April blanket: ‘the Norian blanket’

My belated Easter post…I have been sitting on this blog entry for 10 days…the plan was to get it published before Easter, but things have gotten in the way so I am just now making the final touches to the post.

So I hope all of you had a lovely Easter or spring break with your families, loved ones and maybe with some crochet too!  Whether you managed to find some free time for starting a new project or continuing with some WIPs.

I had a bit of extra time to surf the net last weekend and I saw there are a lot of new CAL’s that have started.

I  like Esther @https://itsallinanutshell.com/ new CAL , have you seen it? it is called the ‘nuts about squares ‘ it looks really interesting I love week2 block!

https://itsallinanutshell.com/2017/02/17/announcement-nuts-about-squares-cal/

I also saw that quite a few of you had started the  Hydrangeas’s blanket, Lucy’s @attic24 new creation.

http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2017/04/hydrangea-stripe-blanket-ta-dah.html

I really like the colours she has chosen for her latest project, the pattern is beautifully simple but so effective and I am sure it will bring hours of joy to many people.

So many temptations and I wish I had loads of hours and try them all!

Anyway let’s get back under the Fig tree, so I can update you on what I have been doing…

 

The April blanket now has a name, it is called  ” the Norian blanket” you will see why pretty soon, I am very happy with my block it is an original design of mine and it is a lovely hexagon that I hope you will like.

 

I know in the past I have been outsourcing patterns or partial patterns mixing with something original designed by me, but this blanket will be just my design, that will make the pattern details much easier for everybody to outsource and follow by having it all being written down in one place. I have been getting some help so I can create as clear a template as possible for the pattern and, assume everything go smoothly, I should be ready to publish it in the next few weeks.

 

Here is a picture of the block, I’d love to hear your opinions! The idea is obviously Bee related, and it should look like a bees’ friendly meadow with loads of pretty flowers in bees favourite colours!.

now you wondering why Norian?

well there is an article I am going to link you to:

The Beekeeper Who Craved a World Without Right Angles

http://vernon.npdc.govt.nz/search.do?view=detail&page=1&id=269200&db=object

It tells the story of a very keen Kiwi Beekeeper called Roy Brewster. Roy and his wife Nettie built a  house in the 1950s in New Plymouth, NZ , where nearly everything was hexagonal, from its floor plans to its windows to all of its interiors and furnishings. They also had a hexagonal quilt on their bed too.

the name Norian is short for:  “NO RIght ANgles.”

I love the story and I love the house and I thought my April blanket could fit quite nicely in their home.

more about Norian blanket:

 

The block and the yarn and colours selection were the easy part, and I fired away pretty quickly all those hexagons. The problem started when I had to figure out how to join them together…You might think the joining is the easy part but actually often is not, and It has taken me several attempts and a lot of unraveling but, after a few frustrating days, I have hopefully got it now, I don’t know yet, the joining is still in its early stages, so I will let you know in a week or so..hence why at Easter I decided to leave the blanket on a side and make something else.

 

If you follow me on Instagram and facebook you might have seen some pictures I posted earlier in the week.

https://www.facebook.com/luciasfigtree/

https://www.instagram.com/luciasfigtree/

you might have seen some pictures I posted earlier in the week.

The shawl is called Edlothia, the designer is  Jasmin Räsänen , and this is the link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/edlothia

I loved the fact that this pattern has charts.   I found charts so much easier to follow, it might look complicated but it is surprisingly easy to crochet and the results! It is not blocked yet as I hope on a nice dry day for it, but it looks good and I think the Scheepjes whirl I have chosen does it justice. I bought a couple of those cakes a few weeks ago and I was waiting to find a project that used most of it if not all of a cake, so to show off the gradients effect to its best.

 

First time using Whirl I found the yarn a bit splitty at the beginning but then I got the hang of it, it is lovely to work with and I  love how gradual the change of colours is I hope will block well, I will let you know as soon as I am done.

 

that is all for today, wish you a happy weekend,

all the best Lucia xx

 

14 comments

  1. I love the Norian Blanket…the colours, the shapes all interlocking into a whole, and I love the background story and how so much thought and effort has gone into creating this lovely piece….thank you so much and I look forward with pleasure to the pattern.
    the shawl is lovely in its graduating colours…these yarns are so effective, very clever dying process..

    Kindest regards
    Therese

  2. Dear Lucia, did I miss something or haven’t you published the hexagon pattern for this blanket yet? I admire your creative mind, I could NEVER produce so many different ideas in such a short time.
    I cross my fingers for good ideas for your Jeans blanket 🙂 Sooo lovely!!!

    1. hi Ingeborg, no I haven’t yet, it is more complex than what I normally do, so I am seeking the help of an IT guy to make a template up and a Pdf document that can be downloaded. it is taking longer that I envisage but as soon as I am done I will message and post it xx

  3. The shawl you made with Scheepjes Whirl is gorgeous! I’m doing a round-up of Scheepjes Whirl posts, would you mind if I linked to your blog post on my blog? Let me know! Katie

    1. hi, Katie, thank you, and of course, you can link my blog or post to your blog!. I posted some more pictures of the shawl on my Lucia’s fig tree Facebook page too. You can have a look for more images there. I am looking forward to your post so please notify me when you are done so I can see it.
      all the best,
      Lucia x

  4. Dear Lucia. I was wondering if the pattern for the Norian blanket is available. It is such a beautiful blanket and I would love to make one. Regards Clarissa

    1. Thank you for your interest. I am working on it. It will get available in the next year .it takes ages between writing,getting the pattern checked and finally tested… but I m getting there . Lucia xx

  5. Hi Lucia, I’ve absolutely fallen in love with your Norian blanket, I’ve been checking back every few weeks since April to see if the pattern is available yet. Just giving you a tiny wave to remind you that people are still very interested! 🙂 thanks, Karen.

    1. I will get there…sorry for keeping you waiting. I have now found some lovely ladies that are willing to test the patterns for me which will make it a difference as I want to improve and offer the best patterns I possibly can. Believing or not the process to write a pattern is very complex and take time ( or at least I find it challenging) but I m getting there… has been a big learning curve for me! 😀 so thanks again for your patience !!

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