Well, what a strange summer so far. It feels like it’s been raining for months, Oh wait… that’s because it has! Though the last couple of days have flipped all that on it’s head with a sudden and rather rapid rise in temperatures to 32 degrees – and totally clear skies for the first time in a long time yesterday.

Despite, or maybe because of, the largely rainy weather (with more forecast for tonight) it has been a matter of urgency to get outside and enjoy every last spot of sunshine that is available – taking my crochet with me whenever I can of course, as there’s nothing nicer than hooking a few rounds or rows while surrounded by the great outdoors.

I felt a bit wary to be greeted by this sight at the bus stop in my mum’s village just a day before a planned  party in this very field. I appreciate that all the rain keeps England a green and pleasant land, but a bit of sunshine makes summer parties and celebrations work so much better!

As it happened the next day dawned with a mix of sunshine and rain so we headed off to the field regardless of the imminent possibility of a thorough drenching and enjoyed what we could of a leisurely Saturday afternoon in pretty pastoral surroundings.

A rounders match was followed by a Tug of War contest.

There was a barbeque, sandwiches, ice cream, music, fine wine and good company so despite having to run for cover during some flash downpours, to take shelter in an unfortunately very leaky marquee, we still managed to have a splendid time and my Spring Circles blanket gained a few extra stitches on the border.

With all this wet weather I think the flip flops may have been an overly optimistic choice, but I always live in hope, and the plea of unsuitable footwear got me out of any danger of having to participate in the rounder’s match!

Just as every cloud has a silver lining, every sun soaked rainstorm has a shiny rainbow. How lovely to have such a beautiful reward for our sporadic soakings.

Back at home and progress continued on my blanket border.

It’s rather nice to sit indoors hooking away quite merrily,  and the mostly bad weather does focus me to get on with more creative projects at home. This summer I’ve been as productive as I usually am in the winter months as we just haven’t felt like risking camping trips or festivals so far. Maybe things will change later on in the year but so far I’ve enjoyed the extra time to spend at home and there are so many ways to make your own sunshine moments.

Redecorating the lounge several weeks back was a great start to ensure an extra dose of brightness and light amidst the gloomy skies mocking us through the window.

I’ve recently turned from disliking white walls with a vengeance to loving them with a passion, so the whole house is slowly being freshened up with some tins of cheap emulsion and a bit of time and patience. Its taken quite a few layers to paint over my out-of-favour deep, rich wall (and ceiling) colours, but it’s just so worth it. Maybe I just love change. Hubby is already wondering out loud how long it will be before I decide I’m missing the colours and demand to have them all back again. Who knows?! But I’m quite happy to keep the rainbows going in my crochet furnishings and accessories for now instead.

Tigger agrees and snuggles down in a colourful yarn nest…

…wherever he can find one. Pogo prefers a yarn nest with a lap underneath it.

So I add the border around him in my usual cat-indulgent manner.

Now here’s a first… Mojo settles down on top of an unsuspecting and fast-asleep Pogo, separated only by a layer of crochet! So cosy but their combined weight soon got me shifting around trying to alleviate a dose of pins and needles.

As you can see there have been a few more rows added to the final border despite all this botheration from the cats. The best way to avoid cat harassment is to crochet in the car, so despite the blanket’s somewhat unwieldy bulk I managed to cram it in and crochet in peace for a few hours on a recent trip to Cardiff.

I’ve also been adding to the stack of small squares for my next blanket/waistcoat/set of cushions/poncho/coasters… Hmmm, how to decide?

I’ve got quite a few now, all in the same sorts of colours as my Spring Circles blanket. Yep, I’m still loving turquoise and pink. xxx

There really is something very satisfying about owning a whole heap of squares yet not being quite decided on what to do with them. All those exciting possibilities waiting to be explored. They’re perfectly sized for handbag stashing too so I’m making a few pretty much anywhere and everywhere I can. I have lots of fun just spreading them out on the floor simply to admire them and play with different colour combinations.

Life hasn’t just been one big round of crocheted squares though. I’ve been working on a few new patterns too.

I’m ironing out the wrinkles for a princess doll as Curlicue the Unicorn wanted a special friend to play with. I think these two will make a very cutesome twosome together. I had a bit of a nightmare working out her dress pattern but it’s mostly all done and dusted now. I think I’m going to call her Petunia.

There’s just the writing up and double/triple/quadruple testing that I like to do before the pattern will be ready.

But then I started on this too…

I have to say, it’s a real treat to be following someone else’s pattern for a change. This hare’s head trophy is going on the wall in my newly painted lounge once it’s finished.

But before I could get it finished another pattern idea jumped into my head and I found myself beginning to hook up this..

But there’ll be more about that in a later post!

As I’m so near to finishing my blanket I’m going to give that priority over the next few evenings. I had already started the very last decorative row of tassels and was starting to daydream about having another finished project under my belt…

…except that I got about two thirds of the way around and decided I didn’t like them! They were a bit spidery and ragged looking and I got to thinking they wouldn’t really lay neatly when the blanket was spread out on the bed.

After a bit of rapid frogging I have redesigned the edging into a sweet pompom detail that sits quite flush to the last row and so should remain neat and orderly no matter how much the blanket is strewn around.

Only a few repeats made so far but I know I love it already.

And Mojo enjoys doing his bluebeard impression with it. I never realised he had ambitions to be a pirate.

Lastly, I’ve been enjoying lots of round the river rambles, I’ve damaged my foot somehow so no more high impact running for a little while, but with big, fat memory foam insoles I can still get out and walk a good 4 miles several times a week.

It’s fun dodging the showers and chasing the sunshine. Those tiny patches of blue always hold out some hope for a summer idyll!

This mix of weather has certainly got it’s plus points when the countryside looks such a sumptuous green instead of the withered browns and beiges of a prolonged dry spell. Whatever the British weather is it’s never boring or predictable.

In my next post I may be able to bring you news of my many projects all finished up together. Or I may be bringing you tales of new ones started as the WIP pile grows and grows to unmanageable proportions! I’m going to endeavour to make it the former but I’m afraid I really can’t make any promises there. Just as all this heat and rain has made the natural world bloom and multiply outside I think it may have done the same for my creative sparkle!

I hope you’re having a brilliantly busy time too this summer, or a lazy, hazy one if that’s what you prefer 🙂 Enjoy!