A few years ago, I found a padded envelope in my mailbox. Inside was a packet of Boye hooks, all the way from New Jersey, from a lady called Pat. This RAoK (Random Act of Kindness) made my day - probably my week, or my month, even. For it was then I discovered that crochet hooks weren't stumpy little grey things (see left), but came in all kinds of different shiny colours (see right)! Mean, isn't it? We have to make do with these boring hooks - yes, I said it. They're boring. No, I won't take it back - while Americans have stacks of packs of attractive hooks in a range of magpie-shiny colours. Where's globalism when you need it, eh? Not in the haberdashery department, that's for sure.Anyhow, over the course of the last few years I've dulled the shininess off the hooks in a frenzy of crochet. In the past few weeks, I've been especially productive: once I'd finished the Crazy Patchwork blanket in pinks and purples (see here), I had a number of little squares left in lilac and purple, so added to them - this time in a range of blues and greys. The result is the blanket below. Making these blankets of random squares and colours is a lot of fun, and in the next few days, I'll put up a little tutorial - just in case you might feel the need to up-end your scrap basket and start making little squares. I know that 90% of the people who see these blankets shriek, "But all the sewing!" and then make a variety of unappetising noises to illustrate the odiousness of patching them together ... but the sewing is tolerable, honest. You can do it - you can. I'll help you. It'll be fine. You won't regret it.
(~ soothing, murmury sounds ~)
That is beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteHaberdashery department. Oh, I wish they were called that here. We stick everything under "notions." UGH!
ReplyDeleteThe blanket is lovely and you know, I don't mind the sewing bit. It's just all part and parcel of the project and kind of fun to watch it all come together. What I do hate is if something comes UNstitched and you have to do a repair. That's when I get cranky.
Fab blanket! We even have coloured hooks in the antipodes :-)
ReplyDeleteSewing? But can't you just "crochet" the squares together? I did that for a blanket once, I kind of sewed them together with a crochet hook. (There's probably a more technical name for it.) It's much more enjoyable, and gives a good result.
ReplyDeleteIt's not so much the sewing as the weaving in of ends. They don't stay woven. They stick out and have to be trimmed again, and again, until one fears that unravelling will occur. This is all I think about when I am weaving ends in and it's terribly depressing. Especially if the blanket is for someone else and they'll think I've been sloppy and not woven in properly.
ReplyDeleteHow can you be so cheerful about it??
cj
That is truly gorgeous :D Please make sure the tutorial assumes very beginner crocheters 'cos I want a blanket just like it!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love that blanket!
ReplyDeleteCan you join as you go? And what about all those ends where you change colour?
Just a note about the hooks! I was given a bunch of brightly coloured hooks (I'm in Australia, and they're easily available here), a pile (several skeins) of wool and some yarn earlier this year, and since then have been following the same youtube tutorials you've hinted at.
ReplyDeleteMy next project is your equalizer blanket for my 13 year old son... right after I finish this ripple for the 3 year old, the slippers for the 3 year old, the 6 year old, the 8 year old, the 13 year old and most importantly me, the scarf-hoodies for the neighbours kids...
And because my youngest one (Margaret) called herself Babette until 3 months ago, I'll be making a Babette, too.
so pretty! (I'll keep my noises to myself)
ReplyDeletei thik I could stand the sewing if the end result would look like this!
ReplyDeleteI am knitting some metered squares with scrap yarns, sooner or later (in a few years from now, probably!) I'll have to sew them up...!
Love your Babette! I just finished my first one. New follower.
ReplyDelete