Well hello my lovely Peeps, and welcome to the Attic24 Blanket Fest. No particular reason for this little celebration of blankety, hooky goodness today, I'm doing it Just Because.
Just because when I was photographing my sweet flower granny blanket back in January it was a glorious bright sunny day and I got carried away with wanting to photograph things. And a heap of blankets seemed as good a thing as any to point my camera at. You can tell by the above picture that Little B and I had a lot of fun that morning. We both literally dived in to the pile and rolled around in it. It was marvelous!
I didn't even know off the top of my head how many blankets there were altogether, I had to line them up and count them. Eleven. Well I never. That's quite a lot of blankets/yarn/hooky time wouldn't you say? Achieved across the space of three years and five months, I started making my very first blanket in September 2007. Funny to think that it was pre-blog back then, it's hard to remember a time when I made things without writing about them too. Just me, sat at home in front of the computer teaching myself to make a Granny Square. Getting it and getting so excited that I was getting it. Deciding instantly that my first project would be a Big One, a granny square blanket. No scarves or hats or coasters for me, no, I knew straight away that I would be a Maker Of Blankets.
I was lucky at the time in that although I wasn't blogging about the experience, I did have some fabulous friends to share it with (Sarah, Donna, Fiona ♥ forever my hooky buddies). We used to get together on alternate Monday nights, drink tea, eat cake, chatter and crochet. It was the beginning of a life changing experience for me, and honestly I do not say that lightly.
Anyhoooooo.....this isn't meant to be a long winded retrospective. What I really want to do here is to bring all my blankets together in one big visual swoop, with a simple link back into my bloggy archives where they each received their Ta-dah moment. For reference. And for fun.
Here we go then......enjoy!
Blanket # 1 :: Granny Square :: Ta-dah moment February 2008 (pre-blog)
Blanket # 2 :: Ripple :: Ta-dah moment August 2008
Blanket # 3 :: Hexagon :: Ta-dah moment December 2008
Blanket # 4 :: Summer Garden Square :: Ta-dah moment May 2009
Blanket # 5 :: BB :: Ta-dah moment August 2009
Blanket # 6 :: Baby Ripple :: Ta-dah moment September 2009
Blanket # 7 :: Baby Granny Square :: Ta-dah moment November 2009
Blanket # 8 :: Baby zigzag :: Ta-dah moment March 2010
Blanket # 9 :: Baby Vintage Stripe :: Ta-dah moment (sort of) May 2010
Blanket # 10 :: Granny Stripe :: Ta-dah moment July 2010
Blanket # 11 :: Sweet Flower Granny :: Ta-dah moment January 2011
I love each and every one of my blankets with such passion.
Seeing them altogether makes me feel quite overwhelmingly giddy with pride, excitement, memories, love. They are VERY well loved my blankets and very well used too by the whole family. Every single one of them is put through it's paces on a daily basis.
They make one beeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuutiful pile..................
...........although Little B thought they looked better once he had toppled them over.
Finally then....
....for your viewing pleasure....
....a mosaic of Blankety Delight....
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Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing my Blanket Fest with me, it's been a huge bundle of fun.
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Edited to add :: ♥ thank you ♥ so much for all your wonderful warm comments, my heart is soaring reading through them!
I wanted to add a note about learning to crochet for those of you who might be inspired to give it a try. Best way to learn the very basics (ie how to hold hook and yarn and how to control your tension) is to find someone who can sit with your for half an hour and get you started. Its soooo much easier to get this initial bit of learning from a real life person if at all possible. Failing that, I know many of you have found YouTube helpful for this too. Once you can make a chain, there are many resources available to help you learn the basic stitches...I bought myself a small book ("Learn to Crochet" by Sally Harding) and worked through every stitch in turn until I was confident I'd got it. I then moved to the internet to find a basic granny square pattern (this one is very good, but please note it's written in US terms as opposed to English terms, there is a difference!) Hope this is of some help xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dear lady, I am completely smitten with the patterns and use of color! A girl after my own heart! I love how they all pile up like a rainbow gone amok. :) I have to learn how to do a granny square if it's the last thing I do, then maybe I'll have my own pile of fuzzy rainbows! Cheers!
Posted by: Andrina | September 05, 2012 at 01:23 AM
Absolutely beautiful, every single on of them. I wish I was your neighbor, for I would ask you to teach me to crochet.
Posted by: Antoinette | September 04, 2012 at 10:23 PM
I love just looking at them. Reminds me of my mom who made throws like yours.
Posted by: Melanie L Ball | September 04, 2012 at 05:25 PM
Love the color combinations!! Have 3 grand daughters with me today and they all picked an "I Love This One" so I guess I have my new projects selected by them! LOVE your work and it's so inspiring!! Thank you!
Posted by: Suzanne Farrell | August 03, 2012 at 05:14 PM
Where can I buy these?? I want one!
