On the hook, at last, and randomising stripes

After nine long weeks of enforced hooky rest, the result of intense Elise Shawl-hooking, there are small signs of a recovering shoulder/elbow.  Let me not count my yarn balls too quickly, though!

So I'm slowly picking up work again, and first priority is my little one's Tommie-blanket, a summer throw for his bedroom.  Just a few rows at a time, so as not to overwork the fragile right arm ;-)

One row, and another...

Immediately I was asked about my random colours, and as usual, it is not random.  This Gemini mos wants randomised order (see the Project Bohemia summer throw).

First off, I'm using all my summery yarn stash: Vinnis Nikkim/Bambi/Serina, I Love yarn - Imagine, Sublime Egyptian Cotton, Rico Baby Cotton, Unlabeled Yarn That I Can't Identify etc...

The base colour is Vinnis Bambi "Blue-Gray", which you'll see in every third row.  Now...

I started with Base.

Then

Warm - Neutral - Cool
Base
Cool - Navy - Warm

Base
Warm - Neutral - Cool
Base
Cool - Navy - Warm

...ad infinitum until The End.

(I might have switched some around resulting in Warm - Navy - Cool, but it's not the end of the world)

But...Red is obvious, so it must be balanced and every 8th row is thus Red.

Navy is also semi-obvious and therefor every 8th row...balancing with the Neutral, you see :-)

And although Yellow is not strictly every 8th, it is more or less.

I'm not losing my mind, I'm keeping it together and furiously counting rows and colours!  And the randomness will be balanced and keep my colour-OCDness happy. 

Off I go, I hear a cocktail being mixed in the kitchen ;-)

Getting all the WIPs in a row

Sometimes it's good to get an idea of what lies lurking in various baskets, bags and closets.  

So I bravely got out the various WIPs and PHDs to assess the damage...

First up, and most important, since winter is slowly creeping up on us: some blankets.

The Great Romany Blanket

Based on a photo I saw in a UK home decor magazine and done in pure wool, this is going to be one colourful and very warm blanket.  The DK's are not of the same thickness, so sometimes I hook with a 4.5, some with a 4, and I started without the a pattern, so the edges might be a little rough.

Pure wool is not the cheapest here, even though we are a wool-producing country! But, luckily for end of range sales, and stock clearance sales - it would seem that many hookers and knitters don't like better wool and/or are not willing to spend a bit more - and then I get 50g for R15 on a sale.
Happiness.

I started it last year, before the winter, didn't finish - although it might cover our feet now :-)

( Alessandra has started a similar blanket recently and posted a very nice, detailed tutorial)

For the spare bedroom...

Granny Stripe for the spare bedroom

Please have a look at this horrendous colour inferno, which only survived here for sentimental reasons.  No more time for that.  I entertained the thought of maybe using it in the whiteish spare room, but since too much white gets on my nerves and some other forms of colour was going to seep in eventually, this one had to go.  Enter the new Granny Stripe.

It started out as a stash buster, then I realised I wanted it to fit the queen-sized spare bed, so I gave the scarf-wide strip to my cleaner and promptly bought more stash at sale prices and started again. The colours are much easier on the eye, it has the retro look that I like and is a nice and easy hook when I don't want to concentrate. Done with Elle Pure Gold and a nr 5 hook to be soft and loose, and grow quickly.

 It is a long-term project though, no rush here.

Something maybe for the car?

The linen stitch stash buster

No, this is a real long term project, and a real stash buster.  All the last oddments will used here.

I saw Kristen's blanket at the Cosy Made Things, loved it, and just added the single line between bands.

And now to the PHDs and testers...

Crescent Moon, oh Crescent Moon!

(Something is happening here and I can't close this gap)

I  loved this pattern the first time I saw it.  Attempted it with high hopes with a blue alpaca - never again.  As beautiful, as soft, as utterly desirable as it is, I don't think I'll work with that again.  Too difficult, too felty, no.

So I tried other yarns, but then the wheels came off.  Didn't like it in DK.  Tried sock yarn with a small hook, sock yarn with a large hook. Currently trying two strand of bamboo DK, but it is going to either RIP or be frogged.

I might try it once more in a chunky, soft cotton plus thin tweed, as below...

The wide-neck poncho

The Graceful Shells Poncho seemed like a good idea, but it wasn't.

Once I disentangle all the tangles that come with working with two strands together, I'll give  the Crescent  Moon a chance with this combination.

And...The Rest

Rowan Ripple Cushion

The big, fat ripple cushion that was too small.  This is my Own, Personal, Soft, Snuggle Reading Cushion.

It is just too small  to fold in half :-(

So I still have to come up with a plan, maybe do a soft denim insert...I still thinking.

Yoga mat bag

The colours photogaphed very bright, very funny, but trust me that it will match the mat!  At first  it  didn't give me joy - either the sequence of the colour, or the presence of that beigeish/stoneish neutral that seemed like a good idea but. Is. Not.

