Firstly, thank you all so much for your kindness after yesterday's post, I felt very much better just for reading your words. I think we can all relate to those days when the internal battery feels flat and yes I agree that it's good to acknowledge life's natural rhythms. There are bound to be downs as well as ups and both should be celebrated as they represent life in all it's richness.
This morning I still felt incredibly tired, but my overall mood felt lighter which I was very glad of. The weather was extremely bleugh this morning, we had a lot of rain in the night and during our walk to school the clouds were still very low and heavy and a dark moody grey. It was very uninspiring out there this morning I have to say. I ended up coming straight home and just sitting for a while in the comfort of the Big Chair where I was soon joined by Tilly (hee-hee, I got there first!) I stayed as long as I could manage with her snuggled on my lap but eventually I had to make a mad dash to the bathroom, you know how it is when you hold it in for aaaaages and then all of a sudden you HAVE to go??!! Yeah, that. Sorry Tilly, I evicted you at great speed and I apologise for the dreadful indignity of it.
I made porridge for my mid morning breakfast, the theme of the morning obviously being Comfort with a capital C. It was really good stuff - I cook my oats with milk and a few chopped prunes (the plump sort that come soaked in juice) as they give a lovely hit of natural sweetness. I add fresh fruit to the top once the oats have cooked, usually half a sliced banana and whatever berries I have in the fridge. Yummmmmm, its a wonderfully comforting meal this one.
After breakfast I decided to get busy with my Granny bag WiP. This project is just begging to be completed, and well, I really want to be able to actually use the bag so I feel highly motivated to take it over the finishing line. I spent quite some time arranging the squares and deciding on the best layout, faffing with the colour placement and taking photos. It was fun! I love the thrill of immersing myself in a colourful crochet project, it certainly helps massively in the mood-lifting department.
I had to down squares at eleven o'clock as J announced that it was time for our daily walk. Oh, OK then, I can come back to the squares afterwards, lets go.....!
Joy of joys, when I stepped out the front door the weather had completely altered and there were no more heavy grey clouds. They had all been blown away leaving a bright blue sky up above - happy, happy, happy me!
The first part of our walk is quite a steep climb, it's all residential streets but they are very hilly. Usually I can walk up here at quite a clip as I've been working hard on improving my fitness levels this year. However today was a much slower affair, I am definitely not quite at full throttle this week.
With the sun streaming through the trees, the woodland was looking mighty fine this morning.
J spotted this intriguing looking mushroom at the side of the path, it's not one that I've ever seen before I don't think. I figured it would be quite easy to identify so I've just googled "UK tall shaggy mushroom" and found it straight away. It's appropriately named a "Shaggy Inkcap" or sometimes known as a "Lawyers Wig", how cool is that? And furthermore, it's edible!! Would you eat it do you think? Chopped up and gently sautéed in a little butter and garlic? I don't know if I would be brave enough.
I found a beautiful big leaf too, it was so pristine as if it had only just fallen from the tree.
I wonder how many photographs of the woods I've taken since the start of Lockdown? Hundreds probably. This place has come to mean so much to me, a sanctuary even on the toughest of days.
By this point in the walk I was ready to be home though, itching to get back to my granny squares. I felt like I could actually hear them calling to me, well not really, but I did feel kind of desperate to see them again. I'd left them all laid out ready and waiting for my return......
....awwwwwwwww, I'm back again sweet squares, and you are looking so very, very PRETTY!!!!!!!
I decided on a 4 x 4 square layout for the bag sides, so in the photo above I've got the front and back all laid out and they'll be joined into one flat piece. I'll then fold the piece in half and create a seam along the two sides. Well that's the rough plan - I am winging this project from this point forward, making design decisions on the fly as I go. I really hope it's all going to work as well as I am imagining it in my head.
I've chosen Duck Egg as the joining and edging colour, it's one of my favourite shades and I think it'll work well with the lining fabric too.
