For the past many months of CHANGE and HEARTACHE I have not been very productive pattern-wise. I have crocheted up many new designs but have not been able to muster the concentration required to finish writing them up!
The past three weeks or so I was not even able to manage anything more than the most basic crochet (even a granny square was a bit of a challenge!!).
I tidied up my yarn stash (as I do every so often). Rolling together all the odd yarns to make 16ply yarn - a very therapeutic exercise!
I had quite a lot of odds to roll (this basket is pretty deep!) but it kept my mind off things for a few days!
The 16ply (Super Chunky) yarn makes for wonderful relaxing crochet - perfect for times of turmoil!
I have made quite a few delightfully colourful and snuggly blankets this way!
THE HOLIDAY RIPPLE BLANKET
and the RIC RAC WINTER BLANKET
Monday I visited my Dad and fetched my mom's yarn stash which was left for me. Normally the thought of getting a random heap of yarn would make me jump up and down with glee - but this made me so sad as it just really brought it home that mom was gone.
There was a LOT of yarn, and it was in a bit of a jumble.
I spent Monday afternoon and the greater part of yesterday morning listening to silly music and sorting yarn!
I managed to make up a few whole zip-lock packs of the same yarn.
There were a lot of odds 3ply, 4ply, dk, chunky and hunky - so I just rolled the strands together to give me a basketful of 16ply "candy floss" coloured yarn for baby blankets
and a basketful of slightly darker shades for lapghans:
There is also a basket of black, greys, reds and white to make my brother a "Magic" comfort blanket, and a few tapestries which I plan to complete at some point.
The biggest "surprise" in the stash was a zip-lock bag of my great granny's crochet. It contained these "motifs"which look like some of my VERY early (circa 1972) attempts when my granny would make up easy patterns for me to practice!
I am trying to get back into the swing of pattern writing so I thought I would start "putting the wheels back on" by writing up this motif pattern. ( Since my family have all passed on their crochet to me I don't think anybody would object to me "reverse engineering" them!).
I tweaked the pattern a little to give it my own Zooty Owl twist and to make the motifs easy to "join as you go"!
This will make a bright and cheery table runner or tray cloth. Just need to add a few motifs and work out a nice border and then I can share the pattern!!
I made a delicious pot of LAZY BEAN SOUP for our supper (to be followed by a glass of Old Brown Sherry)! - Now that is COMFORT.
Keep warm friends! Be kind to yourselves!
Awww, Zelna. My prayers for your family. My mother passed away 3 years ago. Taking up her crochet yarn and projects now give me so much comfort. It will for you, too. Blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother died 4 years ago this December and before that she was in a nursing home (Alzheimer)she was nearly 99 years old. She taught me to knit, crochet, sew and my mother gave me all her yarn and hooks and needles when she was cleaning things out. So one day I took some of nanna's yarn and made a granny square and I kept going back and forth from her stash and mine just using random colors. I made that granny square until it covered me the sofa and my dog. It was like I couldn't stop even when it became very heavy and hard to manage. So it is on my mother's king size bed and hangs a good 9 inches all the way around it. I guess it was nearly as huge as my grief. Nanna would have laughed to see that afghan. It was the most therapeutic thing I had ever done I think. I am a firm believer now that time and yarn can mend even a broken heart. I will miss her love and wisdom every day for the rest of my life but she gave me so much that I still have of her and that is what makes things bearable. Peace to you and prayers.
ReplyDeleteZelna, I;m glad you are once again finding your feet. It is the hardest thing transitioning from the lostness of raw grief, to the comfort of celebrating the life of the precious love just lost. You have some lovely plans to do just that through the yarn that has come to you. I look forward to seeing what the future brings.
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