on the crest of a wave
I'm ending 2006 on the crest of a wave. On 5 December I wrote a post in which I gave myself four weeks to crochet a ripple stitch blanket. And here I am, 24 days later, a very proud hooker.
There was the slight hiccup of a week's false start, but then I got back on the board and really started surfing. I've been going strong since and haven't fallen off once, and now I have my first crochet project ready to snuggle under (in fact, I had to do the last row or two of crochet around Phoebe as she's already been snuggling).
I loved the stitch as much as I thought I would and it became quite addictive. Crochet is remarkably easy to put down and pick up and I find I don't have to sit up straight all the time. I can slouch, sit on the floor, put my knees up - all of which is impossible with knitting needles. Crochet brings out the inner slob in me, obviously.
As for the making details, I started off with a vague colour idea (bright, Matisse-y colours) and two-row stripes. I didn't want a repeating pattern and nor did I want the result to be so random it lacked cohesion. So every two or three rows I would line up the potential yarns for the next few rows to make sure that I didn't get any big gaps between colours or any conspicuous pattern. Tom had to be consulted on this - he has great spatial colour awareness and his vision really helps. And then I just crocheted, and crocheted, and crocheted.
One thing I hadn't really realised was just how much yarn crochet can guzzle. My initial purchase was far too meagre for a decent-size blanket, and it didn't take long before I was manically searching out all the DK wool yarn in the house. In the end, I used 925g of yarn in masses of colours and brands, and virtually wiped out my DK yarn stock. The blanket is made mostly with Rowan 100% wool DK yarn, plus various bits of Jaeger, Debbie Bliss, Anny Blatt and several other French yarns, and there's even one stripe in red Blue Sky Alpaca.
I stopped when I felt it was large enough (it measures 115cm/45" x 130cm/51"). If I'd carried on until the full 28 days had elapsed I would have run into murky stripes (I have no more brights left) and, anyway, I wanted to finish before 2006 did.
The pattern is 'Soft Waves' in 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns by Jan Eaton (Apple, 2006) using a 4mm hook and approx 200 stitches.
I'm planning on making more waves in 2007...
What a wonderful blanket, the colours are fantastic
Posted by: Nic | December 30, 2006 at 06:47 PM
I really, really should learn to crochet. I love those colours.
Happy New Year! Bee.
Posted by: Bee | December 30, 2006 at 07:21 PM
beautiful!
Posted by: melissa.lound@gmail.com | December 30, 2006 at 07:45 PM
such an accomplishment! it looks so nice and bright, what a good way to start a new year, snuggled under a happy crochet cover!
Posted by: ratichoo | December 30, 2006 at 08:07 PM
Totally gorgeous and a perfect blankie for snuggling under on these grey days.
Posted by: caroline | December 30, 2006 at 09:17 PM
You are ending the year with the fiber equivalent of fireworks! I love it.To have a riot of colors emerge as something coherent,bright and a bit wild but never garish -- now that is talent. Congratulations to you and to your color consultant, and happy new year!
Posted by: Laura | December 30, 2006 at 09:22 PM
Lovely afghan!!!! The one time I did a scrappy-ghan similar to this, I used the same baby-blue every 10th row. Gave it just that bit of cohesion, and I while I never deliberately paired up yarns, I always tried to use colors next to each other that didn't horribly clash.
Love the look of yours. Looks like just the sort of afghan to be cuddling in, this time of year.
Posted by: Kati | December 30, 2006 at 11:02 PM
GORGE!!!!!!!!!! (Short for GORGEous!!!!!!!!!)
I want one!
Posted by: Alicia P. | December 30, 2006 at 11:34 PM
What a bright and colorful way to end 2006 with. Love the pattern and I think you did a great job with deciding what colors to use next in line for the rows. Wishing you a wonderful happy new year for you and your family too, and look forward to reading more next year!
