Cottage Ripple blanket :: ta-dah!

I've been waiting for what seems like the longest time to share this beautiful colour story with you, and now I am more than a weeny bit excited! Although this particular blanket journey has been long (and slightly unusual, I'll explain in a bit) I feel as thrilled by the pretty colour palette today as I did twenty one months ago when it all first began.

The picture up above is a bit blurry and I'm sorry about that - I've just unearthed it from my January 2013 archives. I chose these two new blanket packs at the same time way back at the start of last year. They were meant to go together you see. You might recognise the fifteen colours on the right hand side as I used them to make my coast ripple blanket. On the left are the fifteen colours of the blanket I'm calling "Cottage". Don't they look good together? Both these blankets sing a Summer song to me and are loaded with my own summer memories. I don't need to waffle on again about the coast colours, but the sweet summer Cottage colours, well we can talk about those now, can't we?

As the name suggests, the Cottage colour pack is inspired by summer cottage gardens. Think of mellow terracotta and old stone, fragrant herbs and pretty summer flowers....sweet peas, lavender, clematis and roses. When I picture a cottage garden in my mind, I start dreaming of warm, sunshiny days, cool green grass, pale blue skies and a whole load of pinky-purple floral eye candy.

I chose the fifteen colours for this blanket with my heart and I remember it all so well. I went to my local yarn shop one cold January morning, and spent a delicious time pulling out balls of Stylecraft Special DK from the shelves. I spent ages playing with them, arranging and re-arranging them until I ended up with a perfect palette of pretty colours. I wanted to make a blanket that reminded me of the warmth and gentleness of a country garden in Summer, and this is what I came up with...

...the Attic24 Cottage colours....

Top row, left to right ♥ Parchment ♥ Camel ♥ Mocha ♥ Meadow ♥ Khaki ♥

Middle row, left to right  ♥ Sherbet ♥ Pale Rose ♥ Grape ♥ Raspberry ♥ Copper ♥

Bottom row, left to right  ♥ Cloud ♥ Denim ♥ Lavender ♥ Magenta ♥ Plum ♥

Now there is a bit of a story behind the start of this blanket. Shortly after I'd chosen the colours, I shared them with a very good friend of mine and she fell head over heels in love with them. At the time (January 2013), she was coming through some personal trauma and we had been chatting about the therapeutic value of crochet and in particular the way the ripple pattern could be used almost as a form of meditation (we agreed it really is the most soothing, rhythmic, pleasurable pattern to work). She was without a crochet project at that time and asked if she could take my colours and work up the ripple blanket for me. She couldn't wait to get lost in those rows of colour and to have something positive to occupy her thoughts and hands during the long, dark winter evenings.

And so we ended up sharing the joy of this blanket journey together, and it became a true friendship blanket. I would choose the colours (randomly selected, as is my usual habit) for just a  small section at a time and jot the sequence down on a piece of paper. My friend would then have a "colour map" to work from and once each section was made, we would get together over coffee and lay the blanket out on the floor so I could have a play and choose the next sequence of colours for her to work with. With each week the blanket grew a little bigger and my friend and I fell a little more deeply in love with those pretty colours.

After four months Spring had arrived and the blanket was almost finished. I had loooooooads of ends to darn in by then and also I just couldn't decided how to tackle the edging either. I ummed and ahhed and deliberated and finally I simply decided to leave it be for a while and come back to it at a later date. The almost finished blanket got folded up and put neatly on a shelf in my studio.

Fast forward more than a year later, and by this time my beautiful coast blanket had not only been started but made and finished with a lovely simple, neat edging.

I gave myself a talking to and decided that I should really get round to finishing up the almost-complete cottage blanket. After all,  I only needed to darn in those ends (aaargh!) and complete the edging in exactly the same way as I had done for the coast blanket (following my very own tutorial!). Plus Little Lady had taken a real shine to this pretty crochet blanket and was pestering me to finish it so that she could have it on her bed.

It was wonderful to finally get myself on the edge-of-the-edge, I enjoyed it enormously and couldn't wait to see the blanket all finished.

