Friday 7 November 2014

Pink and Red

Hello Lovelies,
yesterday dawned bright and just a little frosty. Perfect November weather.
I've been joining my circles in the evening and was slightly despairing at the developing blanket. It looked so busy and I wasn't at all sure about the colours.

But seeing it in the daylight, I was so relieved to see it actually looks quite pretty...........

I laid my WIP on the bed, where the light is best, and took a couple of happy photos .

There's no red in this blanket...... which is quiet unusual for a red lover like me.......but there are three pinks.


I'm loving the way they look, without any hot red to overshadow them.


Soon the sunshine was calling me outside. I needed to go to the library to renew my reading book.
I'm really enjoying Little Women, but it's a long book and I don't get a lot of reading time, what with the above blanket vying for my attention.

I  love living within easy walking or cycling distance of the local library.........


After I had renewed my book I couldn't resit a bumpy ride down this dirt track.........


It always feels so good to get out in the countryside....it's a simple joy I never tire of.
 I can feel myself unwinding after time spent cooped up indoors.... at work especially. A big smile spreads across my face and my shoulders relax.

Lots of plants and trees are bare and brown. But there are a few pink leaves left on the Elder......


and this gorgeous pink Rose in the thinning hedgerow made me smile......


But all too soon the sun had been hidden by clouds and the brisk November breeze made my nose run and my cheeks tingle.....time to head home.

My fingers were going numb by the time I got indoors and I decided to light the fire for the first time in months..........

 And get out some yarn for a quick project that wasn't my blanket.

With Remembrance Sunday only a few days away I decided to make a crochet Poppy.

 I bought a little enamel Poppy pin at the supermarket the other day.....from the sweetest old gentleman.
 While it's not so easy to loose as the paper ones it lacks impact, and I love all the crochet and knitted versions that I've seen around this year.

A quick google for a pattern threw up THIS one by lovely blogger Lisa at Kandipandi's Pad. I loved the shape Lisa had cleverly created and set to work on mine straight away.

Lisa has, just yesterday, updated this tutorial to make it easier to follow.

For some reason the leaf got the better of me ....and I fell back on the lovely Lucy to provide an easy to follow tutorial for a similar one  HERE.

I copied  Lisa and used black felt for the centre.......cutting around a penny to get the desired size.......


Then I got out my beads and chose some tiny black ones to add a bit of shine and interest to the felt centre..........


In the end I was really pleased with how it turned out.

ta-dah.........

Oh, the light was terrible for photography though.....I tried my best.

Having mastered the pattern it was super quick and easy to made a second one for Mum.......


I havn't forgotten my promise to share the pattern I'm using for my blanket....I'll be writing it up soon.
Jacquie x

31 comments:

  1. They are gorgeous and such a beautiful way to show respect for the people involved in the wars.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for all picturesque photos, beautiluf countrysidxe, congratulations with badges,greetings from Warsaw,anna

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Jacquie, the blanket is lovely - perfect for snuggling on a winter's day! I wish I could cycle into town. Although we live in the quiet, on the outskirts, the main road is too busy and scary for me. Your country lanes are gorgeous. I knocked up some knitted poppies to sell for the British Legion this year, and would be happy to share the easy pattern, if you want to get back to me - on my blog or email would be fine. http://teddywaresandflutterbies.blogspot.co.uk/ I used buttons from my stash for the centres. Love for now x

    ReplyDelete
  4. The colours in your blanket are looking great. It's bright without be harsh. Wishing you a great weekend and I hope it stays dry for you. x

    ReplyDelete
  5. The colours are love together

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the picture of your fire and your table all set up with crochet, a book and a cup of tea. Utter bliss. Especially nice after a brisk bike ride I should think. The poppies are lovely. I did mean to make one but I've ended up getting an enamel one as well. The children have all sort of wristbands, pencils, rubbers and things this year. Enjoy your weekend Jacquie, I hope there's more fireside crochet for you. CJ xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your poppy is lovely. Autumn is my favourite season. Maybe it is because it is the season I was born in (in my half of the world). I love the sunny days, with their crisp mornings and the nip in the evening.
    I always buy a poppy from the returned service man who has set up outside the newsagent. This year I bought one of the wristbands for something completely different.
    Enjoy your fireside crochet.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is kind of strange. I just finished my quilt with granny flowers and in the same way as you describe it, I am a red l
    over as well and just as you did: I forced myself NOT to use any red.

