Starting to make up my Vintage Sweethearts blanket

This project has been on the go for a few years, no surprises there then! It was released in sections in Crochet Now, I think back in 2017, and then later in full to purchase on Cherry Heart’s blog. When I first saw the Vintage Sweethearts blanket I knew it would be one I’d be making. As everything I decided to put my own spin on it by choosing my own colours - so my vintage colour way is quite a bit brighter than either of the kits offered at the time it was a crochet along or CAL, and I’m not sorry about that.

In lockdown I picked it up again and made some real progress. As I wasn’t doing this as a CAL I decided to make all of the squares of one design up at once, carefully storing those for the appropriate sections together so that I could follow the making up instructions. And that worked well, with small sandwich bags marked for each section and squares added as they were completed.

During lockdown I remember running out of yellow and lilac and deliberating if I should send for some more wool, but thinking it would surely only be a small amount, or to substitute with wool I already had. I decided to substitute, I’m sure the reasoning was that it was already colourful and adding a small amount of additional colours could only enhance the look.

While clearing through things in our spare bedroom recently I rediscovered the sections still in the sandwich bags, and so I got them out and worked out how much there was left to do. It turned out not much at all, six of the very small squares - and I finished the last of these on Christmas Eve.

Making it up in 2023

So my next job was to start sewing it together. For some reason, it’s not my favourite part of projects and I know that without some accountability it could fester in a cupboard for a while - and it’s way too pretty for that!

Actually the fact that it’s broken down into sections helps, I’m about to start sewing together section five (of eleven) so progress is happening…

SECTION ONE - TICK

The sections aren’t necessarily how you’d expect to make up a blanket - section one (above) has eight granny squares in a cross formation, which allows the non-square section two (below) to slot into the L at the top right of the cross. Section two starts to make use of quarter and third size granny squares, which look good but mean more seams, and more ends to sew in.

SECTION TWO - TICK

Section three takes a different approach, with the first of the larger squares in use. It’s different two as there’s two parts, and each slots into a separate side of the blanket. And the blanket is growing quite quickly, but in a peculiar and non-uniform shape.

SECTION 3A - LAID OUT

SECTION 3B - LAID OUT

Section four has six smaller squares and four of the standard size. This section took a while to complete - so many ends! And yes, I know there’s a school of thought to sew them in as you go, but I’m always so keen to get on with actually crocheting the next bit, even though it leaves a mammoth task at the end.

SECTION 4 - TICK

It’s also clear that I’ll soon run out of floor to lay the whole blanket out, but I’ll tackle that when I come to it - which could be soon!

SECTION 4 - ATTACHED

I’ve made it through four complete sections, with the fifth laid out ready to sew. A busy few days has kept me away from this, but I’m hoping to get back to it soon - this doesn’t even sound like me talking! Clearly batching the sections has worked break this into a smaller task, and may even help me get over my dislike of making things up, who knows?

SECTION FIVE - READY TO GO

I’m amazed though at how many ends these four sections have generated.

I’ve split them into longer and shorter piles - the shorter ones will be no use for anything so they’ll go in the bin, but the longer ones I plan to attach them to create a multi-coloured random coloured ball of scrappy wool for more squares and another project, which combines granny squares and some sewing, if it all works out. Watch this space, but don’t hold your breath!

Celebrating colour and craft books I've read lately

I love a good book, and I especially love a good book or two for Christmas. For me, they provide the perfect excuse to escape the washing up (it’s honest if nothing else) and provide entertainment if there’s something on the telebox that I’m not that into. So when my presents are plenty of books, there’s little chance of moving me off the sofa for the afternoon, which sounds ideal to me.

This Christmas was one of those book rich Christmases, and as well as the craft books which are later in this post, there’s a couple that celebrate colour and pattern which are quite apt for me. And to accentuate the celebration of colour I’ve photographed all of these on my new scarf, full of ‘my’ colours and handmade by my mum, who’s clearly been paying attention to my posts as it’s finished off with handmade pom poms - I told you pom poms would be big, didn’t I?

Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours

Now this is a fascinating book. As you can see on the cover it’s billed as “The book Charles Darwin used to describe colours in nature on his voyage on the HMS Beagle” - I mean, a book to help you describe colours, really. At the start of the book, which was first published in 1814, it says it has “proper coloured examples of the different tints.” And sure enough a few pages on there are proper examples of greys, blacks, blues and more with names to match.

WERNER’S NOMENCLATURE OF COLOURS

Each colour has a number and a name, as well as description of its make up. For example “No. 9. Ash Grey, is the characteristic colour of Werner’s greys; he gives no description of its component parts; it is composed of snow white, with portions of smoke and French grey, and a very little yellowish grey and carmine red.”

Now I will no longer have the excuse of knowing what colour I’m talking about. And I have the vision of myself carrying this around Michael-Portillo-like (but without the clashing outfits) while on the hunt for the perfect home decor!

Spectrum, Heritage Patterns and Colours

Not content with colour, now I’ve got pattern too. Sheer heaven!

