My Hatred of Crochet

I’ve never really found my way with crochet. I have tried, but essentially I’m just happier with two sticks rather than one. I can’t explain the feelings I have about it without sounding negative – I don’t really like the ‘gappiness’ of it all, I don’t really like the rustic look of finished items, I don’t like at ALL the fact that it easily disintegrates – unraveling a nicked blanket in minutes, and goodness I think the association in my mind that crochet has with demented colour schemes and horrible yarn is enough to make me itch. Hello, my name is Debbie and I am a snob.

So I really was rather shocked when I found myself clicking “pay” on Lucy’s “Coast” ripple blanket set the other evening after reading her latest post.

I have attempted the ripple in several projects over the years – two cowls and a blanket, and I can’t say I enjoyed the process of any of them. Which is why this new purchase is simply confusing. What can I say – this colour scheme made my heart sing. The colour and the composition is breath-taking, truly. It was only when I saw her “coast” ripple that I think part of me fell a little in love with crochet. It’s beautiful – it transported me in an instant to the coast and I’m pretty sure I could hear the lap of waves as I gazed transfixed upon it.

Lucy over at Attic24 has many fans. I would say I am a once-in-a-while drop-by-for-a-coffee type of reader. I’ve been reading on and off since she started. I have to admit that rainbow is not my thing. No, not at all. But it’s easy to dismiss this colour scheming as simple. I tried to make a random rainbow-ish ripple blanket of my own and it turned out BLOODY AWFUL – it’s a dog blanket now. You can’t just grab the next colour that appeals and do it as you go along – as I learned too late, it takes planning.

Her latest post shows how she picks her colours, and she does have a very sophisticated knowledge of colour. Like all artists, she makes it look easy.

The huge pack of yarn arrived (in a useful organza sack!) and since working my way through it I find myself marvelling at both the beauty of the emerging creature, and the cleverness of the arrangement of colour. I don’t think I would ever have been able to pull something like this out of the bag – you can tell this isn’t just a random smash and grab of yarn, but been carefully considered. I love how the colours change their ‘feel’ depending on their neighbour, and how the eye is pulled continuously up and down the rows, never resting in one place.

So although crochet is not my first love, this blanket is making me think again.

I have a self-made deadline for this project and am working furiously on it, as followers of my instagram feed can testify to, but I’ve no real desire to stop. I think I may have to make another blanket after this one, but without a deadline, and perhaps using the tips Lucy shared to see if I can come up with my own version. The fact that I am considering another crochet project is nothing short of amazing, really. And it’s all her fault.