Atticland was truly dire. It's been cold, grey and wet all day, but honestly I didn't mind too much. A day of hearth and home, remember? J and I walked into town this morning to run some errands and it was quiet on the streets with not very many people out at all.

We stopped off for a coffee on our way home, enjoying the warmth and comforting familiarity. I know we are very fortunate to still be able to go and enjoy a drink out here as our area isn't in a severe lockdown. Although we still have restrictions (we can't socialise indoors), for me and J it means that our little café jaunts are still happening and I'm so, so grateful for the normality of it.

On the way home from the shops I took a very quick little detour along the muddy footpath which connects the canal to the park. I was on a speedy foraging mission to gather in some ivy stems, and I knew there was a vast amount growing rampant along that pathway so I didn't feel too bad about snaffling a little bit into my bag.

I always buy a special candle for Winter Solstice - this year I went for a very seasonal red Cranberry and Vanilla with the most delicious scent to it. 

When I got home I set about performing my usual Winter Solstice celebrations. It was a simple, low key affair which I enjoyed very much, pottering about by myself while the rest of the family were scattered elsewhere in the house doing their own thing. I took the foraged ivy and some eucalyptus I already had and twisted it around a simple wire wreath. There see, I told you it was simple, it took me less than ten minutes to create but oh, it was so pleasing to do! I adore the scent of eucalyptus, it really is one of my favourite seasonal smells I think. 

I lit my candle at around 3pm when the daylight was already fading....

....and I sat quietly with a milky coffee in hand and the kitty for company, feeling very content with my lot. One of my dear friends sent a message into our WhatsApp group this morning (it's the group for my real life yarny tribe who I chat with pretty much every day). Her words were so charming and heartfelt that I thought I would steal them quote her on this special day of celebration.

She said "it is a morning of unremitting murk....I am going to light every candle and turn on all the Christmas lights to shine a light in the darkness. The days get longer and we can hope for light in all parts of our lives from tomorrow....happy Solstice".

Isn't that just a lovely thing? The simple act of lighting a candle to shine brightness out into the world and wish for happier days to come. Yes. Yes yes yes. Count me in! Light ALL the candles!!!!

I sat for ages in front of our fire this afternoon, watching the daylight fade and darkness slowly creep in. Fairy lights, candle light, firelight and lots of hopeful wishes for a brighter tomorrow.

 Happy Solstice to you all, sending all my love and light out into the dark, I hope it finds you....

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Festive Garland :: Ta-dah!

Finally!!!! It's only taken me a year to share the making of this garland with you, a year almost exactly to the very day. In fact, if I had waited until tomorrow to dance my ta-dah moment then it would have been exactly a year on the nose - how about that? It seems that this particular week in December is full of creative fun in the Attic, and I'm really excited to how you how this Festive Garland took shape.

Firstly, lets chat about my colour palette. I used a collection of bright, jolly "Quality Street" colours which are a nostalgic reminder of many childhood Christmases - these are all oddments of Stylecraft Special DK. I adore these colours so so much, they are full of Christmas spirit for me, and the joyful exuberance of them makes me really happy. Of course you can use any colour combinations you like  - traditional red, gold and green, or maybe a winter palette of frosty blues? Or how about a simple Scandi red and white colour scheme?

For reference, here are my own festive colour choices as shown above :

Top row : Plum : Bright Pink : Magenta : Lapis : (Ricorumi Silver lamé)

Middle row : Kelly Green : Grass Green : Spearmint : Turquoise : Empire

Bottom row : Lipstick : Tomato : Spice : Mustard : Gold

As you can imagine, I had lots of fun playing with the colours as I was crocheting the baubles, especially selecting the first two colours. Rounds 1 and 2 need to have a high contrast with each other, and you can see in the photo above how I chose the colours to create the maximum amount of "pop". Turquoise on red, bright pink on teal, green on mustard. YUM!!

