Hello Dear Readers, how are you all feeling on this sunny Sunday morning (adapt appropriately for your weather/timezone!)?? As the title suggests I have had a week of pondering. Pondering positioning…. here?…. or here??? Pondering joining methods???… how? And pondering colour combinations…. this one??…. or this??… or maybe that???
And now you’re pondering about what I’m pondering…. teehee!!! (Jill, you are right… I’m so funny…not!!!).
Okay, well here is what I have been pondering…
Yes, its the Cottage Garden CAL.
You see the problem is I have quite a few ideas for things I want to crochet next but joining isn’t one of my favourite things so I want to get it out of the way. All my ideas are quite big ones…. blanket sized, and I haven’t anything small started to keep me going. I didn’t get to the yarn shop last week so I haven’t started another cowl. So there has been a distinct lack of crochet action round here. I have been feeling at a total loss in the evenings. So I decided I would get on with something I could get on with.
On Friday morning I got all the blocks and laid them out. They have been laid out on the bedroom floor since then and every time I go in I have a look, maybe move something, try it somewhere else and squint my eyes at it. I think its an affliction affecting crocheters and patchworkers… “the layout squint”!!
So here it is, as it was when I laid it out on Friday…
Its not exactly like that now as some of the blocks have moved around and that whole column on the left has disappeared. The theory is that this is my Cottage Garden Blanket, one I am going to keep, so I am going to use the best blocks and the ones I like to make it. I have a preference for the blocks done in the round and that is what is included here, there are none of the side to side blocks. Its not all of the in the round blocks because there were a few that didn’t come out so well or that I didn’t like. I also want it to have a sense of unity which is another reason for only including the in the round blocks. What am i going to do with the side to side blocks?…. errrr…. not sure yet.
Over the summer I have spent much time collecting crochet sampler blankets on Pinterest for inspiration. I have also collected a folder full of links to a variety of methods for joining blocks together… who knew there were so many ways and some of them look very interesting. However, because of the decorative nature of the blocks themselves, and in order to let them be the stars of the blanket, I think the method of joining needs to be fairly plain and simple.
Colour has been another ponderance. What colour to join them with??? As I mentioned, it’s all spread out on my bedroom floor, so when I wake up I can see it and this morning I got out and sat there in my pyjama’s and did colour pondering. Should it be one of the colours I have already used? Should it be a new colour?? I think I have decided to add in a new colour. It’s a bit of a compromise as it’s not really the colour I would like it to be but its the best I can manage with the yarn I’m using.
I feel like I should add a huge DISCLAIMER to this post. These are just my current decisions, feelings and thought processes. This blanket is evolving and may change significantly still. It will be very interesting to see what happens with everyone else’s blankets and what decisions they all make. As ever suggestions and advice from you all is very welcome.
madebypatch 
What absolutely gorgeous squares. The finished product is going to be divine!
It’s not quite what I imagined when we started…. But then I couldn’t imagine it very clearly when we started either. I’m fairly pleased with it so far though. Definitely been a learning curve.
Your blocks look lovely together. I organised mine first on the computer screen (i am using most of them) but then went for laying them out and kept rearranging just like you. I know what you mean about the blocks in the round they are my favourites. I wrote a ‘planning’ post but not sure if to publish it before or after I join them all together. Can’t offer any suggestions or advice really as I you need to do what pleases you.
You can’t beat a bit of physical organising! All advice is interesting and at this point it’s easy enough to try something out…. But I’m quite good at sticking to what pleases me too 😉
I decided that I would publish a post on my planning how the blanket would look. I list nine things I took into consideration. They won’t all apply to you but you may be interested to have a look. http://rainbowjunkiecorner.wordpress.com/2013/09/25/cal-the-planning/
Thanks, off for a look right now.
It’s beautiful! And well done for taking the time to think about the joining before diving in! Have you thought about an invisible join (slip stitching into back loops only when holding squares right side together). I’ve used it for a ‘busy’ blanket before, it worked well!
Thankyou. I did see some examples that were made that way and they looked really good. I might do some “test joins”.
So many different blocks, which is your favourite? I like the aubergine coloured one on the bottom row in the middle. Have fun deciding on the finished layout.
Ooooo that’s a tough question. That aubergine one does look good in the photo. I like the one to the right of it and there’s another similar one higher up (one column to the left and second row down) although it doesn’t show up so well in the picture. Or maybe…. You’ve got me pondering something else!!
going to be amazing. even just laid out roughly like that, it looks wonderful. “Performance art by crochet squares”!
I should have done a photo every time I moved a square and then put them in a slide show!
It’ll be fab whatever you decide to do! Watching and waiting 🙂
Fingers crossed!
Oh my tell me about it.. I am edging all mine at the moment- using a variegated green yarn to add to the cottage garden feel. I have asked for help too – should I just take pot luck or arrange in colour blocks-I want mine to be for a single bed, so my favourites will be in the middle and least favourites round the side. Good luck- they all look great together!
Oh and people I consulted said just go for potluck and don’t over think it!
I’m thinking about edging mine too, so I can bring in this new colour. In truth I haven’t moved very many, around maybe 5 or 6. I just wanted to balance out the single colour ones because they seem to draw my eye a bit. So the majority of it is pot luck.
I love this layout! It looks really good like that.
Thanks.
I like the layout you have there. I think yellow could also work as the joining colour. I agree with you that you should only use the blocks that you like and enjoyed making.
Thanks. Yellow was one of my colour possibilities too.
I am sure of one thing, this blanket will look gorgeous when it is completed. From where I am sitting it would not matter too much where the blocks are placed as the way you have used the colours they all go together. My favoured method of joining blanket squares is working on the wrong side, crochet the outer loops of the final round on each square together. This leaves the inner loop to form a nice neat edge to each square on the right side of the blanket. I also know exactly where you are coming from about preferring squares made in the round, you get a much neater finish in the joining process.
Thankyou. I’m still relatively new to blanket making and haven’t actually tried joining the side to side blocks but I can’t imagine it will come out very neat. Its also about the overall look of the blanket. I’ve seen examples and I’m just not too keen on them. Going to have to do something with them though so no doubt I will find out sooner or later.
Pingback: CAL: The Planning | rainbowjunkiecorner
Looks very good. I’ve sent you a CAL related email, be good to hear from you. 🙂
Thank you, it’s coming along. Email replied to… Slight delay… Work madness!