Making Rainbows

Today I am really excited

 to be able to tell you about a competition

 to win £500 worth of yarn!!!

I have joined together with 5 other bloggers

 to help launch the

 Deramores Blog Competition 2015

Here's how you can take part!

Everyone loves a rainbow

red  orange  yellow  green  blue  indigo  violet.

Lately I've been playing with colours

 a lot

as a Mathematician

 order is very important to me

and

as an artist 

colour fills me with passion

so

 to create a rainbow

 is perfection

 in my little world!

A few months ago

 I made myself a set of shade squares

 for all my favourite Stylecraft Special DK shades.

I used a small 3 round solid granny square

you can find a pattern 

HERE

Hours of fun and playing

 ended up with this combination

 for my bright traditional rainbow

I tried it out on a star shaped baby blanket

using a free pattern by 

Celeste Young on Ravelry

and the result was amazing!

but the artist in me wants to play

and my brain is continually making new rainbows

a pastel rainbow was next on my hook

oh so pretty

then again more playing with my squares

resulted in 

bright versus vintage

rainbows

using my creative license

I next hooked a

vintage look rainbow baby blanket

and I really love these soft muted tones

So where did this rainbow trend begin?

I have to give thanks

 to my hooky friends over on

 Instagram

This winter there has been a craze inspired by

 a beautiful Cath Kidston blanket.

So many of my clever hooky friends

 have been making their own versions, 

beautiful granny striped blankets

 with a parchment background.

totally inspired by the lovely makes of

 @wooly_creations

@pandagourgh

@yarnandwhatnot

@thelittlegreencupboard

and many others

I finally gave in and tried it myself

adding the neutral background

 to my vintage rainbow

 resulted in this amazing 

Cath Kidston inspired

 granny square baby blanket

Rainbows have spread into my cotton creations too

I always begin with a traditional colour order

Mandala making

 is such a perfect way

 of trying out colour combinations

but I soon find myself thinking

 that rainbows don't have to include all 7 shades!

Before I know it I'm shading pinks and purples

and blending blues and greens

Working with colour is therapy to me

it excites me

and makes me come alive!

So what better rainbow celebration

than my latest creation of a dream catcher!

This pattern by ATERGcrochet is available to buy on Etsy

HERE

So are you inspired?

 Do you want to play with colour too?

Oh I do hope I've got you rushing for your hooks

 and diving into your stash!

Ladies I'm really excited to tell you

 about the fabulous new

 competition 

I'm helping launch

would you like to win

 £500 worth of yarn

? ? ?

All you have to do

 is play with colour and crochet something wonderful!

Blog about your makes and enter the competition.

You will find all you need to know here

HOW TO ENTER THE COMPETITION

Go on you know you are itching to create

and who doesn't need more yarn!

You can enter many times

 and there are 5 other trends you can follow too!

This week I will be playing with a bright rainbow

 and a cream background! 

Come back next week to see what I made!

Do leave a comment to let me know what you are making

 and entering into the competition, 

I'd love to pop over and visit your blogs

 to see what you are making

Happy hookin

Heather

X X X

Starburst Flowers for Spring

Pink and green 

has been a refreshing change

 on my hook this week!

Oh what a pleasure it is choosing new colours for a blanket!

My Stylecraft shade squares have been out again

 and I've enjoyed playing

 with these little samples of colours immensely.

I have chosen

Stylecraft Special DK

in

claret

raspberry

pomegranate

pale rose

fondant

candy floss

soft peach

parchment

spring green meadow

and

khaki

My pattern is the starburst flower by Jane Brocket

 which was in Mollie Makes issue 2

 and is also in her book The Gentle Art of Knitting

To increase speed

I make all of round 1 first

then all of round 2

I find this helps my productions rate

 as your fingers and brain remember the stitch pattern

 and there is no time wasted from changing colours

 if you make in batches of the same colour

This pattern is very close

 enabling the ends to be crocheted over

 as you work on round 2 and 3

working in batches helps make sure

 there are an equal amount of each colour too

The next job is to turn the circles into squares

 and for this I am using parchment

I am using the flat braid join on this blanket 

to add more texture

do come back next week to check on my progress!

The colourful flower square blanket

 is now complete

 and waiting for its red border

 here is a lovely daylight shot

Thank you for all your lovely comments

it pleases me much

 to know that my humble little pag

e is an encouragment to many of you!

Happy hookin friends

Heather X X X

Shade Squares

This week I have been playing with colour

lots of tiny squares in nearly 60 shades

have been giving me so much fun!

Oh the satisfaction

 I have had from playing with these is unbelievable!

 I have made rainbows,

 greens, blues, purples, pinks, browns and neutrals 

and all are equally delicious!

My default yarn for blankets is 

Stylecraft Special DK

I love it for its huge colour palette of 60 shades,

 it is so soft, machine washable and very affordable.

This makes it perfect for baby blankets and throws

 and a delight for any crochet artist who likes to dabble with colour!

 I have not made all 60 shade samples just the colours I like to use.

I plan on labeling my squares with the shade names

 which will make for easy photography when I share my colour recipes, 

which I know have become so popular.

This weekend I was asked to make a hot water bottle in bright colours.

I had great fun playing with my colour squares and came up with a recipe of

spice

petrol

raspberry

meadow

lipstick

aspen

and

saffron

inspired my a favourite Cath Kidston mug!

I needed 7 shades

 so I replaced the lipstick and raspberry with pomegranate

 which is a nice half way measure

 and added cream for brightness

Just look at the fabulous stitch definition

oh so yummy

I love this yarn!

One day when I do not work full time

 I will write up this pattern for you all as I am frequently asked . . .

 but I'm sorry for now it is still in my head!

Christmas is fast approaching

 and I am busy trying out new decorations this year.

 Last week was all about baubles . . .

 if you missed that post you can read it

 HERE

this week is all about stars!

I have used a wonderful pattern

 which I bought on Etsy from ATERGcrochet

you can find it

HERE

I highly recommend it for a few pounds,

 it is very clear and easy to follow with lots of photos!

The yarn is Rico Essentials Cotton DK

oh wow

this is new to me and I am smitten!

It comes in 42 shades

 and has a beautiful rich sheen perfect for decorations!

Im sure I will be making more!

2 weeks of school to go and then I will be a crocher queen again ... oh I cant wait ... but now Monday looms and I must love you and leave you to prepare

Wishing you all a blessed advent 

Happy hookin my friends

Heather

X X X