Day 3: old blankets

Last December and January for a while I was at a loss what to do… Lots of yarns and fabrics and pens and paper, and really all kinds of stuff to do, to make something, and not a clue just what to make. I had a small, new puppy who took so much of my time that it was no wonder there was not much time to ponder different variations… but I had to have something on the go, because I just cannot have idle hands. I don’t do well without something to do…

I had this cutest tiny dog-person in the house and since she was the center of my days, I wanted to make her something. (Sorry for all the dog hair in the red blanket pictures.) I started to crochet her a little red blanket. I used all sorts of leftover sock yarns and enjoyed making those small squares. The blanket was made in rows and there is no sewing, you attach the next square to the previous. Very easy and really, not heavy or cumbersome to do at all. I was afraid that in the end the blanket would be difficult to move around, but it really was not.

It provided lots of enjoyment and there was no need to plan anything, just crochet away one patch at a time. I loved the process, the feeling of being inside the work, not having to worry that it would come to an end any time soon and just kept crocheting. I made it bigger than was really needed. It is in use, daily, and I am sure it provides a nice add-on to Piisku’s wellbeing. It being mostly wool, it is warm. Plus, I love to look at it, I see it daily, as Piisku’s bed is next to mine and it is nice to be looking at something handmade. And to see her curl on the little blanket, makes my heart curl too.

Once the little red blanket was done, again, I had to face the empty feeling of not knowing how to occupy my hands and thus I began my own blanket. Same technique but mostly blue yarns.

I don’t like my own blanket nearly as much as I like Piisku’s. I should have made equal squares instead of making these long strips… But, at first, I thought that I would make a piece to put on the wall, I would tack it to a background, possibly on linen and maybe add some embroidery or applique on it. The reality is, it is quite heavy, and I would have needed to sew it carefully to the background and I was afraid that it would not work out well.

Then I never figured out just how to embellish the piece, so in the end I just added this small edging to it and let it go. Every time I look at it, I see it somehow as a failure… at least so far, I have felt so. But so is the creative life, one cannot succeed every time.

I am sure, I had to make it this way, otherwise I would not have been able to get it out of my mind. I really thought it would work out well. It is ok, fine, it is warm, it taught me a lot… and it gave me hours of entertainment (even though in the end I sort of knew it was not going to work out and the last rows were a pain, but I was not going to give up.) Maybe at some point, I will figure out a good place for it… or maybe I will continue it somehow.

It is mostly sock yarns but there are other yarns in the mix. The most fun part was of course picking up yarns and mixing them. I like the colors but could have used them in a more creative way. While crocheting these straight rows I was thinking if I could make different shapes with this method but there would be challenges. But making different size squares would give movement to the blanket and maybe I will return to this technique at some point and try that. I think I used 3mm hook. I remember that I had to block it out carefully to even out the edges and the size is about 140cm x 180cm (56"x72").

 

Long time ago I made a smallish granny square blanket and that came out fine. (It is in Ruusu’s bed.) It has subtle colors and I am happy with it (in the above picture it is not yet finished).

So, this is my blanket journey this far…

Wool with you,

Lene