A mixed stripey giant square and two years of neglect!

Dear Aunty Mabel

I have neglected  you for close on two years!SOOOOORRRRRY! Will try and be more disciplined to keep you up to date in what I am making.

So while I did not achieve my deadlines for completing blankets for David, my mom, my dad and Jac, they are all completed now and in their respective homes.

My mom's blanket is a giant square made in 4 ply Elle Pure Gold:

I started off with a pretty square that I found somewhere on the net (sorry can't remember the pattern name or where I found it) and then kept building rounds very much inspired by Little Woollie's stripey blanket cal. I also added some of my own pattern rows here and there. Was a lot of fun having the freedom, but I had to fudge the corners because the patterns did not always fit the row count.

I was very happy with the result, and so was my mom when she got it for her birthday in July 2013. 

Lots of love

C.

An afghan for a man

Dear Aunty Mabel

I have managed to finish the Stratford circles! Yay! And they are so masculine!

A masculine afghan! What does that mean? It means one that a manly man would like. No fancy stitches. Colours that could easily be used in a combat zone. And BIG! I had looked at many afghans to make for David and Arn, but they were all too fancy. A granny square; too busy. A ripple; too zigzaggy! Then I came across the pattern for the Stratford Circle Afghan (also called Woodland Circle Afghan) on the Lion Brand site and I knew I had a winner for the guys! I raided my stash, bought a couple of skeins and Dave found some at the local Sunday car boot sale (all DK) and I wizzed these up in a couple of weeks. Arn’s one has rings made up of 5 rows of a colour, and Dave’s has rings of 10 rows of a colour. The effect is very different. I followed the pattern strictly for Arn’s one, so the increases in each row are slightly offset so cannot be seen. In Dave’s, I increased on top of the increase in the row below, so you can see the pie slices a little. The actual pattern I think uses a thicker yarn than I did so I did many more rows. The guys were happy when I got to 60 rows. That way they could cover their shoulders and their feet when watching the rugger from the couch. The colour changes make the work go faster I think. Its monotonous crochet, but I found it meditative. I needed to mark the increase points or I would just go round and round and round! Both Dave and Arn love their new blankies. It’s so nice to see the hours of work so appreciated. I wish them many years of warmth under these very manly man blankies.

Next I need to get to mom's stripey sampler giant square...

Lots of love
C.

A way forward

Dear Aunty Mabel

I have decided that I have to finish the sampler afghan for my mom, Arnold and David 's bachelor circles, and JAC'S woven blanket by the end of May (2013). This means focus focus focus. Mom's blankie was meant for Mother's Day but I think it is more realistic to finish it for her birthday in July. I will keep working on all 4 afghans every day. I will post pictures as I finish each one.

Lots of love
C.

Hi, my name is Colleen and I am a serial starter ...

Dear Aunty Mabel

So here is my first confession. As I sit in my armchair under my lamp in my lounge I realise I mess up my home with wips. In my lounge I have 2 Stratford circle afghans in a bucket at my feet, my moms Mother's Day sampler in a gift bag behind the couch, a traumatic looking green piece in a plastic box which I am trying free form in straight pieces with all the odd bits and pieces that have come to nothing over the years, also behind the couch and in the liquor cabinet I have Jac's definitively to be finished this year tartan afghan. Under the one Swedish Cliffe chair I have a diagonal stripe afghan and in the back of my cupboard I have the start of a Babette which is for my dad for Father's Day (not so sure for this year though). So I have to admit I have a problem. I am a serial afghan starter! But it's not my fault. I lay the blame squarely at the door of my Designeryarny and Playing Hooky/Haakuit friends who post things that I just have to try!

More soon.

Lots of love
C.

What is 'off the hook' about?

Dear Aunty Mabel

This is going to be where I write letters to you about all the things I have crocheted, am crocheting and want to crochet some day. I will include the links to the patterns where I can so that you can check up on me or try the patterns out for yourself.

Lots of love,
C.