Fresh Yarn

I find lots of things immensely exciting.

Not just mildy exciting, but ImMENseLy exciting.

And more often than not, it's the Little pleasures in life that make me feel the most excited. Yes, lots and lots and lots of Little Things, on a daily basis, make me so-so-so ThRiLLeD that at times I do begin to wonder if i am at all normal. Surely it can't be right to feel so deeply and passionately excited about flowers, sky, a bit of cake, a cushion, buttons, a picture, yarn?  But that seems to be the way I am. I think I've always been this way, but I think it's also fair to say that through writing my blog, my awareness of these feelings has very much been enhanced.

Its also fair to say that through reading other people's blogs, I have thankfully realised I am not alone. I may not be entirely normal, but hip-hip-hoooray, there are other people who actually think and feel the same way I do. Quite a relief actually·

Today I'd like to share with you one of my never-ever-ever-ending passionately-immensely exciting experiences :: fresh yarn. Oh!! Oh oh oh!!!!!!!! Nothing quite compares to the thrill of amassing  a fresh yarn stash and then teetering with it on the edge of a brand new project. It's one of my greatest pleasures.

 

And this particular fresh yarn stash is giving me more pleasure than I care to admit.

As I mentioned to you the other day, this is Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. It's a fabulous, luxurious yarn, finer than I'm used to working with (its 4ply as opposed to dk weight) and I'm working it on a 3.5mm hook. It is quite simply Divine.

Now most of this yarn-stash of mine has been sitting in the Attic for quite some time, since the Spring in fact. You may remember me writing about it way back in April (scroll down to the end of that post, it's a long one!). I was lucky enough to purchase a bag of it in a Sale, and as this is expensive yarn to buy at normal retail price, I do feel incredibly blessed to have accumulated this stash at Sale Price. However, the colours I bought in the sale just weren't quite right for me, and I couldn't think quite what I wanted to do with it at the time. So I waited. Kept it in it's brown paper bag and waited for the time to be right to embark on a project with it.

And that time is now.

On Wednesday I got all the yarn out and had a really good look at the colours. I decided I needed some deeper/stronger tones to balance out the pastels, so off I trotted forthwith to the shops to purchase such colours. I only needed three more to add to what I already had, making sixteen colours in total, and I'm really, really, really happy with them.

I'll give you the details now, just so you know.....the above picture, top row, left to right ::

17  discontinued, but can be replaced with colour 18 [pale green]

02 [leaf]

16 [sea green]

202 [pale blue]

204 [baby blue]

031 [turquoise]

032 [cornflower]

10 [soft purple]

Bottom row, left to right ::

700 [red]

023 [burnt orange]

602 [rich pink]

07 [wine]

14 [plum]

13 [grape]

06 [rose]

03 [mint green] not pictured, sorry!

And so my current WiP? Quite predictable I'm afraid, it's another blanket.

Yes, I'm blanket-making again, I just can't help myself. I really love-love-love making blankets and begin to feel bereft unless I've got one on the go. After much deliberation as to what variety of blanket to make this time, I decided to go back to basics, back to my first love and make a simple Granny Squares blanket. I flirted with the idea of trying a babette, but decided in the end that simple was best, and so basic grannies it is.

This is going to be another baby-sized blankie I think, a cot blanket for Bump24.

 

And I'm super-pleased about how this little blankie is coming together. I'm joining them as-I-go (ohh the joy of this method!!), making five-rounds with three colours for each square.

I was inspired by some very lovely afghans I came across in Blogland recently, or as Linda calls them "Lapacuddlyghans"...the simplicity of the design really appealed to me, and I love the way that the colours work together when they are used in double rows rather than single rows. I think the bigger the blanket grows, the more effective this pattern of colour is going to look.

I began hooking this blanket in the very early hours of yesterday morning, around 3.30am when I was having another one of my wide-awake spells. I tell you, my body clock is sooo skew-whiff at the moment!

And a few more added on this morning, to make nine so far...........

 

......what do you think? Do you like the way the colours work together??

I'm going to be writing out a tutorial soon for making basic granny squares (did i mention that already?), for those of you who are new to the joyous fun of crochet, this is an excellent way to start. 

Right...off to have a cuppa and sneak a little square or two in before the school run.

Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you next week..

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[Esther Bray]

Please can you tell me where is the crotchet pattern for the baby granny square blanket.

[Shara Cameron]

Hi Lucy, I love your blog, I am a recent convert to crochet after years of knitting. I am having a lovely time planning my first granny squares blanket. In this post you mention writing a tutorial for basic granny squares, just wondering if I can find this anywhere? I really like these squares. I am crocheting summer garden squares at the moment to make into an ipad bag. Shara

[Susan Cannizzaro]

HI,
I just love your work and colors, they are so beautiful.. I have bookmarked your site. You are so crafty.
You showed an afghan that I just love. The granny ripple afghan.
Do you have the pattern for it? I would love to have it If I could please.
Thanks so much for showing your lovely work.

[Arda from Canada]

HI Lucy,

Thanks for teaching me to crochet!! You've given me the courage to buy lots of yarn (starting with cotton) and make a granny square blanket for my 6 yr old daughter (my boys are jealous). I'm making the one with the summer garden square, but I really love the new one you're working on. Have you posted the pattern to that one yet? I love the way you go step by step, and I can really follow them. Sometimes the crochet books just assume you know the lingo, and its frustrating. Thanks again, and looking forward to that pattern (if you get the chance).

