Attic24

Resting

Well hello my lovelies, I'm really happy to be back here in the Attic after two whole weeks of feeling like somebody hijacked all my coherent thoughts and replaced them with a thick layer of grey fluff. I've had one of those stubborn, heavy head colds which took up residence and is proving  hard to evict - I'm feeling loads better this week and almost back to full bean thank goodness. I've tried a few times in the past week to sit here and string some words together, but today is the first time when I feel like my thoughts might actually make some sense - no guarantees of course, but I'll give it a good go!

During the first week of being unwell I was forced to take my resting seriously and spent quite a few afternoons/evenings in bed. I've got the Dune blanket in residence on my bed at the moment and the gentle colours and happy coastal memories really do seem to have a healing effect. I tried not to resent the "wasted" time I spent in bed, and instead tried to embrace the cosy vibes and dig deep for gratitude (not easy when you feel like sh*te). I'm lucky that my days generally have a lot of flexibility in them and I'm at liberty to take time for myself when I need it. J stepped in and cooked dinner for us on a few evenings so that I could stay horizontal - I  seemed to feel my worst towards the tail end of the day so I was very grateful for his help.

Close to my bed I have an old painted cupboard which I re-homed when a friend of mine was moving house and having a clear out. It's painted a gorgeous soft duck egg blue, and although it's obviously old and chipped (delightfully vintage) I absolutely love it. I keep my precious handknit socks here as I can't bring myself to hide them away in a drawer and love to see all that colourful stripyness on display.

I've also got a framed print propped up so that it's right there where I can see it from my bed - it's such a beautiful reminder of the importance of rest and embracing the Dark Season. The illustration is by artist Jessica Boehman and after falling in love with the image online many years ago I treated myself to the print. I can't tell you how much it has helped me through the last four winters, there is something about it which makes me believe that the dark months of hibernation deserve to be cherished and not simply endured. 

The past few weeks have been a bit of a grey blur to be honest, but I did still try to keep some important routines going. I walked into town when I felt up to it, taking my time and appreciating the fact that I wasn't completely out of action. I didn't feel at all well, but getting some gentle exercise and fresh air into my body felt like it did me good.

I went to the market on Saturday mornings and bought home fresh veggies to make soup....

...and on one or two mornings I even felt up to taking an early morning walk with J. We've let this habit slip a little through the dark winter months but now that we've got daylight again at 7am I feel more motivated to get up and get out there. It definitely improves my mood and energy levels and I always feel good for doing it.

I spent many hours sat beside the fire drinking tea or mugs of Lemsip and keeping warm and cosy. It's such a simple pleasure, but honestly this fireplace makes me soooo stupidly happy. 

I found a bag of special pine cones which I'd completely forgotten about, they're the ones that have something on them which create blue and green coloured flames in open fires. They're called Northern Lights cones and I bought them two Christmases ago, they're pretty expensive and a bit of an indulgence but oh, they do make my fire-loving heart happy. The Little People love them too and as a family we've spent lots of time in the evenings gathered around the fireside just enjoying the light and warmth.

A few weeks ago we were looking back at summer photos from last year and got talking about barbecues and making s'mores. It made me think that we could try doing them on our open fire - no idea why that had never occurred to me before?? It was a huge success and Little B in particular got super excited for making his own after dinner "pudding" over the hot coals. I don't have any photographic evidence of s'more making to show you, you'll just have to imagine the marshmallows on a skewer and the skilled act of toasting them without setting them on fire. It was tense!

Dealing with germs hasn't left me much energy for creativity, but after I completed the border on the Springfrost blanket a couple weeks ago I dug out my Fireside cushion and managed to bring it over the finishing line. You might remember that I started making this large circular cushion in October when I was on my retreat in Carcasonne so the ta-dah was well overdue. It was really satisfying using up the yarn leftover from making my Fireside blanket and I'm happy with how it turned out, even if it is a bit of a giant beast. I'll show you the finished cushion in my next post, I know it's not all that exciting really, but hopefully you'll enjoy the colours.

Thanks as always for visiting, I do so appreciate it. I hope you are managing to keep germ free and if you've been resting like me, then I hope it's been nurturing. Stay cosy!

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Springfrost Blanket CAL :: Part 7

So here we are, eight weeks after we began with the Springfrost Crochet-Along and what a beautiful, soothing, therapeutic,  joyful journey it's been. I've absolutely loved the gentle energy that has surrounded the making of this blanket, and I for one have really valued the calm that it has delivered to my mind during these winter months. The repetitive stitching has brought me peace during some weeks when I've felt a little unbalanced, and the soft, hopeful colours have really lifted my spirits on the grey days.

I want to say a huge bug THANK YOU for joining me here (also on Facebook and Instagram), I can't really describe what it means to have the connection with you all, it's an unbelievable feeling, truly. A deep sense of belonging, understanding, sharing, happiness and friendship...so much feel-good I hardly know how to cope with it at times. I hope you've felt it too, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for stepping along with me and thousands of others all over the world.

Ahh, I've had a rough week to be honest. I've not been well but at the same time I've felt very needed by friends and family, you know some weeks are just like that, aren't they? You need to step up to support those you love, yet at the same time you feel like you barely have the energy to get through the day. I've tried to rest as much as possible - I've been in bed quite a bit, but also just sitting peacefully beside the fire, and despite feeling terrible it's also been kind of nice to accept the slowness that I've needed to get through this germ-infested time.

Anyhoooo.......let's push the germs aside and talk about pretty little Springfrosty edging type things, shall we?  By now you will have seen something of the Springfrost border in the above photos, and I dearly hope you love it as much as I do.  I wanted to create something that looked like delicate blossom coated in ice (I had this kind of image in mind) and I think it's one of the prettiest borders I've ever made. I'm totally in LOVE with it!

I deliberated over the colours for quite a while, and did wonder whether seven was just too many? But in the end I felt like the  textured stripes of the blanket really needed quite a solid band around them, and I'm ever so glad that I trusted my instincts.

If you've followed along with my colour order for the Springfrost stripes, then you should have enough yarn left over to comfortably make the border using the seven colours I've chosen.

You'll need around 20g of each colour.

I picked out these colours for the border - think of it as a mini Springfrost colour story if you like...

1. Parma Violet (the cold ground)
2. Baby Blue (a clear sky)
3. Lincoln (frosty leaves)
4. Pistachio (fresh spring buds)
5. Powder Pink (early blossom)
6. A Hint of Silver (a chill in the air)
7. White (a frosty finish!)

The first six rounds are narrow bands of double crochet, worked in the back loops so that you end up with kind of a braided texture - so pretty! It's the same technique I use when I make up my stripe samplers and I really like the way it gently blends the colours. It's also a stitch which is very economical with the yarn (I think I only used around 16g of each colour in the end), and a great way to create a finishing colour story around the edge of any blanket.

I worked the whole of my border over a weekend, it was incredibly addictive I have to say. I got so caught up in the pleasure of those looooong rows of repetitive, neat crochet stitches that I simply couldn't put it down. It was absolute crochet heaven!

The final round of the Springfrost border really adds the perfect finishing touch - little pointy peaks which add a gentle frostiness to the very edge of the border. It's pretty obvious I suppose - a frosty White finish around the prettiest of Spring-inspired stripes.

I can tell you hand on heart that I didn't want this blanket to end....

....because making that border delivered SO much hooky pleasure!

I'm seriously thrilled with how it turned out....

