Ta Dah...The Never Ending Blanket

Hi There,
Yes! It is finally finished.
The Never Ending Blanket has ended.
Epic effort I can tell you!

This crochet adventure began four years ago.  I was new to crochet and had just finished my first few projects which were blankets also.    Made for the kidlets. They were made with very cheap squeaky acrylic yarn (I didn't know much about yarn back then).  The pattern for these blankets were from Lucy at Attic24 who got me utterly addicted to colour and crochet via her blog.

After making these blankets I wanted to make something for me in my colours and with different yarn.  So after lots of searching on Deramores I found the yarn, Rowan pure wool DK in the most soothing colours.  Five colours in all: Pier, Cypress, Marine, Indigo and Navy.

So I set off with 3.5mm hook in hand and happily crocheted up many a square.  All was going well until I ran out of yarn.  By the time this happened Pier and Marine had been discontinued!! What how does that happen...Panic set in and then I gave up, left if for a VERY long time before I realised I could substitute yarn...a clever trick I learnt over the years.  So in came Debbie Bliss DK wool in Aqua and Teal and Jenny Watson DK wool in Denim...Bless these ladies they saved me.  So now I had eight colours to play with.

I got all excited and crocheted 50 or so more squares then got bored and distracted (as you do) and left it again.  Poor never ending blanket it always got neglected.  But doll making was just so much more appealing than little blue or green squares. 

The pattern of my crocheting life was crochet a few, *get bored, put away, leave for months, get it out, get excited, carry on for a bit, then repeat from *  Hard to stick with something that big, day in day out and not get bored. Also along the way as you guessed it, the yarn ran out!  Probably three times in total.  I really had no clue just how much yarn I would need for a king size bed blanket.  What a dummy!

Anyway...after many stops and starts, the feeling of complete accomplishment when that border went on was so gratifying.  I stuck at it and got it done.  Yay me! Felt so good!

So here you go...thanks for sticking around to see the finished blanket in all its muted, soothing, yummy tones.

TAH-DAH!!

                                                            So pretty!

                                            The pillow is no longer lonely

                           Back view                                                  Front view

I love it so much.  I now can not wait for Winter when I can heave it out (its heavy!) and have it snuggly on my bed.  

DETAILS:
Hook: 3.5mm
Yarn:  Rowan Pure Wool DK (Pier, Cypress, Marine, Indigo, Navy)
Debbie Bliss DK wool (Aqua,Teal)
Jenny Watson DK wool (Denim)
Border:  2 rows of Rowan Pure Wool DK (Cypress, Navy) and Jenny Watson (Denim)
Size:  19 squares x 17 squares = 323 squares! Joined all together at the end with a six row border.

Now back to mermaid making.

Take care,
Lxx

Feeling inspired

Hi There,

WIP Scarf

I have just been catching up on few blogs I follow.  The little crafting community I have found here in blogging land and over on Instagram inspire me everyday.  Sometimes there is too much inspiration and NEVER enough hours in the day to make all the ideas that float around in my head. I love it though.  Makes me feel alive!

I am loving the colour palette of the Contemporary Crochet Granny Blanket over at Annie's Place. She does the most beautifully neat crochet.  

Attic 24 has got me excited about getting my yarn pegs sorted.  Love all that yummy bursts of colour.  This might my next job.

Over at Betsy Makes I have been inspired to have a long term blanket on the go for 2016. Charliebarleymo a crafty instagramer started me thinking about this idea last year.  She has made an amazing blanket from scrap yarn and made oodles of little squares then joined them together.  

I think this is a great idea.  It would give me a chance to get rid of some yarn and perhaps make the pile a little smaller.  But after finishing the 'Never Ending Blanket'...and uttering loudly to my hubby the words "I am never doing granny squares again"...I may change my mind and give it a go. Could be a good winter project.  However,  if I take up this project, this new 2016 blanket challenge CAN NOT take four years to produce!  It can not turn into the 'Never Ending Blanket #2'
...I will keep you posted.

Take care,
Lxx

New Year...time to get organised

Hi There,

Happy Happy New Year Everyone.

Again it has been far too long since I have been here and frankly I am a little sick of it.  I have over the past four months made some great things and have yet to share.  So one of my many new years resolutions is to blog what I have been up to at least once every two weeks.  I'm thinking that is doable and it may make me get into a better routine.

Speaking of routine and getting more organised I am on the look out for a good weekly planner. It must have a 'to do' box so I can write my many cleaning, gardening and crafty jobs I would like to get done in the day/week and it also needs a box for my meal plans.  This is another area I need to get under control again as I had let it slip in 2015 and the meals tend to be rather rushed and boring.

So that is the plan.  Resolution number 1.

I am a little late starting all of this... I realise...17 days late in fact.  Others I see are well on their way to being organised but over Christmas/New Year period here in NZ it is the summer holidays and we went off on a little family adventure.  So no time to think about the coming year until now.   

