Stash busting in lock down

As we all now have plenty of free time on our hands, due to hanging out at home a lot, I think this might be the perfect time for a little stash busting and organisation!

I’ve been trying to get on top of my yarn stash for a little while now, by trying to buy less, use what I have and think more carefully about what I’m buying when I do buy. In the current situation, I’m trying to take this a step further, by only making things which will use the yarn I already have, as far as possible. I think inevitably, I’ll need to augment the stash with the odd new ball or skein here and there, but with a little creative thinking I hope to keep that to a minimum.

I’ve had a few skeins or aran weight yarn kicking around in my cupboard for a while now. It was a combination of odd skeins left over from old projects, and skeins that I’d bought just because I couldn’t resist (I really need to stop doing that!).

Whilst shopping at one of my local stores, Stag and Bow in Forest Hill (this was a few weeks ago, before the current restrictions began), I bought a few new balls of Rico aran weight yarn in a really pretty rose pink, dark gold and off white.

I’ve combined those with my existing aran stash, and made a small granny blanket. The colours are not quite my usual choices these days, actually quite adventurous for me in terms of straying out of my comfort zone. But, I really, really love them. The blanket is actually finished now (complete pictures next time). As it’s fairly small it was quick to work up. It’s just the right size to pull over your knees when curled up on the sofa watching a film (there’s a lot of that going on right now).

Apart from stash busting, working form home and watching movies (whilst knitting and crocheting!) I’m also working my way through a big pile of books. Fortunately I had a fair few of these lying around the house waiting to be read, and have recently stocked up a little too. I discovered Goodreads earlier this month, so have been using that to track my reading and get recommendations for future reads.

Right, now I’m off to do some more work on my latest stash busting project (a hat using an old skein of cashmere mix 4 ply I’ve had lying around for ages), and to hunt out a new pattern. Does anyone have any ideas for something to use up about 8 balls of white cotton dk? I think it’s sadly not enough to make a full sleeve length sweater or cardi, but if you have any ideas for something with short sleeves let me know!

 

Finding comfort during strange days

It feels very strange to be writing a blog post about crochet at a time like this. For most people who may be reading this, your lives will (like mine) already have been effected in some way by Covid-19.

I’m a Londoner, and my city is slower going quiet as it’s inhabitants heed government advice to stay indoors, in the hopes of protecting themselves and others. I know that many others across the globe will be facing a similar situation.

Things are frightening and uncertain. Suddenly it seems that there are so many things to be afraid of, fears pressing in from all sides – the virus itself, but also fears about what is happening to the society, economy and the freedoms that we are all used to enjoying, and perhaps taking for granted. I’m afraid for my family. My parents, while healthy, are elderly and live on the other side of London from me. To protect them and myself, I won’t be seeing them for the foreseeable future. We’re trying, like so many others, to stay in touch online, and I hope that I will be able to do something to make sure that they have everything that they need.

So in the midst of all of this worry, I feel a little trivial to be writing a post about a blanket that I’ve made. However, I think its becoming increasingly important for all of us to a) try and do things each day that make us feel ‘normal’, without leaving the house or meeting other people, and b) to reach out and connect with other people online in ways that perhaps we don’t normally do.

Also writing posts about my home life and taking pictures of things that I have made to share is one activity that at least I can continue in the face of current challenges without any difficulty. It’s familiarity is reassuring, and it also serves as some distraction from fear and uncertainty – something that I think I will need more and more of in the coming weeks and months – maybe others will feel the same.

So, in the end, I’m here because its a comfort. I hope that maybe in some small way, seeing something pleasing to the eye might lift other people’s spirits, even if that is just temporary. Also, if you are reading this and, like me, are afraid but trying to carry on with some normality, please know that you are not alone with your fear.

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I’ve finally managed to complete my vintage square cotton bed spread, just in time for it to be used this spring and summer. It’s a fairly small bedspread, not quite big enough to cover a double bed.

Yarn used

Pattons Cotton DK
– 3x Cream
– 3x Limestone
– 3x Taupe

Sirdar Cotton DK
– 2x Shea
– 2x Light Taupe

Sirdar Snuggly Cotton DK
-2x Mauve

Number of squares made

Border
A plain double crochet border (in UK terms), so far.

The pattern was my own. While I’d like to share it I haven’t had a chance to write it up yet. I’ve been contemplating attempted to create a chart using Stitchworks software, but that software doesn’t seem to have all the chart symbols I would need. Also it’s quite time consuming to create a chart in that way.

So possibly, I may try and produce written instructions, before I forget how I made the squares! I was even considering selling this pattern through Ravelry, as a first attempt at doing that. However, that is a slightly scary thought (though perhaps a good, distracting kind of scary right now?). As soon as I start to think about selling patterns, I start thinking about things like whether it should be tested, who could I ask to do that, what if the pattern worked for me but doesn’t for other people… I feel there is less expectation with free patterns, so maybe after all I should stick with that for now.

I hope this brightens your day a little. One thing I will say for staying indoors due to a need to limit social contact, is that it does give you a lot of extra time for hobbies such as crochet – so I’ll probably be back fairly soon with something new to share.