On and Off my Hook

Morning my lovelies!Gosh, it's good to be back here at last! I'm having a hard job carving out enough time to bob into the Attic to chat, my days are so full of Little People and work-related activity that personal ramblings have not managed to find much of an outlet of late. I'm not going to apologise mind you, my blog is my personal little patch of  time and space and it follows the true course of my life. Which happens to be busy and full up right now, the usual story of a summer spent juggling like a clown.

I really miss my studio, but we are still holding our weekly social at the café on Friday mornings. The Little People come with me which they are fine about, providing I am forthcoming with fizzy drinks and sweet treats to sustain them through the morning. It's been great to welcome some lovely visitors during the past few weeks too - anyone is welcome to come and join our free and friendly group, just rock up with something stitchy in your bag and sit yourself down [Coopers Cafe Bar, Skipton : Friday mornings : 9.30-11.30]

It seems like a long while since I shared anything crochet related here on my blog, but behind the scenes my hook has been busy.

A few weeks ago I dug out this bag of zingy bright cottons to make a cheerful floral garland (my contribution for this year's Yarndale brochure, we like to include free patterns in amongst the festival blurb). This yarn is lovely to work with (although it's quite stiff) and is perfect for small decorative projects where you need the finished crochet to hold it's shape well. It comes from a local mill here in Yorkshire, but you can find it online, it's called Texere Double Top Cotton. The yarn comes in 50g balls, but also the lovely peeps at Texere Yarns wind it onto dinky little 20m spools which means you can buy up lots of colours for small projects (I wish more cotton yarn came like this).

I made 12 layered flowers, then strung them with a crochet chain of green yarn. I made the little leaves as part of the crochet chain so there was no fiddly stitching or darning in ends....

,,,,ta-dah! I've strung it over the big mirror above the fireplace in the dining room, it looks lovely actually (I gave the toilet roll family a little dust off at the same time, they are still perched on top of the mirror almost five years after being born!). I'll try and remember to take a photo to show you it in situ.

I'm busy working on the Yarndale calendar at the moment too. This year we are photographing a collection of yarny accessories (all made by local designers) to illustrate the months, and the calendar will also include the patterns for knitting/crocheting the projects which I think is pretty nifty, although quite a lot of work to pull together. It was decided that the images should have a very slightly vintage vibe, so I abandoned my usual multicoloured brights and toned it all down a bit for my project....

....I know, just look at that!! I've used one single colour (probably for the first time ever) and it's a beautiful, subtle duck egg blue. Wowsers. I've had this idea for a circular cushion in my head for ages, so when I came to make it, I managed to whizz it up over the course of three days. In the picture above, the green line of neat double crochet stitches is being worked into the front loops of round eleven (round 12 was worked into the remaining back loops, does that make sense?)

Then I stitched on some crochet leaves.....

....to make a circular stem type thingy. Do you like where this is going??

I made roses using a variation of my May Rose pattern and stitched them in place.

The cushion fits a small 30cm circular cushion pad, and guess what - the back of the cushion is completely plain, one colour, duck egg blue, no stripes! Would you believe it?! I crocheted the two circles together around the cushion pad with a simple round of double crochet, then made a pretty pink scallop edging to finish it off.

Ta-dah! One vintage "Ring-O-Roses" cushion.

It came off my hook on Sunday, and has already been integrated into the Attic24 household, which is a bit perilous as it has yet to be styled and photographed for the calendar. And it has already had coffee spilt on it (cue some exasperated words from me and some apologetic words from J, followed by some emergency dabbing with a baby wipe)

I do really love it actually, although it does somewhat remind me of an iced cake.

Oh, forgot to mention the yarn, silly me! I used Stylecraft Life DK in Mint, Fern, Rose and Fuchsia. The Life yarn is a 75% acrylic / 25% wool yarn, the colours are lovely and quite beautifully soft, perfect for a vintage inspired project. The yarn is a weeny bit "itchy-woolly" for me and truthfully I don't think I would use it for blanket making, but it was lovely to work with.

So the pattern for my rosy cake cushion will be included in the Yarndale 2016 calendar, which will be in the online shop after the festival in early October.

One more thing to mention.......my beautiful Harmony blanket. That too has been fully integrated into family life and has become a favourite with Little Lady for early evening sofa snuggle time.

This week I'm working flat out on photographing and writing the tutorial for making the Harmony blanket, as well as working with J to create the printed version of the pattern which will be included with the yarn kit. We are making good progress and all being well we are aiming for a Friday Ta-dah. That's the day after tomorrow! I am full of nervous excitement for sharing this lovely blanket, it's been one of the hardest and most complex patterns I've ever tackled and I hope very much that I've done good with it. It's not been easy to do the pattern writing with a background of Little People (far from harmonious at times!), but I have done my best. Fingers crossed.

So..........see you soon.............long awaited ta-dah moments are so worth getting excited over aren't they just?! Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Comments

[Deb]

I'm inspired... that cushion is gorgeous.

