Springfrost Blanket CAL :: Part 4

Isn't it a lovely thing when we can gaze at a simple collection of colours and conjure up another time and place? I've been doing exactly that this past week - using these soft, Springfrost colours to remind myself that we are slowly edging through winter towards a lighter, brighter time of the year. This pretty yarn palette has really has helped lift my spirits, both the colour therapy and the repetitive, soothing rhythm of working those squishy rows to calm my mind.

Last week I journeyed down to Dorset, and as it's a pretty full-on day of travel involving three different trains across seven hours, I always like to have something yarny to pass the time. For this journey I knew without a doubt that I needed to make space in my bag for my rapidly growing Springfrost - it's not an especially portable project, but oh, it's so worth it! As I jigged my way through the southern counties watching the sun slowly sink in the sky, my hands busy creating some slow, spring-coloured stripes, well.....it was a little bit of heaven right there. 

My time in Dorset was such a melting pot of mixed feelings and I'm still attempting to sort through them and recover some equilibrium. As I was there primarily to take care of my Dad, I didn't have much of a chance to get out and about like I normally would. The days were extremely cold but clear and bright with lots of winter-frost covering the landscape. I snapped the above photo walking past the local florist in town one morning, as the flowering pots stacked up outside really caught my eye. The flowers looked so pretty and instantly reminded me of my blanket - cool silvery-white hellebores and the cutest little pots of pale purple and white pansies too. 

I wasn't online much during the week I was away and so I feel  little bit disconnected from you all out there. How are you doing? Are you enjoying the Springfrost colours? Are you taking it gently this month and allowing some drift to happen?

Since I came home a couple days ago, I have managed to do a quick spin through the various social media groups and CAL hashtags and have been utterly delighted with the images you've been sharing - thank you SO MUCH! I feel ridiculously InSpiReD every time I see where my colours are taking you, it really is the most fabulous thing. I don't have much of a theme to my sharing this week, but I hope you enjoy this collection of inspirational Springfrost works-in-progress.....

♥ I shared some of these beautiful squares made by Nikii (@nikiiloops) in week two of the CAL and thought you'd appreciate an update. They really are stunning and the more I see of them, the more I love them. They are made using the tapestry crochet technique and the pattern by Tinna Thórudóttir Thorvaldsdóttir can be found on Ravelry:

(https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saga-6).

♥ Marion is making hexagons and she's included some darker shades in with my Springfrost palette. I love how she's kept all the centres white so they look like snowflakes - so pretty.

♥ Rain shared this photo on Facebook of her Springtide blanket in progress, and I'm loving how these soft colours are working up with the original Yuletide square pattern.

♥ BK is using the Springfrost yarn pack to make this very striking Clamshell stitch blanket. The pattern is by Sandra Paul and is free on her Cherry Heart blog >>

https://www.cherryheartcrochet.co.uk/2019/07/clamshell-stitch-tutorial.html

♥ Laura (@goslingandplumb) is also using one of Sandra's patterns with her Springfrost colours - this is the start of a Battenberg blanket using white as the main shade, isn't it pretty? You can find this pattern on Sandra's blog too >>

https://www.cherryheart.co.uk/2018/12/battenberg-blanket.html

♥ Kaz (@kaz_at_frockasaurus) - has done it again! Most of you will probably be familiar with Kaz Hall and her collection of Harmony blankets, especially if you are part of the Hooked on Attic24 facebook group. The blanket above is a lovely alternative Springfrost baby blanket, made using the first four rounds of the original Harmony Granny Square and the join as you go method.

If you are a member of the Hooked on Attic24 Facebook group , Kaz has very generously written up a free PDF chart to help you make this baby blanket and you can find it in the group files.

♥ Kay also made a baby Springfrost blanket and designed her own lovely border for it too. But I think you'll agree that the super-cute Springfrost bunny really steals the show!

♥ Jo, WOW, this really caught my eye on Instagram and I am now impatiently waiting to see those stitches grow. As well as crocheting some solid Springfrost squares for a blanket, Jo is STITCHING her Springfrost yarn onto canvas to make a cushion - amazing or what?! This stitching technique is called Bargello Needlepoint and is traditionally made using tapestry wool on canvas, but what a fantastic idea to use up leftovers of yarn instead.

♥ Lynn (@silverypaws) always has something creative and beautiful on the go, and her Springfrost project is an absolute stunner. She's making a cushion cover using a beautiful design by Jen Tyler (The Floral Hook on Ravelry), and I absolutely adore it. I think this circular design will now very cleverly be turned into a square. You can find the pattern on Ravelry if you feel inspired to create your own, it's called the Moonflower cushion block >>

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/moonflower-11

♥ Nini (@nini.pippilotta) is a huge fan of my Aria blanket design and if you follow her on Instagram you will probably have seen her amazing collection. Let me share with you her Springfrost Aria.....I think in the above photo there is still one more round of squares to be added around the outer edge, but you can already see the radiating Aria colour effect. Nini is using an alternative square pattern (the Fat Flower Granny Square by the very talented David Abel). Similar to Kaz, David is an integral part of the Hooked on Attic24 Facebook group and has shared his square as a free pattern which you can find in the group files (files are displayed in date order, you'll find this one in January 2021)

I have to tell you that at first I was confused by the warm yellow centre of this blanket as I deliberately kept my Springfrost colour palette on the cool side. Nini said she used yellow to represent the Winter Aconite flower which she sees at this time of year in Germany where she lives....

....and when I saw her inspiration collage above, it all made perfect sense. Beautiful!

