Coast Ripple Blanket #5

The Ripple blanket has come back out to play after last being worked on about four years ago. This is what it looked like when I put it away to do some shinier, newer projects.

And this is what it looks like now.  I haven’t got much done, only 9 rows but I’d forgotten just how lovely and soft the Stylecraft DK is to work with. As it’s a simple pattern, I can do this while watching TV so I’m hoping to get it done fairly soon, and then I may do a smaller project or two, or I may carry on with Arizona and get that finished.

Last week I spent some time tidying and adding my yarn to Ravelry. I do have rather a lot, and my yarn boxes and drawers are full. Very full. I decided that I really needed to use a lot of it up before buying any more. So, no more trips to Aldi when the craft stuff is in, and definitely no more projects being started until the existing WIPs are complete.

Guess how long that resolve lasted? Right up until we went into Aldi for grocery shopping and found yarn there. Ok, so I only bought three packs, but one of them was such a good match to my winter coat, that I made a scarf in it. It’s a lovely squishy, chunky yarn and I decided to use Waffle stitch to make a textured scarf that’d be fairly stiff. The yarn is So Crafty Knit & Purl baby yarn and there were 4 100g balls in the pack. Just the right amount to make a scarf that can be worn like this. It’s incredibly warm, soft and snuggly so will be perfect for next winter.

A close up of the waffle stitch. The yarn was lovely to work with. I’d describe it as a chenille. No splitting and it flowed off the hook. It’d be great for making something like a loose cardi or jacket, instead of living in fleeces all the time.

Hopefully I’ll get back to the ripple now and have some decent progress to show soon.

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It’s so weird crocheting big things!

I got so used to making those little hats that all my crochet WIPs feel enormous. I’ve got three things on the go at the moment, and by ‘on the go’ I mean that I started them and abandoned them for other projects.

I’ve got lots of lovely things planned to crochet but I intend to finish these three items first and now that I’ve said it here, I’ll have to do it LOL

The oldest of the three is a ripple blanket designed by Lucy. I made a decent enough start on it but put it away for the summer as it was too hot on my legs. Yeah, and that decision had nothing to do with wanting to start a CAL…

This is what it looked like last time I saw it in April 2016.
After finishing the two CAL blankets and a temperature blanket, which slipped in there somehow, I started a new blanket instead of going back to the ripple. The new one is gorgeous and completely seduced me so I make no apologies for it.

I was getting on quite well with it but found it was too large and needed too much concentration to take along to Craft Club at work, so I started a smaller project and never went back to Arizona.

This is what Arizona looked like when it was abandoned in May 2018. I really do want to get back to it as I was loving learning all the different techniques and stitches. The colour scheme is so striking too.

First though, I’m going to finish the smaller project that Arizona was abandoned for. I’d decided that I really needed a poncho to wear around the house in the winter. I dislike wearing anything too bulky or close-fitting and a poncho is easy to fling off while still being cosy. I had a pattern and a huge stash of the perfect aran yarn, due to going a bit mad in Aldi whenever they have craft stuff in. It’s a simple granny stitch so is great for doing while chatting or watching TV.

This is what it looks like at the moment.

Once it’s long enough, it’s supposed to have a fringe but I’m thinking about going wild and putting pompoms on the bottom instead. Any thoughts? Too tempting for the kitties perhaps? LOL

Coast Ripple Blanket #4

This will be the last update on this for a while as the CAL has now started for Last dance on the beach, and I’ll be concentrating on that.

I got about another eight rows done on this before putting it away. It’s getting quite long now so it’ll be lovely and warm to sit under and crochet once the winter temperatures arrive.

Coast Ripple Blanket #3

I’ve managed to get another seven rows done on this and it’s now starting to look more blanket-like.

It’s very warm on my legs as I’m working on it so I feel that it might get put on one side for the summer months, assuming we get any. As it would be a shame to have no crochet to play with while it’s warmer, I allowed myself to be tempted by another Attic24 design, with wool pack from The Wool Warehouse.

It’s worked as separate squares so no heavy blanket sitting on my legs and I love the Log Cabin design. The colours are scrumptious and very different to the Coast Ripple.

The plan was to make a start on this once it got too warm to do the Ripple but recently I spotted something that changed my mind.

I was reading a few blogs, hopping from one to the other when I came across a CAL (crochet-along) and I’m afraid it was simply irresistible. The packs are available from The Wool Warehouse and come in three colour combinations. I’m quite smitten with two of them but I think I’ve decided which one to do.

The CAL starts on April 20th which I think will be the perfect time to put the Ripple away until the cooler weather. It consists of lots of different squares, using different stitches and techniques, which sounds like great fun. It uses a brand of yarn that I’ve heard of, but never used so that’s something new too.

I’ll post photos of the yarn pack as soon as it arrives!

Coast Ripple Blanket

I haven’t done any crochet for ages, but last week I spotted this on the shelf and just fancied doing some more to it. It wasn’t until I looked for the last update on here that I realised that I’ve barely touched it for a year. I guess I just got too busy with other things.

This is how it looked last time with just seven rows done.

After doing some more to it, I attempted to take some photos. Cat-free photos, that is. The first attempt wasn’t successful. Frodo was fascinated by the dangling ends.

Take two. Almost there – he just flicked his tail in there at the last minute.

Third time lucky after folding it again to make a smaller target.

Not a lot to show for a year, is it. There are sixteen rows now, out of eighty-four. The problem is that I’m not enjoying it as much as I did the log cabin blanket. It’s not as interesting to hook. I’ll persevere though, and get it finished, but next time I’ll do one with squares again. Probably with lots of interesting stitches.

 

Coast Ripple Blanket

I’ve made a start on this and am really enjoying hooking it. The rows are so long though, that it takes me ages to do each stripe so it’s going to be a very long-term project.

This is the progress so far.

I love the colours!

I’m not bothered how long this one takes to make, although with it getting so chilly now, it would be nice if it was a bit bigger to keep me warm while I crochet 😉

A huge bag of yarn

Look what I’ve got!

It’s a huge bag, full of yarn to make Lucy’s ripple afghan.

I’ve been looking at this one for a while as I love both the design and the colours so it was easiest to buy the kit straight from The Wool Warehouse. Free delivery and it arrived the next day. Great service from them, as usual.

I’ll be making a start on this shortly so hopefully will have an update soon.