52 Weeks: Crochet Mood Blanket 2014

Nicky33 Comments
Orange: Energetic
Magenta: Moody / Sad
Lemongrass (green): Excited
Purple: Happy
Teal: Refreshed
Border & Separation
Pastel Yellow: Tired/Sick
Red: Upset / Fearful
Violet: Content

One of goals this year is to make a blanket and I think I’ve found one.  While reading Hazel’s blog on Saturday, I found out that on Instagram @mummy_stacey came up with the idea of creating a mood blanket for 2014.

The idea is to create a key that correlates a yarn colour to a feeling I might have during the year.  I can either do a block a day, or 52 blocks (one per week).  The one block a day is too much for me and I want a blanket a little bigger than the 52 block one.  So I’ve decided to tweak the rules a little bit.

What I’m going to do is this:

  • Record my mood every day.
  • At the end of the week, see which mood is the predominant one for the week
  • Based on the number of days the predominant mood is felt, that’s the amount of rounds I’ll do on my blanket for the week.   For e.g. if I feel contented 4 days of the 7, I’ll do four rounds on my blanket to represent that week.  Every “week” will be separated by two rounds of beige.  At the end of the year, I should have a gigantic blanket representing how I felt every week of the year.

The pattern I’m using for my blanket is the Giant Granny Square Blanket by Purl Bee.

My key is attached to the images posted above.  If you hover your mouse at the bottom of each tile, the colour and feeling attached will pop up.  But just in case it doesn’t, from top to bottom, left to right, here’s the key:

  • Orange: Energetic
  • Magenta: Moody / Sad
  • Lemongrass: Excited
  • Purple: Happy
  • Teal: Refreshed
  • Beige: Border and Separator rounds
  • Pastel Yellow: Tired / Sick
  • Red: Upset / Fearful
  • Violet: Content

I didn’t want to use dull colours to reflect “negative” feelings that’s why my colour scheme is so bright.  LOLOL!!!

I’m already a little late with getting started but I can’t wait to work through my year on this project.  This year, rather than 52 years of blessings, I’ll be chronicling my 52 weeks in feelings and yarn!  😀  This baby is going to help me stash-down a nice chunk of the acrylic yarn that’s in my stash.  A beautiful blanket and a great stash-down project, I’ll say that’s a win!!!

Ready, Set, Go!!! Flax!!!

Nicky23 Comments

Since my list of crafty resolutions for the year is so ambitious, I figured while I was trapped indoors by the latest snowstorm in my area, I might as well make use of the time and get a head-start.   So I soaked my swatch, and it’s drying now.

In Soak
Drying

I’ll be checking it tomorrow to see if I made gauge for my first adult sweater.  Yes people, take it from me  — swatching is important!  Trust me, it’s not for the birds!  It can make the difference between a wack project and an awesome one.

Sidebar: Wack meaning:

Something that just plain sucks, or isn’t cool at all. Lame.

Don’t be fooled by the following:

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Got it?!!  Okay then!!

Obviously, being trapped indoors is making me loopy!  LOLOL!!! 😛

My goal this year is to make at least two sweaters for myself and I think Flax is a good place to start.  It’s part of TinCanKnits Simple Collection and another one of my goals is to work through the entire collection so this project will be a two-fer. 😛

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Last year (2013 — it feels so weird saying last year) I conquered my fear of knitting in public.  In December, I knitted on my subway rides to and from work and that’s how this sweater is going to be done.  Since it’s mostly stockinette stitch, something mindless that I can do on the train, I have no doubt that I could finish this project in good time.

I did the swatch just before the year closed but I need to see how much the yarn will grow when wet.  I also need to see if I’ll have to do down a needle size.  I want to get all that done before the end of the weekend.  Cause Monday, if you’re in NY, and taking the train, I’ll be that woman with a million bags, knitting needles, serenely working on her sweater in the chaos that’s her transit system.  I can’t think of a better way to pass my commuting time; can you? 😀