Sunday 28 February 2010

Accidental Blanket

Hello. Today I'm having a Ta-daa post, but first I must say 'WOW!' Have you been and looked at our 20 Minuters Flickr page ? There are lots of fantastic craft items awaiting your perusal; and to think it's only the end of February! All those little snatched 20 minutes are really making a difference to lots of you.
If you're on my list ( and there are over 50 of us now) check your photo folders and see what needs uploading. I think I might have to check mine at the end of every month as all these project photos soon stack up and you forget how much you have actually done.

Now when I say 'finished' I mean all the good, hooky, colourful, exciting bit is finished. There is just the small matter of stitching in all those loose ends. (pouty lip, glum face.)


I do try and work over my ends as I go, but I found out with my last granny square blanket that if your tension is a little loose, they work their way out again. Which is extremely annoying! So unfortunately there is nothing for it but to sew them in - very tightly!
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This blanket started life quite accidentally (hence its name) when I taught a friend to crochet. Well, once you get some yarn and a hook out, that's it, you can't stop! So while my friend was getting to grips with granny squares I started playing around with joining-squares-as-you-go (inspired by Lucy). This, I have to say is most satisfying as your work looks finishes before you've really done much! Does that make sense?
Anyhow most of the centre join-as-you-go-squares were made last August in the car on the 4hour journey to my brothers house. I'm a great devotee of car crochet as I'm the worst passenger in the world and find hooking prevents me peering out of the window and panicking that the wheels of those huge lorries in the next lane are going to squish us.
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Then I went around and around creating some scrummy stripes in varying patterns. Some in double crochet, some in trebles, some in single stitches and some in groups.
Now going around and around is mighty fine but it does take longer and longer the bigger your blanket gets, so that's when I decided to hop back to my join-as-you-go squares, creating a single border of them. Then I did a few more rounds to mirror the stripes before the squares.

The blanket then spent a long time folded up on the back of a rocking chair awaiting some inspiration. What did it need next? More stripes? More squares? Hmmm...
I finally decided that the reason I couldn't decide what to do next was because it didn't need anything else apart from a very simple neat little picot edge.
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TA-DAA!

I'm really pleased with my accidental blanket. It's made from all the left over wool from my granny blanket (I obviously bought twice as much yarn as I really needed) and it's crocheted on a smaller hook making it denser and not as loose. But now my crochet project is finished I feel a little bereft. I doesn't feel right not having a little basket of woolly goodness stashed at the side of the sofa!
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Soooo.....I've started something new. Something a bit pointy and dangley and all my own design!
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Till next time, don't forget to go and upload some photos.
Love Fi x


44 comments:

Annie said...

What gorgeous colours you've used Fi. Love it. Aren't we a productive lot. 20 minutes a day seems to have really got us all going. Thanks for the encouragement.
A x

Pink Feather Paradise said...

Wow thats stunning... I really must get on and crochet some more squares for my granny a day project...

loving the colours and the mix of squares and stripes... lovely!

x Alex

topchelseagirl said...

Wow it looks great. Love the colour combinations.

Devon said...

Wow 50 of us that is great,,,and for an accidental blanket it is quit lovely..and just in time for a warm snuggle on the couch in such cold climate..have a fabulous day..
Devon

KC'sCourt! said...

Love the blanket. I always crochet the ends in to a treble or chain - ok you have a chunky bit but quite honestly they don't show and then just snip the ends of and the don't undo, also I'm quite tight doing a foundation chain like on the Ripple blanket so I go up one or two hook sizes.
FIFTY 20 minuters Amazing! Is there anyone out there on telling me how to up load on to flkr? I can just about do blogging!

Susan said...

Oh dear after seeing yours I can feel a lap blanket coming on..........

Karen Peacock said...

Hya Fi, hope the pointy dangly stuff is what I'm hoping it is cos I'm all excited just in case. x

Jude said...

How lovely is that??
I'm working away at the moment so not much time to sit over computer. But I'm still managing to do 20 minutes a day..honest!

Simo said...

Ma รจ bellissima!!!!!!!!!

wonderwoman said...

your blanket is lovely - i'm up to 30 something squares at the moment - i love your design, so i may do something similar!! Look forward to seeing what you are doing next!

xx

Twiglet said...

Wow 50 of us - thats fab. Thanks Fi for setting it up. I think its been a real boost to our creativity and we all know what a positive effect art and craft has on our lives.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't that a happy accident!! It looks lovely Fi, well done. :)
Vivienne x

Laura said...

Wow! What a fantastic blanket. It looks wonderful! Well done you. xxx

Lululiz said...

THAT. IS. FABULOUS.
Wow, CK eat your heart out, that blanket is frigging ( am I allowed to say frigging, lol ) gorgeous!

The Weaver of Grass said...

A word of warning Fiona - do not let the dog see that lovel blanket. I made one like that a few years ago and the dog was convinced I had made it specially for him - I hadn't the heart to take it away and now it has gone to that crochet pile in the sky.

Hen said...