Such a delicious array of colours, couldn't you just eat them up?!

You'll notice that I've left especially long tail ends - with the start and end of each round I made sure to leave a 15cm tail dangling. When the crochet is finished, these ten tails will be carefully darned through the rounds of stitches to form the tassel....

....see what I mean?? It takes a little time, but it's a really neat method. 

Once all the ends are darned into place, you can simply steam them straight, twist and knot them, then trim to size.

Neat eh?? 

As a final finishing touch, I stitched little golden stars in the centre of each bauble to add a weeny bit of festive sparkle.

These tassel baubles turned out even better than I had imagined inside my (very messy but quite brilliant) Creative Mind. When I set out to create a project I can usually already visualise it really clearly inside my mind. It's almost like looking at a photograph, which forever amazes me and I am extremely lucky to have this ability I think. I don't take it for granted as it doesn't always work out, but with these cute little decs, well, they turned out just beautifully. 

You might also remember these Teeny Tiny Stars I made last year? I shared the simple pattern for them here on my blog and you can find it in the usual place, or click ((HERE)).

I used the same bright palette of colours and crocheted 24 of these little stars, to sit in between the 12 bauble decorations.

As this is a Festive Garland I decided to add a bit of sparkle and use silver lamé yarn to crochet the connecting chain.

I placed one star at each end with two stars in between each bauble and it was a fast process to connect everything together once I'd decided on the colour placement. The crochet motifs are simply attached with a slip stitch, and separated by chains, it's ever so easy. I've explained it all in more detail within the tutorial.

Finally, I decided to add a little tinkle to the sparkle and bought some brightly coloured 10mm bells to finish the garland off. I tried various way of attaching them and in the end the only way I could make work was to tie short lengths of yarn to each bell, then tie the bells directly onto the crochet chain. It was a bit fiddly but not too bad (the fiddliest bit was threading the silver yarn through the tiiiiiiiiiiny hole at the top of each bell, gawd, it was so frustrating!)

I found the bells on Amazon ((HERE)), and there are also various plain silver and gold options on Amazon if you prefer something simpler.

I love that these bells actually tinkle! When I unpacked it from it's tissue paper this year, the garland made the most beautiful sound and I was utterly enchanted, honestly it doesn't take very much to make me happy.

So my bright, jolly, sparkly, tinkly Festive Garland is complete........................

...................Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's very me, don't you think?!

Of course I love love love love love it.

I loved it last year when I first hung it in place and I love it even more seeing it again this year.

As promised, I made a full tutorial for the Festive Garland - there are lots of photos to guide you through the making process, and there is also a PDF pattern that you can download/print as well.

You can find both by clicking on the following link >>

★ FESTIVE GARLAND TUTORIAL ★

I hope you like this colourful project, and that you might feel inspired to crochet a little festive happiness for your home. 

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Reuben the Reindeer

Every year in early December I usually experience a huge burst of festive-induced creativity. I never go searching for inspiration, but without fail inspiration will find me when I least expect it and I am always powerless to resist the call. 

Last year you might remember me crocheting this lovely quirky bird from a pattern in Simply Crochet magazine - you can read more about it in this post.

This lovely pattern was designed by Kate McCully of Make Me Roar Design, and you can buy the PDF pattern directly from her website if it's calling to you {Speckled Bird Decoration}

Last week when I was beginning to feel the creative festive urge creep upon me, I happened to remember that hot off the back of the speckled bird I bought another of Kate's patterns last year. It may surprise you to know that despite my rather chaotic approach to life I am actually very tidy and organised with my computer files (it's one of life's mysteries) so I was easily able to find the pattern PDF sitting patiently waiting for me to bring it to life.

The pattern I purchased was for a cute little crochet reindeer named Reuben. Kate made two versions of her reindeer - the traditional colourway that you can see above, and a more funky colourway that you can see (here).

