The weather is turning colder, its time to wrap up warm! I have been busy making a crochet blanket with one of our 100% pure new wool yarns, Pirkka Lanka. This yarn is from Finland and comes in a beautiful range of warm colours, perfect for cosy blankets, shawls and garments. I started the blanket in the New year when my crochet adventures began, but as the weather got warmer, I made other things and have just come back to finish this off as a Christmas present. It’s certainly warm on my lap as I’m making it so I know it will be perfect as a cosy blanket, ideal for Sunday afternoon snoozes or watching a film with a mug of hot chocolate while the weather is cold and wet outside! (This crochet blanket pattern is from Inside Crochet and is available on Ravelry, its called Walter.) I’m using a selection of colours across the range we have, as you can see, and its lovely how the colours work together and add to the warmth somehow. Estelle, of Midwinter yarns, where I first found Pirkka Lanka, has an extensive range of Scandinavian yarns, and wears Pirkka Lanka made into beautiful fair isle jumpers which look and feel beautiful. Its not our smoothest, softest yarn, but it is ideal for rugged outdoors jumpers, just right for winter walks when you need to wrap up warm. I think it would be lovely made into this wrap, or this poncho. (I’m very into ponchos this year!)
Someone said it’s only 10 weeks until Christmas! Are any of you making things for Christmas like I am? There are lots of patterns for knit and crochet projects appearing in the yarn magazines at the moment. I particularly like the Polar Bear hat in Knitting Magazine this month. (Just need to find a child who would like to wear it if I make it; my son is all grown up at 22!) I also like the Fair Isle hat and scarf in the same issue which would look lovely made in Pirkka Lanka Ohut and could be made with gentle colours for a lady or bolder colours for a man. There is also a Christmas Gifts booklet with Knitting magazine with 9 more ideas. Better get on with the crochet blanket…..
Don’t forget we are running a competition to win an Opal advent calendar….
All you need to do is share this on social media, (FaceBook, Pinterest, Instagram, ) with a comment on your favourite product on our website. The more shares on different social media platforms you make, the more chances you have to win. Don’t worry if you aren’t on social media, just leave a comment on our blog and you will be included! The advent calendar has 24 mini (15g) balls of Opal sock yarn, each behind its own “door” in the cube calendar. I will post them out to the winners at the end of November, in time for the start of Advent in December. I will also include patterns of mini mittens and stockings to make your own bunting for Christmas as the days go by. Perhaps you will make some funky striped stockings if you are the winner, using each mini-ball of yarn each day. Probably not quite enough yarn to make a blanket to wrap up warm, but you could knit or crochet squares with the min-balls and add them to other yarn for a blanket. I hope the winners share pictures. Get clicking and sharing, good luck!
Bye for now,
Caroline
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