Way back at the start of 2014, Wendy and Renae tried to talk me into joining in on the #moodblanketchallenge2014. I was pretty adamantly against it, thinking that the last thing I needed was a visual representation of what was still, at that point, a pretty tight-holding depression. Having that right there in front of me seemed like a TERRIBLE idea. I caved, because that's what you do when good friends ask you to do something (and, come on, it was a pretty cool craft project), but I was pretty sure I would hate it.

Oh how I hate to be proven wrong.

Not only did I not hate it, I actually found it helpful in the exact way they wanted it to be. On my worst days it was hard to crochet those squares, but at the same time I had, securely in my hands, direct proof that those bad days WEREN'T all my days. I could point to all the good days and run my fingers over them, remembering how I had felt then. While I started the year in a terrible streak of greys and blues, it soon got to the point where I was counting good streaks, and that was wonderful.

It was lovely to crochet my squares alongside Wendy and Renae, but even better than that was all the people around me who, even though they weren't actively participating, became involved all the same. We had a streak of weddings in a short period of time so they brides picked out their squares (the two tone ones). Luke and Nicole would ask me what my colour would be for the day. Ash instituted a whole new mood category ('epic' was required as something higher than merely 'happy'). And best of all was Kira wishing me "yellow days" or messaging me after a particularly good day with all of us together and just matter-of-factly stating that it had been a yellow day for all. It was beautiful to have my friends support me in such a meaningful way without them probably realising how great it was. 

I managed to finish the blanket on time (okay so I just scraped through) and thought I'd share a little bit of it's journey...

I wouldn't be me doing a project like this if I didn't offer up some stats, so here you go, have a little pie chart.

There was a bit of hesitation on all our parts as to whether or not we'd be doing another blanket in 2015 - funnily enough, I was the first to sign up! I think having the opportunity to shop for more (and this year prettier) wool was definitely a large part of the decision making process.

I splurged (but not really, thank you massive sale!) and bought nice wool this year as I was discouraged using the acrylic last year. I selected the Morris & Sons Estate yarn in a huge array of beautiful colours, double the amount of last year. But the best part is the wonderful colour names,..

Mood         Colour

Happy        Nasturtium

Grey           Clay

Creative     Limelight

Loved        Tomato Sauce

Excited       Petunia

Sad             Clear Sky

Pattern: Noro Striped Scarf by Jared Flood

Materials: Noro Silk Garden; 45% mohair, 45% silk, 10% wool

Amount: 2 skeins in 87; 2 skeins in 376; Approx. 206m/100g

Needles: US 7/4.50 mm

Start Date: 3 July 2014

Finish Date: 21 July 2014

For: Luke

Pattern: Chevzam by Alex Tinsley

Materials: Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted; 100% merino

Amount: 1 skein in 22 Sauterne; 1 skein in 35 Frank Ochre; 1 skein in 36 Pearl; 1 skein in 63 Natural; Approx. 192m/100g

Needles: US 9/5.50 mm

Start Date: 8 December 2014

Finish Date: 19 December 2014

For: Nicole

Pattern: Hermione Hearts Ron by Christy Aylesworth

Materials: Patons Big Baby 4ply; 60% acrylic, 40% nylon (small)
Heirloom Merino Magic 5ply; 100% Merino (big)

Amount: 1 skein in 2565 (small); 1 skein in 206 (big)

Needles: US 2/2.75mm  |  US 2.5/3.0mm (small)
US 2.5/3.0mm  |  3.50mm (big)

Dates: 2-4 November 2014 (small)

17-19 December 2014 (big)

For: Katie

Pattern: Song of the Sea by Louise Zass-Bangham

Materials: Heirloom Merino Magic 5ply; 100% merino

Amount: 4 skeins in 206; Approx. 119m/100g

Needles: US 6/4.0 mm

Start Date: 21 July 2014

Finish Date: 21 August 2014

For: Kira

Pattern: Vivace by Elizabeth Sullivan

Materials: Moda Vera Noir; 75% wool, 25% nylon

Amount: 1 skeins in Purple Mix; Approx. 400m/100g

Needles: US 2/2.75 mm

Start Date: 27 March 2014

Finish Date: 1 December 2014

For: Katie

There's something really special about having friends who know you really well, and while I've always had good friends in my life, this is something I've been really blessed with of late. Sometimes this means someone knowing the exact joke to make me laugh for hours on end. Sometimes it means someone knowing I'm not okay even when I say I am. Sometimes it means sitting in a cafe until getting kicked out at closing, or lounging about at home chatting away. Sometimes, the best times, it means having someone hold you while you cry even if you're not really sure why you're crying, having someone make you feel like you're not alone in the world.

Today it means having people who know how to pick the absolute best Christmas present anyone could ever pick for me ever!

I came home late tonight to find a package tucked behind my screen door. This is always a very welcome sight, but it's rarely a surprising one. I usually know when to be expecting a package, so as soon as I saw it sitting there tonight I starting wracking my brains to think what I had ordered and very quickly came up blank.

I had no idea what it was at all... and then I noticed that the return address said 'Jellywares'. That sounded familiar. But why?

And then it hit me. Renae, Wendy and I had had a brief conversation about monthly yarn clubs about a month ago, but we hadn't really done anything about it. Those sneaky little tricksters! It didn't take much to make them confess and admit that they had arranged this lovely Christmas gift for me.