I'm joining my squares using the crochet slip-stitch method - this is a tutorial that already exists on my blog, but I've photographed the whole process of joining the squares for this bag so that I can create something of a how-to for you to follow, should you wish to create your own version.
The idea is that you first create all the long seams (three of them in this case). You can see in the above photo that I've completed the first two long seams and am just about to start on the last one.
Once all the long seams are complete, you then swing the whole thing around 90 degrees and crochet across the short seams (seven of them). It's slow work, but I really enjoy it. It's repetitive and rhythmic, just the sort of thing you can sit quietly with and allow your mind to wander for a while as you perform the slip of hook and yarn.
Soon enough it was 3pm and time to down my hook and pull on boots ready to head out on the school run. It can be irritating to have to stop right in the middle of something (I hate having to stop mid row, absolutely hate it) but that's the nature of the school day and there is not a thing I can do about it.
It's only half an hour round trip though, so not too bad really.....
......and the scenery isn't too shabby to look at either.
After coming home I immediately sat back down to finish off my seams, gosh it was so satisfying to fasten off that final end and have all 32 squares neatly joined together. As you can see in the above photo it all looks a bit uneven, but fear ye not, all is well. As I sit and write this, the squares are pinned out and blocking on a towel just behind me and I absolutely cannot wait to perform the magical unpinning tomorrow once it's all completely dry.
In a show of uncharacteristic impatience I decided to block the crochet without darning in any ends.....very un-Lucy-like behaviour and I can tell you that it is really bothering me. Twenty wiggly ends shouting at me, I probably won't be able to sleep tonight because they will be shouting so loudly. I hope I don't have to get up in the middle of the night to darn them in.
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Love your post have just come across it .
Posted by: Elisabeth Sams | October 21, 2020 at 10:15 PM
Thank you once again for your uplifting post. Lovely colours contrasting with the grey wet day I've been "enjoying"
Posted by: Susan | October 21, 2020 at 06:43 PM
Oh Lucy I so love your blog! You provide so much inspiration in the middle of down-to-earth honesty. Half term’s coming up -hope you make it to the sea...
Posted by: Jean Jeffcoate | October 21, 2020 at 02:43 PM
Can't wait to see the finished bag. I love the colors. In the states we call your mushroom Shaggy Mane
Posted by: Barb Baines | October 21, 2020 at 02:24 PM
Love the look of the Granny bag! Could you post the approx measurements please, for those of us who prefer rows?! Am making your Aria blanket in Cosy stripe. The colours are sensational! Thank you for your daily blogs. So reassuring to realise that we are all having similar feelings. xxx
Posted by: Charlotte | October 21, 2020 at 10:41 AM
Am absolutely loving your crochet bag and all the delicious colours - I'm right in the middle of your Moorland blanket at the moment and enjoying every minute.
I recognised your mushroom find straight away - a few years back we had some growing in our garden, I looked up what they were and saw they were edible, so excitedly but with trepidation, cooked them up in butter and ate them with some toast - they were delicious BUT after lunch, I had very slight tummy ache, no idea whether the two were linked, maybe I brought on the tummy ache by worrying that I may have poisoned myself, the mind can bring on all sorts of false symptoms - anyway, never eaten one again, which is probably a shame.Rachel x
Posted by: Rachel Alexander | October 21, 2020 at 09:49 AM
This bag is going to be just lovely. What a satisfying project and I do hope it is giving you comfort. Thank you for your honesty in the last few posts. It really helps to know that what can sometimes look like the perfect life from the outside is in very real terms, full of ups and downs. May the close of your week bring you energy and more joy.
Posted by: Sara Read | October 21, 2020 at 09:40 AM
Chuckling away the cat omg they must think we are mad. Day interferances to go look at the gorgeous scenery and pick children up, when crochet is calling!!!!! And the shouts from the yarn ends ha ha ha
It made me laugh even more as I woke at 6.15 and thought ooooh crochet and that was it up cuppa tea crochet out tv on (dog on lap) ha ha
Posted by: Jacqui | October 21, 2020 at 08:22 AM
Do you have to darn in the ends if you are lining the bag? Or is that bad practice 😂 l💕
Posted by: Liz | October 21, 2020 at 08:10 AM
I love reading your blogs, always interesting, and beautiful photos which remind me of my early years living in Derbyshire. I'm not sure where your home is, but there is something similar there to my home place. Your crochet always inspires me, even when I have a yucky day. Thank you so much for being real!