Posted by: becka | July 20, 2012 at 11:14 PM
Would love to have source for the baby zig zag squares. Love your creative crocheting - beautiful colors
Posted by: cynthia poole | June 20, 2012 at 02:57 PM
Lucy, about a year ago this post inspired me to make my own vintage stripe blanket. The finished article came into being just yesterday. I hope you don't mind, but I linked to your home page by way of a thank you for inspiring me.
http://inexpertcrafter.wordpress.com/2012/05/10/its-finished-the-evidence/
Posted by: Dee | May 10, 2012 at 01:25 PM
Dear Lucy, I'm Maria D, I'm brasilian living in Spain since 1992, I have 2 boys 13 and 10 years old, we live with our bobtail dog at the north of the Madrid provincia in the mountains. I start my first project, a babette blanket, its only the first one, want to do all, so, searching on internet I found awesome works, love your blankets, I will love to do all!!!
When I was 20 I lived in England for a year in Bideford, Devonshire, in an old Victorian house (little hotel) named Yeldon House, there I learned a bit of english, its not a good one, but as you see I can communicate. Nice to meet you at internet, I will be following your works. xxx Maria D
Posted by: maria | April 20, 2012 at 09:35 AM
I Lucy
I love your blog and your work. I follow you for some time.
I'm from Portugal and i was reading a blog from a brand called DMC, and i saw a picture that remebered me from a work that you did some time ago.
And i was right.
This is the link for the blog: http://www.oblogdadmc.com/2012/02/promocao-obtenha-as-34-cores-de-natura.html
Continue with the good work and charing it with us.
Thank you.
Posted by: Patrícia Barbosa | March 20, 2012 at 02:47 PM
Hola soy Maribel,de madrid (España),he visto tu blog y me han encantado tus colchas.Me gustaría tener los patrones de alguna de ellas,como las de cuadritos de colores y la que hace zigzag.
Un saludo..
Posted by: Maribel del Rosal | February 12, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Stunning display. I would love to know are they wool or acrylic? Where do you find these bright cheerful colors? Are you ever considering selling your work?
I crochet daily and I find your work as well as your enthusiasm inspirational.
Many thanks.
Stephanie
Posted by: Stephanie needham | December 03, 2011 at 08:47 PM
i love your blankets. just started yesterday with my own colorful granny blanket!
http://dasmaedchenmitdenlocken.blogspot.com/2011/10/granny-square.html
Posted by: dasmaedchenmitdenlocken | October 06, 2011 at 09:40 AM
Your work is an inspirations to me :) thank you !!!
L.
Posted by: Lisa | September 28, 2011 at 09:02 PM
It's so inspiring to know that you taught yourself to crochet and that you've only be doing it for about 4 years. I've wanted to learn how to crochet for many years now and never had anyone to sit and teach me. Now we have YouTube and I've been practicing some while watching tutorials on there. Your blankets are all so beautiful, bright, and colorful. Just reading your blog brightens my spirits and makes me want to learn how to crochet all that much more. Thanks for sharing...
Posted by: Christel | August 10, 2011 at 03:56 AM
just seen this post - so inspired - what a feast of beauty - cant wait to get started myself now! well done and thank you! x
Posted by: Rachel Forrest | July 31, 2011 at 12:13 PM
Hello!!i like yr colorful crochet..so sweet
Posted by: yaati | June 27, 2011 at 08:14 AM
Hi there
I really enjoy your blog and hope you won't mind a couple of questions as I embark on my first granny square blanket: do I need to sew the ends of all the colours in for each square, and how do you get the squares the same size?
Thanks!
Joanna
Posted by: Joanna Pearl | May 30, 2011 at 10:15 PM
These blankets are STUNNING!
Posted by: Peony and Thistle | May 24, 2011 at 05:39 PM
These look absolutely AMAZING!!! I am so inspired by your beautiful colourful work. Just noticed you have a few tutorials too - super! Am definitely going to try one out. Thanks!! xo
Posted by: Lucinda | May 20, 2011 at 03:42 AM
Decorating the home and the different rooms is always a fun and exciting activity. The first step, unless you already have furniture and beddings prior to moving in, is shopping for the things needed to complete the home.
Posted by: plumbing | May 19, 2011 at 06:31 AM
You have the most wonderful and adorable blankets. They are all colorful which kids will surely love. I wish I could have one to give as a gift.
Posted by: beds mattresses | May 15, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Your blankets are beautiful! I mean, I just absolutely love them. I'm so blown away that you made these in 3 years and that you made them right after learning how to crochet. This is very inspiring to me. xoxo
Posted by: Jill Denton | May 12, 2011 at 09:11 PM
I'm jealous of your swift crocheting speed! Each and every one is so beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Posted by: K.C.C. | May 11, 2011 at 07:37 PM
I was admiring your first ever blanket. How did you do the flowers in the squares? Did you sew them on or incorporate them in the actual square? Loving all your blankets, have made a granny stripe myself but can't decide which to do next!
Posted by: Angela | April 22, 2011 at 08:13 PM
Hi Lucy! It’s Silvia writing from Italy.
My granma teached me how to do crochet and I used to crocheting with her. This happens many years ago.
Last winter a friend of mine invited me to a “crochet and chat” saturday and I went back to do it. It was funny, what you learnt can’t be forgotten. But after some tries and samples I was looking for a project. That was when I came up against you website: a wonderful world of colours!
Yes, it’s a matter of colours!
I love the way you mix the colours, your works are truly beautiful.
Thank you for remember me granny squares blankets could be so fascinating.
And I started my own.. :-)
Posted by: Silvia | April 12, 2011 at 10:37 AM