Over the weekend the clocks went forward an hour here in the UK, which means that for the next seven months we are living in British Summer Time. Right now that equates to ever so slightly darker mornings, but to make up for it we are treated to an extra hour of daylight in the evenings. It's a wonderful time of year, the extra light in our days is oh-so-very-very welcome after our rather long, grey winter.
The changing of the clocks affects the Little People's sleep patterns for the first week or so - it becomes a bit more tricky to get them into bed when it is still kinda light outside, but the darker mornings can sometimes deliver that rare and precious thing - quiet Mummy time. This morning, for the first time in aaaages, I had that luxury. I got up at 6.30 when J went off to work and for a full twenty minutes I had the peace and quiet of the house all to myself. I made myself a mug of fresh coffee and sat very still for a while, listening to the sound of, er, well, the sound of nothing. I felt so soothed by the quiet of this old house at rest, it was unexpectedly wonderful.
And YAY, school's out for Easter and so we are officially on holidays here in the Attic. Chocolate and hot cross buns for breakfast, pyjamas till lunch time, we are in full slobbery mode and we are all enjoying it enormously (sorry J, it'll be your turn next week)
I've started on a new blanket journey too this weekend, and lucky for you I am going to withhold the lengthy stream of excited exclamations which leap about inside my head whenever I think of this blanket and these colours. (!*&%!>}**&!!). Oh my. Breeeeeeathe. It's all good.
So, after faffing and dithering for over two months with the pattern and the colour choices, on Friday/Saturday I got down to some serious planning and decision making. Happy to say it is really (really) working out well, and I'm looking forward to sharing more of this with you soon. The colours (ooooooooo the colours!!) are just floating my boat in a very majorly pleasing way. They are singing to me of grassy picnics and gentle warm breezes, of babbling rivers and clear blue skies, of bluebell woods and blossom trees and all things light, airy, warm and relaxed.
Now take a look at that - one gloriously technicolour blanket den, constructed entirely by Little B (age 5) without a single bit of help from anyone. I was upstairs this morning pairing up eleventy-dozen socks and folding a small mountain of laundry, and when I came back down, ta-dah, there was this. Oh sweet child, how happy this has made me today! Doesn't this image perfectly capture the complete joy of crochet blankets and holiday weeks spent at home with Little People? I think I delivered approximately eleventy-dozen little bowls of snacks to that blankety dwelling today too, den building and the subsequent lounging around inside the aforementioned den is obviously seriously hungry work. Thank goodness that child loves fruit. And cherry tomatoes.
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Edit to add :: here are the links to the den blanket ta-dah's!
Firstly I'd like to say I love your work, the colours are so fresh looking. And i love to crochet also. Now to what I wanted to say you said that you would love to hear about where other people live well, I'm swapping houses with my niece (we're missing out the estate agent), my family are now grown and my nieces is growing. I have a 1930's semi detached and just like you said people keep to themselves, she has a small ex railway workers terraced house which is right next to what was the GWR (Great Western Railway) workshops which is now an outlet village full of shops (we both live in Swindon , Wiltshire). So I've got my fingers crossed that I get to have same good experience as you meeting new neighbours.
Posted by: jan | May 10, 2015 at 09:54 AM
Hello Lucy,
I follow you on Booglovin and have to admit that Attic24 is one of my favorite blogs. I live in the US and seeing your pictures are just wonderful. I don't expect to get off this continent as my husband doesn't fly, but I feel as if I travel all over the world with the blogs I follow.
I crochet a bit and love your colors. Everything you do is so bright and cheerful that it pleases both my heart and soul. I just wanted you to know how much joy you bring to me across the big pond.
Sincerely,
Posted by: Alice G | May 05, 2015 at 12:52 AM
Lovely colors! I wish I had enough blankets to build a den with, but I keep giving them awayv;)
Posted by: Nienke | April 10, 2015 at 06:01 AM
Happy Easter for you and your family. With peace and love.
Kisses from Buenos Aires
Posted by: Moni | April 03, 2015 at 11:55 PM
I was completely thrilled that the changing of time coincides with my Easter holiday :) I am one happy teaching assistant :) The blanket den is absolutely amazing, if I was not watched by anyone, I would climb in too :D
Happy Easter to all of you in Attic :)
Posted by: Silly Little Sheep | April 03, 2015 at 04:54 PM
I have just found your blog and love what you do. I dont crochet, even though I can....a bit....and am enjoying the wonderful patterns and colours of your beautiful work.