....and ever since I finished the blanket, I keep folding it so that the edges are all neatly displayed, I just can't help myself.  

Oh.....so, so pretty........ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eeeeeep....that white edging.........is perfection!!!!!! I couldn't love it more.

Turning a WiP (work-in-progress) into a FO (finished-object) is such a great feeling, and one that I never, ever tire of. I often say to people that I am quite addicted to finishing up my projects because that feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction is hard to beat. Even though the Springfrost blanket has been in use while I've been making it, there is something very special about it finally having it's ta-dah moment.

As always, I've taken the time to create a full tutorial to help you crochet the Springfrost border, with lots of photos if you need the extra visual guidance. It's an easy enough pattern, but I still think photos can be ever so useful.

You can find the tutorial listed in my alphabetical list over in the left hand side bar, or by clicking the link below >>

SPRINGFROST BORDER TUTORIAL

There is also a simple written PDF pattern which you can download/print if you wish, click on the following link >>

DOWNLOAD SPRINGFROST BORDER PATTERN

A reminder that even though this CAL has come to an end, all blog posts and pattern pages will remain on my blog for you to access whenever you like into the future. You can always find the CAL posts by clicking on the Springfrost Blanket CAL page (listed in alphabetical order in my list of patterns and tutorials) - all the links to patterns and posts will be there in one place to make it easy to find what you're looking for.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this crochet along such a pleasure, and for so generously sharing your photos on social media. It's been really, really wonderful - thank you, thank you.

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Here are all the links in one place for you......x

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

♥ SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

♥ SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET PATTERN PDF

♥ SPRINGFROST  BORDER TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST BORDER PATTERN PDF

♥ CAL PART 1 : stripes 1-15

♥ CAL PART 2 : stripes 16-33

♥ CAL PART 3 : stripes 34-51

♥ CAL PART 4 : stripes 52-69

♥ CAL PART 5 : stripes 70-87

♥ CAL PART 6 : stripes 88-95

 

A Happy Heart

I've been so obsessed with my Springfrost blanket during the past few months that I haven't had very much wiggle room inside my Creative Mind of late. It's nothing unusual for me to be honest - I do tend to have a very focussed, one-track mind when I'm fully immersed in a crochet project and I like to give it my whole undivided attention.

I finished crocheting the border on my blanket over the weekend (and I'm so, so excited to share it with you, it's beeeautiful), so of course that immediately left me twiddling my digits and looking for something new to scratch the creative itch. Out came my bag of cotton yarn and I selected a lovely colour palette to work with - a cute mix of brights and pastels which immediately put me in a happy mood.

I fancied making something super pretty and super speedy that would fly off my hook, land on my table and make me smile. And given that today is Valentine's Day, then something heart shaped seemed like it would hit the spot nicely.

Can you guess where I went to find a suitable pattern? Yup, that's right, I tootled off to the left sidebar of this very blog and clicked on the "Heart Decoration" tutorial.....such fun!! Reading my own blurb and following the detailed photo tutorial that I very thoughtfully provided for my future self was a delight, and my my hook flew through those stitches in no time.

Oh, before I get carried away, let me give you some yarn details, just in case you are feeling inspired by these pretty colours. The yarn is Ricorumi DK which I really love using for these sorts of small, decorative projects. The yarn balls are mini 25g sized, so you can build a good palette of colours without spending too much money.

The colours I used are as follows :

Heart : Rose, Orchid, Red and Fuchsia

Polyanthus flower : Tangerine, Pastel Yellow, Fuchsia

Polyanthus leaves : Pastel Green and Mint, with some stitching in Light Green

Baby flowers : Pastel Yellow, with a Tangerine french knot in the centre, and Light Green leaves

I'm really proud of my polyanthus design (which you can find HERE), it's perfect for the fresh Spring look that I wanted for my heart.

The baby flowers are teeeeeny-weeeeeny as you can see in the above photo. Oh, they are ever so cute! You might remember the little blossom flowers I made last year for my Winter garland? Well these baby flowers are just a smaller version.

BABY FLOWER PATTERN

Chain 4; slip stitch into 1st chain to form a ring;

All petal stitches are worked into the ring, as follows :

*(chain 1; 1 htr ; chain 1; slip stitch;)

Repeat from * four more times, to make five petals in total; slip stitch into beginning chain-1 to close the round and fasten off.

The centre french knot is stitched and is optional, but I think it adds a lovely detail.

BABY LEAVES

*(chain 3; slip stitch in 2nd chain from hook, and again in the next chain;)

Repeat from * once more, so that you have two little mini leaves which sit in a V shape, then fasten off and stitch to the back of your baby flower.

I didn't plan the flowers in advance, they just kind of bloomed in front of my eyes. I'd forgotten the thrill of designing and making in Full Flow, just allowing myself to play and crochet whatever my heart wanted. I think it took me about an hour and a half from the point where I pulled my bag of yarn out of the cupboard to darning in the last ends.

I had a lovely surprise when I came downstairs this morning as I'd completely forgotten that I'd had this unexpected flurry of creativity last night, haha, true story! It was like my very own surprise Valentine's Day gift, from me to myself!!

I enjoyed taking a few photos earlier on today that I could share with you here, just a little something to hopefully brighten your day.....♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

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Springfrost Blanket CAL :: Part 6

There are many (oh, so many) things I love about making crochet blankets, and right up near the top of the list is the gentle way in which they become absorbed into family life as soon as they're big enough. Once a blanket gets past the scarf stage I very rarely seem to store it in my yarn bag - it just gets folded up and left on the table or the arm of the sofa or a chair ready for the next time I want to add a row or two. It's from that point onwards that the blanket belongs to the home - the Little People begin to snuggle under it and the kitty certainly knows how to take advantage of all those lovingly hooked stitches.

It makes me ridiculously happy to have my blankets strewn around the furniture, and to see them being used and enjoyed. Yes, the Springfrost blanket is still a work in progress, and yes for me personally there is also an underlying element of "work" in those carefully thought out stripes. But I do really love to use my blankets during the weeks that I'm actively making them, and I hope that it's the same for you too.

Week six of this gentle crochet-a-long is upon us and it's time to finish up with these soothing, therapeutic rows. As usual, the very last row of the Springfrost blanket brought a heap of mixed feelings down upon my head - yaaaaaaay, the end is in sight! But noooooo, I'm not ready for it to be over! Awwwww, I LOVE crocheting this blanket so much, but oooooh I can already feel the itch inside my creative brain with a new design brewing. I mean, we do still have the border to get excited about so the journey's not over quite yet, but we are certainly on the home straight.

This week there are a smaller number of stripes to complete (8 instead of 18) so you can either take your sweet time with them, or knock them out over the weekend. A reminder that the final row (colour Spearmint, shown above) is a simple row of trebles which creates a neat top edge. So when you turn your blanket ready for the final row, chain 3 as usual, and then work 1 treble into each stitch along.

It's delightfully satisfying to crochet that final stripe and see all those neat stitches lining up for the finishing edge.

I have to tell you that I am obsessed with the texture of the Springfrost blanket....

.....oh my, it is SO PLEASING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has just the right amount of bobblesomeness, and such a satisfyingly high squish factor, no wonder the kitty makes a beeline for it whenever she gets the chance.

I really enjoy taking these progress photos each week - I think I mentioned last week that I get a kick out of laying the blanket out so that it's all flat and smooth like a rug, because it's not often I get to enjoy my blankets in such a visual way.