[gail.firenze]

Just received my package across the seas to my home in Australia. Bless you.
I love the colours and can't wait to start. Thank you again for the effort you have put into this and all the kits.
Blessings Gail

[Joanne Garratt]

Hi Lucy
How many rows of crochet did u crochet on one side of the ring I roses cushion please
Jo

[Joanne Garratt]

Hi Lucy
Just wondering if you used a htr or treble stitch to do the cushion

[Alison C]

I love your garland and cushion Lucy. I presume we will be able to buy the calendar online but what about the pattern for the garland. Could you tell me where that will be available please as Yarndale is too far for me to go?

[Marilyn Jackson]

The ring of roses is just asking to be a summer hatband. Perhaps you might design a hat for your Little Lady and take it from there?

[Sue]

must make cushion--Love the subtle colors of the green cushion and the grey-violet of the blankie joining yarn. MMMMM. Soothing.!
...AND is that bit 'o edible scrumptiousness a BAKEWELL TART? If you have a recipe of your own, could you share it? I adore almonds, being from California.

[Estella]

Hi Lucy, I made the flower garland using 100% cotton yarn. I enjoyed making the flowers and went back to your tutorial on Flowers and Leaves and made them like that except I modified on the leaves. I found that the cotton yarn I used was pretty stiff and split too much for my sanity. I'll have to try a blend of cotton with something else if I use cotton yarn again. Guess this is how we learn about how yarn behaves; have to use them! yours turned out lovely!

[Kim W]

Oh Lucy! What fun! I am glad this year's Yarndale project is for charity. I just don't have enough time to do it. :( OH well there is always next year.
Happy Hooking!

[The little farmhouse]

I love the cushion, and in two weeks I'll have a piece of cake at the Coopers Cafe, too!

Corine
x

[Joanne Garratt]

Hi Lucy
Is the pattern the same as the blooming flower cushion
Just love the rose cushion it is beautiful

[Jen Keast]

Gorgeous cushion Lucy. I'm a little worried though - do you mean you have given up your studio, or you just haven't had time to get there?? I hope its the latter. xxx

[fiona]

Think I'm going to have to purchase that calendar to get my hands on the Ring o Roses pattern. It is simply stunning.

[Clare]

You have been busy love the garland and wow that cushion is just fab, coming down with a case of the wanties
Clare x

[Chel @ Sweetbriar Dreams]

Oh Lucy, that cushion reminded me of little 1920's hats with an elegant lady walking along a village high street wearing gloves and a fitted jacket. I have an active imagination. Beautiful cushion! xx

[Anne]

The new calendar sounds like something to look out for!

Glad you are still able to go the to crafter mornings! Some of my work collogues had to bring their kids to work last week as school hadn't started yet. They were quite bored at work but at least the dog one of the ladies brings to work every day helped (and the dog enjoyed the cuddles too). :)

Take care
Anne
Crochet Between Worlds

[Carol]

I wonder if those of us across the pond will be able to purchase the calendar?
I'd so love to have one...that sounds so yummy and so very inspiring! If so, hope it's not too much, as fixed income rather restricts spending...eek!

IF available, perhaps I can convince my Imp-Man to buy one as a gift....I shall certainly try!

I just love watching your projects come together, Lucy. I am awed by your talent and your sharing of so much with us. I'd love to fill my home with all of your colorful projects...I just don't know how you manage to do so much hooky time while at the same time taking such great care of your Little Peeps (and the big one!)

Thank you again for all you give so freely to the crochet community! You have inspired so many of us. It was YOU - and your patterns and colors that convinced me to pick up the hooks again after they'd been hidden away for years....and YOU who convinced me that I could do it. I just wish I weren't so slow getting things done.

Bless you, Lucy - and your family.

[Marie]

Lovely cushion! Can't wait to see the finished blanket. Take care xx

[Penny Rongo]

Gorgeous cushion. Can't wait for the calendar to come out so I can get a copy. Looking forward to the blanket instructions. I so love your blog and look forward to each new installment.
Thanks for sharing. Love 'n' stuff.

[CJ]

Fantastic cushion, I love it. I shall look forward to seeing your harmony blanket as well, I bet it's beautiful. Well done you on working so hard on it, especially with that tricky background of little people. Mine are driving me bananas this morning. Funny how some days are wonderful, others completely exasperating isn't it. Good to see you are still getting a couple of hours at Coopers on Fridays. One day I shall wend my way up there. CJ xx

[Gillian]

I love the rosy cushion - duck egg blue is one of my favourite colours. I look forward to the blanket pattern.

[michelle smith]

looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove the cushion Lucy ,and can,t wait for thr ta dah moment tomorrow xx

[gail]

Your rose cushion is stunning- personally I think you should use the subtle colours more often - they make a bigger impact when you can see all the details instead of just a rush of colour- if only I could crochet I could make all the things you do but in quite calming shades- you are very talented.

[Halena]

Just wanted to say this is so pretty!!!

[Jane Allan]

You clever, clever lady!