From corner to corner...

Very little to show you this week, as all I've been working on is a square

A corner to corner square

A pretty big square!

I've also been keeping up with my mood flowers daily. Although i'm a bit behind with all the ends!

Haven't managed to do anything socially at all this month, but it's been successful craft wise, here's to the next month where we hope to get a better work/home/social balance

We are off for our annual Cornish visit tomorrow, so I'll see you in a fortnight!

Monochrome Floral Cushion

Only a little over my personal deadline, but the monochrome flower cushion is finished, complete with its butterfly buttons

I used a c2c pattern across the main body of the cushion

And added blooms all round the edges

Using just one shade. An aran yarn in Crimson.

And added some wooden, butterfly buttons for closing

This week I've been hit with the lurgy, so i've been trying to take it easy a little.

I chose the waterlily square from the 200 crochet blocks book, as there had been a request from a lady via social media, who owns an independent yarn store, as she wants to get the tree outside her store 'yarnbombed' to stand out from competitors, and this was my contribution. It was fun to make something completely different, but of course still incorporating a trade mark flower!

I have failed to keep up with my flowers everyday this week, but i'm trying not to chastise myself, as I did say i wouldn't pressurize myself, it is supposed to be for pleasure after all, so i shall pick my hook up again and continue...

I've cracked straight on with the next cushion, as always eager to start a new project, so here's a little teaser picture, but more on that one next week...

monochrome cushion

So last week I teased you with a little taster of my latest project, my new floral cushion...

This was inspired after I saw images of the Spring/Summer fashion collection from Chanel, so many floral delights I was in my element!

It was this specific outfit, that led me to do a monochrome cushion.

I adore colour, so it would not naturally occur to me to use only one!

As there wasnt going to be a mix of shades for impact, then I needed some texture. So, having tried a square of c2c (corner to corner) in my mood blanket, I knew this was the perfect opportunity to use it again.

I followed the pattern on crochet spot. The instructions are so easy to follow and its such a lovely flowing pattern that other than looking at the start of the increase and the decrease I was just able to follow the natural rhythm. I enjoyed making these squares, and they worked up pretty quickly.

I finished off the squares with single crochet stitches, but only working into the back of the stitch, which gives it a more horizontal slant.

Then it was time for the embellishments. I worked six petals into the centre circle.

I then picked up stitches from the back and worked another six petals underneath. Just a few more blooms need to be made to carry on round the edges.

In complete contrast ive completed another set of seven multi-coloured blooms for this years mood blanket.

Its been mighty cold this week, and we did have a surprise flurry of snow, although we can't compete with the proper snow up north of course.

But I'm wishing for a bit of Spring...

Blanket Glory...

So. as promised this week its time for my Crochet Mood blanket 2014, to have its moment of glory...

55 weeks of colourful squares

plus mini squares that filled out the irregular lengths

At 47" x 23", its not the biggest. But will be a great little lap blanket whilst snuggled on the sofa

Or to keep the tootsies warm in bed

It's certainly the biggest item i've made

from January 

through to December

This will certainly be a blanket to treasure for many years

As a little teaser, I have been working on the new corner to corner cushion

The two squares are complete and i've started the edging, so i'm hoping to get started on the decorative flowers this week. But more on this little one next week...

Of course the flowers have been growing each day

The first month of the year is through already

Thankfully its not been too bad a start.....

An end and new beginning...

So it's done, it's completed, it's finished, hoorah!!
My moodblanket 2014 has come to an end... I was 'determined' to get it done by the end of January, and that I wouldn't start another project until it was complete, and I stuck to my word.

I didn't have a border in mind, I just knew I didn't want it all one colour.

So I started using a different colour for each side, and just worked a triple into every stitch. For the second round I did a granny stripe, using yet another different colour on each side.

Lastly, I finished in the same white that I'd joined the squares with, but this round I got a bit stuck. Firstly, I tried to continue in the granny stripe, but I felt this was too open for a final edge.

So I went back and tried working into every stitch and gap, but that didn't look right either.

For my next try, instead of working into the gap, I decided to go into the row below. Now this was better, this I liked the look of, but wait, No, now the edging is becoming too baggy and ruffled, I'm using too many stitches.

So I undo it yet again, and still using the same technique but only working one stitch in the row below instead of two, I got there in the end and I'm so pleased with how it looks.

I've never made a blanket before, only smaller items. It seemed such a large daunting task, plus I've got a short attention span when it comes to makes, I get bored easily. But when I heard about the mood blanket project on IG, I was intrigued. I chose to do a weekly square and not daily, that way I stood more of a chance of finishing.

It started as a standard mood blanket. The first two weeks I started with the same basic granny pattern.

But did i mention I get bored easily!, so by square three I wanted to try a different pattern.

Also the yarn that I was using was the stash that i'd inherited from my Mother-in-law after she'd sadly passed away. So this became so much more than just using colours to summarise the weeks mood. It became a learning tool, trying out different stitches and patterns, and also a memory blanket too.

This is going to be a wonderful keepsake. Although I can't say it was the best of years, in fact far from it, but this blanket just gives me some joy to look back on.

As yet I haven't any full blanket, ta dah shots to show you, as its not long been finished and i've not been home when there's daylight. So come back next week when I will show you in its full glory...

As soon as the last end was sewn in, I was there, hook in hand. I was eager to crack on with some good solid crochet. For so long, its felt like I was doing just small fiddly bits, or joining and edging.
I'd already planned what the next project would be, another style of floral cushion. Remember this square from the mood blanket?

It was one of the stitch lessons, I'd tried the c2c (corner to corner) square, I enjoyed making it, once i'd picked up the pattern it flowed so nicely, and I like the texture, and its final look, so it was always the intention to come back to do this pattern again. I've only just started , and I love how quickly it works up, even for a slow crocheter like me! Its a nice relaxing stitch to do too.

My flower blanket is still growing, i've managed another seven this week. 

Till next time...