Well, sort of but I’ll get that out of the way first.
I had lots of Stylecraft Special left after some other projects and decided to make another Attic 24 blanket. I made the Hydrangea Blanket a couple of years ago and it’s lovely with all the subtle shades a hydrangea flower can go through but this time I was using whatever colours I had left hanging around the place so it’s quite a lot brighter and not quite as big as the original which was big enough for a single bed.
Please don’t zoom in because, despite having been on lockdown for two weeks now, I still haven’t done any hoovering. 🙄
Enough is enough. I think I could now add blankets to the list of ‘beyond life expectancy’ items I have which, to date, consists of fabric; yarn; quilts; clothes; shoes; cats – especially cats.
However, I still wanted something fairly simple to do whilst perched, like a little ball of confusion and stress, in front of Netflix of an evening. Then I spotted a PDF pattern online for something tempting. I had to order the ‘yarn’ though which took forever to come from a far flung corner of Eastern Europe.
It came in a 200m length on a massive spool.
This spool was fully loaded before I started.
Once I had completed the circle I knew I was going to enjoy this project. I was tempted to buy more cord – there are some amazing colours – but restrained myself to see whether I would like the finished item enough to want to make more.
Sometimes I can be sensible.
A lovely big 7mm crochet hook is what’s required and, although I feel it helps aesthetically, it doesn’t actually have to be pink.
The only thing left to do was an i-cord
Did you know that it’s called an i-cord because the woman who (sort of ) invented it said it was easy enough for an idiot to make?
I wonder if iphones were named on the same principle. 🤣
Anyway, this idiot had great fun making that long, slightly stretchy cord.
Et voila!
Not a blanket.
I’ll probably stop at one as they are so ridiculously quick and easy to make that I didn’t get very far at all through a Netflix series before I’d finished and, as the lockdown in France has been extended for another two weeks, I need something that will be with me for the long haul.
Encouraged, as I often am, by Kate over at Tall Tales From Chiconia, I am going to switch from crochet as my evening pursuit and get those hexies out and at least start joining them into flower shapes.
Just in case you feel enthused, I bought the PDF pattern for the crochet bag from this shop and it is downloadable immediately. I also bought the cord from her – it comes in wonderful colours – but, even before the current situation, it took quite a long time to come.
Tialys 
#1 by thecontentedcrafter on March 31, 2020 - 19:27
I see you simply made a pile of hexies and chucked them in a box….. brilliant. I thought if I made a hexie I had to do it go to whoa and make a blanket like Kate. But no I can just learn and store. Sometimes my denseness amazes even me!! Mainly I want to see if I can make the neat corners like Kate does, I’m not convinced that is within my capabilities. Love your bag, it is bright and cheerful and looks most sturdy and reliable. I thought it was going to turn into a bright and cheerful floor rug until you got to the i-cord. Which I also want to make, just to double check….. My Netflix viewing has been ramped up too xoxo
#2 by tialys on March 31, 2020 - 20:26
Yes, I made all those little hexies ages ago. I then came up with a design idea and, because the prints are sort of 1940s childlike prints, I ordered some black and white writing practice fabric to go with. It arrived, I stored it alongside the hexies and moved on. Now, I have absolutely no idea what my design idea was. I don’t know whether it will come back to me but I have time to think as I’m now joining all those little hexies into little hexie flowers which I will probably show off on a forthcoming post.
It is definitely within your capabilities to get neat corners – just do a hexie at a time, practice makes perfect, and chuck them in a box like I did and, one day, you will get them out and do something with them.
#3 by thecontentedcrafter on March 31, 2020 - 22:54
Sounds like a plan I can go along with 😀
#4 by tialys on April 1, 2020 - 09:46
You should. A box of little hexagons is a joy to behold. I made about ten little black and white ones last night which will form a background to the flowers – or at least that’s my current plan. It might change.
#5 by Wild Daffodil on March 31, 2020 - 21:38
That bag is going to become a best friend. Looks so practical and cheerful.
#6 by tialys on April 1, 2020 - 09:40
I think it will be a nice ‘sunny’ bag to use in the Summer when, hopefully, I’ll be able to go outside to use it.
#7 by sew2pro on March 31, 2020 - 21:40
That’s fab! Looks chunky and satisfying. The lockdown here has only lasted for just over a week and I’m hooked on knitting already so … maybe crochet next too if I need to fill lots of time. I’ve not been able to forget the Persian jewels blankets that you’ve made in the past.