I think it's true to say that these colours do make me very, very happy indeed.

They are soft and pretty, but also vibrant and strong. They sing, don't you think?!

I love it very much....it's just so.....pretty!

oooooooo, I almost forgot to say it.................

Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the Cottage blanket is made in exactly the same way as my Coast blanket, with the same number of starting chains (213), the same number of Stripes (84) and the same edging. The finished blanket measures approx. 4ft x 6ft (120cm x 180cm) which is roughly the size of a single bed.

You can find the complete tutorial here on my blog for free, I've called it Ripple Blanket Know-how.

Hey, would you like to see some more pictures of the Cottage Ripple blanket? At the beginning of September I took it out and about with me for a little bit of a photographic adventure.....

.....up the road to my lovely neighbour's back yard so that I could use her beautiful sky-blue chair as  a prop (thank you Helen!).

Then off I went around and about town, looking for a suitably pretty location to show off my Summer-coloured ripple.

I came across this old gate next to the church and thought it would suit my blanket perfectly. Let me tell you,  it's hard to look casual yet purposeful when you are attempting to drape a blanket over an old gate. I'm not sure what the two ladies thought when they walked through this narrow alleyway and caught me in the Arranging Act (the word BoNkErs springs to mind).

This gorgeous summer garden also belongs to a local church in town, it's always so tranquil here and that bench just called out to me and my blanket.....

....I think it looks very at home!

So that's the sweet story of this blanket that started it's journey one cold day in Winter at the beginning of last year. It's been fun to share it with you after all this time, and we are really enjoying using the blanket here in the Attic too (that's when Little Lady cares to share it, she has hogged it rather shamelessly since it was completed)

 As with my Coast Ripple, I thought it would be helpful to share my colour sequence with you, if you fancy making yourself a pretty Summery blankie like Little Lady's Mine.

Cottage Blanket colours :: remember to work 2 rows of each colour....

1.Grape	22. Cloud	43. Parchment	64. Copper
2. Lavender	23. Pale Rose	44. Cloud	65. Magenta
3. Copper	24. Mocha	45. Denim	66. Pale Rose
4. Magenta	25. Parchment	46. Meadow	67. Camel
5. Meadow	26. Khaki	47. Camel	68. Cloud
6. Khaki	27. Denim	48. Khaki	69. Denim
7. Camel	28. Plum	49. Mocha	70. Raspberry
8. Parchment	29. Magenta	50. Pale Rose	71. Mocha
9. Sherbet	30. Camel	51. Raspberry	72. Parchment
10. Pale Rose	31. Meadow	52. Copper	73. Meadow
11. Plum	32. Sherbet	53. Denim	74. Plum
12. Raspberry	33. Mocha	54. Sherbet	75. Copper
13. Cloud	34. Khaki	55. Lavender	76. Magenta
14. Denim	35.  Copper	56. Plum	77. Camel
15. Meadow	36. Pale Rose	57. Magenta	78. Khaki
16. Mocha	37. Plum	58. Cloud	79. Cloud
17. Camel	38. Lavender	59. Parchment	80. Raspberry
18. Copper	39. Sherbet	60. Mocha	81. Lavender
19. Raspberry	40. Magenta	61. Meadow	82. Denim
20. Grape	41. Raspberry	62. Sherbet	83. Sherbet
21. Lavender	42. Grape	63. Khaki	84. Grape

  Border colours

1. Grape (tr’s worked along the sides only, to match the first and last colour stripes)
2. Plum (dc’s worked on the sides, and ripple in-fill worked along top and bottom)
3. Lavender (dc’s worked all round)

You can find the Cottage Ripple yarn pack in my shop at Wool Warehouse* HERE. Each blanket pack contains a free printed pattern, but remember the pattern is also still avilable for free on my blog HERE.

