A stitching and crochet update

Most of my stitching (that is, Alpine Seasons Garden and Mary Stead 1824) is on a temporary hold as I have started on my Christmas stitching. I won't be able to share much of this stitching until late December.

However, I have one update that I can share which is my virus shawl. I'm pleased with how this crochet shawl looks. I wish my photograph did it justice. I downloaded this free pattern via Ravelry from Woolpedia. 

Virus Shawl - Julia Marquardt

Wool - LANG Mille Colori (Pink/Damson/Grey)

Crochet hook - 4mm

Crochet finishes and Knitting starts

In January, I crocheted a shawl for my mum and a scarf for my sister. I'm glad to say that both of them were delighted with their gifts.
I ended up crocheting each item twice! I have no idea why but even though my tension swatch was fine, the finished products ended up shorter than they should have. However, all's well that ends well, the dimensions were better second time around.

Nordic Shawl - Annette Ciccarelli
Wool: Bergere De France IDEAL wool. Colours as suggested except
 I used purple instead of light pink and navy for turquoise.
This meant changing the order of some of the colours.

Granny square triangle shawl
Wool: Mille Colori Socks and Lace Luxe No. 859.0059 - 2 skeins

I love the gold 'thread' woven through this wool and my sister fell in love with the autumnal colours.
Here is a fuller view of the final crochet if worn as a shawl.

Even though our winter has been very mild, I wanted an Aran sweater so I've started this design from Hayfield.

My mum's local wool shop didn't have the Hayfield Bonus Aran wool I wanted so I bought Stylecraft Special Aran in Denim instead. I love how this is knitting up. It is lovely and soft. I'm going to have a new jumper for next winter.

Hayfield Bonus Aran Pattern No. 9219
Wool: Stylecraft Special Aran in Denim

Vibrant Vintage blanket is finished

Hurrah! I've finished my Vibrant Vintage blanket (see Cypress Textiles for full details of this free design). I worked pretty solidly on this for the past three months because; a) I loved it and b) I knew if I didn't finish it now it could end up lingering in a cupboard for at least a couple of years. I omitted the very final border of picot stitches because I liked it as it was.

Now I'll return to stitching for a while 😊

Vibrant Vintage blanket - Cypress Textiles

Vibrant Vintage blanket - Cypress Textiles

One half of the blanket

Vibrant Vintage blanket - Cypress Textiles

The other half of the blanket

More crochet blanket progress

I'm almost ready to crochet the border of my blanket. Yesterday morning, I had to finish adding the last row of granny squares and this is what it looked like then. This is the first time that I have used the cont

Vibrant Vintage Blanket - Cypress Textiles

Wool: Stylecraft Life DK

My local AVF (Accueil des Villes Françaises) is having an 'Open Doors' weekend on 20-21 January and this will be one of the items on display from our sewing and knitting group. The border won't be completely finished by then but it will look as if it is.

I'm really pleased with how this has come out. I found some of the squares challenging but I got there in the end. Full information on this 2016 free blanket CAL can be found on Cypress Textile's blog, here.

I've also found another blanket that I would like to crochet. To celebrate Finland's 100th anniversary, the Kalevala CAL (information here) will consist of 24 squares. Some of the designed squares look complex to me but it still appeals. If I decide to make one it will probably be in a single colour.

Happy New Year

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2018.

I'm beginning to show my age as we didn't sit up until midnight. I was tucked up in bed before then. Instead we went out for lunch yesterday and had a nice leisurely walk by the Canal du Midi afterwards.

Today I will catch up on some of my blog reading and will complete the edging on my crochet squares. As previously mentioned, I started on the 2016 Vibrant Vintage Blanket CAL from Cypress Textiles in late November and I have been busy with my crochet needle since. Here are some of my crochet squares. I thought that I could have it finished in time for Christmas but there was more work involved than I realised. At least I'm almost ready to join the squares together.

Vibrant Vintage Blanket - Cypress Textiles
Wool: Stylecraft Life DK

I've started to crochet a blanket

Late last year, I bought wool to crochet the Vibrant Vintage Blanket from Cypress Textiles. This was a free SAL that she ran during 2016. Well, this weekend I finally got my crochet out and made a start. These four squares are not perfect and I admit there was a lot of 'reworking' at times but I finally got there.

I've realised that if I make an effort I could have this blanket completed in time for Christmas. I like the thought of it, so watch this space. :)