Posted by: Sue | December 30, 2006 at 11:51 PM
Wow, it looks fabulous, Jane. I can't stop looking at it!
Happy new year!
Posted by: Fiona | December 31, 2006 at 12:01 AM
Oh, it's great. Such a talented family!
Posted by: Wendi | December 31, 2006 at 03:28 AM
That's a great piece of work! What a nice item to end the year with.
Posted by: bernie | December 31, 2006 at 03:36 AM
Happy New Year! Congrats on a lovely blanket. I knit as well as crochet and I have heard this saying around the knitting stores about crochet "Twice the yarn half the time" i.e. twice the yarn of a knitted garment and half the time of a knitted garment. I enjoy crochet and it is a fun and rewarding way to use up oddballs and leftovers, and I love the speed. I also enjoy knitting for the beautiful feel and look of the fabric one can make. So now that you have the hang of double crochet and have completed your first project how about some Granny Squares hmmmm?!? ;) Here is Martha’s version to help you along. (http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel172176&contentGroup=MSL&site=living&rsc=ns2006_m4)
Lots of fun possibilities for a creative mind. Enjoy!
Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Marianna
Posted by: Marianna | December 31, 2006 at 04:14 AM
Congratulations on your new year's blanket! now i want to learn how to crochet! I'm sure the blanket will be turning a lot of us into "happy hookers"! Heve a great new year!
Posted by: Anita | December 31, 2006 at 11:16 AM
It's beautiful; I love the colours. It looks like the kind of blanket that will cheer you up on a cloudy day. Makes me want to crochet, too!
Posted by: Anja | December 31, 2006 at 12:19 PM
The blanket is brilliant, joyful and a perfect way to enter 2007. You are about to make me try again crochet... happy new year, Jane!
Posted by: Luisa | December 31, 2006 at 02:16 PM
Lovely blanket. Your colour combinations are beautiful as always.
Posted by: Dana | December 31, 2006 at 02:27 PM
It's beautiful! A very bright and triumphant way to end the year.
Crochet does eat up a surprising amount of yarn. I was nearly caught short on some purse handles once. Thank goodness I had one really long tail to splice in.
Happy New Year to you and yours.
Posted by: Dorothy B | December 31, 2006 at 02:45 PM
FAB-U-LOUS! I can't believe you made it so quickly. I thought I was one to race through projects, but that is AMAZING. Nothing like a cuddly blanket to snuggle up on the couch/sofa with on a winter day. And I love the whole wave/beach connection. I am at present, ploughing through the complete works of Jane Austin that I got for Xmas, and can't put it down to do something with my hands! Will have some built up fibre angst by the time I finish! Wishing you and yours a wonderful New Year, and I can't wait to see the works you bring to us in 2007.
Posted by: Georgia | December 31, 2006 at 03:40 PM
Bravo! your colourway turned out marvellously. I'm really impressed. Your colours are fabulously cheerful, bright and vibrant and at the same time make a wonderful cohesive pallette. You've made a marvellous work of art.
Posted by: nadine | December 31, 2006 at 05:22 PM
It's beautiful! I can't quite believe you used up all your stash though - now will have to update that post on my blog about crocheted blankets with a link to the finished treasure! Happy New Year too x
Posted by: Flibbertygibbet | December 31, 2006 at 05:28 PM
That's a real feast for the eyes!
Happy New Year to everybody at Chez Brocket.
Posted by: Juti | December 31, 2006 at 06:58 PM
So beautiful!
Posted by: Bettsi | December 31, 2006 at 07:04 PM
What a beautiful and cheerful blanket to snuggle under! Although I love to knit, I still prefer crochet for blankets and afghans.
Posted by: Bliss | December 31, 2006 at 07:19 PM
hi, i'm here via What Katie Did and what a gorgeous blanket. i love the colors!! very inspiring for dreary post-holiday days.
Posted by: islaygirl | December 31, 2006 at 07:26 PM