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* a note about my blanket packs :: I love working with Wool Warehouse, they are a dedicated team of yarnoholics who share my passion for colour and crochet. I love that together we have enabled so many of you throughout the world to enjoy making beautifully colourful blankets that don't break the bank. I've been using Stylecraft yarn for making blankets for over 4 years now (the original Attic24 colour selection was first shared on my blog in May 2010), but I am only now this year (since May 2014) beginning to earn a commission from the packs sold through Wool Warehouse.

I would also like to make it clear that I do not work for Stylecraft Yarns. I use the Special DK because I genuinely love it for blanket making, and not because I am sponsored to use it. I love it for three reasons :: it comes in 60 wonderful colours (sixty!), it makes great, soft, durable, washable blankets and it is very good value. I have a genuine love of this yarn for those reasons and I'm sorry if this is boring or repetitive.

Thanks as always for the enthusiasm and encouragement you give me with my on going blanket-making obsession :) I know you understand my addiction perfectly well and it makes me so happy that you "get it" and enjoy sharing it with me. Thank you, thank you.

x

Comments

[Pam Richardson]

I think the times may not be right

[velvet cow]

crochet keeps me calm and sane (ish) and I am positively hoovering up your patterns... thank you thank you. see my versions of your creations if you like on www.TheVelvetCow.typepad.com

[Jean viserta]

Very pretty. It makes you happy just to look at it. I especially like the photo of it on the bench. You have inspired to to start a ripple afghan as my next crochet project. Thank you.

[MmK]

So pretty! I've been thinking about trying my hand at a ripple blanket next, so thank you for the "know how" link. Reading your crochet stories on a dreary day like today makes things just a little more cozy and warm feeling. I really enjoy it!

[SOL]

I just looked at the time stamps on the last few comments and got a bit confused; 03.43 PM looks like a contradiction in terms now that I live in 24hr France. It reminded me of the time my somewhat whacky teenage daughter posted a comment to her totally logical and geeky cousin; it was time-stamped 25:12. I just thought I'd change the subject a bit (Phew!) and tell you all about something that was never supposed to happen, but could only have happened to her.
That's all. As you were......

[Hazel]

I really love these "cottage" colours. I am looking forward to seeing more of your colour picks. xx

[Taciana Simmons]

You did it again Lucy. Another blanket that reaches perfection. Colors combination is just absolutely gorgeous and you have impeccable taste. I'm still working on my ripple blanket and we don't have stylecraft here in the US so I will check and see if I can order to be sent to the US from your shop. My daughter is graduating from HS this year ( not so much of a "little lady " anymore - she has grown up too fast) and I have been pondering which blanket to make for her. Thanks for the beautiful inspiration.

[Allison Callis]

What a beautiful blanket and lovely colors! It makes me want to start one right away! Fall is beautiful here too, especially with bright, sunshiny days. The chickens and the dog both love the cool air. I'm already wearing fleeces and hoodies :-) lifting up prayer for your mom, that she will feel peace and calm from the only God who can comfort.

[Debbie]

LOVE!!!!! EVERYTHING!!!!

That's all!
x

[Pam Richardson]

If you don't like the blog then go elsewhere no-one is holding a gun to your head. I too have purchased a blanket pack through this blog but I also have bought books but not through this blog, that's the choice I make as an adult. Lucy continue doing your wonderful creative crochet projects and let those with anti Attic24 views go elsewhere that's their prerogative! What do people want eh? you on benefits; or earning your own money?? There just isn't any pleasing some folk. LOVE CROCHET xxxx

[Pam Richardson]

Well, I for one admire not only your inspiration, your crochet skill, your instincts to stay at home and nurture your little people (for that's the most important job anyone will have. I also admire your guts and enthusiasm for turning your hobbies into a blog and telling us about your crafting day in your lovely house and studio, but to also be able to make money out of it I say well done. I take my hat off to you. Ive crocheted my entire life and haven't done what you have managed to do, so well done pet. You deserve your success xx

[Daniela]

My pack arrived today from Wool Warehouse and...I looooove the colors!!!
Can't wait to start my blanket!!!!
Thanks for all your work and the inspiration you give me constantly!!!!!
Dany.

