It’s been a while since I have had a big project on my hook. The kind that requires a fearsome degree of commitment and a bucketful of love for repetition. Luckily, once I’ve set my mind to something, I have a plentiful resource of both of those things and so – it’s happening again!

It began with a few balls of yarn and some scribbles in my notebook. As soon as I saw how the colours were coming together I knew this was going to be a joy to work.

Taking a good look around my bedroom I’d decided a while ago it really was in need of cheering up a bit. I’ve painted the walls a soft aqua thinking it would be a very calming colour, and it is, that much is true, but coupled with a plain duvet it’s looking much more dull and boring than restful and relaxing. I’ve looked everywhere for some suitable bedding in just the right colours to give the room a real lift but haven’t found anything I like at all, leading me to conclude that if I can’t find what I want I’ll just have to make it instead. So these new granny squares are already stamped with their new destination and project ‘Spice up the Bedroom’ begins!

So far I’m sticking to this palette, although I always start out with just a few colours and then I’m often tempted to add in more at a later date so I’m making no promises at this point in time about how it might actually end up looking!

One thing I am sure about is that this is going to make a very pretty throw for the bed and probably some matching cushions too.

Mojo may be wondering if there’ll be less time for fussing if I’m wrapped up with such a big project. I can see the disapproval on his face already!

I’m sure he won’t mind snuggling up on it once it’s finished though and in the meantime he’s quite happy with a bit of lap space while I crochet around him.

As this project is going to be so large I’ve upgraded my basket from this…

…to this.

My super sized project basket is now packed up with all the things I’ll need to keep the crochet in full flow. Minnie is already eyeing up the sleeping space potential of yet another cosy, wool lined nest.

I’ve made a zillion tiny circles for the centre of each square and have finished some of the first colour combinations. They’re reminding me of all the soft and bright, melt in the mouth candy colours of the Easter holidays so I’m calling this blanket ‘Spring Circles’.

There have been patches of good weather here and there so I’ve been playing a game of Catch Me if You Can with the sunshine and making sure I get outside when the opportunity arises, to smell the flowers and listen to the birdsong and make a few more squares.

It’s surprising how different the colours look in the unforgiving glare of direct sunlight. They look much stronger and punchier. I’m still liking them though, so I must be onto a winner.

Oh, and this time, I’m darning in all the ends as I go.

I can still remember the horror of being faced with sewing in the yarn tails on seventy or eighty squares all at once the last time I made a similar blanket and I’m not revisiting an ocean of darning like that ever again!

Lighter, longer, warmer evenings mean less falling asleep early, or scuttling off to bed with a good book to escape the cold, and more time and energy for creativity. The exrta hours of daylight also mean pyjamas before dark which always feels just a little bit decadent, but oh so good!

My arc-handled basket is perfect for draping all my colours over so that it’s simply a case of grab and hook. It makes changing colours so easy and I can reach all the different yarn ends even when Pogo hunkers down for his share of lap time – though it would help a lot if he would let go of the end I’m currently in the middle of using.

Ouchy, those are some serious claws too!

Tigger prefers to use the yarn curtain as a screen for a spot of surreptitious spying. I dread to think what he might be planning. There’s always an evil gleam in Tigger’s eye, but he’s never quite tried to eat us alive yet.

The usual mix of rainy days and sunny spells is nothing at all unusual for April around here, but I really don’t mind what the heavens throw at us. I’m equally happy snugged up indoors watching raindrops trickling down the windows or lolling about outdoors trying to get the sun to coax out an early freckle or two.

Crochet, tea and scones make me gloomy weather proof.

And when the sun shines – I’m gone.

This is going to be a lovely project to pass the time, wherever I find myself. A good dose of Sunday Morning crochet in bed is such a great start to the day.

Busy hands hooking tiny circles while waiting for the day to get going from the comfort of a king size bed is a wonderful thing indeed. I’m just falling more and more in love with these colours and feel so excited to get it all finished.

I can’t wait to be waking up every morning to such a bright and cheery eyeful in the form of a beautiful crochet blanket. I reckon my Spring Circles blanket is going to have me leaping out of bed full of the joys of the spring after which they’re named! Well that might be pushing it a bit far, I’m so much more of an owl than a lark, but it’s certainly going to help!