So if you’ve been reading this blog since roughly the late Jurassic*, you’ll know that I’ve been working on a giant mostly-crochet-with-a-smidgeon-of-knitting house-related project for a while. And I hope that you’ll believe me when I say that it’s honestly nearly done. I’ve been busy in its garden, and there’s more progress to show you. Trust me, it’ll be worth the wait when you see the (bonkers) finished object.
Now, for reasons that will be obvious when you see the outcome, the garden section needs to be flattish, so there’ll be no serried ranks of tall thin spiky conifers. So what can I make for the garden that’s flat? Well, it’s pretty warm here in southern England as I write this (I’m only wearing one cardigan!) and my thoughts are turning to picnics on the lawn. Yup, I decided to knit-and-crochet a tiny picnic blanket. It was more fiddly than you might imagine. Still, it kept my hands busy as I sang along during the twinnage’s music class:-
And I was fairly pleased with the result, even if I am never, ever going to knit another. (I’m guessing that you know that feeling when you’re knitting something, teeth gritted, muttering curses and vowing never to indulge in such a project again. If that happened to you whilst knitting one of my patterns, I apologize.)
Obviously a picnic blanket needs to be covered with stuff. A stonking good book made of crocheted pages sewn together, for example.
Really, this should be the sort of novel that you lose yourself in for a week, but I couldn’t resist embroidering this title:-
And I think it’s fair to assume that we’d need some crochet or knitting, right? Lesson learned the hard way: if you’re going to try teeny tiny knitting using wooden toothpicks, sandpaper the picks smooth first, OK? You’re welcome.
This was kinda fun. Some refreshments, yes? A nice bottle of wine would be a little too vertical for this project, so I was forced to settle for cake. I’ve never crocheted cake before. (I know, weird and sheltered life – blame my parents.) So I was basically winging it.
Then I had to sew them together…
There were quite a few ends to deal with. I am not a fan of ends.
Let’s be civilised, and use a plate for the cake. Silver?
Nope, not happy with that. Try again. Blue? Yes, blue.
But it came together OK.
The only problem, I thought to myself as I embroidered a few cherries on top, was that all this was making me feel blimmin’ hungry. And, well, like lying on the lawn knitting and reading and munching.
All this has given me a taste for teensy-weensy knitting/hookery (as well as cake), so I’ve borrowed and bought some miniature needles and hooks, and I’m making a wee cushion for this picnic blanket. But that’s another blog post…
- Ah do you remember the dinosaurs way back in the Jurassic? I wish I’d blogged more about the dinosaurs! Who knew that they’d become such a ‘thing’? They just seemed so ordinary at the time.
Nice update on the big house project, but how can you say it’s nearly finished? In my experience, house projects are never actually finished.
Ha ha, that’s so very true. And I should know this, given how unending the attempts to keep our REAL house standing are.
Holy cow, that’s awesome! I have no hope of making something that small with my middle-aged eyes and I bow to your greatness!!
My eyes are getting VERY middle-aged these days. Sigh. But there’s no greatness here, I can assure you!
So cute!
And so ridiculous…
Looks like you are having fun! I am sure it will look amazing when it is revealed
I hope so. I hope it’s not a big disappointment after so much build-up!
I think you’re excelling yourself there but remember, there are always Wasps and (if you REALLY wanted to show how committed you are) Ants where there are picnics…
just saying…
LOL
Argh! You shouldn’t say things like this to me – you know what I’m going to go and do now that you’ve put the idea in my head, don’t you?! This is getting a little extreme…
Love the toothpicks! 😀 But what does the book title say T?? Of Yarn, it looks like Tao or Tno – neither of which makes sense 😕
Tao. Really it should be THE Tao Of Yarn, but there wasn’t really space for that.
I love everything about this post! Miniature anything is so appealing, and here you are knitting and crocheting tiny versions of delightful things like books, cakes and picnic blankets.
I hope one day you’ll create a gallery (maybe even a page up top) with all the creative and wonderful steps for this project. It’s a visual treat.
That’s an idea. At first I toyed with writing up the pattern. But then I realized that nobody else would be stupid enough to undertake such a ridiculous project.
Truly you are the master of the crochet/knitting world. Wow! I never tire of seeing your creations.
Well that’s about a billion times kinder than I deserve, but I won’t pretend it didn’t make me grin. Thank you
Just delightful!
Thank you – you’re very kind. 🙂
I went through some of your crochet house tags and man are you doing such an amazingly awesome job! That’s no small undertaking but, the detail and the inspiration for the detail is well…inspiring. I look forward to seeing the finished results.
Aww thank you, you’re very very very kind. The finished job is coming, really it is…
The things a gal will do to keep in touch with her kids. Dinosaur yarn projects eh? Might go viral. I am having visions of where you are going to put this monumental opus to “yarn”. It will be more than interesting to see what you do with it and how it turns out. I am thinking, by the time it is finished you could do something along the lines of a James May special with it…
Giggling at this…
wow! What dedication to such a unique project. Wow!
Thank you! It is getting a tiny bit ridiculous…
You know, Ms Twisted, I’m really looking forward to the reveal of this project.
Thank you. (So am I!) It’s coming. Really, it’s coming. Any decade now…
sighing in bliss!
Tee hee! Thank you, as always. 🙂