Blogtober 2024 :: Day 1

Blogtober day 1 :: Tuesday

Hellooooo.....! Happy first day of a new month, and also the start of another year of Blogtober. I first took part in Blogtober in 2021, and this will be my third year of "daily blogs throughout October" (I skipped 2022 because I was away in France teaching a crochet retreat in October that year). I'm not sure how popular it still is to do this kind of thing, especially nowadays when slow, silent, non-filmy online content is becoming quite rare. I'm still a massive fan of slow, thoughtful, chatty words and images and I also love the challenge of creating posts for you every day which follow along with the organic and genuine twists and turns of daily life. It's quite a hard thing to commit to (especially as I'm going to be away from home at least twice this month) but I'm here for it and I'm thankful to those of you who always drop in to read and chat back to me in the comments section.

As usual there are no plans in place for this challenge, but I do want to share my recent Morrocco trip with you so some of the days in early October will be given over to that. Other than that, I shall be winging it and taking you along for the virtual ride, so here's hoping it's going to be a lovely kind of a month!

We seem to be well and truly into the Autumn season all of a sudden and we've had a cold couple of days with heavy grey skies and much rain. I can feel myself wanting to hibernate already, and find I'm putting off my daily walks when the rain is tipping down.

I did just about manage to dodge the showers today and enjoyed my slow walk along the canal - this wall of Boston Ivy puts on a spectacular show every Autumn and it's just starting to change from green to red. I love watching the gradual but inevitable creep of the seasons, it's one of the real pleasures of living in the UK, despite the rain.

We celebrated our wedding anniversary at the weekend, J and me. We met in September 1993 (31 years ago) and 8 years after that (23 years ago) we got married. We don't usually do anything much to mark this occasion but on Sunday we did take the three offspring out to the city and treated us all to a very lovely lunch followed by a few cocktails. It's quite rare for us to have all three kiddos together these days as my big boy-child is very independent and it's quite hard to pin him down for things that involve specific times and practical arrangements. I think the offer of food and drinks was enough to bring him on board and we really did have a lovely day all together. No photos to show you of any of that mind you, as for once I left my phone in my bag and didn't take a single picture.

This past week has been deliciously slow and steady and for that I am grateful. I think slow and steady days are highly underrated, they bring a gentle rythmn and peacefulness which keeps me grounded in the present.

Since I settled back into home life after my recent trip to Morocco, I've enjoyed some gentle social time this past week. I met up with a very good friend for morning coffee and a long overdue catch up....

....and a gorgeous morning with my yarn tribe which involved some slow crochet, lots of chatter and a very pretty bowl of breakfast. I know that some viola flowers are edible, and after much soul searching I did eat the one sitting in my yoghurt but felt dreadfully guilty afterwards. Flower guilt, who knew?

Canal boats are still taking up a lot of space in my Creative Mind, and I am just about to start work on a new blanket design inspired by the colours and decorative details of the boats I see on my walks. I've got a fabulous collection of inspiration photographs that I've collected over the past year and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into the crochet design work.

However, before I can properly let myself loose with new creativity, I'm desprately trying to get the tutorial for my recent Flowerpress blanket finished for you. During the past week I did get the square tutorial made and published, even though Typepad has been driving me absolutely round the twist with frustration. It's really misbehaving at the moment and not uploading photos properly, so I've had to dig deep for lots of pateience, and hoping that my attempt at daily blogging won't be sabbotaged by the technical blogging gremlins.

I've kept the written pattern in place and added the full photo tutorial right after it so that you can choose which one to use. Sometimes it's easy enough to follow a written pattern, but the extra photos can be very useful for guidance and clarification.

https://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/flowerpress-blanket.html

I'm now in the process of finishing up the square joining tutorial and the border instructions (insert praying hands and all other positive emojis here, pleeeease Typepad) as I'm keen to get everything done and online for you so that I'm free to move onto the next thing (the canal boats are calling).