It certainly allows me to appreciate all my hard work creating a "random" colour order - I can tell you that a LOT of thought goes into the colour placement of the stripes each week so that they balance and harmonise as a whole. Have you noticed that the white stripes are all placed an equal distance apart???

Let me show you how the whole of the blanket looks once all 95 stripes are complete.....

......woop-woop!!!!!!! Ninety Five stripes of pretty Springfrost colour to make you smile :)

I'm SO happy with the perfect winter-spring look of these colours. They are like a clear bright day with a real chill in the air.  Fresh, with an uplifting winter-is-over feel. It's exactly what I was thinking about when I first started to work on the colour palette back in the Spring of last year.

I hope these final stripes deliver you some wonderful hooky pleasure, and that you're also looking forward to seeing the edging I've designed.....I'll chat a little bit more about the final CAL instalment in a bit. 

Here is the colour info for Part 6 of the Springfrost Blanket. Click on the following link for the printable worksheet...

🌸 PART 6 COLOUR WORKSHEET

Remember that this list of colours refers to the stripes, so crochet two rows of each colour.

88. Blue Marl

89. Pistachio

90. Cloud Blue

91. Pale Rose

92. Mushroom

93. Duck Egg

94. Meadow

95. Spearmint (remember it's a row of trebles as the very last row)

NOTE : If you are making a larger double/king blanket with two yarn packs and you want to add some extra length, you can add some additional stripes, as follows :

96. Blue Marl

97. Powder Pink

98. Lincoln

99. White

100. Parma Violet

101. Cloud Blue

102. Duck Egg

103. Meadow

104. Pale Rose

105. Pistachio

106. Mushroom

107. Wisteria

108. Baby Blue

109. A Hint of Silver

110. Spearmint

🌸 EXTRA STRIPES WORKSHEET

I'll be giving you Part 7 of the CAL in two weeks time on Friday 24th February - this will be the pattern and tutorial for the Springfrost border.

The border I've designed is going to be made up of narrow rounds, and I've picked out seven colours :

1. Parma Violet (the cold ground)
2. Baby Blue (a clear sky)
3. Lincoln (frosty leaves)
4. Pistachio (fresh spring buds)
5. Powder Pink (early blossom)
6. A Hint of Silver (a chill in the air)
7. White (a frosty finish!)

You are of course free to pick out your own colour sequence, especially if any of the colours listed above aren't your favourites. You might also decide to work less than 7 rounds, although I do hope that you'll choose white as your frosty finish, because it's going to look wonderful (!)

A little reminder that you'll need approximately 20g of each border colour, and the easiest way to check is by using digital scales, either kitchen ones, or these pocket scales which are brilliant (find them on Amazon here).

Next Friday is given as a "catch up" week in the CAL, which means you can carry on hooking if you're taking the slower approach, or take the opportunity to darn in your ends and get your blanket ready for the border to begin. I'll most likely still be popping onto the Attic to share a chatty blog post with you next week, but I hope you are OK to wait a little longer for the final part of the crochet-along.

Wishing you a soft and squishy week full of cosy comforts!

x

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

♥ SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

♥ SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST PDF PATTERN

♥ CAL PART 1 : stripes 1-15

♥ CAL PART 2 : stripes 16-33

♥ CAL PART 3 : stripes 34-51

♥ CAL PART 4 : stripes 52-69

♥ CAL PART 5 : stripes 70-87

 

 

Springfrost Blanket CAL :: Part 5

This week has been a busy one for me, a week of catching up. A mixture of happy social times spent catching up with friends as well as some very time consuming and brain numbing hours spent catching up with my accounts and taxes. It's the usual merry jumble of January and I do quite enjoy the fullness of my days when they run like this. Even when I'm spending hours at my laptop crunching numbers into a spreadsheet, it reminds me how amazingly grateful I am to be making a living out of something I love so much.

One of the friends I had coffee with this week is someone I've not had a chance to catch up with since before the pandemic at the start of 2020 - it's hard to get my head around the fact that this was almost three years ago. Crazy, eh? We were chatting a lot about our shared passion for yarn, designing and creating, and the ups and downs of working from home. She asked about my studio which sadly I don't have any more, and I told her that I mostly work from the dining table, the fireside or the sofa these days. I do miss my studio a lot (you can read more about it in this post), but working from home has some huge benefits too.

I took the above photo for Instagram, a quick snap of the sofa earlier in the week where I had been sat crocheting my Springfrost blanket. I don't know how many of you reading here also use Instagram? I love it for the visuals and the inspiration, and of course the wonderful crochet community on there, but sometimes it can be a bit of a strange platform for sharing photos.

As you've probably guessed by now, I love the idea of sharing images that inspire and look good, but I'm a very in-the-moment person and I much prefer the authentic, un-edited, un-filtered, more spontaneous approach to taking photographs. There is a LOT of "styling" on Instagram, it's creative faffing taken to a whole new level, and honestly I just don't often have the patience for it. So the above photo for example is completely un-styled, and shows my sofa exactly as it was when I got up and plopped my blanket down with the hook still stuck in my uncompleted row. I happened to turn round and thought how lovely it all looked in that moment, and decided to snap the scene with my phone ready to be used a few days later on Instagram. It's far from perfect, but then that's real life for you and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Seeing a snapshot of my "working from home life" described in a photo honestly makes me so full of gratitude I feel like I could burst wide open with it. When I find myself craving more space, or pining for my old studio, I quickly remind myself how bloomin' lucky I am that I get to be at home with J and the Little People and crochet blankets for a living. Lucky, lucky me.

I had to show you the above photo - this was just moments after I'd snapped my square image for Insta, and the kitty obviously assumed that the blankety sofa was being prepared especially for her. My blankets are like a magnet for her and she can't resist their special brand of cosy. I know many of you share your crochet blankets with your furry friends (or rather, the four legged members of the family insist on inserting themselves whenever crochet is about), so I thought it would be fun to share a few cutesome furry photos this week with you.

♥ Kathy had to stop hooking mid row (don't you just hate it when that happens?!) because her kitty decided that the Springfrost made the perfect bed.

♥ Oh Charlie, just look at your contented face! Helen had obviously laid the blanket out especially for your pleasure!

♥ This sweet kitty is also appreciating the cosiness of a crochet blanket - Kate has chosen a gorgeous palette of "peacock feather colours" and I think it looks amazing.

♥ Christine also has a kitty who has stopped her hooky time mid-row...I mean, how could you possibly think that this blanket could be moved? The cat's in charge!

♥ Sheelagh's kitty made me smile, I mean, how perfect is that crochet-lined basket for a quick little cat-nap?!

♥ Nicola, oh my goodness, this photo made me hoot with laughter, so funny!! There's no way you could ignore that cheeky face, is there?

It's not just the cats that appreciate a fine crochet blanket, there are plenty of dogs who intervene when it's hooky time......

♥ Lynsay's dog doesn't seem to mind that the blanket is all wrapped up, it makes the perfect pillow, thank you!

♥ Oh, just look at those puppy-dog eyes! Sue's gorgeous blanket is already well loved by the looks of it.

♥ Denise's Springfrost is also getting a lot of love and you can just see the crochet blanket appreciation in that sweet face.

♥ Clare is generously sharing her Springfrost with the gorgeous Luther, what a photogenic pair they are!

♥ And lastly, I know this is Fireside rather than Springfrost, but I really had to share it with you. Lynette's kitty is an absolute beauty and a natural in front of the camera - I mean, the blanket looks stunning but the kitty really steals the show hands down. I love it!

