Thursday, December 05, 2013

I Will Have One In Every Colour Please

The world of knitters/crocheters/makers is divided. There are those who partake in their craft because they love the process, and those who do it for the finished product. While I would argue that everyone who "makes" likely enjoys both aspects of their art (who the heck knits socks because they NEED socks, but HATES knitting?!?!?!?!), it tends to be one or the other that really motivates us each to the finish line- or not.

I am most definitely a "process person". I tend to only blog about the rare thing that I finish... which explains why my posts are so sporadic. I practically cast on something new everyday! I love trying out new techniques and new yarns, getting familiar with the process... then as soon as I come across something else that strikes my fancy, I am onto the next thing.

Inspiration and access to yarn at any given hour are just a few of the perks of working at a yarn shop. But it is exactly these two things that do little to keep me focused on only one project at a time.

For those of you who have been keeping track of the gorgeous handmade blankets that I have acquired over the past year or so, you will know that I really do not need to be making myself anymore.

However, when a box arrived at the shop a few months back, and I loved every colour of yarn that was in it... my wise mother suggested to me that I just crochet a blanket using one of each shade.

Oh! The enabling that goes on between is ridiculous.

Trust me... I know.

Buried under THREE crocheted blankets- one in progress
But I had been wanting to tackle "Granny Stripes" for a while now, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Clearly, I do not "need" a blanket, but that's not why I made this.

What I "needed", was to try out some Granny striping!

A "process person", indeed.

Cushion- Jenna Rose
Then, by some kind of miracle... I actually made it to the finish line.




Something warm, something soft, something washable and something with almost every colour that I love.

Which is all the colours.

Ever.


Details

Pattern- I sort of mashed together both Attic 24's tutorial on "Granny Stripes", as well as another one that helped clarify for me the edge- which OF COURSE I cannot find for you now. This one however, seems to be pretty decent.
Yarn- I used A LOT of Fibra Natura's "Inca". About 35 balls total. While Mary's Yarns does not stock the entire range of shades available in this yarn (there just isn't room in our tiny shop!), I included all of the colours that we do. Which include- 2 "Tangerine", 13 "Nile Green", 14 "Dark Teal", 20 "Fandango", 31 "Taupe", 33 "Dark Grey", 34 "Ecru", 35 "Black", 22 "Dusty Pink", 27 "Chocolate", and 7 "Corn Yellow". I used three balls of each, but four of the Dark Teal and the Black.
Hook- 8mm, which makes this giant blanket actually FLY off the hook (likely the real reason why I actually finished this beast of a blanket in the first place).

So there you have it. I finished something, and I satisfied my "sweet tooth", in the crocheting sense of the term.


And all just in time for the first snow to fall.