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

[The Garden Bell - Kate]

Wow... I'm gone one week and you've already found another winner with your beautiful stash of yarn. The reds are pure delight like a bunch of apples just picked from the trees, the greens remind me of all the beautiful trees and those blues are the colors of the water in the lake.

Ok, so I just got back from Door County and you should know your blog was one a ran to after a week without basically anything but talk radio up in the woods......

Nothing better than returning to civilization and some beautiful eye candy yarn from Lucy... It's looking great...

773 pictures to go through.... ickes.. I'm in trouble...

Keep us posted on how you like this yarn...

Big Hugs,
Kate - The Garden Bell
xoxoxoxoxoxxo

[Susan]

Hi Lucy I love your new yarn and the blanket too! And as I take ( weird ?) pictures of sky and sunsets, clouds , dew on grass and autumn leaves and my kids groaaaan I can say: but Lucy in attic 24 would do this too!Thank you for sharing these little joys with us.
One little joy I thought I'd mention is: found a LOVELY book for you! Is not what you usually have and you can get it from the library first to see if it suits ....It's called Crochet for babies ( oh I may have misremembered..it's quite new) by Sue Whiting and it has adorable jumpers as well as a puppy pram string that's just sooo cute! I'm making them as toys for the X-mas box children to cheer them up as well as a hat,mittens and a scarf each.( the shoebox of gifts Christmas scheme: do you know it?)
Anyway this book was my little pleasure this week. My BIG HUGE pleasure was the Knitting and Stitching show in London: will you be going to Harrogate? It's mega inspiring for the textile fanatics amongst us! And there is some crochet too!
And of all things I was doing little granny squares on the coach to London! 3 colours per square, 3 rows in DK( but 4 colours so I play a lot) cotton for a bag, to be joined by a contrast grid as I can't decide quick enough what goes where so I'm not joining as I go : it's more relaxing to just play with no decisions of the final outcome!
Fancy that! I go from ripple to granny and you do too....All the best and I'll visit again soon. X smk

[jeane]

so here they are those yarns, lol... i almost forgotten about it, quite alot of happenings at attic for the past few months ya.

im glad u choose to do on doubles. as always, the colors mixture was great. just loves it!

[J]

Hi!
I really love the cushion cover in the picture of your armchair - the one with the tiny squares. It looks like it was knitted, not crocheted.

I'd really like to try to make something similar. Can you point me in the right direction? Did you use a pattern?

Thanks!

[Emma]

It's lovely! The colours work nicely together! It will be a colourful baby! :)

XXX

[Mitsy/ArtMind]

Love all the colors & turn a little green seeing al that yarn goodness! My next blanket will be a granny square too & I'll use wool instead of cotton 'cause it just looks divine!! :)

[fiona]

Colour and nature are fantastically exciting, and I love the way your excitement comes through in your blog. I also love the example you give about writing your blog, where you illustrate how the act of thinking and reflecting on what we do feeds back into it so positively.

[fenouil]

Hello
I really like your work and best i you color combination.Its really very nice.I appreciate you.You have done a great job.Thank you very much for sharing this with us.

[Jude]

Hello Lucy, from sunny Crete.
Still trying to catch up after wedding and internet collapse!!
Many, many congratulations regarding baby news.
I will definitely be needing baby blacket patterns as daughter and son in law are hoping to concieve asap!!
I'm searching internet for sales in baby Debbie Bliss as we speak..
Take care
Jude
x

[Sarah - Jane down the lane]

Oh Lucy, music to my ears perhaps at last I will be able to learn to crochet a Granny Square! If you succeed where others have failed I shall be eternally grateful and may even have to paint something for you! Wow, what a carrot!
The new blanket looks great, I do like the colours A LOT!
Have a lovely weekend,
Sarah x

[Sue]

Hi Lucy. Love all the yarn but what has really caught my eye today is your chequerboard cushion. Is that crocheted as well, or knitted? I'm afraid my crochet skills are pretty poor, though I do try - just can never get the tension right - so fingers crossed that you did it from a knitting pattern. Do please let me know. Sue x

[Anna-Karin, Sweden]

Oh, it really looks so good! Love the grannies. And what a bargain your yarn was (remembered it when I read it). I seem never to have that luck...

Yesterday, before I read your post (I probably would have done just like your new grannies if I read it before...), I started on a blanket with your hex's. Have wondered what to do with my yarn, and now finally decided to do a hex blanket. It's not really so addictive as doing grannies, but they turn out so nice, that I can't stop :)

Have a wonderful weekend Luce, and take care!!!
Anna xxx

[Ger O'Leary]

I was wondering what had happened to that babycashmerino yarn! Ok so now I have to get me some and start my own blanket. Thanks Lucy. Btw belated many congrats on the baba news

[Fruitful Fusion]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[marigold jam]

Lovely Lucy! Thought of you yesterday as I was at the Knitting and Stitching Exhibition at Alexandra Palace and saw a super throw made using the little motifs that you used for your scarf. It looked lovely and light and lacy draped over a Lloyd Loom chair. Didn't have my camera though. I am inspired to try making some of them now - did you ever do a tutorial I wonder? Must search your blog.

That baby is going to have the most beautiful blankets!

Jane

[Mandy]

Oooh, as I do really love your granny squares, I still must say that I can't wait for the day you do a babette!! :-)

[Brenda England]

I too have been inspired to pick up a crochet hook and make granny squares. I haven't done this for years. I am using Red Heart- soft touch in an Amish quilt style, purples, blues, dark green, so on in a black border. Half is done and joined and looks like a quilt. I joined my squares by sewing them together with a yarn needle and yarn. Is there another way to do it by crocheting that I don't know about, Master!
Love your colours for the baby blanket, so fresh.
Brenda in Canada

[sharon-nz]

ahh just love the colours just gorgeous, am making my first blanket A RIPPLE thanks so much for the easy instructions for a novice crocheter - hugs

[Amy Caroline]

You are totally not alone. I am having to wipe the drool off my keyboard after looking at all the glorious yarn of yours.
I just finished a large granny square blanket for a lady I know who is expecting and am loving it. Thinking of making another for another friend of mine who is expecting!!

[Leanna]

Ooohhh... I love love love it! Those colours are wonderful, and Debbie Bliss yarn is scrumptious. I'm ever on the hunt for it on sale!

[Catherine]

Be still my beating heart! It's like looking at sweets in a sweetie shop when I was a child! Yum! yum!

[Peng Peng]

yay i was right about the baby blankie as the new project!! *pat self on the back*

colours are lovely and mellow and sweet like candyland.

can't wait for the tutorial.

I wouldn't dare embark on a project like this. i'm too messy and i won't know how to hide the threads.

see you next week. good weekend lucy. xx.

[Hooked in Hove]

For me it had always been books - you know that new book feel and smell? But yes, yes I get the yarn thing now too that I'm a hooker (ooh-er). I'm off to theknitting and stitching show at Ally Pally tomorrow to get my fix! Bump24 will be so lucky to have your colourful creations hooked with such love.

[lulu]

its lovely already...I just get so giddy with new yarn...love the colors..

[Halfway Crafter]

Yup, there is simply nothing as exciting as having all those lovely colours lined up, ready to start!