BAKEWELL BLUE TARTAN PATTERN

Bakewell Blue CAL pattern link

HERE

The Cal will be in 3 stages, with 3 colour options, a formula to use your own colours and a new block joining stitch to give an additional narrow stripe to the tartan

6 colour block weight: approx. 80g

For each block you make you will need a total of 80g in 6 colours for the 36square block multiplied by the number of blocks you want to make, 

I am using 16 x 80g = approx. 1280g, plus yarn for the border

Link to previous 

INTRODUCTION POST

HERE

11 colour block, Weight: approx 140g  9 blocks

9 blocks @ 140g will be approx. 1260g.  plus yarn for the border

INTRODUCTION TO THE TARTAN CAL....3 TOTALLY DIFFERNT OPTIONS

Tartan CAL, with 3 colour ways and a formula to choose your own colours.
STARTS NEXT WEEK
This intro give you the weekend to think about you yarns and possible colours.

A Blue Bakewell Tartan...personal choice, to go with my new dining chairs

Blocks of 6x6 granny squares 16 blocks in this picture and it would measure approx. 44" square with this number of squares then a border will be added 

to make it approx. 50" square 

Joined together this way pale grey to the middle of 4 blocks

This will give you a dark blue outer border, and the one i prefer.

Joined with the navy in the centre is would look like this below and give you a pale grey outer edge

but it really does depend on how many blocks of 36 squares you make and join

OPTION 2: Red, orange and pink...softer blend but basically the same formula

Ivory to the centre

Dark outer edge with 36 blocks of 36 granny squares

Darker squares to the centre of 4 blocks, lighter outer edge

 But the same 16 granny square block

Option 3: modern Pink brights

and again another formula but different from the first 2.

YARN

2 strands of Merino yarn worked as one for each mini granny square.
But you could use any favourite brand of dk, a finer dk works best or you might need to use a 6mm hook.

Approx. 100g of each colour but more if you want it bigger

NUMBER OF COLOURS

6 colours needed for the first 2 options
OPTION 1. BLUE: Navy, pale grey, Soft Lime, and 3 graduated shades, dark teal, 
blue/grey and pale aqua =6
OPTION 2. ORANGE/PURPLE: purple, cream, plum, and 3 graduated shades, orange, apricot, and pink

OPTION 3. MODERN BRIGHTS: 11 colours needed for option 3.
Soft orange, Lime Green, cerise, brown, pale blue, pale Aqua, camel/tan colour, very pale lemon or soft lime, shocking pink, Oatmeal/stone colour, 
light jade green = 11 colours

A full explanation will be give with the pattern next week,
 about colour choice and how to choose you own colour combinations

5mm hook

US TERMS

NOTES:

I have used Merino, it fills spaces well as the square, although small, are only joined at the corners.
I will also give you a full explanation of the 'join as you go' to keep the squares closely packed
AND 
THE BIG WORRY, for lots...ENDS!
Use my technique and you will only have one end to sew off for each square. 

PATTERN AND CHOOSING YOUR OWN COLOURS MONDAY

UPDATE: 
PATTERN LINK
HERE

BLUE TARTAN CAL: Sample progress

Progress on the Blue Tartan CAL... 

i'm using blues and greys for this Tartan, its to go in my kitchen. 

THIS POST IS A PRE-CAL POST 

nothing cast in stone yet...

I've chosen 10 COLOURS and I'm using Merino. dk and 5mm hook

Merino is a springy yarn and fills the gaps well but Acrylic or wool or a mix can be used.

I've had a yarn sort out earlier this week, ready for the workshop at the end of November and found I have 3 boxes of Merino so plenty of choice for the new tartan samples.

 As it's still a WIP, the 10 colours might change

This is what the repeat would look like if i stopped at 5 colours, but there are at least another 4 shades to go.....and it will change quite a lot..

its actually teal than the picture looks and at the moment it looks more like a check than a tartan lol.

TARTAN COLOUR FORMULA

I am hoping i can give you a Colour formula, so you can use your choice of colours, if that doesn't work then I will give you my Blue chart and another new one and the bright pink/green sample i showed you last week...

9 square block to make this modern look, pink/green tartan

another round makes a big difference. 

PATTERN LINK HERE

Never be without a Philip...Blanket Ladder in an afternoon

This morning i asked if we could make a Blanket Ladder? 

[thats the royal we], because all I did was a scribbled sketch of what i wanted

 Phil, love him did all the rest. 

We found broom handles at Wicks and two lengths of wood for the sides for around £23.

and by teatime tonight...i had a fabulous Blanket Ladder

Still needs to be sanded and stained with an oak stain, but isn't it wonderful?

Couldn't wait until it's finished.

THANK YOU PHIL...you're something very special xx 

One or two blankets hanging around on the backs of chairs...so very pleased with my new Blanket Ladder

tomorrow i will sand it and stain it and dig out one or two more blankets..theres plenty of them packed away.

Need to thank Blinds2go too, fantastic new clip in the door blinds...

not cheap blinds, but cheaper than any where else for these fantastic and easy to measure and fit clip in blinds that drop down or pull up...brilliant 

Blocking Mandala Oval..

We'd got a little wobbly so i decided to block before continuing...it wont fit on my board so need to block half at a time...

To fill in the triangular spaces or continue with the rippled edge?

Thinking time while it's blocking...it only needed a gentle pull to straighten the ripple edge.

at this point it measures: 55" /140cm x 51"/130cm

MANDALA BORDER

All 16 of the granny squares are added now and i've started on the ripple border.
The Mandala Oval, is almost completed, just a few more rounds of the border and a finishing edge stitch. Hope to complete stage 3 of the pattern early next week.

Loving the pattern and want to make another in a riot of colour, in fact i have a few balls of Riot yarn that might be in the next one..watch this space.

First rounded second started...

BEFORE THE BORDER AND EDGING

MEASURES: With just one round of the border done and Unblocked, approx. 52"/132cm at the longest side, so far. 
WEIGHS: Approx. 550g

It needs at least another 6" all round adding a foot to the width. 

CROCHET AND TECHNOLOGY.

How Technology can help with design...I should be doing other things, but they aren't as much fun so sharing a few new Tartan and Checks for the Cal to come this week...
Just a little playtime, the one round granny squares aren't joined for these picture.  t
They will be when i decide on the final blocks, but just so you can see whats possible with these little gems...

A slightly more sophisticated check/tartan with this collection of mini squares 

checks or stripe combo's can be achieved with the one round granny square 

still like little pennies, but they will be joined at each corner when the final block is decided on..enjoy 

TARTANS.FROM 2013 TO NEW ONES FOR 2018

Bright Pink and modern...Original design from 2013 new versions to come this week and a TARTAN CAL too...join the fun 

original Tartan Samples from 2013

Original post here

Blue Tartan...a wip, this original isn't quite right yet

Reds from May 2013

Pastels too...

The version I did for Styelcraft in 2015

CUSHION 

 Blue version Blanket in my dining room before the border was added