A years worth of crochet blankets

It's been a big year of crochet for me.  It has been very therapeutic and helped me through many waits in doctors offices, anxious situations and given me the creativity needed to keep my depression at bay.   Keeping my hands busy with crochet is a good thing.

Each of these blankets have become very much favoured by my girls, Amelia and Penny.  They curl up on my lap and assume the blanket is for them or wrestle on the bed beside me while I crochet.

I finished off last year by completing a blanket for my mum which I started when she was in hospital back in June 2011.

This blanket took 18 months to crochet and was finished on December 31, 2012.

 

My next blanket, the first one for 2013 was a joy to crochet.  I had found a most favourite yarn in a lovely Autumn mix of colours.  I just love this blanket, started back in January this year and finished the end of February.

I love the pattern that forms with the colours and the squares, it almost glows.  This is a reasonably heavy blanket, fantastic for those cold Winter nights as an extra layer.  I've even used it between seasons when it's too warm for a doona and too cool for just a sheet. I used a ball of yarn for each square.

I also had a little interlude with a crochet pillow.  I crocheted this on holiday in Queensland back in June.  As soon as we got home I put the cushion on the lounge chair and was very proud of my freehand in cushion crochet.  Ten minutes later Penny, our puppy chewed the wooden toggle buttons.  It now resides in my bedroom in the hope that is not chewed on again.

The next project was a blanket for Ethan's 11th birthday in April.   He asked for me to crochet his blanket using the same colours as his hat I crocheted a few years ago.  I really loved crocheting these squares.  I used Panda Magnum Soft 8ply yarn.

It's a single bed size.

And I think Ethan likes it and looks pretty good on it.

Next up was Toby's 8th Birthday in September.  Now Toby is rather partial to rainbows so he helped me choose the colours for his blanket, in Panda Magnum Soft 8 ply yarn.  The pattern is from Lucy @ Attic24, it's her Granny stripe blanket.

It's such a happy blanket and very snugly, so is Toby.

My final blanket for the year was for Sam.  He didn't quite receive it for his birthday in November, had a few mistakes to sort out, but he did get it in December.

This blanket is a Chevron Afghan, I found a few patterns on the internet and once I got the first two rows done I just kept on going.  Sam wanted different shades of blue in his blanket, which I had, but I really wanted to throw in the green as well so it wouldn't be too blue bland.

The yarn is Lincraft Zambezee yarn, it's a tencel and acrylic yarn which has a lovely feel about it.  I've made hats and scarves out of it too!  It's the same yarn as my mum's blanket.

The year is nearly over and I have a few other blankets working away in my mind, I'm just going with my instincts and favourite colours.  Let's just say they are portable squares and as it's Summer it's not much fun crocheting in the hot weather, especially a big blanket. 

Every time I finish crocheting a blanket I think that is my favourite one.  I really do love looking at them and seeing them being used. Which is your favourite blanket?  

 

 

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Stormy November

I woke up feeling a little disappointed  this morning. The sun was shining and I was hoping for another stormy, rainy day.  It's now midday and my wish has come true. I am sitting on my bed and the rain has started, I can hear the rain drops on the Azalea's outside my window.  The thunder is crackling across the sky which is growing darker. It's a brooding sort of day.

I'm listening to Enya In memory of Trees, very soothing in the background.  I have my oil burner diffusing the gentle essence of Rosewood, Geranium and Lavender. Penny has settled beside me on the pillow by my leg. She's not afraid of the thunder while she's by my side, she's at peace.

I am at peace.

Now for some crochet time.

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March photo overload

Ruby the Labradoodle, our house guest for the Easter weekend, Ruby and Amelia are just having a blast together!

A Happy Easter weekend to you all!!

Giving a little bit

September 2011 was the last time I had a hair cut.  September 2012 I discovered Pantene Beautiful Lengths and wanted so badly to donate my hair so I planned to get it cut in November for National Donate your hair week.   I had my appointment booked at the hair dressers for Thursday November 17 last year.

On Wednesday November 16 I got a phone call from Sam's surgeon saying that he could do Sam's kidney surgery the next day.  The day of my hair appointment.  Hmmmm which one would I cancel??

So of course we prepared for Sam's surgery, and I cancelled my hair appointment and gave my hair a few more months to grow.  I finally made another hair appointment and I got the chop today.  I started to get really nervous, not with the thought of losing my hair, but had thoughts that the hair dresser wouldn't listen to what I wanted done and I got a bad hair cut.  Most women seem to worry about that one I think.

It all worked out and I was really happy, I even asked her to trim a little bit more when she'd finished.  It is amazing what a good haircut can do for your confidence and helps you to feel refreshed and renewed again.  So imagine what a new, real hair wig would do for a woman who has lost her hair due to breast cancer treatments.

 

When I found out about Pantene Beautiful Lengths program to donate free, real hair wigs to women in Australia who have lost their hair due to Breast Cancer treatment, I felt very strongly that this was something simple that I could do.  I know my Aunt survived breast cancer and there are many other women I know or have known who have been touched by breast cancer.  Apparently it takes 9 pony tails to make one real hair wig.  I understand synthetic hair wigs are hot and uncomfortable and that real hair wigs are much more comfortable, I hope they are anyway.

This was just my way of helping.  Give me two more years and I'll do it again.

. . . . and of course when I wake up tomorrow morning I will not have the salon perfect hair and it will look totally different.