Rippling Clusters Ta - dah !!

Here are a few more photos of my Rippling Clusters Blanket. And I've written up how I straightened the edges and worked the borders but I've put that on a separate button at the top of the page, or click HERE. Apologies that it might seem a little hurried - I wanted to get the basics done today and will refine them as and when time allows.

Hope you've enjoyed the Easter break - see you again soon!

Almost Ta-dah

My Rippling Clusters Blanket is finished! I need to do a proper write up and decide which photos to use - I've just taken loads... - and I'll add how I straightened the edge and did the border to the Ravelry page. Who knows, maybe I'll even write a complete pattern and upload it to Ravelry. Never done that before.
Here's one photo to keep you going though.

I think maybe while I'm in the mood for crochet, I might go back to my original ripple blanket - the one that went wrong- and turn it into a summer bag. Maybe...

Laid low

Have you had the cold/flu bug that's been doing the rounds? I certainly have. I think because I was so run down anyway, that when I picked it up it knocked me flat. I had 4 days in bed then had to go back to work. Ten days in I still feel awful...
So I haven't progressed with the teenage size dress. Someone has offered to try it on however, which will be a great help. I did try it on myself - and I did manage to get it on. Which may not be a good thing considering I'm a size 16+, not age 14 - 16...still  I can always take it apart and cut it down.

I haven't wanted to do anything but sit/lie down feeling rubbish for what seems like months, not days. I was supposed to be going to a Cheese, Wine and Vinyl Party last night but had to cry off. I was very disappointed as I had bought some cheese and hunted out my old records to play, including one that I was very pleased to find I still had - Chuck Berry's My Ding-a-Ling! I have a very clear memory of the whole family crying with laughter while my sister and I danced to it when I was about 6 years old. Ah well.

I did manage a bit of crochet yesterday. Easier to put down and pick up than dress making. Plus I could snuggle under it and keep warm while I worked on it!

I decided to have another crack at the ripple blanket that I started a long time ago. It was going to be based on Lucy of attic24's neat ripple blanket but as I think I mentioned once before, it didn't quite go to plan and I had to restart it (see the first attempt at the blanket HERE).
It's getting quite long now and covers me from ankle to waist and I've decided to keep going until I think there's just enough wool left for the border. I've taken a few photos along the way over the months and took some more yesterday while I worked on it. Here are just a few of all those pics - or you can click on the link in the sidebar to take you to my ravelry project page.

I love everything about this blanket. I love the colours, I really love the texture, I love how soft it feels and I know once washed,  it will feel softer. I love how warm it is on my lap while working on it and I particularly love the fact I'm working on it with a hand made crochet hook in a colour that matches the blanket! And I love that I was sensible enough to write out the pattern chart as it must be six months since I did any of it...

But most of all I love that it's MINE!

I bought some patterns

 I was looking at the sewing magazines this week and saw that a couple had a basic dress pattern that I might be able to adapt as a teenage size for Dress a Girl. It bothers me that I haven't been able to find a larger size peasant dress online, and  thought why not buy the mags and have  good read, then use the patterns to make my own teenage peasant dress pattern? I've never had any training in pattern drafting but I know it's not as easy as you'd think.


This first pattern by McCalls has the peasant style sleeves in the yellow version, although the skirt is separate and cut on the bias.

This one by New Look is A line but has a dart at the bustline which I need to try and "lose" - darts will make it too fitted for what I'm doing.
I'm hoping  (with my fingers tightly crossed!) that I can combine the two. I had had a quick look through the pattern books in C&H Fabrics but the only thing I could see was in the expensive book...
So I went for the magazines when I saw them.

Shame I forgot to buy a packet of dress makers tissue paper...
I'll take photos along the way and if all goes well, I'll share them. If it goes really well, I might do a write up on what I did so you can try and follow it.

I think I've mentioned Sew Magazine before. If you sign up to their website you can access lots of free patterns (and I've never had any junk mail.)
Including this cute bunny. Last summer there was a dolly pattern in a similar shape and I think I've seen a dog/teddy as well.

PS  I've just had a quick look through last years magazines and came across this one - perfect!!

Need to make the pockets for last week's dresses first though. One job at a time. 😊