Projects and Places

I've started  a New Project. I wasn't meant to cos I've not edged my ripple blanket yet, but somehow I got drawn in to the excitement of beginning something new and it feels pretty darn good. Anyhow, I was in need of a Holiday Project, something easy and satisfying to take away with me for a week, and this will fit the bill nicely.

I'm back with the Stylecraft. A good friend of mine made a giant King Size ripple blanket with it (an awesome creation) and didn't want the leftovers hanging around any more. So I offered to buy them from her (there was a bag full) and added them to my own left overs. Tipped them all out on my table in a colourful, slightly tangled pile and had a good yarny play.

There are most of "my colours" here (a few missing) with a few extra darker colours thrown in (the navy and deep purple). It's a little bit heavy on the blues perhaps, but overall I still really adore this bright and jolly palette of colours. It's become a tried and tested formula for bright and jolly blanket making, and I'm delighted to say that I do still love it.

I spent some time rolling up the smaller, more tangled yarns into neat little balls to plop into my bag.....what a sweet way to spend an hour! Such pleasure in the simple task of balling up yarn ready for a new project.

The yarn gathering and balling all happened a few weeks ago, but due to the very hectic nature of life at home with three Little People, my new project got off to a slow start. I managed to sneak a little bit of outdoor hooky time whilst Little B napped one afternoon to make a start......

....and this is what came about. A string of easy-peasy 5-round granny squares, joined on-the-go.

Not a very original idea (see here and here), but wonderful nevertheless.

This is where I'm up to now....I'm making a third blanket for Connievan to prettify the drab back seating area. I'm kind of winging it on the size as I've not had time to go down to Connie to measure the seat, so I'm working systematically in rows of twelve squares and hoping that this is kind of about right. The colour choices are really totally random with this project as I'm aiming for a slightly quirky, patchworky look. I may even take a chance and include the navy (gasp!) and the deep purple (double gasp!!) to shake it all up a bit. Watch this space.

Due to the easy, low-brain-power needed to make one-colour granny squares, I've been able to go adventuring in my imagination whilst I've sat outside in my little back yard hooking. It's a bit like meditating and day dreaming all at once, and is a super relaxing pastime. Can highly recommend it.

This is where I've been skipping off to in my hooky-induced dream state, to the sunny gardens of Provence.

Petah of Provence Temptations sent me these beautiful images a few weeks ago, and they have been the stuff of my dreams ever since.

The villa where the crochet and knit tours will take place is so beautiful and dreamy!

Numbers will be finalised at the beginning of September and Petah tells me there are only a couple of places left on the crochet tour. Do please get in touch with her if you would like to come along and join us, there is still time.

A bit closer to home, this is Craster in Northumberland, one of my all time favourite places. I made this print, complete with childish arrow (haha) to show the Little People the exact location of the holiday cottage where we stay. I am absolutely thrilled that this very afternoon (yaaaayyyyy!!) we will be heading back there again for a week of Seaside Pootling. In August 2009 when we were last in Craster, I was four months pregnant with Little B. And this year he'll be there with us of course, I am so excited to see what he makes of it all.

Wishing you all a wonderful week of dreamy Projects and Places and I'll be back with you in early September.

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Comments

[Nikki]

I think the blanket will be lovely ! We love visiting Craster - my other of is from the North east and we visit often . Have a lovely time !

[Liz]

You know what? I started exact the same blanket some days ago!!
I'm also making 5 rounds squares, and i'm also using the join-as-you-go method!
It will be a christmas present for my mother in law.
Hope she'll like it...

Love, Liz (Belgium)

[Jenny]

I love your new project ~ and this may be one that I could actually replicate. I know what you mean about the meditative quality of hooky time. That's what I love best about crocheting.

Have fun on your vacation!

[Katarzynka]

Nice and colorful - like always on Your BLOG:) greetings:))))))

[Paula]

What lovely colors ~ bright and alive and possibly a little quirky once all put together? It will be a blanket that sings! Ahh, and the photos of Provence. Beautiful. Restful. Calming. Enjoy your crochet retreat ~ I know those who attend will be richly blessed with your spirit and creativity!

[Carmen]

Hola Lucy! Mi nombre es Carmen. He entrado en tu blog por casualidad, a través de Pinterest, y tengo que decirte que me alegro muchísimo de haberlo hecho pues tu blog me ha fascinado tanto que lo guardaré como uno de mis favoritos para visitarlo más veces. Tus trabajos son muy hermosos y todos inspiran a relajarse y ponerse a coser.
Te mando un fuerte abrazo desde España (Badajoz) Si quieres visitarme serás bienvenida http://elcostureroconduende.blogspot.com.es/

[Judy]

I know what you mean about the temptation of starting something new - I've been building up a supply of style craft in order to make my very first granny blanket when I've finished my ripple and summer flowers granny, but couldn't resist trying out a few granny squares -the colours are so gorgeous that I just had to dive in and see what they would look like and before I knew it I'd made up 4 large squares! Have fun on holiday, Judy.