[julia]

Hi Lucy
Me encanta tu blog
está lleno de vida y de calma.
Congratulations

[JJ]

I think bump 24 may in fact be the luckiest baby-to-be in the world...!!

[barbara]

happy, happy birthday (I'm in my 40 now!). Thanks for your blog, it was sooo inspiring that I took back my hooks from my closet and started a blanket (25 squares done by now!) I love your tutorials and hope to see more soon!

[Sally]

Hi Lucy
have a look at the Anthropologie site under homewares and see the crocheted blanket - it's so you yet your colours are more vibrant - sort of Babette meets Attic 24! xxx

[Rhondi]

Hi Lucy
I love visiting you because you always have colors that make me smile. I am like you in that I get very excited over little things too, like 2 bluebirdsa at our birdbath today just having a great time splashing in the water. I just sat and watched them for the longest time.
Hugs, Rhondi

[Michelle]

thought you might like a little something colorful for your desktop =]

http://media.photobucket.com/image/rainbow/dazmeh/Rainbow-2.png?o=421

[little pink room]

Amazing. So, when are you going to have a crochet book out?! Your crochet is simply lovely, I bet there are thousands out there that don't read blogs that would absolutely love your designs. A x

[Priya]

Hi Lucy

I've just completed reading all the blogs you wrote till today and I have to say YOU ARE AMAZING... A genius with words!!! and you've inspired me sooo much with your point of view of little things....

I'm not a native of England [though am a British citizen now]. I’m from India where we get sun and hot weather 365 days. when I came to Bolton in 2001 February I was shocked by the cold and wet weather and wasn’t happy at all. 8yrs on and I still wasn’t happy with the weather situation in this country untill a couple of weeks ago...the change is due to you. I found your blog and you showed me how to appreciate the sunny and dry days we get here rather than moan about the wet and cold days. as I said I live in Bolton and I too can see a bit of hill[Bury I think] thru my window. so now a days I wake up and try to see what the view's like :-)

My hubby's not an outdoor sort of person. he prefers to sit on the sofa with his laptop [he works in IT] but now a days I try to drag him out to enjoy the views and I try to find something to be glad from it all.. THANKS A WHOLE BUNCH for inspiring me so. My son's so going to benefit from it I’m sure.

Do keep doing what you do best [colorful crochet, weather comments, flower pictures....]. Everyday I come to work and first thing I do is check your blog site. I only check my emails and works after I’ve been to your site :-) I get my whole days inspiration and happy feeling by just being to your place.

I’ve been wanting to try crocheting for a long time now. I’ve done some cross stitching & quilting. I've tried knitting and failed miserably. next up is crocheting. again you have inspired me...[I think I’ve used the word inspire at least 4 times by now..].

I mean it from the bottom of my heart that YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION.

Also congratulations on your Bump24.

Thanks a lot.

[The Curious Cat]

ooo tutorial? Exciting - what sort of needles, yarn do we need? I'm so clueless!

I think it is lovely that you get such pleasure out of the small things in life -it is wonderful! xxx

[karen]

I have just discovered your blog and it makes me smile. Love all the colour and joy that you bring. Also excited to have discovered you as I am itching to learn crochet and you are an inspiration to get going. Thank you for sharing so much colour

[Szera]

Your blog is very nice and fun!

[kaylovesvintage]

wonderful colors I love Debbie Bliss

[Wendy Wager]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY!
Greetings on your special day and I hope it is especially lovely and your family make a big fuss of you. x

[Amanda]

I wish I had a yarn stash like yours! Your colors always make me smile. I'm also jealous, your bump is smaller than mine, I feel like a whale!

[Linda]

I am sooo excited about your granny tutorial as I have been trying to do it for so long and just can't seem to get the hang of it and seems everyone gets it except me!!!! I would be over the moon if I could make grannies :)thank you

[Woo]

Wow!! I just found your blog via Donna Flower and I just love your use of colour. I am a crochet novice but your blog is so inspiring I want to try more now!

[Julie]

Beautiful yarn and beautiful colours!

[Leone]

I love looking at your blog, it is so full of colour and beautiful hand made treasures.I think I had better get out my hook and learn how to crochet. Would you have the pattern for a rug that starts in the corner and you kmake it like a diamond shape? Can you point me in the right direction to find the pattern. Many thanks
Leone

[Penny]

Lovely to drop in here for a colour fix! The blanket is looking beautiful!

[Beth Elmore]

Love, love, love the colors! Granny squares are my favorite crochet pattern and when I found your blog, that is what caught my eye first. I taught myself to crochet last year and I made a granny square blanket. I was heart-broken when the squares began to fall apart. I had even crocheted the squares together. It came apart everywhere that I changed colors. EVERYWHERE!! I was so upset. I don't have anyone to ask this--am I supposed to tie knots? Tight knots? I've looked on the internet for a tutorial on changing colors, but they aren't specific. To me it looks like a simple slip stitch, which is what I did. I haven't attempted another granny square since my huge failure, so any help you could give me would be great.

[Hunter]

Hello I am Keri's dauter Hunter. She always tell me to come to your blog that it is always so pretty!! Now I know what she is talking about!LOL:o) I hope you have time to read my comment but if you don't I under stand. ( Plus you have alot of comments!LOL)

-Hunter-