    Have a look:
    http://homeiswherethedachshundis.blogspot.be/2014/11/bloemengrannys-en-veldkapelletje.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. something went wrong in the message above:
    wanted to write that I am a RED LOVER myself.

    (must have pushed 'enter" without realising it)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am a red lover too (quite a few of my clothes are red)! Isn't it the most beautiful colour?! However despite this, I really like the colour combination of your new blanket a lot! :-)

    Take care
    Anne
    http://crochetbetweentwoworlds.blogspot.de

    ReplyDelete
  11. It s-o pretty! Love the pink! So glad you carried on with it. I'm deep within greys right now working on a blanket (knitted) for the hubby (Christmas). I look forward to a more colorful project soon. lol Your poppy turn out lovely, they sell the paper ones here on the streets too. I love a trip to the local library (wish I could ride my bike to it) I tend to check out too many at a time thinking I'll be able to read them all, lol, then re-check with the same thought. ;D Have a great weekend! Love the trio of owls by the fire BTW.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your blanket is looking amazing, I love red, but, I find it too much in my striped blanket!! Love the poppies, I must make one as I keep losing my paper ones x

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your blanket is looking lovely and I like your poppies too.
    Have a lovely weekend
    Jackie x

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the colours in your blanket. The choice of colours remind me of garden border full of summer flowers! What a good idea to make a Poppy, atleast you can put a proper clasp on the back and not just a pin that never seems to hold the paper Poppies!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. So pleased that you use your local Library.
    Your Poppy looks fab. And the blanket too, of course.
    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love the way your blanket is coming on - the colours are beautiful. I also crocheted two poppies - one for myself and one for my mother-in-law. My pattern is different from yours though as the poppy has four petals.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your blanket and the even distribution of the colors is fantastic!! What a treasure! I also adore your poppy pins you made. We honor and respect our veterans also. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love your blanket and how colourful it is - I don't think you should change a thing! Very bright and cheerful!
    Maria x

    ReplyDelete
  19. I LOVE the colours in the blanket. When you wear your poppy don't forget to have the leaf pointing at 11 O'clock otherwise you will be stopped by a kindly pensioner like I was and told off!!! 11.11 he told me so be warned - I even came home and checked it out - it's true. Jo x

    ReplyDelete
  20. Your blanket is stunning, Jacquie! I can't ride a bike but I love being out in the countryside, too. Here in the states I remember having plastic poppies given out in remembrance during my childhood. I have never tried to crochet one, but love yours. Thanks for sharing! xx

    ReplyDelete
  21. Your blanket is looking lovely Jacquie ~ there is no need to despair ~ not even a little! It is fab and the colours are well balanced. Love your poppies ~ my son will be piping in the Remembrance parade on Sunday so I should have been more organised and crocheted myself a lovely poppy too. Hope you have a good weekend :O)xx

    ReplyDelete
  22. The blanket's looking fab so far, I love the colours you've used - the best yet.

    ReplyDelete
  23. A sweet poppy and love your blanket squares, so pretty and your bike seat cover which I have admired over the many postings ☺☺

    ReplyDelete
  24. Love the blanket and the seat cover on your bike - One of the downsides to living in the middle of nowhere is not being able to bike to the library, I used to a all the time but now I rely on kindle - it's not the same!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh I hate getting halfway through a project when second-thoughts arrive - you were wise to wait until the next day because your colours look fine. It was a good idea of yours to refrain from the hot red as the pinks give a delicate, balanced beauty. I think your colour choices are very pretty - like a cottage garden.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I think that your blanket is lovely, I know what you mean about colours, I find that I can go off things looking at them at night under electric light and when I see them again in the day I like them again! I am hoping! to do a post about my visit to Louisa May Alcott's home in the next few days that you might be interested in! xx

    ReplyDelete
  27. the colours of your blanket are great! Love the poppy, I always buy a paper one but I have a velvety one which can be a hair slide that I bought years ago from accessorise I wear a lot, whatever time of year. It's looking a wee bit sad now but I love it x

    ReplyDelete
  28. Such a beautiful poppy, and I love the bicycle seat cover!! I read Pride & Prejudice a while ago, having only ever watched the adaptations (the BBC one is truest to the book) and I loved it. There is something to be said for the classics! Lil x

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi Jacquie! Really love the colours of your crochet blanket!!! It's gonna be lovely!!
    Pretty photos, thanks for sharing! It's definitely getting colder!!!
    Happy crocheting!
    Ingrid xx
    http://myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be

    ReplyDelete
  30. Love the poppies & those crochet squares are gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete

I always love to hear from you , thank you for taking the time to leave a message.