Wednesday 28 September 2011

Taking inspiration

Sometimes you see a colour combination or idea that looks so lovely that you are simply inspired to make something similar - straightaway - and this is what happened when I saw Julie's "Me Old China Blankie".  The colours were just delightful together and it kept calling to me.


So on Saturday I HAD to go to the wool shop - despite the fact that there were plenty of other things I should have been doing and I had plenty of empty days this week when I could go.  I just couldn't wait any longer - I NEEDED new wool.  My candlepower sock could wait.  The Granny Stripe blanket that I had started a few months ago was forgotten.  I was going to make something new and woolly.

But I didn't want to COPY Julie exactly.  I wanted to see if I could pull together some colours using her basic selection of 10 as a guide.  I also wanted to use slightly less luxurious wool because I know any blanket in the Locket house will get a very rough life and we have a problem with moths so using super-gorgeous yarn would be soul-destroying if the pesky moths got to it.


So I went for King Cole's Merino DK which had a lovely palette of colours and Dot and I had a happy half hour selecting, rejecting, re-selecting and finally agreeing on 9 shades with one Sirdar Country Style in deep pink.  Jacqui and Louise in the shop were really helpful and patient and gave lots of good advice without which I would have definitely ended up with the wrong colours.


I started hooking as soon as I got home and have managed to do some each day and now have 15 squares.

But I have a dilemma which I hope you can help with..............


Should I do the squares as they are here with all the different colours on the final round?


Or should I add a cream border to each one which will make the joining much neater?

I'm not sure because adding the cream completely changes the look of the blanket making it more like this one which I love..........but is it too cream?

Decisions, decisions!

Lucy x

P.S. sorry about the terrible photos - I really hate my new camera - colours just don't work on it and it is very frustrating.

14 comments:

dragonfly said...

Yum! I've had to rein myself in since seeing Julie's blankie as I've got far too many projects languishing about unfinished!
I think I prefer the ones without the cream border...

Annie said...

I SO know the feeling of having to do things "right now"
When I saw a blankie like this a couple of years ago, I just HAD to make it - I have to say I LOVE the cream

silverpebble said...

Oof. So lovely! I love those muted colours.

Ali said...

I like the different coloured borders. But if it makes it easer to join (I know next to nothing about crochet) why don't you do borders in one of the colours other than cream, which would make the borderyness less in your face. Just an idea.

And the camera colour thing? Have you adjusted your white balance. Yes, it will involve reading the manual, but it improved my photos no end when I did it.

Goodness, I'm bossy today. Sorry.

Quinn said...

I liked the first "grouped" picture very much, but when I got to the cream-bordered ones, I like that even more! You can't lose either way, but I think the cream borders let each square shine a but more :)

And lucky you, having Dot to help with the process of selection! It's embarrassing to suddenly realize one is holding a debate with oneself - aloud - in the aisle of the yarn shop. Or, um, so I imagine...

ladydi said...

I love the creamy borders!

julie said...

Oh Lucy it's lovely - such a happy, friendly blanket. I know that feeling of having to drop everything and go to the wool shop - I even dragged poor Toby over to John Lewis on sunday to look at wool colours instead of taking him to the woods - poor boy! Hope you find the answer to your cream dilema - I'm sure it will come to you as you play around with your options! hope you get your camera to behave itself too (getting used to new technology frustrates me too!)

Michelle said...

Hmmm decisions, decisions! Both arrangemeents look fab so I'm not going to say either way :o)

I recently did one with cream borders and it came out pleasingly though I'm not envying you the task of sewing in the ends as that took me 'forever' and I'd not changed colours as often as you. Will be a wonderful project to stay cosy under whilst you are working away as the autumn nights close in.

wonderwoman said...

Lovely squares - i woulld go for the cream! Xxx

French Knots said...

I'm making a blanket with cream bordered squares at the moment so I'm biased! Love your colour combinations and I know just what you mean about the siren song of a new project:) x

Thimbleanna said...

Oh how fun Ms. Locket! Your colors are so very pretty. Decisions, decisions. I think I like it with the cream the best. You'll be sorry you asked though -- lots of different votes LOL!

And haha. My word verification is phorks. Spelling color with a u is one thing, but phorks? That's just wrong! ;-P

Gina said...

Gorgeous colous!

Helen said...

I love the coloured ones,
Love Helen xx

Twiggy said...

Lush colours, wish I could crochet.
twiggy x