But I decided to continue and finish the bag so I can use it. It's to be functional, not a showpiece :-)

Using this bolster cushion cover as pattern.

A blanket for Hartenbos Huisie

My sis suggested that we hook blankets for the two single beds in Hartenbos Huisie.  We took the colours in the pillows as starting point, and can each choose another colour or two.   The patterns will remain a secret to each until the blankets are complete - a secret small CAL!

I have a shortlist of two or so patterns, but have not decided.

A lacy, flowery curtain for Hartenbos Huisie

I saw a beautiful crocheted  window panel on Pinterest and wanted to do it for a small window in Hartenbos Huisie.  My sis had just figured out the circular pattern in one of my shop-bought scarves and we used that as a basis, with leftover yarns of the patchwork blanket.  After the holiday it went into hiding a bit, then I found the actual pattern for the panel...and had seven fits when it wouldn't work.

I couldn't get these circles attached as in the pattern!

And then I remembered ... I used another pattern for the circles...with a different stitch count...

I'll figure out the attachment still.

Flowery scarf for a dear friend

My friend Christina is moving to Germany after almost 20 years in South Africa. She loved the flowery scarves I made last year and asked that I make her one. I 'm using some leftovers from her and my stash and better get this finished before she leaves in June.

And this might Rest In Peace:

Endangered

I had grand plans for four cushions covers for the outside chairs and actually finished one already, a giant granny square.  The plan was to make each in a different pattern, and I started with small patches for the second one.  The random patches didn't look nice, the colours didn't work out, I frogged and I frogged.
Then I went back to an old favourite, the Summer Garden Square, took  out a few colours to resemble a Cath Kidston combo and was more happy.  But still in no rush to finish this.

And these are the WIPs.  Actually not to bad, since some are small, and some are long term.

Let me finish the yoga bag quickly!

Apologies for the poor photos. The framework for this post was upload via the Blogger app, and today I figured out that is the reason why the photos in my last few posts were not nice at all.  Could fix the last two posts, but alas, these originals have been hidden where I might find it only again next year .

A blanket for Tracer's baby

Tracer is "our" waitress at one of our regular pitstops.  When our Little Man (no almost 9) started to walk, we would choose the corner seats, line up the couches to make a little "cage", and he could happily stumble around the coffee table. She used to serve that corner and we quickly became "her" customers - to the point that wherever we get a table now, that poor waiter has to succumb and she will serve our table :-)

The Little Man now wolves down two of his own cinnamon sugar pancakes, instead of nibbling at bits of mine; and he's also brother to a five year old Bull Calf - both loved by Tracer.

She's a single parent, struggling to get out of waitressing, to get a better job.

She also lost a baby a couple of years ago.

So we shared her joy when she announced that a little one is on his way and I thought a little blanket would make a nice gift.

Enter my stash-busting endeavour and pile of Elle Rustica:

A Granny Stripe baby blanket

I wanted to use broad stripes, then realised that some of my colours would not stretch that far! So after a few repeats, the stripes became narrower, and after a few more the stripes became...single stripes.

Rustica is a soft, 20% wool blend, with lovely muted colours.   A also used it for my eldest's Giant Granny (that's the one I'm hooking in my banner photo). It has these black speckles and tend to become a bit pile-y, but is also a hard-working yarn that can withstand lots of use.  I tried to use all my blues, greens, khaki's and browns, with the white thrown in to brighten things up.

Softness

The blankie was delivered last week (she's still working!) and our baby is due 10 April.

Ready for delivery

Stashbusting

Yes. 

Getting rid of all these little balls of yarn that you keep, long after the project's completed, because it's just such a waste to through it away.

So here's what I'm doing - and this will be a looooong term project:

1. Hook 1 granny stripe blanket

I've long since wanted to do one, but had no specific room, place, recipient in mind, so this will become a car/picnic blanket.  One stripe per colour, with white/cream in between just to calm the colours down.  

As and when I have yarn left over.

As and when I have time and want to work on it.

Beginnings of the Granny Stripe

2. Hook 1 Linen Stitch blanket

Blatantly copying Kristen from Cozy Things, because she's my absolute blanket guru.
Kristen hooked this blanket, and I was in love.  She said afterwards that it came out a bit stiff and could probably do with a larger hook, which I also realised while doing the green stripe.  So that  one will be frogged en re-hooked with a nr 5.  

This stitch (just 1 singe 1 ch) makes for a lovely texture to the blanket and asks for broader stripes.

As and when I have yarn left over.

As and when I have time and want to work on it.

And it might also become a car/picnic blanket!

Linen Stitch Blanket

So these are my stash busters.
(Acrylic stash, that is...will make another plan with the tiny remains of my Vinnis!)

Long Term Stash Busting Project!