In the Studio

I called at the supermarket this morning after dropping Little B at school and found myself predictably flitting round the flowers like a helpless butterfly. There are many supermarket flowers that don't float my boat, but a simple bunch of tulips, oh they do it for me every time. At this time of year they are cheap to buy and I was powerless to resist their charm. 

I am constantly inspired and uplifted by fresh flowers, the colours and the natural beauty affects my heart and soul in a way that is so pleasurable, it becomes like a bit of an addiction. I always feel like I can't live without them.

These tulips have very delicately frilled edges to their petals and I am ridiculously excited to watch them open and show me what colours are hiding inside. The temperatures outside are still depressingly chilly for late April (currently 3 degrees celsius out there with a biting cold wind) but my studio is blissfully warm and cosy so I don't expect I'll have long to wait for my tulips to do their thing.

I'm kind of skittishly in between projects at the moment and it feels a bit strange as I can't seem to settle properly to any one thing. I'm working on some mandalas here and there when I feel like it, and last week I started crocheting some stripes to form a base for a Summer wreath. But I do really crave a new blanket project, I miss having some easy colourful rows to sink into in the evenings when I'm too tired to concentrate much on anything else.

Yesterday when I was in the studio I decided to make myself a bit of a washing line against the wall. I wanted to peg up my colour palette samples so that I can see in a glance how my colour journey has progressed in the six years since I made my original granny stripe blanket. It's amazing to look at these little collections of crochet squares, to recall the memories and feelings that inspired each blanket. I've pegged them up so that they sit in the order that I made them, from left to right...

Original {Granny Stripe made for my caravan, 2010}

Coast {Ripple inspired by the Dorset coast, 2014}

Cottage {Ripple inspired by my Mum's cottage garden, 2014}

Cosy {Cosy Stripe inspired by the Autumn season, 2014}

Harmony {Granny squares inspired by the Spring/Summer landscape, 2015}

Sunny {Log Cabin/granny stripe inspired by the Summer season, 2015}

Cupcake {Cosy stripe inspired by the colours of iced cupcakes, 2016}

So I am sat here wondering - what will be next?????! I have a few ideas buzzing around - I think I'd like to make a Winter inspired blanket later in the year using a similar palette of colours to my Winter Wreath. I've also got something of a nostalgic wisp of an idea surfacing inside my Creative Mind from way back in my childhood. It's very hard to pin down as it's just a rather vague, long ago memory, something to do with folksy floral motifs. I've been making a pinterest board to try and capture the essence of this memory that keeps coming back to me, and I think there might be something there that will inspire.

Isn't creativity a wonderful, wonderful thing?

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Comments

[Sherril]

Lucy,
Every time I look at your blog, the colorful projects simply make me feel good and bring a smile. I love the bright cheerfulness you possess and (of course) that certainly comes through in your work. Your posts are refreshingly sincere and as enjoyable as your crafts. Thank you for sharing with the rest of us, out here in the world of yarn and busy needles! Many blessings!

[Clare]

A folky blanket sounds great we have a vinatge one of my nan which is all vibrant colour on a dark background :)

[PixieMum]

Just saying, system didn't allow me to say that I should have bought a cup of coffee for you last Monday, have rectified that for when you are in your studio next.

Thank you for giving me your time, I am inspired to start the Ripple Cushion design but using my stash of Rowan Big Yarn.

Madeleine.

[Rowena Corlett]

Hi Lucy - I just wanted to say that when I am hunting around on the Web for projects I always find myself coming back to your attic! I love your projects for the colours, the easy to follow picture tutorials and above all because they are doable. I want to stretch myself a bit but mainly I want to enjoy both the results of my efforts and the process of making things - your projects tick all the boxes. So thanks again and keep them coming!

[Gill]

Have you checked out Gudrun Sjodens website/shop. I love her folksy clothes and home fabrics. Highly recommended.

[rose]

Idea...we would love to see you make a new project with some yummy yarn,i adore baby cashnerino & the new colours out.wensdale yarn is a soft wool from the Yorkshire dales ,I've just made a winter blanket with 9 shades, so more yummy natural yarns please, a little more expensive but wort it for our heirlooms xxx thanx Lucy keep up the colourful work

[Kath]

A note to Lisa,
Lucy gives a fantastic tutorial for the ripple blanket, just look for Neat Ripple Pattern on the left hand side of Lucy's blog under Patterns and Tutorials. I know I found it really helpful.
A note to Lucy,
I envy you your studio space, and the shelves of yarn... Mine's all in bags and boxes in a cupboard!