Thank you again for taking time to share your blanket journey with us all on social media, the Facebook groups are buzzing with happy Springfrost vibes and the #springfrostcal hashtag on Instagram is a true feast for the eyes. The Attic24 online community is something very special, so thank you for being a part of it xx

Is it just me, or do you also think that the weeks are flying by? January is behind us now and we're at week 5 of the CAL already......I just can't get my head around it! They do say time flies when you're having fun, so lets just put it down to that - lots of blankety fun.

Week five of the Springfrost CAL will bring your blanket pretty close to completion as we'll be crocheting another 18 stripes this week. 

I hope that you're still enjoying the soothing rhythm of crocheting this lovely stitch? I'm love love loving it and think it's one of the most relaxing patterns I've ever worked on. I had some lovely friends visiting me last weekend who you might know - a well known sock designer and a talented crochet author - so we spent a lot of time chatting and yarning together. It's one of the things I adore about making striped blankets with a simple pattern repeat, it makes for the perfect social project. My Springfrost rows happily grew all day in the café and then later with a glass or two of vino in the bar, and then into the next day over morning coffee.

Mostly when I'm working on a blanket, it stays folded up in my yarn bag or else it's strewn across the furniture with a child under it or a kitty snuggled into it. So when I need to take my weekly photographs for these CAL blog posts, it always takes me a little bit by surprise to see it all laid out neat and flat. It's not often my blankets ever get to be horizontal and smoothed out in real life as they are very, very well used household items that are more often folded, piled or in some sort of nest-shape. 

I do admit I get a genuine thrill each and every week when I stand above my blanket all laid out on the floor and get to see it in it's entirety - it makes me SO HAPPY!!!!!!

So the above image is after week 5 has been completed, which is 87 stripes in total. I would say that this is a good length for a blanket (it's measuring around 160cm long at this point), and the proportions look good too. I shall leave it up to you, but if you wish to stop after part 5 and wait for the border instructions then you absolutely can do that.

I'll be adding the final set of stripes next week in part 6, but it won't be the full 18....I'll explain more in a bit.

Aww Tilly....I love how much you love my blankets!!

Right, lets get the next set of stripes under way........

Here is the colour info for Part 5 of the Springfrost Blanket. Click on the following link for the printable worksheet...

🌸 PART 5 COLOUR WORKSHEET

Remember that this list of colours refers to the stripes, so crochet two rows of each colour.

70. Baby Blue

71. Mushroom

72. Duck Egg

73. Blue Marl

74. Cloud Blue

75. Meadow

76. Parma Violet

77. Lincoln

78. Pale Rose

79. Duck Egg

80. A Hint of Silver

81. Baby Blue

82. Spearmint

83. White

84. Meadow

85. Mushroom

86. Powder pink

87. Wisteria

NOTE : If you are making a larger double/king blanket with two yarn packs, there will be an extra set of stripes given in part 6 for you to add on if you wish.

🌸 PART 5 COLOUR WORKSHEET

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT YARN QUANTITIES

As you start to work through part 5 of your blanket, it's a good idea to take stock of where you're at in terms of the size of your blanket and the yarn that you're using. Hopefully most of you took my advice and made a tension sample before you began, so your measurements shouldn't be too wildly different from mine.

I use digital scales to check how my yarn is being used as I work through my blanket - ordinary digital kitchen scales work just fine for this as you only need a general measurement in grams. I can also highly recommend these pocket scales too - they are small enough to tuck in your yarn bag and work a treat for weighing yarn. You can find the ones I have on Amazon ((here)).

Each stripe should be using approximately 12g of yarn.

As you work through part five, most of the colours will have been crocheted into six stripes in total - this means you should have used around 75g of yarn, and have 25g left.

When we work the border, we will need approximately 20g of each border colour.

Please, please use your own judgement with your yarn quantities - spread your blanket out, measure the length of it and decide how long you're happy with. Keep in mind that this is a squishy, stretchy crochet pattern, and your blanket will stretch slightly with use. Weigh your yarn balls, and please do feel free to stop working your stripes if your blanket is long enough, or your yarn is running low! I really want you to have enough yarn to work a cute border to finish off your stripes.

I hope you have a lovely week and find pockets of time to really unwind and enjoy some top notch crochet therapy.

x

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

♥ SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

♥ SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST PDF PATTERN

♥ CAL PART 1 : stripes 1-15

♥ CAL PART 2 : stripes 16-33

♥ CAL PART 3 : stripes 34-51

♥ CAL PART 4 : stripes 52-69

 

 

 

Springfrost Blanket CAL :: Part 4

Isn't it a lovely thing when we can gaze at a simple collection of colours and conjure up another time and place? I've been doing exactly that this past week - using these soft, Springfrost colours to remind myself that we are slowly edging through winter towards a lighter, brighter time of the year. This pretty yarn palette has really has helped lift my spirits, both the colour therapy and the repetitive, soothing rhythm of working those squishy rows to calm my mind.

Last week I journeyed down to Dorset, and as it's a pretty full-on day of travel involving three different trains across seven hours, I always like to have something yarny to pass the time. For this journey I knew without a doubt that I needed to make space in my bag for my rapidly growing Springfrost - it's not an especially portable project, but oh, it's so worth it! As I jigged my way through the southern counties watching the sun slowly sink in the sky, my hands busy creating some slow, spring-coloured stripes, well.....it was a little bit of heaven right there. 

My time in Dorset was such a melting pot of mixed feelings and I'm still attempting to sort through them and recover some equilibrium. As I was there primarily to take care of my Dad, I didn't have much of a chance to get out and about like I normally would. The days were extremely cold but clear and bright with lots of winter-frost covering the landscape. I snapped the above photo walking past the local florist in town one morning, as the flowering pots stacked up outside really caught my eye. The flowers looked so pretty and instantly reminded me of my blanket - cool silvery-white hellebores and the cutest little pots of pale purple and white pansies too. 

I wasn't online much during the week I was away and so I feel  little bit disconnected from you all out there. How are you doing? Are you enjoying the Springfrost colours? Are you taking it gently this month and allowing some drift to happen?

Since I came home a couple days ago, I have managed to do a quick spin through the various social media groups and CAL hashtags and have been utterly delighted with the images you've been sharing - thank you SO MUCH! I feel ridiculously InSpiReD every time I see where my colours are taking you, it really is the most fabulous thing. I don't have much of a theme to my sharing this week, but I hope you enjoy this collection of inspirational Springfrost works-in-progress.....

♥ I shared some of these beautiful squares made by Nikii (@nikiiloops) in week two of the CAL and thought you'd appreciate an update. They really are stunning and the more I see of them, the more I love them. They are made using the tapestry crochet technique and the pattern by Tinna Thórudóttir Thorvaldsdóttir can be found on Ravelry:

(https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saga-6).

♥ Marion is making hexagons and she's included some darker shades in with my Springfrost palette. I love how she's kept all the centres white so they look like snowflakes - so pretty.

♥ Rain shared this photo on Facebook of her Springtide blanket in progress, and I'm loving how these soft colours are working up with the original Yuletide square pattern.