It would be lovely to hear back from you if you've time to write a comment. I'd love to hear about your day-to-day comings and goings and the things that are keeping you grounded, and I'll chat to you again tomorrow...xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Elizabeth]

I was timed out (it does take me a while to get my thoughts down), so my message was lost. I did want to say "Happy Anniversary" for 23 years of marriage and 23 years together. An accomplishment by any measure. And I bet it just flew by, didn't it? As for the video trend? It just bores me. I'll take the written word any day. Your wonderful photos are just icing on the cake. If I need to step away from my tablet for a minute or 60, I know that when i can get back, those words will be waiting for me. I just finished ordering two quilted shams to go with my recently-finished take on your beautiful Yuletide. They are the color of the claret yarn. The palette still has me gobsmacked, it is so interesting. We don't get the Autumn color here in SoCal that you do in Yorkshire — a little, but nothing to write home about. There is something to be said about living where there are real seasons. Thank you for all you give. You are so very appreciated.

[Ruth]

I think your photography is wonderful! A blanket inspired by canal boats sounds interesting. I have fond memories of the boats in London. We took an interesting tour in one. I typically do not crochet blankets since moving to the desert southwest of the USA; my quilting hobby keeps me supplied for the chilly winter night. However, I might have to dust off my crochet hooks and make the canal blanket!

[Katherine]

Dear Lucy, I am so thrilled that you decided to do another daily blog for October. I love reading about your creative life as well as seeing the wonderful pictures from your walks.
I love the slow pace myself. As my career life is winding down and the grandchildren keep coming, I thought that my life too would slow down. But alas, poor health for my husband and a cancer diagnosis for myself have made the recent months seem hectic and anything but slow. I yearn for some quiet days to enjoy crocheting your beautiful blankets. Can't wait to read your blog this month. Thank you so much for being YOU!

[Jools]

I do love your Blogtober blogs, it feels like walking alongside you and seeing the world in colour - much needed just now, so thank you for reminding me to take notice of the changing season.

[Fiona Green]

Hello, Lucy! As you are committing to blogging each day for Blogtober, it's only fair I read each one. But that's no chore, as I love reading all about your daily life and thoughts. I also love your photos...I'm so jealous of your gorgeous neck of the woods!
Thank you for writing such lovely slow and steady words...most definitely a time for us to enjoy escaping to Yorkshire with you for a few moments each day 🥰

[Mrs SEW]

A bit late to the party but delighted to see you as always. You already know that you taught me to crochet which saved my sanity 16 years ago after the death of my husband. I have been a fan ever since. My granddaughter - now a teenager (and a little younger than Little B) was a baby when you and I first
met and she is a great joy to me. Looking forward to Blogtober - if only a few words- I don't think you know how much it means to the likes of me living alone but, more importantly, hearing from a like-minded soul, means so much. I now live in an apartment overlooking the canal - it's a full time job looking out of my window and you would be spoiled for choice for the photos/colours for your next blanket! Thanks for still being you. Much love. xx

[Brenda]

Hi Lucy just wanted to say that I love your blogtober slow and steady words. They have the ability to create and inspire as a little oasis of calm in a usually busy life. Although retired I have many grandchildren caring commitments but your blog is just for me and I look forward to escaping for five minutes each day into a world of colour and crochet.I have recently made the time to come back to crochet, undertaking a small project of poppies for November. I now have a blanket pack waiting for me and I look forward to starting it during the long winter evenings. Congratulations on your Anniversary and thank you for taking the time to share your days.

[gina in alabama]

I am so happy to see you are doing Blogtober this year! I love the text and pictures; I am disliking the endless and inescapable videos more and more with their intrusive sounds and pallid content. Long Live Words! Also can't wait to see the canal boat blanket, I know it's going to be amazing. Happy Autumn from Alabama, its beginning to get cooler here. As soon as the trees in my forest drop their leaves i will get an hour or more of splendid daylight to stitch by (it changes by the passage of the sun over the hills behind my house).