I hope you enjoyed seeing the creativity and design ideas shared in the Attic24 online community, it makes me so deep-down happy to see you sharing and inspiring as we enjoy crocheting along together, so thank you xxx

Here we are then, more than half way through the Springfrost CAL, and part four this week will add another 18 stripes to your growing blanket. I'm working just one week ahead of you all, so I was busy hooking up part four last week when I was down in Dorset. It was a very welcome way to pass the time, those soothing stitches giving me some much needed comfort at times. 

These soft colours continue to bring some gentle calm into my days and I am very grateful for that I have to say. Calm is good!

Cosy is good too, especially as we've been gripped in a freeeeeezing spell of winter frost and ice this week. I've appreciated having a blanket on my lap very much - it was pretty shivery-cold down in Dorset and there wasn't a mammoth pile of crochet blankets to reach for like I'm used to here at home. How do people manage without crochet blankets??!

Part 4 of Springfrost......ta-dah! I apologise for the weird lighting which makes the bottom half the blanket look a little on the yellow side - I was limited with space at my Dad's house and didn't have good light to work with. In the end, I decided to brave the freeze and take my Springfrost out into the garden.....

....ahh, that's better! This gives you a much better look at the colours in bright natural daylight, but please do me a favour and pretend you can't see the rough fence backdrop? 

At the end of part four, you'll have 69 stripes and your blanket should be looking and behaving in a very pleasing blankety manner. Oh, I do so love growing a blanket, don't you?! It's just so bloomin' satisfying!

Yummy. These Springfrost colours are veeeeery yummy.

Here is the colour info for Part 4 of the Springfrost Blanket. Click on the following link for the printable worksheet...

🌸 PART 4 COLOUR WORKSHEET

Remember that this list of colours refers to the stripes, so crochet two rows of each colour.

52. Spearmint 

53. White

54. Pale Rose

55. Mushroom

56. Blue Marl

57. Powder Pink

58. Duck Egg

59. Meadow

60. Baby Blue

61. Pistachio

62. A Hint of Silver

63. Parma Violet

64. Wisteria

65. Lincoln

66. Powder Pink

67. Pale Rose

68. White

69. Spearmint

NOTE : If you are making a larger double/king blanket with two yarn packs, there will be an extra set of stripes given in part 6 for you to add on if you wish.

🌸 PART 4 COLOUR WORKSHEET

I'm sending you calm and cosy vibes, I hope these yummy stripes bring you some contented moments this week.

x

♥ SPRINGFROST BLANKET INTRODUCTION

♥ SPRINGFROST YARN PACK 

♥ SPRINGFROST STRIPE TUTORIAL

♥ SPRINGFROST PDF PATTERN

♥ CAL PART 1 : stripes 1-15

♥ CAL PART 2 : stripes 16-33

♥ CAL PART 3 : stripes 34-51

 

 

Comments

[Beverley]

Your blankets are a beautiful pleasure Lucy. Thank you for your generosity and inspiration.
I am enjoying seeing how other people are interpreting your Springfrost blanket x

[Femke]

These springfrost colours are so beautiful! The days here are so grey and cold. I am currently working with something completely different... my daughter is really hooked on 'Wednesday' (the Netflix series). She asked me to crochet a 'Wednesday snood' -- a black one, of course.

[Judi Strain]

Loving the blanket but not allowing myself to start until I complete the one I am working on! Do you have a pattern for the little flowers please?
Judi x

[Sylvie]

Hello Lucy,
I have been reading your blog for a few years now. And although I'm not a crocheter but a knitter, I love what you do.
As soon as I saw your Springfrost Blanket, I fell in love with it. All those beautiful colors!
I crochet a little though, but I hesitated. Such a great crochet project... I wasn't sure.
However, with each new part , I was more and more tempted. So... Last Monday, I ordered the Springfrost yarn pack from Wool Warehouse. Now I hope my parcel will not be too late, I know there are problems at Royal Mail. I can't wait to start !
Thank you very much for this magnificent model so generously offered, Lucy. And for everything you share on your blog. It is a pleasure to read!
Hi from the French Pyrenees where it is very cold at the moment. A weather to crochet a blanket!

[Kristine S]

Seven hour train journey... LOTS of time for crochet in your hands! Hugs 🫂 re your dad & hope all's as well as is possible. While I'm not doing another blanket, I'm loving seeing the others' interpretation of your project❣️👏🥰

[Susan]

OMG, what a feast for the eyes. I'm way behind on blog reading, so am catching up once again. My tablet won't let me comment on your blog for some reason. I'm loving your blanket and all the others you've shown too. Well done to all. Take care and hugs from down under.

[Tina knight]

Can’t find the lap blanket tutorial?
I think if I keep going will be too long ?

[Kay G.]

Can always count on you for showing us Spring colors. Best wishes, Lucy!

[Caroline Harty]

Hello Lucy,
I am loving the Springfrost CAL, thank you.
I am making the baby blanket size so how many rows should I do before stopping to await the border ?

[Debbi Robertson]

Oh, but the rough fence backdrop is the perfect contrast to your so-very-soft blanket! It's exciting to see the various iterations of your Springfrost beauty, it must fill you with such joy! (It certainly does me!)

[Sandra]

I always love to see all the different variations. Thank you for sharing them.
These colours are so soothing.

[Alison]

And in reply to Ruth's comment, I'd recommend trying different brands of hooks in both sizes. I find I get different gauges with different hooks even within the same brand. For example, Clover Amour vs Clover Soft Touch.

[Alison]

I'm using your Dune pattern for this blanket, which visually looks similar to Sandra's clamshell pattern. I love Nina's blanket! Thank you, Lucy, for sharing others' projects for those of us who aren't on social media sites. And thank you for the CAL again; I look forward to it every year!

[Ruth Huddle]

I am having trouble deciding what hook/tension to make my baby blanket. If I use 4mm it looks loose and 3.5 looks tight. 4mm loose has some holes which I am unsure for a baby blanket thankyou