♥ BK is using the Springfrost yarn pack to make this very striking Clamshell stitch blanket. The pattern is by Sandra Paul and is free on her Cherry Heart blog >>

https://www.cherryheartcrochet.co.uk/2019/07/clamshell-stitch-tutorial.html

♥ Laura (@goslingandplumb) is also using one of Sandra's patterns with her Springfrost colours - this is the start of a Battenberg blanket using white as the main shade, isn't it pretty? You can find this pattern on Sandra's blog too >>

https://www.cherryheart.co.uk/2018/12/battenberg-blanket.html

♥ Kaz (@kaz_at_frockasaurus) - has done it again! Most of you will probably be familiar with Kaz Hall and her collection of Harmony blankets, especially if you are part of the Hooked on Attic24 facebook group. The blanket above is a lovely alternative Springfrost baby blanket, made using the first four rounds of the original Harmony Granny Square and the join as you go method.

If you are a member of the Hooked on Attic24 Facebook group , Kaz has very generously written up a free PDF chart to help you make this baby blanket and you can find it in the group files.

♥ Kay also made a baby Springfrost blanket and designed her own lovely border for it too. But I think you'll agree that the super-cute Springfrost bunny really steals the show!

♥ Jo, WOW, this really caught my eye on Instagram and I am now impatiently waiting to see those stitches grow. As well as crocheting some solid Springfrost squares for a blanket, Jo is STITCHING her Springfrost yarn onto canvas to make a cushion - amazing or what?! This stitching technique is called Bargello Needlepoint and is traditionally made using tapestry wool on canvas, but what a fantastic idea to use up leftovers of yarn instead.

♥ Lynn (@silverypaws) always has something creative and beautiful on the go, and her Springfrost project is an absolute stunner. She's making a cushion cover using a beautiful design by Jen Tyler (The Floral Hook on Ravelry), and I absolutely adore it. I think this circular design will now very cleverly be turned into a square. You can find the pattern on Ravelry if you feel inspired to create your own, it's called the Moonflower cushion block >>

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/moonflower-11

♥ Nini (@nini.pippilotta) is a huge fan of my Aria blanket design and if you follow her on Instagram you will probably have seen her amazing collection. Let me share with you her Springfrost Aria.....I think in the above photo there is still one more round of squares to be added around the outer edge, but you can already see the radiating Aria colour effect. Nini is using an alternative square pattern (the Fat Flower Granny Square by the very talented David Abel). Similar to Kaz, David is an integral part of the Hooked on Attic24 Facebook group and has shared his square as a free pattern which you can find in the group files (files are displayed in date order, you'll find this one in January 2021)

I have to tell you that at first I was confused by the warm yellow centre of this blanket as I deliberately kept my Springfrost colour palette on the cool side. Nini said she used yellow to represent the Winter Aconite flower which she sees at this time of year in Germany where she lives....

....and when I saw her inspiration collage above, it all made perfect sense. Beautiful!

I hope you enjoyed seeing the creativity and design ideas shared in the Attic24 online community, it makes me so deep-down happy to see you sharing and inspiring as we enjoy crocheting along together, so thank you xxx

Here we are then, more than half way through the Springfrost CAL, and part four this week will add another 18 stripes to your growing blanket. I'm working just one week ahead of you all, so I was busy hooking up part four last week when I was down in Dorset. It was a very welcome way to pass the time, those soothing stitches giving me some much needed comfort at times. 

These soft colours continue to bring some gentle calm into my days and I am very grateful for that I have to say. Calm is good!

Cosy is good too, especially as we've been gripped in a freeeeeezing spell of winter frost and ice this week. I've appreciated having a blanket on my lap very much - it was pretty shivery-cold down in Dorset and there wasn't a mammoth pile of crochet blankets to reach for like I'm used to here at home. How do people manage without crochet blankets??!

Part 4 of Springfrost......ta-dah! I apologise for the weird lighting which makes the bottom half the blanket look a little on the yellow side - I was limited with space at my Dad's house and didn't have good light to work with. In the end, I decided to brave the freeze and take my Springfrost out into the garden.....

....ahh, that's better! This gives you a much better look at the colours in bright natural daylight, but please do me a favour and pretend you can't see the rough fence backdrop? 

At the end of part four, you'll have 69 stripes and your blanket should be looking and behaving in a very pleasing blankety manner. Oh, I do so love growing a blanket, don't you?! It's just so bloomin' satisfying!

Yummy. These Springfrost colours are veeeeery yummy.

Here is the colour info for Part 4 of the Springfrost Blanket. Click on the following link for the printable worksheet...

🌸 PART 4 COLOUR WORKSHEET

Remember that this list of colours refers to the stripes, so crochet two rows of each colour.

52. Spearmint 

53. White

54. Pale Rose

55. Mushroom

56. Blue Marl

57. Powder Pink

58. Duck Egg

59. Meadow

60. Baby Blue

61. Pistachio

62. A Hint of Silver

63. Parma Violet

64. Wisteria

65. Lincoln

66. Powder Pink

67. Pale Rose

68. White

69. Spearmint

NOTE : If you are making a larger double/king blanket with two yarn packs, there will be an extra set of stripes given in part 6 for you to add on if you wish.

🌸 PART 4 COLOUR WORKSHEET

I'm sending you calm and cosy vibes, I hope these yummy stripes bring you some contented moments this week.

x

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

♥ SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

♥ SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST PDF PATTERN

♥ CAL PART 1 : stripes 1-15

♥ CAL PART 2 : stripes 16-33

♥ CAL PART 3 : stripes 34-51

 

 

Springfrost Blanket CAL :: Part 3

Hellooo! I'm really happy to be here chatting blankety things with you this morning, and I hope you're all doing OK out there in whatever weather the planet is dishing up to you. It's been a very chilly week here, and I've wondered (not for the first time) how non-hooky folks cope without a pile of crochet blankets to tuck into when the temperature falls? In my house, my blankets are piled on every piece of furniture, so if you're sitting or sleeping then you'll have a handmade blanket to cosy under. They feel like such an essential part of home life, and with each passing year I appreciate them more and more.

We are also blessed to have an open fire to see us through the cold half of the year, and lighting it is a daily ritual which fills me with a deep sense of gratitude. Lighting up time is usually around 3pm on weekdays as I like to sit down right next to it and enjoy an afternoon cuppa when Little B comes home from school. It's one of my favourite times of day, that lull between 3 and 4 when I often sit and chat to the Little People before I need to start thinking about getting started on making dinner.

My three o'clock sit-down is also the perfect time to have my crochet in my lap so I can add a few rows to my growing blanket while I chat with the fam. It's such a pleasure, a time to unwind and relax while also managing to feel just weeeeny bit smugly productive! Its a great combination - relaxing productivity - and gives me the happy feels right deep down into my soul. I hope that if you're crocheting along with me this season, that you feel the same way, it's such a blessing.

I know that many of you who join in with this crochet along aren't in the northern hemisphere at all, and you're dealing with rising temperatures instead of falling ones. It must be strange for you to try and imagine the sub-zero freeze that we're experiencing here, just as I honestly can't imagine feeling the heat right now?!

We are in the grip of a very cold Winterfrost in the UK, and as pretty as it is, I'm still really looking forward to a little more warmth and colour. I find myself looking for colour everywhere I go, searching out signs of seasonal growth....

....and every so often I'm lucky enough to find it. What a delight! I often walk past these trees on my way home from town, and right now they are bravely flowering with the prettiest, "Powder Pink" winter blossom. It honestly doesn't look real - so delicate and fragile in this harsh weather, but oh, so very beautiful. 

Seeing the blossom made me think again about my Springfrost colours, and how surprising it is that I'm loving such pale, delicate shades.

