Monday 18 September 2017

Happy One Month Blockaversary, Amanzi!


Hello, fellow Yarnarinnas! Wow, it's been a very full month, in more ways than just crochet! The weather, good grief! Hurricanes, floods, droughts, fires and you know, through it all, there is this island of sanity called Crochetland. I belong to *quite a few crochet groups* and I have so far, never seen a nasty word written toward a fellow Yarnie! It gives me hope, and also some peace to know that in the midst of turmoil there is always sanctuary to be found within the yarn-bombed walls of Crochetland. And I thank you for this!



Also, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all of you who support my handwork. My yarn basket overflows! And it's absolutely wonderful to experience this sense of abundance and goodwill from a largely women orientated crafty community. So many of you, with your kind and encouraging words, have given me the motivation and confidence to spread my crochet wings. So much so that I am graduating, very soon, into a proper studio space ( with an extra room, as well as a kitchen and bathroom) to hold workshops and informal crochet gatherings! What do you think about that!? 😃



My local yarn shop is on board with this development, with ideas galore about how we can enjoy the space! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!! So, watch this space for the unfolding of  The Hookery ( I can't call it Hooks'nTales because it will be ALL about Crochet and not so much about Tales, although a group of women together...I'm sure there will be many tales shared ).😄



But, moving onto the Amanzi! I am having so much fun with this project. As I have said, it was intended as a cushion cover or a large blanket panel but whereas all of my other squares really had a finishing point that I was happy to reach, Amanzi kept whispering "just a few rounds more, Jen". Who am I to say no to more hooky, erm...not I!


I've had no idea from one round to the next what would reveal itself but somehow as I completed one round then immediately another presented itself in a very easy, natural unfolding...or is that unraveling? I've literally just gone with the flow. Of course, this has made it a bit difficult to give exact final yarn amounts. I can tell you when it's all done!

Already, Amanzi's are appearing and I'm astounded, as usual, by the clever and inspired colourways popping up. Wow, I will say it again, I TOTALLY SUCK at colour coordinating in comparison to some of the combinations I have seen. I understand now why cartoonists will pass their drawings onto Colourists! Some of you are just absolute geniuses!

credit: Cindy van der Schee

credit: Jeni Ahern

credit: Sandra Salas

credit: Kathleen Sundby

credit: Marianne Jacoby

credit: Raponsielief

credit: Claudia ( aka Boerewors )

credit: NorahY

There are many others in various size stages which I will share in another blog post which will be more of a photo essay and less yadayadayada! 😄


I decided this time that I would not be a cheapskate and would, therefore, use Stylecraft Special DK for the entire project. You laugh, it's expensive here, seeing as it's imported all the way from the UK! Then, it still has to travel 1000kilometres down to Cape Town! And NOTHING is cheap in Cape Town. Nevertheless, my local Yarn shop, which happens to be literally around the corner does make the effort to keep up to date with all the latest colours, and although I moaned about running out of my favourite colour, Raspberry, it was only a  two-week wait. I'm really enjoying the smoothness of the  Stylcraft Special DK, it's lovely to crochet with. It has Augusta's full snuggle approval.


The Amanzi Throw,  when completed will measure approximately 1.2m x 1.2m or 47" x 47". Then, there will be an optional border if you wish to stop there. I have some ideas for the border based on a few interesting patterns in Edie Eckman's Around The Corner Crochet Borders. Weirdly, I have quite a collection of Crochet books and stitch bibles yet I never seem to find anything I absolutely fall in love with! So I do tend to make up stitches combinations. 😃 But don't worry, the video guides will help you through my creative experiments if you're a bit nervous to go any further than the Block! Or, if you're still contemplating purchasing the pattern. So far, Amanzi has been downloaded more than 1000 times, and still going...! It's surreal to think of Amanzi's being made, all over our beautiful planet. It's a very, very, very nice thought though. 💚

Note : Amanzi is being translated into Dutch as we go along, thanks to Cindy van der Schee who is doing an excellent job of the translation. The extended parts, as well as translations, are all included in the Pattern price so no need to break open the piggy bank...again.

Well, dear Yarnarinnas, the day is almost half done and I hear a Throw calling me. Wishing you a lovely day wherever you may be in Crochetland.

Happy hooky and stay fabulous!
Jen
 xxx






2 comments:

  1. I am loving working with this Amanzi pattern. I made a Photoshop file so I can color in the various elements to plan future palettes. You can see this on my Ravelry entry for this project here: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Anua22a/the-amanzi-block-throw

    ReplyDelete