[Gill]

Thankyou for Blogtober, love the photos.Also Happy Anniversary x

[Janice]

I’m looking forward to this year’s Blogtober. Like you, I much prefer the opportunity to have a better chat in a blogpost. Your days are closing in to a cosy time of year while ours in Oz are starting to warm up ands get longer. The colourful canal boats will be such a wonderful theme for your next project.

[Crafty Cath]

Ahh lovely photos and congrats on your wedding anniversary! Looking forward to the canal boat inspired blanket. I'm not surprised the boats in Skipton are an inspiration. We had a canal boat holiday on the L&L in 2018 and it was fab. Beautiful countryside!! Look after yourself :)

[Frances]

I enjoy reading your October blogs. Thank you very much and keep them coming. I’m sad when the month finishes. 😘🥰

[Sandra]

Can't see much difference from picking flowers and eating them? I like to leave flowers and other things in nature and admire them there. Why pull up mushrooms and flowers or take pebbles and rocks home? Conkers and acorns are potential trees but not if we stuff them in our pockets. It just destroys the habitat and makes less for others to enjoy (including wildlife). I also dislike all the uneaten and wasted pumpkins at this time of year, as well as all the trees that get chopped down for Christmas. Yes I sound miserable but we need to care for our environment before we ruin it.

[Ruth]

Thank you for letting us in on your days. It's the perfect sort of content for me! :)

[Helen]

Dear Lucy, I like a lot your blog-posts and think it's huge to do this during a month every day, so: thank you very much! "slow, silent, non-filmy online content" is also much appreciated here, love your pictures and think you are living in a beautiful region! Also, I like that there are no personal family pictures, Kitty excepted! 🙂(Please, I hope you don't misunderstand me!) It's also on your blog that I saw the first time the canal boats! Looking forward reading slowly your posts and sending best wishes! 💐

[Jill Stuart]

Fabulous post. Really hits the ‘feel good spot’. Thank you. All your posts are good, you photos and your narrative are both a joy. Jill x

[Louise]

Yay for Blogtober! Happy Anniversary to you and J! That sounded like a lovely outing with your famsquad! I'm pretty darn excited at the thought of a canal boat inspired blankie! It's my dream to have a canal boating holiday over your way. I've even been watching some episodes of Great Canal Journeys. There are also beautiful canal boats in Amsterdam. Xox

[Trish]

Very infrequent poster here in the Comments, but I love your blog and your photography and your crochet, and I will enjoy reading your posts all month. :)

[Angie]

I'm so excited about blogtober! I have been reading your blog since B was little and really enjoyed all the slow pictures you share. I'm from Washington state in the US and have always wanted to visit Great Britain...someday, I hope. Thank you for sharing the beauty in your little corner of the world.

[Delainey (Debra Elaine)]

Hi!!! Can't wait for the Moroccan trip pics!
I'm still using your granny bunting pattern and Flor's Flowers!

[Debbie Wakeford]

Very enjoyable read and pictures love the old ways,so looking forward to seeing more Dx

[Sue]

I don’t usually comment on your posts, just really enjoy reading them. However, thought I’d let you know that I enjoy your blogtober meanderings, so hope you’ll carry on. I live in Yorkshire too and love seeing your beautiful photos. Thank you x

[Mrs Jane Halvey]

Soooooooo glad you are doing Blogtober again this year I really love your posts especially the photos as an expat Yorkshire girl.I also really appreciate the time you are taking to make the photo tutorials because although I can crochet I am not good at following a written pattern (dyslectic) and too many words can get me in a bit of a flap.
I have my yarn pack ready and waiting for as soon as I am back from next week's holiday at Scarborough my hook will be out.
Jane

[Renee]

your pictures look like postcards !!! Just lovely!

[CJ]

Lovely to see a Blogtober post from you. I agree about slow and steady days, they are so good. It's my birthday today (56!), although I'm not doing anything special, but quite happy nonetheless. Evening dog walks are a favourite of mine. It's so quiet and peaceful and nice to get out and have some alone time in a green environment. Although of course it will soon be dark, and the dog will insist we move to pavement walks. I still enjoy all the cosy lights and the quiet contemplation time. CJ xx