I'm usually all about the bright colours as you know, and this colour palette really is an unexpected delight I have to say! 

This week I've gathered together some really lovely photos for you from my travels through the online Attic community, and I'm sure they'll spark some inspiration. They feature Springfrost blankets which use alternative colour palettes - you know I'm always in support of you using my patterns and joining in with the CAL with whatever colours make you happy. Creativity is to be celebrated, and it's a genuine joy to see you taking my patterns and making them your own.

♥ Becka is using the Fireside yarn pack for her blanket, and as you can see it already has the all important Kitty Stamp of Approval. If the Fireside stripes appeal to you, you can find a suggested colour order on my blog ((here)).

♥ Mary-Joyce has taken her stripes on a coastal journey and is using the Coast yarn pack for her blanket.

♥ Christine decided the Hydrangea yarn pack would work well with this pattern and I agree, it looks wonderful. The spike stitches really help to blend the colours which is especially effective when there are quite strong contrasts.

♥ Jo is taking the Cosy route with her blanket and it looks scrumptious! The Cosy yarn pack is available from Wool Warehouse if you love the look of these colours together.

♥ Rebekah has chosen a Woodland theme for her blanket and has put together a warm, earthy colour palette which works ever so well.

♥ Anja has been hooking along and busting her stash, creating a wonderful blanket with a vintage vibe.

♥ Lisa has chosen a cool palette of blues, greens and purples, adding in some pops of bright pink to bring it to life. It's a gorgeous collection of colours and the blanket is already looking fabulous.

♥ Sandra has also chosen her own cool colours - such beautiful harmony with a real wintry feel to it.

♥ Joke is embracing the random approach using yarn from her stash, and the result is an absolute delight - so joyful, I love it.

♥ Samantha - ahhhhh, this photo made my heart leap!! A gorgeous sweep of rainbow brights, and now I'm ItcHiNg to see the greens swell into the blues...it's going to be LUSH!

♥ Wendy has chosen to use yarn she already had, the majority of it being 4ply. She is holding two strands together to achieve the thickness of DK weight, and the result is absolutely beautiful - those multicoloured strands mixed in with the solid shades make the colours look rich and jewel-like.

x

THANK YOU so, so much for sharing your photos on social media via the Facebook groups and on Instagram (using the hashtag #springfrostcal enables us all to find them on insta). Being able to see your newly fledged blankets is such a hugely enjoyable part of the crochet-along experience for me, it really makes me incredibly happy. Keep taking photos, and keep sharing them, it really is appreciated by so many.

Now lets take a little look at this weeks addition to the Springfrost and see what Part 3 adds to the mix. As you work your way through this middle section of stripes, you'll begin to notice your crochet really turn into something blankety. It starts to drape and fold as you work on it, covering your lap in the most deliciously cosy way as you gently hook more rows.

The more blankety your blanket becomes, the more you may notice it attracting attention from family members. Who can resist a set of soft stripes which promise comfort and warmth??!

In part three, the colours continue to blend and harmonise, and the delicate shades work together so beautifully....

....I particularly swooned over this little bit where part 2 joins with the start of part 3 (stripes 31 - 37), oh, those pretty, pretty colours!! 

By the time you swing into part 3, you should be finding the pattern has embedded itself into your grey matter so that you are free to hook away without too much concentration needed. It's the perfect pattern for relaxation and a spot of yarn therapy, and I hope it's bringing you comfort if you are in need. Also....can we take a moment to appreciate how very cosy these stripes are - oh, they are so hugely squishable, and once you come through part 3 this week then you'll have enough of a blanket to deliver some warmth if you need it too.

↑↑ This is how the Springfrost will look once you've completed part 3. We'll be adding on an additional 18 stripes again this week which will take you to around about the half way mark.

Here is the colour info for Part 3 of the Springfrost Blanket. Click on the following link for the printable worksheet...

🌸 PART 3 COLOUR WORKSHEET

Remember that this list of colours refers to the stripes, so crochet two rows of each colour.

34. A Hint of Silver

35. Pale Rose

36. Pistachio

37. Lincoln

38. White

39. Cloud Blue

40. Meadow

41. Blue Marl

42. Powder Pink

43. Duck Egg

44. Parma Violet

45. Spearmint

46. Wisteria

47. Lincoln

48. A Hint of Silver

49. Cloud Blue

50. Parma Violet

51. Pistachio

NOTE : If you are making a larger double/king blanket with two yarn packs, there will be an extra set of stripes given in part 6 for you to add on if you wish.

🌸 PART 3 COLOUR WORKSHEET

I'm wishing you a wonderfully peaceful and gentle week - remember January is made for a slow pace, and a little bit of hibernation (with your crochet) at this time of year is to be embraced. Enjoy the drift of your days!

x

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

♥ SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

♥ SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST PDF PATTERN

♥ CAL PART 1 : stripes 1-15

♥ CAL PART 2 : stripe 16-33

 

 

January Moments

♥ Stopping on top of the moor for a blast of fresh air on our way home from a walk.

♥ Loving the peaceful view out across the valley, and that lonesome, windswept tree.

♥ Making some gentle plans for the year ahead.

♥ Celebrating Little B's thirteenth birthday - we have a TEENager!!!

♥ Carnations and eucalyptus from my festive bouquet still going strong.

♥ Healthy(ish) eating, in amongst a lot of carb-heavy comfort food. Hello, hot buttered toast.

♥ Sunday morning coffee and crochet in bed...bliss.

♥ Afternoons and evenings spent beside the fire with my Springfrost blanket.

♥ Walking with J yesterday morning after a brief snow shower. It was oh-so-cold.

♥ The snow-sprinkled woodland was very wintry and very pretty.

♥ Bench. With snow sprinkles. J made me get all arty with my angles :)

♥ The snow didn't last long because joy of joys, the sun came out - HAPPY ME!!!!

♥ Attempting to take a blue photo for Blue Monday (Instagram stuff) - the kitty assisted.

♥ More blues up above, such a boost for my light-deprived brain and very much appreciated.

♥ Noticing the slowly lengthening days - 4.30pm and still light now. Gosh, it feels good.

.

We're just over half way through January and I've been trying very hard to capture the good moments that catch my eye and lift my spirits in this tricky month. Mostly I've been spending a lot of time at home keeping warm, pottering about the place and feeling just a little bit drifty, if you know what I mean. It's not a bad thing for January I don't think - I do like the slow approach to the start of the year, no real rush to do things and lots of time for gentle drifting and pondering.

We've had a lot of yuck weather so far this month. Huge amounts of rain, oh so many grey, greeeeeyyy wet days resulting in equally huge amounts of mud. But this week there has been a change and we're back to sub-zero temperatures and bright, icy, snowy showers which has felt pretty good actually. And the sun! YAY!! Our daylight hours are increasing and it's very noticeable now at the end of the day especially.

Thanks goodness for my Springfrost blanket and the structure of my crochet-along which keeps me feeling productive and creative and connected during these slow, hibernating kind of weeks. The connection into social media during my CALs is hugely time consuming but it makes me feel so, so good. So much feel-good, and I'm really thankful for it I can tell you.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) I'm heading down to Dorset for a week  - Lady B is going to be away for a while and my Dad really needs round the clock company these days. I'm taking my laptop and will write my Friday CAL post while I'm there, so praying that technology is on my side and I can get connected to the interwebs and make it all happen like magic. 