[Estelle]

Lucy: Thank you, thank YOU!

[Linda Hoffland]

Just lovely. And thank you for turning me on to Style Craft yarn. I am hooked (no pun intended)!

[Miriam Weaver]

I bought the cottage pack at Yarndale and have to say I'm loving the colours and the yarn. I can't wait to finish and get it on the bed, the colour combination is a total delight. Thank you Lucy!

[quiltercaroline]

Such a beasutiful blanket - staring at the pictures has masde me happy on this wet cold evening. Thank you

[Sara Phipps]

I feel we all need to stop pidgeon holing each other. I read plenty of other blogs, I have never pressed the donate button ( sorry Luce!!) I will be buying one pack not all because I want to, I made a mandala in good faith and expect no thanks, I am not a sycophant. I appreciate reading others points of view but hate the arguing and name calling. This had become my happyplace at the end of the day to wind down. This blog has clearly touched many lives and its content is up to it's author, it is not ours to own or lead on. I really hope no one "leaves or stops reading if it brings them pleasure to do so. Now I said that I would say no more and I have gone back on that. It's about wool, family, creativity and FUN.Thank you for reading.

[LISA CUMBERS]

I took up crochet as a form of therapy to come to terms with the death of my mother who died from neglect in a NHS hospital! I was inspired by this blog with its colour and attention to detail that I could never find in books. I have a lot to thank Lucy for. I have only just recently started to read the comments. Sadly, I feel there are a lot of comments here from people with a lot of time on their hands. Do something positive and go and create your own blog if you are so disgruntled. Just for the record I buy my wool in charity shops!

[Sue Harding]

Well said - Elaine!!
I shall continue to read the blog posts, as and when, because I like to see what Lucy's up to - and ignore the 'selling points'
However, I will try to refrain from commenting as there are plenty of comments already!

[Claudia]

Beautiful !!

[Elaine]

To be honest, the 'over-commercial' issue is more of a minor irritant to me - not presently enough to stop me reading whenever attic24 flashes up in my blog reader - but the reaction to a handful of comments that don't agree with the majority has prompted me to comment.

Joyce, rose and others have been eloquent and polite in putting their opinions across - on this post and the previous one. And yet people are responding as if they have been throwing around insults, making threats and goodness knows what! I wonder if many people have actually read these comments before jumping on the defend-Lucy-from-any-sort-of-negative-feedback bandwagon.

I've noticed this before on a few occasions where a lone voice is shouted down by no doubt well-meaning supporters, and once on Ravelry where someone spotted a very similar pattern to one of Lucy's and actually commented on the person's page practically accusing her of stealing it. If she hadn't been so caught up in her own self-righteousness on Lucy's behalf she would have seen that the pattern actually PRE-DATED Lucy's!

While it's brilliant that Lucy has gathered such a fan base over the last few years - no mean feat, it is not easy to write so engagingly - I can't help but wish that people would think before calling people 'trolls' or 'bullies' for merely expressing their opinion in a polite manner. And I also think that this issue could have been entirely avoided if perhaps Lucy had taken the time to directly message those 3 or 4 people (out of several hundred!) who she felt were overly critical, instead of passive-aggressively referencing them in her posts, no doubt knowing that the 'Attic24 massive' would pounce upon them...

[Jacky Russell]

Mae, your post is so well written. I completely agree with a number of your points. I think Joyce mentioned that there are lots of crochet blogs - which there are - but they don't all appeal to me in the same way as this and one or two others. Attic24 is 'homey' and colourful, and as you said, people are often drawn to it for personal reasons, such as loss or depression. Most of us at some time will be needing a little support, and isn't this where all this started, with Lucy speaking of her own ups and downs?

[Pam Roach]

Beyond lovely!!!! Great blog today (. As usual)!!! Thank you and hugs

[Sue Harding]

Mae- clearly I hit a nerve (and perhaps 'sycophant' was a little extreme - but then so is being referred to as a 'troll' or 'bully'!!)

[Martine]

Thank you Mae, California! You said, what I thought.