You can purchase and download the reindeer pattern directly from Kate's website - it's very reasonably priced and the pattern is extremely well written with plenty of photos to help with the assembly process. You can find it (here)

Kate made her reindeer using aran weight yarn, but I decided to jump in with good ol' Stylecraft Special DK as I happen to have a stash of it for just such an occasion. Using DK instead of aran meant that my Reuben would be smaller, but I didn't mind that really. I decided to follow a traditional colour palette using White and Parchment for Reuben's main body parts, Walnut for his antlers and Lipstick for his festive jumper.

There is no getting away from it - amigurumi crochet is extremely fiddly compared to the long, relaxing rows of blanket making that I'm used to. There is lots of pattern reading and counting involved, and it's not at all kind to hands and fingers which feel stiff and achey. 

But I persevered and managed to complete most of the fiddlesome crochet across the space of an evening, finishing off the last bits of stitching the following morning. 

There is something undeniably satisfying about crocheting a project that is completed in many parts - it's why I enjoy making wreaths and garlands so much. It's fun to see the design slowly take shape, and to watch the personality of the animal slowly begin to seep through the stitches. 

I had to wait a few days for some beady eyes to arrive in the post (Reuben needed 8mm eyes) and although I was nervous about trying to bring him to life, it was also quite exciting. 

Well, what can I say??????????? For some reason unknown to me, Reuben seems to have a ginormous head and a teensy body, and I've no idea what happened to make him so top heavy. I followed the pattern precisely (intense counting and marking down of rows) and yet he has a giant head and withered arms?? Ah well, it's all part of his endearing character.....although I admit that after putting his eyes in and attaching his head to his body, I was very concerned for his welfare. He looked so bewildered!

Ohmygosh, the above photo makes me hoot with laughter every time....oh Reuben!!!!!!!!! Just look at your face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the thing - even though the pattern tells you exactly how far up the head to position the eyes, it's still remarkably hard to get it right. And of course once you've attached the little safety backings to the eyes, there is no turning back and the expression that stares back at you is the one you have to be happy with.

Bloody hell, I almost gave up at this point. But I hoped and prayed that ears and antlers would transform the whole look....

....and I took great care with the positioning and stitching of the final body parts.

So here I present to you a finished Reuben, wearing his best festive jumper and trying his level best to achieve the Cute Factor. Awwwwww, I do have such a soft spot for him, despite his top-heaviness and his slightly not-all-there stare.

Actually, he looks really sweet on the mantel, and I'm happy to give him a place to live for a little while, alongside the giant speckled bird and my current candle crush (still not over the mulled wine scent, this is the second candle I'm burning now). 

So that is this year's festive make ticked off the list and I feel I can rest easy now that I've scratched that itch. Incidentally, I am LOVING my Festive Garland and remembered that I took loads of photos to make a tutorial for it last year. Typically though, I didn't think to actually write down the pattern (of course I didn't) but having just had a quick look at the photos I think I can probably work most of it out from memory. I'm hoping to do that this week, it's only a year late after all.

Before I go, thank you so much for all your comments on my last post, especially the ones about knitting and fairisle. I am so inspired and  excited about trying something new - I had a look at "Katie's Kep" which was recommended, oh-my-GOSH, there are over a thousand projects logged on Ravelry made with that pattern and the colour possibilities have me hyperventilating. It's deliciously exciting, all of it. I think it may have to wait until after the Meadow Cal, but that's fine, it'll be worth the wait. Thanks again for all your lovely words in response to my posts, I appreciate you all so much

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December Thoughts

#1 : Pomegranates are just the most fantastical fruits, and despite the fiddlesomeness of them I can't help but love them. Thank you for the advice about the extraction process - I tried the method you recommended, cutting around the equator and banging with a wooden spoon but I just could not get it to work. No matter how hard I banged, no seeds tumbled forth, not one! I wonder whether it's because it wasn't quite as ripe as it could've been? I've got another one sat in my fruit bowl so tomorrow I'll try the cut and bang method again. I shall report back on proceedings.