I hope January is treating you gently and that you are finding time to potter and ponder and take it as slow as you like. Sending my love to you all...thank you so much for calling in to visit and leave me your words in the comments, I love to hear how you are and what you're up to so do send some chatter my way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Springfrost Blanket CAL :: Part 2

It's been very grey and dismal here in my part of the world and we've had a huge amount of rainfall during the past week. The little beck is close to overflowing, the fields on the outskirts of town are flooded and footpaths are soggy and muddy. It's the kind of weather I know to expect in winter but still, I can't help myself longing for some bright, sunny cold frosty days instead of the endless shades of dim grey. Yesterday afternoon I happened to look out of the window just as a huge arc of a rainbow was gently fading away above the rooftops, and it really made me smile in that moment. A tiny little glimmer of colour in a day that was wild and stormy from start to finish.

Back in December at the start of the winter season, we had a week or two of very cold weather where the temperatures fell well below zero and pretty much everything that stood still for long enough was covered in a delicate layer of ice. Even on those days when we walked through a freezing murky fog, it was enchanting to see how the trees and hedgerows were transformed into beautiful white icy sculptures. 

I know that signs of Spring will slowly, slowly creep in as the weeks unfold now, and I'm looking forward to going in search of it....I guess it won't be too much longer before the first snowdrops appear and I'm all for it. 

I've spent a lot of time on social media this past week and  from all the photos I've seen I know there are a good many of you joining me on this blanket journey and I hope that you've enjoyed getting started with your stripes. I would like to thank you all so much for sharing your progress online and for all the heart warming friendship and support you've freely given to our online groups, it's been absolutely wonderful to see.

If you aren't already a part of the Attic24 Facebook community, I can highly recommend it if you're looking for some friendly banter and to join up with hundreds of other hooksters all over the world. You can share photos of your blanket progress, pick up lots of handy hints and tips and chat to your hearts content. There are three groups on Facebook to look out for :

Hooked on Attic24

Attic24 and Lots More - UK

Just Attic24 Friends

These groups are very active and friendly, and you'd be made so welcome if you wanted to join in (please do make sure you answer all questions when you submit your joining request as the admins won't be able to accept you into the group if you don't). I'd like to say a massive heart-felt thank you to the fabulous folks who administrate these groups and take care of the day to day running of them, I am so grateful to them.

I love the excitement that surrounds the start of a new blanket and it's always a wonderful experience for me to see what you make of my colours and designs. I know that so many of you look forward to this annual crochet along as a way to start the new year with some gentle creativity and I'm really happy that I can help you with that! As soon as my yarn packs go on sale in November, the buzz on social media is tangible - the Attic24 community really is something very special. 

I hope that after the first week of the CAL that you are all well underway and enjoying these soft, winter-spring colours that I've drawn together for you. I've enjoyed seeing you gather in your supplies and setting off on your Springfrost journey, and the various ways in which you are keeping your colours in check (thank you to Michele for the above image) have made me smile. 

As you know, I do like to include some of your photos each week in celebration of our crochet community and the fabulous sharing across Facebook and Instagram which makes the crochet-along experience extra special. Today I want to inspire you with some images which show the Springfrost colour palette being used in some very creative ways - stripes obviously aren't for everybody!!

I've seen quite a few Yuletide blankets being given the Springfrost treatment, and Jane's photo above gives you a taste of how absurdly pretty this combination is going to be. I think we are collectively calling this blanket "Springtide" which is absolutely brilliant.

Chris is also making some Springtide squares, crocheting the first nine rounds of the Yuletide pattern for hers. She has a really inspirational Instagram account (@krafty_kris3) which is definitely worth a follow.

Sandra is also going the square route and making her Springfrost colours into an Aria blanket. I'm really excited for this as she is taking on the Aria colour story and working from the centre outwards (think pale pink shades in the centre, radiating out through the frosty purples, greens and blues).

Nikii (@nikiiloops) stopped me in my tracks with these square beauties on Instagram, wow, aren't they amazing?! They are made using the tapestry crochet technique and the pattern by Tinna Thórudóttir Thorvaldsdóttir can be found on Ravelry:

(https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saga-6).

Beautiful work Nikii.

Aside from the square variations, I've also spotted some alternative stripes and they really do look lovely in the soft Springfrost shades. Helen is making a Seaside Stashbuster blanket designed by Eleanora of Coastal Crochet - you can find the pattern ((here))

Sharon is going miniature and making beautiful, tiny rows of moss stitch. I think she said this is going to be a baby blanket because there will be an awful lot of rows.....it's going to look unbelievably pretty.

And finally, not stripes, not squares, but something in the round caught my eye - the start of a Mandala Madness blanket. Hayley is using a fabulous pattern by Helen Shrimpton (pattern details can be found here) and I think "Springfrost Madness" sounds like a lot of fun!

Seeing your photos and all the creativity flowing is always a huge part of the CAL for me, I LOVE to see what you make of my designs and how many of you have the confidence to grow your ideas and make your own unique blankets come to life. Oh, I almost forgot, I really want to show you this image..........

....I saw this on Facebook and was really struck by the simple beauty of it - Lydia is taking inspiration from the sky and has put together her own "Winterfrost" colour palette.

Next week I'll be sharing more alternative colour palettes, I've seen some wonderful stash-bust colours coming together with the Springfrost stitch pattern. More next week.

So lets take a look at the next part of the Springfrost blanket - we're going to be working 18 stripes this week. 

I hope that you've all settled into the pattern and are loving the easy, soothing stripes as they gently grow in your hands. I've read that a lot of you are really appreciating the therapeutic nature of this simple pattern, and I totally get it - me too! I'm working my own blanket just a week ahead of you so am joining in with the CAL each week and it's bringing me so much comfort.

Week two continues with the soft, cool spring colours gently growing. I have to confess that this is a deceptively complex colour palette to balance and I've worked hard to put these fifteen colours into a very soothing, harmonious order. I think looking at it all spread out - so far, so good!

I still can't get over the insanely satisfying texture of this stitch, it really is lush. I can tell you the kitty definitely approves of the squishiness and I've lost count of the times I've found her sitting on my stripes. She's a good blanket tester, followed closely by Little B who is constantly wrapped up in crochet whenever he is sitting downstairs.

Here is the colour info for Part 2 of the Springfrost Blanket. Click on the following link for the printable worksheet...

🌸 PART 2 COLOUR WORKSHEET

Remember that this list of colours refers to the stripes, so crochet two rows of each colour.

16. Wisteria 

17. Cloud Blue

18. Pale Rose

19. Lincoln

20. Baby Blue

21. A Hint of Silver

22. Duck Egg

23. White

24. Mushroom

25. Pistachio

26. Spearmint

27. Blue Marl

28. Powder Pink

29. Parma Violet

30. Meadow

31. Baby Blue

32. Wisteria

33. Mushroom

NOTE : If you are making a larger double/king blanket with two yarn packs, there will be an extra set of stripes given in part 6 for you to add on if you wish.

🌸 PART 2 COLOUR WORKSHEET

I hope you have a really peaceful and gentle week ahead and that these comforting stripes bring you some happy moments. Enjoy the hooky therapy!

x

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

♥ SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

♥ SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST PDF PATTERN

♥ CAL PART 1 : stripes 1-15

 

 

Springfrost Blanket CAL :: Part 1

Gooooood Mooooorning my lovelies, Happy New Year, and happy CAL day!!!!! It seems like an age since I first started chatting to you about my inspiration and ideas for this years blanket, and I'm so happy that we're starting the year with some pretty colours and gentle creativity, just what the soul needs in January. Just in case you missed my introductory blog post, you can find it by clicking the following link >>

🌸 SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

My hope is that you'll enjoy these weekly instalments even if you're not a crocheter and not into making blankets (hmm....are there really any non-blanketeers visiting the Attic?!). I will be sharing lots of gentle colours and seasonal inspiration as we plod our way slowly through January and February and I hope it'll make your heart happy. 

