It has been too long my friends. Too long since I popped in here to chat about creativity and design and whatever is inspiring me. Lots of reasons. Mostly I have been completing designs and commissions. Things I can’t share. Then…a thing happened that I never imagined. Two commissions, destined for two different customers got lost in the post. A total of 6 crochet items. Just as I was about to raise my head from my secret making, I had to rewind and make all 6 things again. Speed crochet style. Well that is enough to make you want to go and sit in a corner and ignore your hook for a while.
The garden is my alternative ‘good place’ to melt away any concerns or stress. But it has been a very cold spring and for so many weeks, way too wet to be furtling about in the flower beds. Deeply frustrating.
As Easter dawned the weather seems to turn a corner and I flung myself into long garden days. We spent time refurbishing the pond and adding a new marginal plants. I went mad a cleared a large bed of weeds and plants that were not pulling their weight. The cooped up energy burst out. in frenzy of planting, pruning and clearing. Good for the soul.
I am always so grateful when I have remembered to plant bulbs in the Autumn. The late frosts have ‘done-for’ some of the tulips, but new daffodils are a triumph and I have resolved to start make some notes now – be a full adult – so that I can plan for next year. I don’t think my colour combination is as successful as last year but then every bloom is so very beautiful. I get to try again another year.
I know that I have mentioned it before but I must say that the wonderful book The Flower Yard by Arthur Parkinson has transformed my flower growing. Growing in pots seems to me far less intimidating and I am delighted that I can just move a plant which is just past its best.
So what about crochet? Well yes… sorry. I currently in between projects and so I am making a new blanket for the home. Inspired once again by patchwork. (One day I will make a quilt). I have been making a simple hexagon blanket in a ‘Grandma’s Garden’ pattern. I think I will call this my Flower Patch blanket. I have returned to pastel colours and a lovely cream as the contrasting base. Strangely I have been building the pattern in rows. It is giving a lovely idea of how the pattern will grow.
All well and good until I realised this morning that I am not happy with one of the colours. The lightest green looks sickly against the cream and has to go. Arghhhh! This is the mess that ensued. You might think I am mad to rip this out now, but if it is not right. It is not right. I don’t want to fall out of love with a project. So this evening I will be repairing the void. Tricky business where patience is required. Have you ever done this? At one point I wondered if the blanket would be irrepairable.
Crochet and gardening have so many similarities. Hobbies that require time and patience. Plus, if a flower is not pulling its weight, it needs to be hoicked out the patch. Make space for just the right flower. The flower patch will be better for it.