Verb: pootle
poo-t(u)l To move in a leisurely unhurried way,
with no real purpose


Tuesday 24 November 2020


 Blanket season 

 


With the clocks now having gone back an hour the nights are definately drawing in and, 
if you're anything like me, that means it's time to get the cosy blankets out !

And as I seem to have a bit of a 'thing' for crochet blankets, 
in our house that poses the very big question of which one :)!

Looking back at the blankets that I have made over the last few winters
 I rather seem to have got hooked on the colour combination of snowy white, 
a bright letter box red and a soft pistachio shade of green.

                                     


I used this colourway when I designed my first Christmas blanket a couple of years ago
 as I wanted to create a vintage feel to the blanket 
and these three colours seemed to create exactly the look that I was after. 
And it seems to have stuck since then !



I think I particularly like the contrast of the bright red against the white
 as it gives such an iconic Christmas look.

This blanket also set the pattern for some of my future designs as I loved the fact 
that the basic blanket was just straightforward rows of dc ( UK terms) 
and then all of the picture features are crocheted seperately
 and stitched on to the completed blanket.
You can find the pattern for this blanket HERE

The following year I was asked to design a festive blanket for Simply Crochet magazine
 and the same colours worked beautifully for the idea that I had in mind.
Again, the blanket is worked in rows of dc and then the mistltoe sprig,
 ivy leaves and robin are all made seperately and stitched on to the finished blanket
 along with the little star snowflakes

                                 

You can find the pattern for this blanket HERE.

This years blanket design has been ticking away in my head
 since I visited the Country Living Christmas Fair last December. 
Whilst browsing all the gorgeous stalls I saw the most perfect wrapping paper 
in excatly my colour scheme ! 
And just like that the seed was sewn.

I started the blanket back in the Summer 
and once the main base was complete 
it was time to add the candy canes.
Out of all my designs I think this has to be the simplest of them all 
as even the candy canes are just small rectangles of dc, 
rolled up to make the cane shape.


You can find the pattern for this blanket HERE.


 


Of course, making a blanket is quite a labour of love so what to do if, 
after all your hard work, you really don't want to have to pack 
it all away for 11 months until next Christmas ?

One solution is to make a blanket in a colourway of your choice that can stay out all year
 but that, when the time comes, will match in with a Christmas cushion cover.
A cushion cover is much less time consuming to make but just as full of impact.


This pistachio green bobbly blanket looks perfect left 
out all year round
 but, when added to this Christmas wreath cushion 
suddenly feels wonderfully Christmassy.


Both the pattern for the bobbly blanket and the wreath cushion can be found
 in my new book Crocheted Home, available HERE

These two Christmas cushions are some I designed a couple of years ago 
and they really do add a lovely festive touch to a sofa or bed.


As with the blanket designs the actual cushion cover couldn't be simpler
 as it is made up of a front panel and two overlapping back panels, 
all worked in rows of dc, 
and then the different picture elements are made seperately
 and stitched on to the completed cover.


You can find the pattern for the cushions HERE

 


Of course, once your blanket and cushion is made what else is there to do
 but to find the perfect spot to cosy up and enjoy them !


 







2 comments:

  1. What marvellous designs in gorgeous colours. I don't know which one I like the best! I think it's the last three shots of the two cushions and tdhe candy cane blanket. Wonderful!

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  2. I love your blankets and now that I have finally learnt to crochet I will be attempting one very soon. My social craft group are loving your patterns and one is working on bunting for our craft stall. Thank you creating patterns that finally gave me the push I needed to learn!

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