Posted by: Geraldine | October 21, 2020 at 07:12 AM
So did you get up to darn in ends at 3o'clock? This is something I've done some times. Wiggly ends can be very noisy at night...
Posted by: Line | October 21, 2020 at 04:49 AM
I Love your town and your granny bag!! Photos are beautiful!! Take care!
Posted by: Silvia | October 21, 2020 at 01:47 AM
Always a delight to find your posts, glad your mood and the heavy skies lifted. And what beautiful surroundings you have. I am in Northern California where we’ve had no rain since May I believe and none in the forecast until Novembers, so much enjoying your verdant forest and lovely places you are sharing.
Great colors in those granny squares as well, will be nice to see the finished product.
Posted by: Evi Schumacher | October 21, 2020 at 01:13 AM
Hello, loving the colours of your local wood, I really should get out into mine but I don't suppose I will.
Could you please post a picture of the reverse side of your bag? I'm interested in seeing what it looks like with the additional ridges of the seams visible, as well as the textural difference. Many thanks.
Posted by: Simon | October 21, 2020 at 01:03 AM
Hi Lucy, I love these colors for your squares. I’m hoping this will be a “kit” offered sometime! Thanks for all you share 💕
Posted by: Loretta | October 21, 2020 at 12:53 AM
Shaggy mane mushrooms are delicious! At least here in the US, there isn’t any other mushroom that looks anything like them, so they are easy to identify. Such a lovely treat after the rain.
Posted by: Beth | October 21, 2020 at 12:26 AM
Love your scenery photos & your crochet work. I’m becoming an avid follower & hope to learn some crochet tips from you.
Posted by: Kimberly | October 20, 2020 at 11:39 PM
Hope the wiggly ends behave themselves tonight! Sleep tight.
Posted by: Mary Lloyd Jones | October 20, 2020 at 11:38 PM
I’m playing in my yard, so grateful to be feeling an autumn vibe. No rain here in California. Planting fall food, listening to birds and bugs in my yard, dreaming of lightning a cozy fire soon.
Posted by: Susan | October 20, 2020 at 11:29 PM
Love your little squares. I’ve crocheted a pile of your 2020 granny squares , well most are square as I’m pretty new to it. Love to follow your tutorials. Sue
Posted by: Sue Woodhouse | October 20, 2020 at 09:55 PM
I didn't darn some ends in on your summer harmony blanket. Even though you told us to. I lived to regret it and wished i had listened to you!😂Glad you felt a little better today.👍
Posted by: Tracy Bache | October 20, 2020 at 09:54 PM
That sounds like a pretty good day, rain notwithstanding. The mushroom is fabulous, I've never seen one like that before, love it. Such pretty bag squares, I shall look forward to seeing it tomorrow and I know you'll have the ends darned in by then. CJ xx
Posted by: CJ | October 20, 2020 at 09:42 PM
I would love to make this as a Xmas gift. Get darning those ends,,, x
Posted by: Helen | October 20, 2020 at 09:38 PM
So inspired by your blog. I'm about to start one of my own and I hope I can make it as lovely as yours (haven't got your perfect crochet skills but I dabble a bit). Mine will be with an emphasis on tips for home- making, gardening, my paintings etc. Thanks for a lovely blog.
Posted by: Freda Maxfield | October 20, 2020 at 09:30 PM
It’s such a joy to read your blog Lucy . Thanks for saying it as it is- it’s a real encouragement. Isn’t it great to take note of all those special things in our ‘ordinary’ days?
Thanks for your inspiration. A real friend. Take care. Dawn
Posted by: Dawn | October 20, 2020 at 09:26 PM