Resolution number 2...To finish the many crafty things I started at the end of last year.  One especially 'the never ending blanket'.  It is so close to being finished I just got a little too hot underneath it during summer.  So I'm just waiting for a cooler day then it will be all finished and ready for it's TA-DAH moment.  Can't wait.  Also I have another very cool and quick blanket I made last year, very spur of the moment that needs to be shared also.  Oh I can't wait.  So much yumminess to share. I also want to finish a few christmas decorations for this year ready to be handed out when the time comes.  Early I know.    But I am trying to be organised remember.

Resolution number 3...To finish or more like start to paint some interior walls.  This has been on my to do list for years.  Every year I clean the walls, get them ready then I get busy and they get forgotten.  So this is the year.  The shoebox we live in is 16 years old now so it needs a little freshening up.  My fingers are crossed also for a new lounge suite.  This has been on my wish list for awhile.  I wonder when hubby asks what I want for my birthday a lounge suite wouldn't be too much of a stretch? I will test it out soon.

So not a lot to achieve in the year then...

Until next time...hopefully tomorrow...

Take care,

Lxx

Holidays...again

Hi There,

It has been a little while since I blogged.  Nearly two months!  Not good.  As a lot of you know life can get a little crazy, a little busy and days all seem to mould into one. But now it is the school holidays again and I can sit quietly and let my thoughts run free.

So what have I been up to in the last eight or so weeks.  How about some photos?

August/September creations

I have made a few things in amongst the busyness of everyday life.  Just little quick projects as distractions from the 'never ending blanket' saga that still is taking a little while.  I think I am almost over half way in getting it all joined together though.  End of school holidays having it all joined would be great.  Oh what a challenge!! Mmmmm...we will see.

Also during the term I have been working part time as a relief teacher but since I was there most days it became full-time.  I enjoy it, pays for the yarn obsession.  Glad for the little break though as I get to hang out with my two little lovelies.  Lots of movie watching, playdates, slothing around in pj's...bliss!

Day three of the holidays...so far it's been great.  I managed to spend the whole weekend in the garden.  It was pure bliss.  I didn't realise just how much I missed and enjoyed being out there.  It topped my soul up with happiness.  Now all I need to do is fill it with yummy crops for the Summer.

Now I can tick that off the list.  

Next sewing.  Another thing I have missed in the busyness is making stuff for me.  So I have found two fabrics and patterns that I want to tackle in the next two weeks. Fingers crossed I at least get the blue one made. Watch this space.

So it's almost 10am...better go have a shower.  See so slothy!

Have a great week.

Lxx

Terrarium

Hi There,

For a long time I have been wanting to make myself a terrarium after a friend of mine had given me a very large glass fish bowl that I thought would be perfect for just this and since they are all the rage at the moment - why not!

Then the poor fish bowl sat there on top of the cupboard collecting dust for many a day until FINALLY I got committed.

After a trip to the plant store for plants, the pet shop for charcoal and the discount 'we have everything' store for the stones we (myself and the kidlets were ready).

Our terrariums are layered in this way from the bottom:

• Pebbles
• Shells
• Charcoal
• Sphagnum moss (wet)
• Potting mix (messy part)
• Plants
• Pebbles for extra decoration plus any other decorations you might like: dinosaurs, mushrooms, miniature toys...

As usual I forget to take the process shots so you will all have to make do with the 'ta-dah!' finished product.

OL's terrarium effort

LL's terrarium effort

My efforts

We made three in the end and we are all very pleased with our first attempts.  It was great fun making a mess with the kidlets.  If I was to make them again though, I would put less of the layers in so the plants sat inside the bowl more.  Also, another tip I found out, make sure you put like plants with like.  For example don't put ferns and succulents together as they have different watering requirements. 

For those of you who are interested here is a link with instructions on HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN TERRARIUM. 

Go have fun getting messy and adding a little bit of green to your indoors.

Take care,
Lxx

P.S...I think I have Christmas pressies sorted for the family!

Distraction

Hi There,

It isn't easy sticking to the end on this 'never ending' blanket journey.

I have had many a distraction along the way.

Imps, scarfs, giraffes, dolls, hats, bags, more dolls, dinosaurs...OH the list goes on.

Kokeshi Doll - Post to come

Gerard - Post to come

Winter scarf for a friend

But I think I am almost there.

Well, the crocheting part.  323 squares later.  This number has been revised many a time but it has been settled 323 squares are more than enough.

So next comes the endless job of stitching in all the ends.  I know I should have done them along the way but I just got carried away crocheting, that's the fun part right?

As of today, this is where I am at...

All nicely spread out, taking up the whole lounge floor.  The 'crochet cat' has moved in to keep guard.  Nice!

So off I go...323 ends to be stitched in...

See you all soon...if I make it!

Take care,

Lxx 

Inspired

Hi There,

I have got my spark back with the 'never ending blanket'.  I got all 267 little squares out and laid them on the bed to take a look and to see if I was getting close to finishing.

Good news... I only 133 squares to go.  Almost there!  Yes!

Shouldn't take long?... Surely? 4 a night... it should be done by end of July, then just a quick stitch up of ends and connect them together.  Going to be done by Christmas. Promise!

*SIGH*

I will keep you posted.  

Lxx