This book, which draws on the V&A collection and comprises patterns that “simply felt exciting” though I’m sure that narrowing the selection down was even harder than choosing the photos for the year book I’ve just finished. The book aims to be “both a compendium of beautiful patterns for inspiration and a functional tool”, and really is celebration of pattern and colour and no doubt, is just a splash in the ocean of the V&A collection.

It covers patterns and colours from the 15th century through to the 21st century, and while I’ve only dipped in and out of this book, I’ve a feeling that that’s something I’ll be doing for a long while yet - I could be a while!

Ah yes - I thought you deserved to see my scarf without it being adorned with a book, fab isn’t it? Strangely though, I almost bought this wool for my wrap, that I’m going to make up as I go at some point. I thought it looked familiar, and more familiar than me just liking it and having seen it before - then it struck me, it was the same as my new scarf…

Granny Squares Weekend, Emma Varnham

I do like a Granny Square, and quite early on in my crochet adventure decided these would probably be my thing, especially for their transportability. I’ve been looking for ideas to take me beyond blankets and I think this book will do just that. I love the bag on the cover - which also reminds me of a patchwork bag I had (and could have made myself) many years ago. There’s coasters, fingerless mittens and even a bobble hat that might tempt me at some point, but not until my current project list has reduced a little.

12 Months of Crochet with Red Agape, Mandy Sullivan

Ah, just look at that creation on the cover. But what’s also great about this book is the lesson in colour which it begins with, as it seems putting colour together to look this good, isn’t that easy. The book’s also split into seasons, so if you fancy a spring project, it’s easy to find just the thing. And funny I mention spring, as the project (apart from the one on the cover) is a Spring Wreath - we’ll see, most likely not this spring, but maybe.

And the blanket on the cover, that’s called the Hexagon Starlight Dancer Blanket and is an Australian summer snowflake, which Mandy assures isn’t as hard to complete as it looks. There’s an autumn tote bag, and a crocheted bouquet. My project list really doesn’t stand a chance, does it?

Modern Quilts, Block by Block, Emily Dennis

There’s 12 quilt projects in this book, and once again i’m a goner. I’ve not even finished cutting out the quilt I started last year, nor even blinked at the ones that would follow and yet here I am planning more. My excuse, well apart from they’re lovely, is that they’re very me. If I ever get them finished my bed will look like the reverse of the Princess and the Pea, instead of sleeping on all the mattresses, it’ll be the quilts on top of me (until I get too hot, and throw them off of course!)

The challenge of course will be deciding which one, and then resisting the urge to buy material to use.  I’ve a thing at the moment for stars with quilts on.  That said my current favourite is called ‘Hopscotch’ but it’s quite likely that it’s bright colours are swaying me away from the star version, called First Place.  What else I like about this book is the project gallery at its start, which allows me to drool over and compare all of the quilts at once.  What I wish it had though, is the quilt’s names, not just the page numbers on the pictures.  I’m sure I’ll cope though.

Secret Garden, Johanna Basford

This was an inspired present choice by MOH, which is also code for he had no idea what he was buying as I put this in his Amazon basket and he paid for it.  The best kind of presents, well apart from those that come in small boxes from the jewellers.  I like Johanna’s colouring books, and you might remember I met her at an adult colouring evening with Staedtler back in 2016, and she was lovely and quite obviously very talented but totally unassuming too.

And how could I resist a garden-based colouring book, a secret one at that. I hadn’t spotted the treasure hunt element to this, and if I’m honest, I’m still undecided about that. I’m sure I’ll cope, but perhaps I need to sit down and spend some more time using it to relax me after often a frantic day at work.

Have you read any of these, or read any great craft books lately? I probably shouldn’t ask, as I’m sure you’ll tempt me to try a few more, and add even more projects to my project to do list!

Corrugated colour and flip flops

From the vibe of the decor in the restaurant which billed itself as serving Rio street food I had high hopes for the decor in the loos in Cabana. As I reached the staircase, made of scaffold poles and planks for the treads I started to think I could be right, but I had no idea what I was to discover.

It was quite a trek down, and on reflection the ground floor was a light and double-floored space so perhaps that shouldn't have been such a surprise.  When I entered The Loos, as they were signposted, this is what I was met with.

It was as if I'd walked into one of those storage containers, albeit a pretty pastel rainbow one.  Showing how pre-programmed we are, and conforming to type, I headed left to a door with pink flop flops nailed on.

As I had the space to myself I took a peek behind each of the pink doors.  The decor behind each door matched its place in the rainbow, but all of them had these funky, beaded oversized lampshades.

LILAC

CANDY PINK

CERISE PINK

But it wasn't just the paintwork or the corrugate finish. The mirror and sink also stood out - and behind the mirror there was a tame hand dryer, with a more ferocious one out in the lobby.

The tap almost looks out of place, but I coped.

Fun isn't it?  And totally in keeping for the restaurant's vibe, but also far from what I expected when I opened the door.