crochet blanket ♥

What is it about cats and crochet blankets in this household ? Maggie seems to like this new one already ...







And Amélie also had a passion for the striped blanket recently ... maybe they're telling me I should hurry up and finish them ?

striped blanket

Yesterday was a holiday but the weather was so strange that we stayed home most of the day. We did go bike riding for a couple of hours in the morning as usual (I have a new bike so I had to go try it out. It's bright red, has 24 speeds, and it's so much more comfortable than my old one) but then it started raining so we were totally soaked when we got home.

So after lunch I grabbed my book (very good read, by the way, but I'll post about that later) and my new crochet project and settled down on the couch.



Remember I said I wanted to start a new blanket ? Well, this is it ... I fell in love with this Cath Kidston blanket that was featured on CL a while ago, and thought I'd try it out. It's a simple striped blanket but I really like the overall finished effect.



The colors, though, I had to change. I'm not a particular fan of pink, or yellow, or light green, so I picked some darker colors instead. Not sure if it will turn out just as nice, but so far it's not looking bad. I'll keep you posted on the progress, but I have a feeling it's going to take me quite a few months.





What else is someone to do on a rainy day ? Well, bake some muffins of course. In this case, A. baked and I ate them (it's usually the other way around, at least when it comes to baking, but with so much going on how could I leave the couch, right ?)

42 granny squares later ...

Yeah, it's finally done. Can't believe I've worked on this blanket since March, it feels like forever. It was the perfect project for those nights I'd be watching my favorite tv series or movies. The beauty of crochet for me is that it can be done quite absent mindedly, and it's hard to get it wrong, quite differently from knitting or sewing. So here it is, my granny square blanket/afghan finally finished.

(the total number of squares is 42, and final dimensions are 160 cm x 130 cm)

definitely looks good over the bedroom cabinet



detail of how the squares were joined (using the single crochet method). The front looks smooth and seamless



detail of the back, where you can see the join ridges. I actually like this side better



and folded



and you'll probably think I'm crazy, but I'm already thinking about the next one. It won't be another granny or ripple (which, by the way, is not finished yet) but something altogether more simple. That's for another post soon.

worried

Apart from the baking and a lovely dinner with friends (obrigada A + J + G) we had a very quiet weekend, worried sick about Sushi, who has been feeling very poorly these last days. She's quite anemic, a bit feverish, and has refused to eat anything since last week, so we're quite at a loss about what to do.

We've taken her to the vet almost everyday, but the medication doesn't seem to be having any effect so far. She's FELV positive, which makes us even more concerned, but the tests results haven't returned yet, so we're hoping that later today we'll have some news.



She likes the granny blanket, it seems, so I obliged and crocheted a few more squares. It's almost, almost done now, just a couple more to go and it will be finished. Soon, I hope.
And Sushi, when you get better you can have the blanket all to yourself (oh, and I won't even let Amélie share it, I promise)

wip

remember this ? I'm still working on it, but it's finally showing some progress ...







and because I'm completely crazy, I'm already planning the next blanket, probably a simple striped one, since just this morning I was leafing through the latest Country Living issue and saw one I really liked (Cath Kidston, if I'm not mistaken. I'll show you the photo some other time). And I haven't forgotten about the ripple blanket, but it's getting a bit heavy (and too hot) to hold on my lap so I think I'll take a break during summer. Now, just 20 more granny squares to go ...

hello from Brasil

Just a quick post to say hi, and to let everyone know I'm currently in São Paulo on business, so don't expect a lot of posting during the next couple of weeks.

I did manage to take a few pics of finished items before I came, so I'll share those soon, but in the meantime here's my progress on the ripple and the granny squares...

I have exactly 7 of these finished squares right now, and I need 49.



And the rippling is going s-l-o-w-l-y but steadily



It just looks so pretty with all the colors combined



(by the way, thanks for all the comments on the felted sweater. I'm definitely going to re-use it for something, probably for the dolls. And A. is in Seoul right now - there's a 12 hour difference between us - so not only is he forgiven, but I already miss him terribly)

granny squaring

so, granny squaring seems to be the latest fever, and who am I to ignore a trend like this ? I must confess that I was never very passionate about granny squares before, but after I saw Cath Kidston's blanket, which seems to be inspiring so many people, and now the blanket Alicia posted on her blog, I'm growing to like them more and more.

I had yarn left over from the scarf and I liked that combination so much that I decided to make the squares on the same colors, plus a bit of white. And then I dived into my stash and pulled out all the yarn I had in that range, so this what I have at the moment ... I think it will be enough for now.



I'm using the pattern from here, and I've been crocheting over the yarn ends so I won't have to weave them in later on, like I've seen in so many suggestions. I think this will be a blanket, but I haven't made an estimate yet of how many squares I'll need to make that happen. I think I might be a bit too afraid to find out, so for now I'm just happy making the squares one at a time. I still have no clue on what's the best way to join the squares together though, so if you have any good tips please share, I'd be very grateful.

more granny square inspiration at: molly chicken (the one I blame for this new obsession), small hands, little purl of the orient, granny squares flickr groups here and here

and my favorite, this apron from Alex (and just love the way she presented it too)

 

wip

I thought I'd post some wip photos of the ripple blanket from time to time, so it would be sort of a motivational thing for me to finish it. Every time I sit on the living room sofa (where the blanket is currently stashed) I crochet a few rows, but still it seems like it's going to take me forever. I'm quite pleased about how it's turning out though, considering I don't have a color chart planned out and I choose every color as I go.

And I started on granny squares as well (I blame it on Lyn this time) but that's going to take me even longer, I'm afraid ... this crochet fever must be something very catchy indeed ;)




 

ripple everywhere

Have you noticed the ripple craze that has taken over the crafty blog land lately ? Jane and Alicia are to blame, of course, their rippling effect is just too addictive. My own blanket is finally starting to show some growth, but it will be a while before I finish it. And because I'm usually so impatient to finish something, I had to go for a scarf version of the ripples at once.



I just love these colors combined, it's like cotton candy for the eyes.



A few rows of double crochet ...



and voilá, I gave myself a new scarf.



 

rippling away

First inspired by Cassi, and then Jane and finally Alicia, of course. I had to start my own ripple blanket right away, after waiting patiently for my copy of the book to arrive.

Little did I know that rippling could be so addictive. You should have warned me, ladies.



Meaning I should've been working on some wholesale orders last night but actually I spent the night working on the blanket instead (and on my pajama bottoms too :). I'm not very good at crochet (it took me ages to finish the first couple of rows) but once you get started there's no stopping.



Even so, I think this is going to take me quite a while. Probably until Spring, most likely. I've been using all bits of colorful yarn I had on my stash, and I choose every row color as I go, so who knows what it will look like at the end. But for now, I'm happy and rippling away.



More blanket inspiration at the Flickr group