Since late Spring of this year, I have found it difficult to find inspiration for my yarn crafts. I’ve chatted about this in my last few blog posts. It has been rather perturbing if I am honest. I know there are worse things at sea, but when your main relaxation is noodling around with the needles, it feels upsetting that the crafting spark has fizzled.
Six to nine months on, I think there may be a new blanket design emerging in the little grey cells, but until then I am distracting myself with a little useful making. I’ve attempted a few novel ways to keep my crafting joy.
Whether its in the house or what I wear, I really do like bright colours. I wear A LOT of navy – always have done – probably always will. But I know that putting on a cheerful colour will lift my spirits. I thought it might be nice to make myself a cowl using Stylecraft Special DK from the stash. It took me a while to choose which pattern to make, but in the end I went for one of my own designs. A ripple pattern that features in How to Crochet. For this version I made the length twice as long so I could wrap it round my neck twice. So cosy! I have been wearing it this week on long mountain walks, and I’ve loved it. Firstly it’s bright and easy to spot, secondly I love the fact a cowl never unravels. Very practical. This should take me very much into Spring.
In the last two years I have reignited my patchwork and quilting love. Just as some non-crocheters love to learn a new hobby and pick up hints and tips from Instagram and YouTube, I have been really inspired by quilting channels. It has been lovely to enjoy a craft just for the making. I have made about 4 machine sewn quilts in the last 2 years. All of them have been pressed into immediate use. I never thought I would try to attempt hand quilting, mostly as I didn’t feel my handsewn stitches were neat enough.
However following the lovely account of Jennifer at Penelope Handmade I felt inspired to make a ‘whole-cloth’ quilt. This is really just hand stitching into a single fabric (or two fabrics). Shamefully I already have a ‘stash’ of quilt batting – the middle woolly fibre which creates the soft bouncy texture. I sewed two pieces together to make up the quantity I needed. You will understand when you see it that it was the fabric that drew me in. I chose this glorious woven fabric by Fablesim. Soft sherberty colours. My choice was the Swedish Holiday – Midsummer Check. Of course it is.
It seemed so obvious that if I was going to jump into hand sewing a quilt I should use a check to help me out. I thought i had enough fabric for the reverse side. I was wrong and had to pop out very quickly to my local remainder fabric store. Luckily for me they had some left over Tana Lawn from Paul Smith. I love tana lawn against my skin. It always feel silky and slightly cold. A good contrast against the soft open weave check.
I’m here to tell you that quilting in not as portable as crochet – but it is a snuggly craft and if the light is good enough, perfectly possible on your lap of an evening. What I hadn’t expected was the calming noise of the stitches as they pass through the fabric. The pop of the knot and then the soft swoosh of the thread as it passes through the fibres. No wonder people love to hand quilt. I found myself turning off music and podcasts just so I could enjoy the silence.
The colours of this project and the joyful simplicity of hand stitching have been so enjoyable. I have even rationed myself to a line of stitching per evening, just to eke out the process. So far I have finished the quilting part, but now need to choose the binding and complete the project. The stitching is not perfect or that regular, but it doesn’t matter, there is a joy in gathering new skills and witnessing an improvement.
Certainly distracting yourself with colour in fabric is good way to break through the crafting stalemate.
The humblest of tasks get beautified if loving hands do them
Louisa May Alcott