I can already tell that my favourite part is going to be the unboxing each month. I mean look at this! It's all wrapped up so prettily, with washi tape and stamps and beautiful Christmas cards and crafty goodies!

There was a short, heartstopping moment when I thought they would make me wait until Christmas to open further than this, or at least wait until Saturday when we'd all be together, but thankfully they took pity on me and let me keep going.

And just look at that. Debbie Bliss cotton yarn in beautiful colours, a gorgeous Christmas card, pretty little buttons - what more could you ask for in a surprise package? I'm so very lucky to have such lovely friends who know how to spoil me so!

When the new TMNT movie came out this year, Ash insisted that we go. He planned the night, issued the invitations and ensured that everyone displayed the appropriate amount of enthusiasm (even those amongst us who weren't as turtle excited as he was). This isn't the first time we've indulged a friend's childhood passions returning to the big screen - when the last Muppet movie came out a few years ago we all traipsed to the cinema and though Kim was less excitable than Ash, it was no less adorable.

A few weeks prior to this movie date, I had spent a Friday night over at Ash and Kira's house and this meant that I was there for Saturday morning cartoons. I do remember watching Saturday morning cartoons as a kid, though I have never enjoyed them more as when I've watched them with Ash. I like that he bounds down the stairs like the big kid that he is and happily makes me a cup of tea. I like imagining that he tries to wake Kira up to watch them with him most weeks but she, smart girl that she is, whacks him with a pillow and goes back to sleep. I like seeing him enjoy Scooby Doo repeats and echoing lines about "pesky kids". It's great fun and a wonderful example of the occasional endearingly child-like antics that now fill my 'grown-up' life.

While watching cartoons this particular morning, I commented to Ash that I didn't really know a lot about TMNT. He looked at me askance. In fact, I had said, I couldn't remember ever really having watched it. He gaped. No, I was pretty sure I'd never seen it. That was it. He jumped up and pushed a pile of DVDs in my hands and I had my homework before me. I can't say that I watched the entire pile, but I did give it a go, and managed to work in a direct quotation a few days later which made him rather happy, so I suppose my homework was sufficiently attended to.

All of this is by way of explaining that when Ash's birthday came about recently, I was already pretty sure of what I was going to make him.

Pattern: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle by Nichole's Nerdy Knots

Materials: 4 Seasons Stallions; 100% Acrylic

Amount: stash amounts in green, tan, orange, and yellow

Hook: F/3.75mm

Start Date: 2 October 2014

Finish Date: 4 October 2014

 

I always enjoy when craft night comes around again - not because I enjoy the crafting (I do!) or because it means seeing my friends (of course I do, this goes without saying!) but because I get to refer to it as my 'rager night'. It's the night that I stay out past midnight and get up to all kinds of shenanigans with my friends. Crocheting and consuming tea counts as 'shenanigans', right?

We aim to have our craft night, our Block of the Month or BotM night (cue many giggles around the world 'bottom' every time), once a month. Unfortunately the last time we managed any degree of consistency in this regard was around the time all three of us turned up with our assigned blocks in hand - so... some time ago. It was sad for us to learn that our last craft night was a whopping 18 weeks ago (thank you instagram for providing the timeline). That life has become too busy for our crochet nights just means that we need them all the more.

This month yielded no BotM squares, save a few paltry unblocked offerings from myself (I think I've lost my blocking pins an a subconscious attempt to allay my guilt over my non existence blocking ability). Despite this, however,the night was far from unproductive. We had birthday celebrations and gift giving, lessons in Ravelry (I think my attempt to convert them needs a little more work), good conversation, and, yes, even a little crafting.

Wendy worked on her mood blanket (reminding me that I am still woefully behind) and showed off the beautiful scarf she's crocheting out of Noro Sekku.

I think Renae surprised herself a little with the rate at which she flew through a knitting scarf, knitted up on size 15 needs. She has now finished it and looks very pleased with herself!

I was the least productive of the group, working away on the second incarnation of a shawl, only to rip that back also (my rage over this to appear in a post of it's very own). Throw in a thorough spoiling by Matt in his providing of watermelon sorbet (yum!) and I just know you'd agree that we had a wonderful craft evening.

 

"WOW! I can hear things!"

I was rather enamoured with the lightning bolt speakers

 

Here you can see my contributions… yes I know, I’m a bad crafter, look at their unblocked state. It was remedied by the end of the night, however, as you shall see.

 

This was the block that Wendy chose for the month, which clearly shows the difference in our colour schemes. The one at the front is Renae’s, the middle mine, and the final one, Wendy’s own.

 

Wendy’s scrap yarn glass, to which she kindly allowed us to add.

  Instagram monsters that we have become, the phones were out that evening. Here Renae gives Wendy some pointers.

 

There was another delightful part of the evening, which Wendy’s excitement had scheduled right off the bat. Wendy, kind person that she is, had made Renae and I a little botm treat…  

 

    Our very own blocking boards!

 

And there you have our February update on the botm project. We are aiming to do two blocks this month to make up for our planning/no block in January. I know for a fact that Wendy is right on target, and I’m pretty sure Renae is closing in on it also - so I had better stop the blogging and start crocheting.  

 

 

* if only because I’m slightly concerned that she can use her crafty super powers to overhear our plans to kidnap her and bring her to craft night.