[Rebecca]

Lovely cheerful colourful blog post, as always :) I don't know whether you're already aware of this (apologies if I've overlooked a pin with her actual work!) but lots of the designs on the folk floral Pinterest board look like Amy Butler fabric, which might be worth looking at- there's the most gorgeous designs :) x

[Lisa]

I wish I had a studio like yours Lucy my bedroom is becoming crowded with boxes of wool :0) Id love to see you do a corner to corner or V stitch blanket as they are so popular at the moment and you always pick perfect colour schemes. Id love a "first row" tutorial as so far I have avoided trying your ripple and granny blankets as I find the first chain rows a little daunting as I get frustrated easily when it doesnt work out :0)

[Robin Summers]

Creavity is an awesome thing! Tulips are my sister's favorite flowers. I love hyancths... better yet any flowers that smell good !!!! your blankets are wonderful!!!!

Thank you so much for sharing!!

[Annie]

Magical writing

[MargaretC]

I love your blankets,Lucy, and I am really looking forward to seeing the next one!! What I especially love is that you completely idiot-proof your instructions - they are so easy to follow and give me such success!! Thank you ! X

[Pamela]

Wow that top comment is super critical. Not cool!

[Justine]

How about something a bit challenging or unusual that really reflects creativity i.e. not just stripes in slightly different palettes.

[misty]

Well, Lucy, it's the first time I've posted here. Like so many people I find you an inspiration. I've just finished a quick knit (Winwick Mum's lovely little shawl) so I've been trying to decide what to do next. It is so hard to choose from all the lovely patterns you've created. I've decided that I'm going for a complete change and it's to be your pretty cupcake colours and then, for contrast, a CAL I've picked up through Stylecraft because I do like to have several things on the go. It's in that folksy/canal arty/flowery style with the black background and is called Frida's Flowers. I hope you won't mind me popping in a link as it could fill a space for some of us whilst your creative spirit is at work.

http://janiecrow.co.uk/presta/content/30-frida-s-flowers-cal-2016

I've bought a ring too as I really want to have a go at a wreath. I've just got to decide which one.......

[gina in alabama]

I have always wanted to see a Provence blanket based on the colours you experienced there when you had the seminar there in 2012. But the winter one sounds lovely too. Its just the bright intense sun and the lavender that stick in my mind.

[Emma]

I am very excited by the prospect of a folksy gypsy flowery type blanket!!! I can't wait to see what you come up with Lucy.😀

[crafty mema]

being creative is wonderful
you should see my work shop!!!!!sadly no tulips
oxoxoxoxcrafty mema

[Sarah Jones]

Dear Lucy I like the folksy ideas and Edwina's suggestion about linking ideas
to the canals. I loved the ideas on your pintrest. Thank you for sharing
pictures of your studio with us. Enjoy your creative planning for your next project.

[Janice]

Hi Lucy,
As we were walking and driving around the Yorkshire Dales last week, I kept thinking what a beautiful blanket you could make with the organic textures and patterns and subtle, subdued colours of fields, walls, hills and skies. It would have benen a perfect addition to the tiny cottage where we stayed. Beautiful blue skies and daffodils when we were there, but I also love when the skies are as wild as the moors. When I was in Coopers, not brave enough to say hello, I was stunned that everyone in there seemed to be planning to join Friday's crochet session - you probably could have sold 5 Dales packs in that half hour in the café alone! I'd love to see you doing Christmas on a canal boat colours!

We used to live in Preston but never made it to your neck of the woods so it was fun finding the café to have a treat - fantastic food! - but I'm sorry I bottled and didn't ask if you were there. If you were, you were probably busy anyway and all I would have managed to say would have been thank you.

[Hazel]

Hi, I love reading your blog it really fills me with colour. Yesterday I ordered the cupcake selection to make a blanket. Now this was a big decision for me, I don't usually buy much wool for working in a charity shop I buy what comes in and make do and I make lots of charity blankets with it, but thought it was time to treat myself with money I had for Christmas so I am really looking forward to the postman coming. Thank you for all the inspiration you give to me and otters.
Hazel c uk

[Edwina]

How about a blanket based on the colours used on canal art... you know, the black background with all those colourful roses and so on. Alternate stripeyness of black and bright colours? I'm working on one based on the colours in my garden at present... blues of muscari, forget-me-not and bluebells, deep claret of wallflowers, yellows of narcissi, pinks and purples of hyacinths, zingy orange and lime green of tulips... you get the picture!

[EmmA]

Your washing line looks great! It must be a nice inspiration to look at all those color combinations! I had a little crochet drought the past few weeks - I just couldn't find the energy and the creativity to make something. But now it's slowly coming back and I'm brimming with ideas of things and clothes and blankets and amigurumi figures to make! :)

[Jacquie]

Yes, isn't creativity a wonderful thing. And your posts always spark mine. Thank you lovely Lucy.
Jacquie x

[Caroline]

Thank you for all your créativity and work....
One of a fan from France
Caroline