By the way thanks for telling me of the change in time...my son and DIL have just moved to Surrey to live. I was told they were ten hours behind and for the last couple of days have been thinking my world clock was wrong because it said 9 hrs behind. Had to retrain my brain..not easy at my age...:)))
Posted by: shirley | April 03, 2015 at 06:29 AM
Hi Lucy! I've been meaning to write to you for the past few months to thank you for your wonderful content! You've inspired me to record the joys around my house in southern California. Here's my link, if you want to see what you've inspired! www.jadeacre.com
Posted by: JadeAcre | April 03, 2015 at 05:19 AM
Awww thank you for reminding me of the lovely school holidays that I enjoyed with my girls when they were little :-) What a lucky little boy to have such excellent den building "materials". The CoLouRs in your new blanket make my heart all skippy, I can't WAIT to see more! I wanted to ask a favour Lucy, I'm a WI member and next week I'm holding a crochet evening. I'd love to use your tiny flower tutorial to teach the other ladies, is that ok with you? I'd be v grateful and as you know I learned to crochet from your fab tutorials, so I wanted to pass on the message of how wonderful Attic 24 is too! Lots of love, Jo xxx
Posted by: Jo Navin | April 02, 2015 at 01:35 PM
Enjoy your longer evenings, something I miss about British Summertime. The blanket den is awesome, and the new blanket looks exciting. Enjoy the holidays, we just started ours today and have a long weekend of wet weather ahead of us. Movie and crochet time methinks.
Posted by: Teresa at knitbakecultivate | April 02, 2015 at 10:06 AM
Yay! A new blanket in time for Spring! The colors are wonderful. My little really liked the chicks in the previous post. I think I may have mentioned this before, but your blog helped her learn her colors.
The blanket fort is amazing! I love when mine does forts, except she prefers pillows. Little B is so cute with that!
Hope the rest of your holidays were just as fun.
Posted by: Kim W | April 01, 2015 at 01:07 PM
Your cottages in the first picture make me think somehow of the ones I knitted for my friends. You can see them here:
http://www.homeiswherethedachshundis.blogspot.be/2015/03/bloemenhartjes-bohemienkussen-en.html
I love the last picture and what your little one has created. It actually is a hommage to his wonderful creative mum!
Posted by: brigitte peetermans | March 31, 2015 at 09:20 PM
Happy Easter Holidays!! That blanket den is adorable.
Posted by: Bekah | March 31, 2015 at 08:14 PM
What a lovely cheery post - I love your bag xx
Posted by: Michelle | March 31, 2015 at 08:04 PM
Love the colorful tent! Kids have the most vivid imaginations, don't they" Enjoy this time with Little B...they grow up way too fast.
Looks like you're going to treat us with more eye candy with this latest project of yours...thanks for sharing all the good things you do.
I have to post this link to a French or Belgian crocheter who has taken the granny square to another level. These are not your colors but thought you'd enjoy looking through her photos. Do have a peek at the slide show of her work on the upper right of her blog. Amazing. Some remind me of Persian rugs.
http://clothogancho.canalblog.com/albums/plaids_et_couvertures_crochet/photos/91752342-dscf4894.html
Posted by: Joan | March 31, 2015 at 04:56 PM
I also need a few days to adjust to the new time setting. Though I enjoy coming home from work and still be able to have some daylight. Love the blanket fort!
Greetings from Austria,EmmA
Posted by: EmmA | March 31, 2015 at 02:52 PM
I love those kind of holidays, the slow no thinking and planning kind. ; )Our clocks went forward a few weeks back, loving the extra light in the evenings, but it took a bit getting use to. The blanket colors are lovely. I thought I was through choosing colors for mine till I was one row of blocks in, and it just didn't "sing" to me, so I'm frogging some and auditioning more colors. I love L.B.'s rainbow fort! (I miss those days here.)Enjoy! x
Posted by: Angela-Southern USA | March 31, 2015 at 01:59 PM
I love those colors! I am on a ripple kick, and would love to try those colors in a ripple. Will you be releasing them as a pack on Woolwarehouse? (Please?) They could be the Summer Time pack. :)
Posted by: Michele | March 31, 2015 at 01:39 PM
I've started a new blanket too - it's very exciting.
Posted by: Gillian | March 31, 2015 at 11:27 AM
I too love love British Summer Time... and I'm not even British! :D Loving the little sneak peek of your new blanket. Very much looking forward to seeing more! Take care and enjoy holiday time :) xxx
Posted by: Marie | March 31, 2015 at 10:24 AM
That is indeed some expert den building! I
I swear I live for BST, I love the energy and increased creativity that comes with just an hour more daylight each evening :)
Posted by: Sarah | March 31, 2015 at 10:04 AM
So sweet your little B :-)) It is so lovely when the little people use our blankets for their play ;-)
Thanks for sharing this precious moment!
Posted by: Erika | March 31, 2015 at 10:01 AM
Those colours are exactly what I would have chosen, I'm looking forward to watching your blanket develope. :) xx
Posted by: Linda | March 31, 2015 at 08:14 AM
Is Spring really coming - Hurrah!! Looking forward to seeing the new blanket and love the colours you may have chosen.
Posted by: Carol | March 31, 2015 at 08:10 AM
The blanket den is soo cool! I can see why Little B is enjoying it :)
Have lovely Easter holidays - hope it isn't as stormy as in Germany!
Take care
Anne (Crochet Between Worlds)
Posted by: Anne | March 31, 2015 at 07:55 AM
Happy holidays! Enjoy your lazy mornings and time with the small people. I look forward to seeing more of this new blanket!
Posted by: Jen | March 31, 2015 at 07:43 AM