#2 : I think fresh fruit has to be my all time favourite food group, trumping even chocolate or cake. I've proven to myself this year that I can very easily go days/weeks without eating refined sugar, but I would find it very, very difficult to go a day without fruit. 

#3 : I have a massive, overwhelming hankering to try my hand at colourwork knitting, more specifically I desperately want to make this hat. A month or so ago I spotted a lady at the market wearing the most stunning fairisle beanie hat and I couldn't take my eyes off it. Afterwards I had major regret and wished that I had asked her about it and found out more about the pattern. Then on Saturday when I was queueing at the market to buy cheese I happened to see her again wearing the same gorgeous hat, so I stopped to compliment her and interrogate her about it. Thankfully she was the nicest lady and told me that her Mum had knitted it for her, and she thought it had something to do with the Shetland MRI Scanner appeal. It's so brilliant to have the internet to provide hatty info when you most need it - I came home and immediately found the pattern, woohoo!!!!! It's called "Harriet's Hat" by Harriet Middleton and you can find it here . I need to learn the twisty technique for knitting with two colours in the same row, but I'm determined to give it a go. 

#4 : Beady eyes arrived in the post last week and my festive creature got stuffed and stitched and is now happily living out life on my mantel. Animal faces are extremely tricky things to get right, and I'm not too sure I achieved the elusive Cute Factor with this chappy. He looks ever so slightly vacant and bewildered. I promise to show you more just as soon as I take a few photos of him in situ.

#5 : We had our first snow on Friday, a chilly morning of dancing flakes and white dusted hilltops. It didn't last and it didn't linger, but it was fun watching it from the cosy comfort of home.

#6 : I love my fire, I love it so so so so much. I never used to like the brick fireplace and dark wooden surround but over the years it has really grown on me and I couldn't imagine it being any other way now. It really is the heart of our home.

#7 : I spend a lot of time sitting on the floor at this time of year. The kitty obviously doesn't seem to mind too much - a warm lap is good enough no matter how low to the ground it is.

#8 : It's bauble time, and once again I am swooning all over the place at the sight of these glorious colours. These are definitely my kind of Christmas colours and I doubt very much that I will ever change. Little Lady told me yesterday that in the future when she has her own place and her own tree, she will smother it in white lights and have only white, silver and glittery decorations on it. Oh dear, I was honestly lost for words after that declaration. 

#9 : Coffee, coffee, coffee!! My mornings are simply not complete without it, and I am so happy that Lockdown 2.0 has ended and my favourite cosy cafés are open once more. It's such a pleasurable, treasured part of my daily routine, a luxury that I appreciate very much.

#10 : After a fair amount of wet grey weather last week, I've been so so happy to see blue skies and sunshine during the past few days. What a treat. It has put a welcome spring back in my step as I was seriously dragging my feet last week, weighed down by the heaviness of the gloom. 

#11 : With two weeks to go until the Winter Solstice, I noticed today that the rise and set of the sun is oddly in tune with the school day. I see the first rays of sun peeking over the top of the hill just as we round the corner to come off the canal tow path in the morning. And I see the last of the sun dipping down beyond the hills as I come off the canal in the late afternoon.

#12 : I lit our Advent candle yesterday, six days late. It meant keeping a vigil until we had burned down exactly the right amount to catch up with the days. We are currently two thirds decked out for the season here - two trees are up, the wreaths are up and one of two mantels is wearing it's seasonal finery. I've still got the other mantel to do and my Advent garland to hang, but I'll be able to see to all that tomorrow when J is back to work and I have a little time on my hands to faffle it all into place. 

And that about concludes my thoughts for now. I hope you are all doing OK as we plummet through early December, and that you are thinking happy thoughts and finding some joy in this season of twinkly lights and shiny things. I shall be back here very soon to show you the Bewildered Festive Creature, I bet you really can't wait ?!

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