Spice of Life Crochet Along

You know how it is?  There you are scrolling IG or checking a few blogs and your interest becomes piqued by a hashtag that you notice being repeated and pics of same but different crafty items beginning to take shape.  Next thing you know, you have texted your hubby from the hospital (where you're enjoying a pull-out bed alongside your little one for a long weekend) to bring you a crochet hook and ball of yarn along with the clean vests and nappies he's been charged to bring later on.

Ok, so maybe that's not your exact experience but I'll bet more than a few of you have been sucked into a new sew-a-long, quilt-a-long, knit-a-long or crochet-a-long just because it looks like fun and your flesh, like mine, is weak to resist.

That's how it was when I spotted the Spice of Life Crochet-A-Long back last autumn.  It was hosted by Black Sheep Wools and designed by Sandra Paul of Cherry Heart Designs.  It said it was suitable for a beginner wanting to progress to the next stage, so I thought it might be simple enough to follow even though my mind has been less than focussed this year.

While my blanket is more like a Crochet-A-Bit-Later than a Crochet-A-Long, I'm so delighted with the result.  Truly, if you can crochet a few of the basic stitches and like the look of this blanket, the patterns by Sandra are so nicely written and well supported with photographed stages of the stitches that you really will learn so much and don't need to fear struggling.  The CAL posts are all still available here if you're interested.

My stripy vision of loveliness has been played with by Cutesy Tootsie as it has grown row by row.  I think the colour contrasts of the stripes were of particular interest to her and, of course, she gave it a good squoosh every now and then in her little hands to check for softness.  So, given that she seems to like it so much, it seems only fair that she can lay claim to it.  Here she is with Bella Bear giving it its first snooze test.

Looks like a pass to me!

I used Stylecraft Special DK (an inexpensive acrylic yarn, but which works up very nicely) in Pomegranate, Saffron, Spring Green, Lipstick, Spice, Aspen, Sherbet, Fondant, Wisteria, Cream and Storm Blue.

So, confession time.  What A-Longs or BOMs have you been tempted in to when you have a gazillion other things on the go and just because....?

I might have another one (or two) to admit to soon.  Possibly Christmassy and possibly Lori Holt-esque ;-)

Sarah x