[Sonia Petitpoint]

Have a wonderful time away !
Your new blanket will look gorgeous !

[Katy]

Have a lovely week, love your new project!

[Mara]

I love colors and your posts make me happy. Thank you.
kisses
Mara
http://maracrocheporamor.blogspot.com.br/

[Julie2]

Thank you for the link to your post about how you chose your crochet color schemes. I love how bright and lively they are.

[Taylor]

What a neat simple blanket! What lovely yarn as well! I wish I could go with you to Provence, but sadly it is not in the cards :(. Enjoy your time in Northumberland.

P.S. It looked like you had fun in York! In the U.S. I don't think we have a 100 year old carousel. Much less a 100 year old thing...hehe :)

[Abigail @ Rosy Hill]

I'm loving all these patchwork blankets that are appearing! I joined the Ravelry group but only have 2 squares so far. Yours is looking gorgeous.

Have a wonderful holiday, look forward to seeing the photos! x

[Ashley]

I love this new blanket idea for the connievan. I hope you read this comment because I found something (you may already be aware that it exists but it's new to me and as soon as I saw it I thought of you!) I found a tutorial on a GRANNY RIPPLE! It's a wonderful combination of two very lovely things. The link to he tutorial is http://thelazyhobbyhopper.blogspot.hk/2011/08/how-to-crochet-granny-ripple.html I hope you love it as much as I do! :)

[Montse Martí]

All your happy colours would be nice together with this pattern I explain here:

http://eljardindemisecreto.blogspot.com.es/2012/08/vintage-ripple.html

At the same entry you could see another (more than this) vintage ripple linked from other web. Collorfull and newest!

Happy crochetting!!
Kisses from Spain!

[Seaweedandraine]

Oh those images of Provence are just dreamy! You're making me want to go on holidays Lucy! lol

[marmaladerose]

Have a lovely week in Craster, Lucy. Make sure you leave that cottage tidy as wonderful man and I are staying there in couple of weeks to celebrate his 50th birthday! I'll keep an eye out for snippets of wool here and there, lol.

[Jackie]

Hi Lucy, I tried to post a comment yesterday and I think it was accepted but hasn't shown up yet so I am leaving this one too.

My friend and I were trying our hand at one colour granny squares for the first time. It proved quite tricky as all the instructions we could find were for multi coloured squares and we couldn't work out how to move on to the next round. In the end we found a you tube video which suggested doing slip stitches to the next corner space and then starting the next round. Is this what you do? Would be grateful for any help you or your commenters can offer. Your blanket is lovely, enjoy crafter!

Jackie and carol

[Anna]

That's great, Lucy!I am sure you will enjoy a crochet tour and people will love being with you! I wish I could also, but finances are not that good :))) Be happy!

[Mairead]

I'm in awe of your restraint! Two projects at a time is an oddity? Maybe, since you aren't sure of the size and aren't a huge fan of the dark blue/dark purple, you could use them for a picture-frame border around the other squares, should the blanket prove a bit too small. (Hm -- speaking of "picture frame border," I wonder if a crocheted, lace picture frame border over a splashy-colored, wide picture frame might be a viable thing and a way to tone down an insanely hued picture frame.)

[Kathy Heaton-Brown]

Enjoy Craster. My ex mother-in-law lives there and I have very many happy memories of discovering its wild beauty and roaming the castle and pub lunches at the "Jolly".
Kathy
katienel.com

[Angela-Southern U.S.A.]

Looks lovely,as always!Granny squares are my all time favs.to do,mindless work,love it!The join as you go is great,I did one this summer that way(on flickr). Looking forward to seeing your finished blanket(s).I've been working on Christmas gifts,some watermelon dish cloths,etc.Never have too many of those,lol.Glad someone is having holidays away,hope it's a lovely trip!

[trillian]

hi lucy. your new blanket is looking great. i am congratulating myself that i have actually totally finished my firsthappy bright ripple and so enchanted with it i have started another. daughter has ordered one in her favourite colours and i have coordinated yarn set aside for another for our new bedroom to be to match the quilt im planning to make. youve really got me going.
id love to do the provence thing or better still craster. it looks devine to these kiwi eyes. ile put it on my list along with york for my trip next year. blessings, trills.:-)

[Miralda]

Hi Lucy, Your new project look really nice. I don't know if you are in for a little suggestion?
I always feel that these kind of large grannies seem to be a bit crooked if you know what I mean. So one day a very nice crochet lady told me you can avoid that by turning your granny after every round, and I must say that this really works for me. I hope you don't feel like I am critisizing your work because I honestly am not! I really love all of you blogposts and patterns, keep up the good work ;)

xxx Miralda

[Jackie]

Hi Lucy,

M y friend and I are beginners for crochet and have really struggled to work out how to move onto the next round without changing colour. There are a couple of videos out there whi ch tell us to slip stitch from the end of one row to reach the next corner in order to start the next round. Is that how you would do it please? We would be very grateful for any tips you can provide about this. Many thanks from Jackie and carol. X