Rippling

 This is the first ripple blanket I made, I call it my blackberry ripple, mainly due to the deep purple. Not a very good picture I'm afraid as it was taken before I decided to blog again and the colours are not true to life.

I've now started a second ripple blanket and I have to say I much prefer it. The first one was more open, and in hindsight I should have used a smaller hook than the pattern said. But, me being me, had done a fair few rows when I decided this and so was too idle to rip it out and start again. Also, it was only when I started working on this one that I realised how much more I liked it than the first one! I had nothing to compare the first one with! This is a slightly different pattern from the Blackberry Ripple, in that one it was treble three together twice to create the valley and treble three into two consecutive stitches to create the peak. The new one only needs treble two together twice for the valley and two treble into two consecutive stitches for the peak.
 I'm using Stylecraft special DK, it has an amazing range of colours and is lovely to work with.

I'm finding this rippling really relaxing and as I started off with 280 chain I'm being realistic and thinking of it as a long term project. I'm usually quite impatient but I'm not going to beat myself up about finishing this but rather give myself permission to enjoy it.

The colour sequence is not planned at all! I'm just laying the last row done over a few colours and seeing which one the blanket chooses. Sometimes it's not good looking at the rows I did the night before as the light really changes the look of the colours. Some I have not liked at all! But I've cracked on, and usually when other colours are worked, it all seems to fit together.

 Your opinion may be completely different though, you may be sitting there (if anybody is sitting there reading my rambling) shaking your head and thinking, poor delusional woman, what a disastrous colour choice! If you do think that and leave a comment, please be gentle with me :-)

Why crochet?

Well why not!

My grandma and mum were both big influences in my crafting. Grandma crocheted and tatted and if mum wasn't knitting she was ill! ( She could also crochet but mostly knitted).
When I was small grandma lived with us and her room was full of crochet blankets, chair backs and doilies. Raised Catholic she crocheted alter clothes with hooks so tiny you could hardly see the hook!!!
Mum knitted, watched TV and read all at the same time. She knitted for several shops as well as producing jumpers and cardigans for my dad, me and herself.
So it was hardly surprising that the crafty gene passed on to me.
Mum patiently taught me to knit and crochet but although I learnt both they weren't high on my list of 'fun things to do' at the time. I was too busy out riding, I spent every weekend at the local stables.
At college I did pattern cutting, textiles and dressmaking. Through college I demonstrated Cathedral Window patchwork, hairpin crochet and bobbin lace at our County show. Sadly all of this fell by the wayside as I got older, got married, had children, worked ...... life happened!
Along the way I made the odd cot quilt, knitted the odd baby jumper ( but to be honest mum could finish an item while I was still casting on), and made the odd crochet blanket ( huge single granny square ones).
Then I got into sock knitting and lace knitting, no jumpers or cardy's as they were boring and I got fed up before they were finished. I still wear my socks and have a stash of yarn to make more, should the urge come upon me (don't count on it though).

 I made greetings cards and have a HUGE stash of card, stamps, ink, gadgets, machines and gizmos! (More on that later, maybe).
If you would like to buy Stampin' Up supplies contact this demonstrator she is very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.

So, the crochet!
I decided to make blankets for my dogs.
I made one dog blanket.
I made another.
I made two more for a friend who takes in rescue dogs and finds them new homes.
Then ....... excuse the pun ...... I was hooked (groan) .... Sorry!
I found videos on YouTube, that saved me reading patterns .... Hooray!
I rediscovered blogs ..... Yippee!
I had rediscovered crochet. Whoop whoop!

So, here I am. I hope that grandma and mum are looking down on me and laughing! Liking that I am following in their footsteps, in a minor way, and pleased that I am enjoying it so much.

PS You will probably see more projects on the go than finished items. I do finish things eventually but because I tend to have lots of 'things on the go' this happens less frequently than people who start a project, finish it and move onto the next. Far too organised! I do at times wish I was more like these people! I do have attempts at that style of working but it's not me :-)

A Slow Start

Hmmm things seem to have changed since I was last in blogland! I used to be able to zoom about all over the dashboard, adding pictures, saving as drafts, editing posts, all manner of necessary blog related things. Now I have to admit I am struggling slightly, it's a whole new learning curve!
I will get there though, I'm determined!

Coastal Colours

I tried lots of names for my new blog before I settled on this one. Some of my ideas were already taken, some I pondered over and then dismissed, some were just too darned silly! So why Coastal Colours?

Well I live on the coast, not the quaint fishing village kind of coast but the bright, brash holiday type of coast. But we do have a beach, a rather lovely beach. Ten minutes walk from me in the winter and rather longer when the holiday season is upon us.

                                                       

I love the colours of the beach and the sand dunes, natural washed out colours. Blues, greens and neutrals ......... blues for the sea and sky, greens for the sea and sand dunes, neutrals for the sand, sea spray and weathered wood. I usually seem to gravitate towards these colours in my home and in the yarn when I crochet. 

Recently though I am trying brighter colours and I think I like it. In fact I'm sure I do! I think it's because last summer was so wet and winter soon followed so that it seems to have been dreary for an awfully long time.

So Coastal Colours encompasses everything, where I live, what I love and what I hope to achieve. In my slightly scatty disorganised way of course!

A New Start

Once upon a time I used to blog. I blogged often, about this and that, my life, my family, my knitting and all manner of other little snippets. Then things changed. My relationship broke up and blogging became more and more sporadic until eventually it stopped altogether! My life changed, I was now the main breadwinner and the main parent and blogging was low down on my list of priorities.
But now, several years on, I have more time for me again, for things I like to do. The children that were nine and ten are now fifteen and sixteen and my eldest (who had left the nest to go to University back then) is now completely settled with his job and his life.
So, here I am, about to try and blog again! I still work, but part time now. My knitting has changed into crochet (there are still unfinished knitting projects in the cupboard on the landing!). The house has moved on slightly but there are still things to be done, still on a budget!
I miss sitting down and writing about the little things that would otherwise get passed by and forgotten. The little patches of sunshine, the reasons to be grateful. When I blogged I could look back and remember moments and events, see the pictures that captured those moments in time, and smile. So, I thought, why not blog again. Even if no-one reads it! Why not record the big things, and mostly the little things. So I did. Here I am, and it feels sooooo good to be back.