Back in September I was invited to a 'crochet along' Facebook group by Lesley from Black Sheep Wools (you may remember I reviewed one of their pattern books a while back which turned into a blanket project for my grandchildren) . I had no idea what a 'crochet along' was but it was exactly the right time for me to start a new project, especially one that would force me to complete it in small doses.
This pattern was designed by Sandra from Cherry Heart and the idea of a 'crochet along' is that the pattern is released in sections presumed to take an allotted amount of time (in this case, each section was released on a weekly basis). A couple of hours crochet time each evening, or a bit more at weekend, has kept me occupied and out of mischief for the past six weeks or so.
The whole project was released in six sections - an introduction, four pattern sections, then the border and finishing instructions - and Sandra has collated it all on her blog so you can also download the pattern and join in. The blanket is supposed to be completed in a variety of colours (hence the 'Spice Of Life' theme) but I decided to use just four colours. I bought the yarn from our local pound shop at 89p per ball (I know, go figure) and used a total of nine balls of yarn so this whole blanket has cost me £8.01
As I mentioned previously, I've only really created granny square projects in the past. With this SpiceOfLifeCAL I have learnt how to actually crochet in rows and I have mastered picking up the beginning and end of rows, I have worked out how to keep an even tension and learnt new stitches. I definitely wanted to keep going to finish within a certain amount of time rather than it becoming just another WIP (work in progress). It is totally contagious and I'm now thinking that I'm ready for another blanket in the same pattern but a different colourway (I LOVE the yarn you can buy that's already multicoloured - that would look awesome) and maybe even one of the Attic24 ripple blankets...