It's GORGEOUS, Fi!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Fi - You've inspired me (again!) to keep going with my granny squares... I really love the way you play with different patterns to make something truely original!
I've posted my meagre offerings on Flicker, as instructed. Having looked at everyone else's work, I'm definitely going to have to up my game!
Hope all's well.
a-m x

Marg said...

Oooh I love that blanket, it looks fabulous, and I love the design.

Sandy said...

Oh, Fi, your "Accidential" blanket is just lovely! I love the way you combined granny squares with stripes and borders. And the colors are yummy!

Teacup Lane (Sandy)

Lynne said...

That's a gorgeous blanket, you must be well pleased, I know I would.
Yes I've been uploading some photos. I've achieved a lot more than I would otherwise have done by dedicating to 20 minutes a day. So thankyou for the inspiration and encouragement!
More snow, it looks lovely though I am aware that you may be sick of it. We have wet and windy here, and grey. But as you say, great for doing a bit of sewing, crocheting....

Helsie said...

Have booked myself in to a Beginners Crochet Workshop in June so I can try to make a blanket like yours. It is lovely!
Cheers
Helen
PS Hope it is cool enough then !

lynn said...

hi fi aren't you glad you started the 20 mins thingie ...all these beautiful items that would have never been are here right now..evolving as we speak..i love your accidental blanket too..lynni

GardenOfDaisies said...

The blanket turned out beautifully!

Jennifer said...

Oh, it's absolutely gorgeous. What a fantastic job, it truly is stunning.

ViDerTextil said...

It's very very nice ! love the overal look of all those colors mixed like in a real garden and it fits on your sofa. Must feel good to get under it in these cold never lasting winter evenings. It looks like patchwork too. Love it - have a nice day

melanie said...

I love it, the colours are so beautiful! You are extremely talented, wow, love it, love it, love it. xxx

Anonymous said...

Beautiful!!!

Diane said...

Anotheer stunning creation - really unique - I love it. xxx

Maggie Ann said...

Ahh, I can feel the satisfaction from here. What is more satisfying than needlework? I remember when my Aunt came by and taught me how to make the granny square. I had emotional connections to be sure, by the time I finished the recliner back 'cover'. I was so loathe to part with it in years to come. Funny what a pleasant memory that is after all these years! right now, I'm spinning Shetland wool and forging new satisfactions. And trying to learn to knit 'continental' style..to correct my gauge problems. Good for you, crocheting that wonderfully cheerful and cozy blanket. (I know what you mean about large traffic beside your car...it gives me the worries too)well, have a nice day!

Booklinks said...

The blanket is wonderful! You have designed it so well!! 50 20 minuters.. Wow! You have started something great! I really love to be a 20 minuter and want to thank you for putting it up and bring all those creative pictures together!!!!!!

val said...

What an Accident! It is quite gorgeous and I love the colour combo. As you say once it's all finished you do feel a bit at a loose end ........ so what's next?
Val xx

Jak said...

My first hello, have been lurking for a while. The blanket is lovely, just my kind of colours. Could I ask, what make/colour is the lighter green?
Jak x

tania said...

I just Love your blanket, perfect for snuggling under!!!

Julia said...

Well done! Hurrahhhh!!! Its amazing and beautiful and I love it! There is nothing more delightful than seeing someone's blanket all finished and being able to marvel at all the stitches, and the love and the work that has gone into it.

Its gorgeous.

Love Julia x x x

noelle said...

excellent blanket, such lovely colours! Look at your snow , we had a proper spring day today!!! x x

VINTAGE HEART said...

I love the throw ,such cheery colours, dont know if you read my saturday blog, but age corcern i Richmond has an amazing amount of laura ashley and Liberty clothes(10 huge box,s, ) I thought of you as a lady was buying dresses for there fabric to craft with, best wishes,Linda

Unknown said...

I LOVE this. What a great idea. It's like combining the best of all worlds into one. I'm going to hit my stash on this one.

Sue said...

Hi Fi, love the blanket. I finished my other cushion and put a photo on my blog. I was wondering if it would be alright to put the 20 minute banner on my blog, my daughter said she should be able to do it for me

*Ulrike* said...

I think that is really, really pretty, and the colors look so vivid!!

Country Bliss said...

It's gorgeous and the colours work so well together.
Yvonne x

Anonymous said...

Love it, love it, love it <3

maryannlucy said...

Love that blanket - super colours. Car crocheting, I have yet to try that.

Bovey Belle said...

I only learned to crochet the year before last, but was so thrilled when I made my first (v. simple) throw. This one you've done is simply GORGEOUS. Lovely colours and I love the granny squares. I like to have something to work on in the car (when I'm not the driver that is!!) and crochet/knitting are perfect. Daren't start on a crochet project for a while yet though as the x-stitch projects are stacked up beside me and I am getting a lot more than 20 mins a day accomplished as stitching every evening :)

Jess said...

That's a gorgeous blanket! I'm making a crocheted blanket at the moment out of granny squares and dreading the Sewing Up Hour! I think I might do what you've done with having the middle with the squares, then a border around the edge. Your colour choice is really lovely! xx