BLANKET* CHALLENGE

When I'm not reading I like to spend my time with craftwork. I have always done lots of knitting, but had never tried any crochet up until a couple of years ago. For some reason it had always looked very complicated, even though I could tackle very challenging knitting patterns, such as fair isle and lace work.

However, when it comes down to it, crochet only has one basic stitch - yarn over, pull through. To make variations on this stitch, you can yarn over more than once -so changing a UK double to a treble, double treble and so on depending on how many times you yarn over. Each variation makes a different stitch. Even more variations can be made by combining more than one stitch together.

And the best thing about crochet....it makes up much more quickly than most knitting. Which leads me to the blankets.

I have never knitted a full size blanket, purely down to the time that would be involved, but then one day I came across a website called Crystals and Crochet (https://crystalsandcrochet.com/)with the most amazing crocheted blankets. Never one to shirk a challenge I thought I'd start with one of Helen Shrimpton's designs. They look very complicated and everyone who sees a finished blanket is amazed by their intricacy. But once you get going (and so long as you remember to count, count, count and count again!), they are not that difficult after all.

So, as well as my reading challenge I am embarking on a WIP (Work in Progress) challenge this year. I have more "just started", "part way through", "one sock of a pair" and "almost done apart from sewing in the ends" projects than I care to think about. And I'm not going to bother to count them! And even more yarn tucked away in cupboards or under the stairs to keep me busy for many a year.

This year I am endeavouring NOT to buy any more yarn (well, unless I see the "perfect" yarn that I absolutely must have) and to finish off as many of the WIPs as I can. There are a fair few blankets, some shawls, lots of socks and a few jumpers. The only logic to choosing which one to do will be start with the ones that are almost finished and then move onto the rest.

*And lots of other items!!!