#8 by tialys on April 1, 2020 - 09:43
Well, I’ve sort of abandoned knitting in favour of crochet these days – it’s quicker. However, there aren’t that many crochet clothes I like so it does sort of limit me to blankets and home accessories. I did start a very complicated cable cardigan a year or so ago and became frustrated with using a chart – maybe now’s the time to get that back out again. I’m also thinking of learning Tunisian crochet which looks like a cross between knitting and crochet – although done with a hook.
#9 by Laurie Graves on April 1, 2020 - 05:02
Oh, my gosh! You are a wonder, that’s what you are. I wish I could be half as creative under lockdown as you are. That blanket reminds me of one my grandmother made for me about forty years ago. I am still using it on my bed.
#10 by tialys on April 1, 2020 - 09:48
It’s the being creative that keeps me sane – always actually, not just under lockdown 😁 It’s a great way to focus on something else other than the current madness and, the more complex, the more your mind is taken to happier places.
#11 by nottaholiday on April 1, 2020 - 10:59
ahh, you make me smile, thank you. I am feeling thoroughly virtuous having just conquered two scrub caps for my emergency nurse daughter, who says her hair is like straw having to wash it after every shift. I am lucky enough to be at work at home, watching dear husband get 3 out of every four mouthfuls of food in his mouth. But. It. Is. FINE. LOL
I hope the house issue is ok for you.
#12 by tialys on April 1, 2020 - 12:58
Your daughter must be very busy at the moment. I’m assuming so although I don’t know how bad the situation is in Australian hospitals – I can’t bear to look at anywhere else in the world as the U.K. and France are enough to worry me. Either way, I’m sure she will be very grateful for her scrub caps – have you made them in gorgeous fabrics? You’ll probably get orders now.
The house issue – if you mean moving house – is now on hold for the foreseeable. I am rather glad to be in this quiet, (presently relatively unaffected) corner of France at the moment but am obviously worried about my two Mademoiselles over in the UK.
I’m missing your posts and nipped over to the dreaded IG as shown in your sidebar. I love your drawings.
#13 by nottaholiday on April 1, 2020 - 13:07
Thank you. It’s just so overwhelming I can’t watch the media frenzy / crapstorm. It’s difficult to see people who you formerly thought were intelligent people just totally not understanding it. It’s shining a light on a lot of things and not too many are standing up to the scrutiny. You must be somewhat relieved that the move is on hold for a while. Too much to cope with. I am building up the motivation to write again. I think something funny is in order lol. Fabrics for the caps came out of stash stasis. Remember Jennifer Sampou? Some of here plus a cute print of couples dancing on a bright yellow background. Happy stuff x Take care and let’s try to focus on something nice. Xx
#14 by tialys on April 1, 2020 - 13:25
I have a look on the internet in the morning just for a quick catch up in case the French have imposed more paperwork on us and check in on a local group on FB where some of the ‘ladies’ come up with some amazing bullying, nannying, opinionated and downright nasty comments if anybody dares to disagree with them. The latter could depress me but I actually find it strangely interesting and am making a note of some of their names should I ever come across them in real life. I don’t watch any T.V. news and have to tell Mr. T. to shut up after he fires the morning statistics at me which mostly don’t really mean anything.
I am focusing on patchwork, needle felting dogs’ faces, little fabric hexagons and not feeling guilty about my laissez-faire attitude to housework as I am as certain as I can be that I will be getting no visitors. Also, the weather is beautiful and, despite what’s going on in the rest of the world, Spring has sprung in the garden as usual.
I look forward to some funny writing from you once you’ve got your mojo back.
x
#15 by Emmely on April 1, 2020 - 20:55
The bag looks great!
With 2 young kids at home all the time now (and for at least 4 more weeks…) I am exhausted at the end of the day and accomplish nothing creative. Well, unless you count the stuff that I make with my eldest to keep her entertained. We go through a lot of glue sticks these days. Somehow that’s less satisfying than using thread to keep something together though…
#16 by tialys on April 2, 2020 - 12:57
I really feel for you Emmely. It’s one of the scenarios I imagine as I count my blessings. Do you have any outside space where she can burn off some energy?
#17 by Emmely on April 3, 2020 - 20:55
We have a backyard and I am really glad for that, it’s not very large but large enough to run and jump around a bit.
#18 by tialys on April 4, 2020 - 10:33
That’s great Emmely, it would be awful not to be able to get outside at all.
#19 by Kellie on May 6, 2020 - 14:08
I actually clicked on the title of your post thinking a blanket would be beautiful, love your bag!
#20 by tialys on May 7, 2020 - 10:56
Thank you 😊