This colour palette is very different to my usual jaunty brights and I am absolutely loving the delicate, soft, gentle feel of it. It's like turning your face into the low winter sun and feeling a welcome warmth even when the air is still freezing. Its refreshing and soothing, and very uplifting too - a weeny glimmer of Spring in the depths of our cold winter season.

As is usual for my blankets, I've chose fifteen shades of Stylecraft Special DK for my Springfrost blanket

Top row :

♥ Lincoln ♥  Duck Egg ♥  White ♥  A Hint of Silver ♥  Mushroom ♥

Middle row :

♥ Pistachio ♥ Spearmint ♥ Blue Marl* ♥ Parma Violet ♥ Powder Pink ♥

Bottom row :

♥ Meadow ♥ Cloud Blue ♥  Baby Blue* ♥ Wisteria ♥ Pale Rose ♥

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

🌸 SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

A little reminder for you to make a note of the colours so that you don't have any mix-ups, the colour names are written on the ball bands. In the Springfrost colour palette, some of the paler shades can look very similar especially in artificial light (eg Parma Violet and Mushroom can be easy to mix up).

I really love using these wooden shade cards to keep a note of the colours, they are very photogenic too! My lovely friend Veronica makes and sells them via her Etsy shop, you can find them ((HERE)). She has cards for many of my other yarn packs too, so you could collect them if you wish.

I use my trusty wooden yarn pegs to keep a check on my colours, I keep them in a little drawstring bag with my yarn balls so that I've always got them to refer to if I need them. 

For those of you who have made CAL blankets with me before then you will be familiar with the schedule. If this is your first time, here is a quick rundown of the weeks....

Today you have access to the pattern which remains free and accessible here on my blog for ever so that you can use it whenever you like. Each week I'll be giving you a list of stripes so that you can work on a portion of the blanket, and we aim to make 15-18 stripes a week. Don't worry if this isn't do-able for you, you can absolutely work at your own pace and take a decade to do it if you need to! 

🌸 PART 1 : stripes 1-15 - that's what we're going to look at today

🌸 PART 2 : stripes 16 - 33 (13th Jan)

🌸 PART 3 : stripes 34 - 51 (20th Jan)

🌸 PART 4 : stripes 52 - 69 (27th Jan)

🌸 PART 5 : stripes 70 - 87 (3rd Feb)

🌸 PART 6 : stripes 88 - 105 (10th Feb)

🌸 PART 7 : catch up (darn in those ends!) (17th Feb)

🌸 PART 8 : the border (24th Feb)

As always, I've created my usual photo-heavy tutorial to help you crochet your tension sample and learn how to create the Springfrost stripe. You can find it by clicking on the following link >>

🌸 SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL 

I've 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 >>

🌸 SPRINGFROST PDF PATTERN 

I know that some of you may find the thought of crocheting and counting a looooooong wiggly chain and then crocheting that first row a bit daunting. Here are a few tips to help you get off to an easy start...

1. use a bigger hook size to make your chain, then switch down again to work your first row. You can go up two half-sizes to open up the chains a little (eg if you're going to use a 4mm hook for the blanket, make the chain using a 5mm).
2. take your time, and plan to make this first row when you can sit quietly and be completely undisturbed as you count and concentrate on the pattern.
3. make sure you have good light to start your blanket.
4. use stitch markers. You will need to have an accurate chain count for this to work, there is no room for errors. Make your chains slowly, evenly, and place stitch markers at regular intervals, say every 25 chains. This way, if your mind suddenly goes blank (it happens), or the cat distracts you and you lose count (also a distinct possibility in my house), you only have to go back as far as your last stitch marker.

Once your first few rows are out the way, I'm confident that you'll be sailing along these pretty rows and enjoying every minute of it. The pattern is easy to learn with very little counting, and once the initial pattern is set then every stripe is the same. All you need to do is change colours every alternate row and enjoy the hooky rhythm.

By the way, I'd be interested to hear what you make of the white in this blanket?! It's the first time I've ever included it in one of my blankets and I'm still getting used to it, but it does bring a beautifully cool, frosty winter's touch to the whole colour palette.

One thing I LOVE about the Springfrost stitch pattern is the beautiful texture it creates, it really is one of the most squishy and cosy blankets I've ever made.

The spike stitches do a great job of blending and harmonising the stripes, and the delicate shades I've put together have a very calm and soothing effect. But also --- just LOOK at how beautifully bobbly and lush the texture is!! Love love love it.

In part 1 of the CAL we are using all the colours and crocheting up the first fifteen stripes. 

Here is the colour info for Part 1 of the Springfrost Blanket. Click on the following link for the printable worksheet...

🌸 PART 1 COLOUR WORKSHEET

1. Cloud Blue (Foundation chain & rows 1 & 2)

2. Parma Violet (rows 3 & 4)

3. Blue Marl (rows 5 & 6)

4. Spearmint (rows 7 & 8)

5. Wisteria (rows 9 & 10)

6. Mushroom (rows 11 & 12)

7. Duck Egg (rows 13 & 14)

8. White (rows 15 & 16)

9. Lincoln (rows 17 & 18)

10. Pale Rose (rows 19 & 20)

11. Powder Pink (rows 21 & 22)

12. Pistachio (rows 23 & 24)

13. A Hint of Silver (rows 25 & 26)

14. Baby Blue (rows 27 & 28)

15. Meadow (rows 29 & 30)

NOTE : If you are making a larger double/king blanket with two yarn packs, you will need to crochet some extra length. There will be an extra set of stripes given in part 6 for you to add on if you wish.

This year, after much deliberation and an awful lot of frustrated sampling, I decided not to create a Colourwash version for the Springfrost colour palette. The reason being, I just couldn't find a way to make it work harmoniously. With white added into the mix it's a tricky palette to balance and nothing I worked on felt right. I hope you trust me in this - I just didn't feel comfortable giving you something that I wasn't 110% delighted with. 

I know there were those of you hoping for a colourwash blanket and I hate to disappoint you - I'm so sorry it didn't work out. If you really like the idea of a colourwash sweep, then one option is to create a repeating pattern with the Springfrost colours, as in my sample above. If this appeals, then you should work the colours in the following order (from top to bottom in the above image)

Wisteria : Parma Violet : A Hint of Silver : Mushroom : Pale Rose : Powder Pink : White : Blue Marl : Baby Blue : Cloud Blue : Duck Egg : Spearmint : Lincoln : Pistachio : Meadow

Once you've crocheted up all fifteen colours, simply repeat them in the same order so that you end up with wide, repeating bands of stripes, does this make sense?

I really hope you enjoy starting out on this journey with me, I honestly can't think of a better way to begin a new year.

Please do share your photos on social media as I'd love to see how you get on - you can share on my Facebook page, or use the hashtag #springfrostcal on Instagram so I can find you.

Wishing you a week full of happy moments with hook and yarn!

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♥ SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

♥ SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST PDF PATTERN

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

♥ PART 1 COLOUR WORK SHEET