I have to go away at the end of the week to undertake some nursing duties. I don’t know how long I’m going to be away, but I want to take plenty of yarn with me to ensure that I will have something to do with my hands for several days at least.
Flower and meditation squares
If you have been keeping an eye on the Masterpiece page (do take a peek if you haven’t already done so), you will know that I have been a busy bee, creating ‘meditation squares’ – simple patterns that give me something to do with my hands whilst my mind is either relaxing with an audiobook or busily working through an idea or problem – and a few designs of my own allowing me to explore my creativity. It’s been rather nice not to follow a pattern and I am fond of the traditional style of granny square that I make when I don’t want to have to concentrate but I do want to increase my alpha brain waves (it’s true, take a look at this post).
The design squares
All this means that I have quite a collection of squares now, including the nine that will form the central square of the blanket. Those nine each represent one of the designs in my portfolio… there are ten designs in total, and the complete blanket will represent my learning pathway design. It feels like my trip away will be a good opportunity to start joining them together. My plan is to crochet an edge round each square to ensure that they are all the same finished size and to give a feeling of consistency and then to sew them together… yes I know I could crochet them together, but I like the idea of sewing and I think it will be neater (of course I might change my mind once I start).
Donated squares… I would still welcome more!
And it is at this point that I have had to make the first purchase. I want the borders to all be the same colour and I don’t have enough oddments or wool in my ‘stash’ to achieve this. So, I have had to buy some. In the spirit of permaculture, I decided to support a small business – I couldn’t find what I wanted locally, so I have ordered some yarn from New Lanark Wool and Textiles. Originally I was going to use black yarn, but I was really taken with the heather shades that they sell, and so I have ordered some in the colour ‘Blueberry’. The wool itself comes from Yorkshire and is processed and spun at New Lanark, which is a World Heritage Site in Scotland. Fingers crossed it arrives before I leave on Friday.
If you would still like to make me a square, don’t be put off, I’d love some more. I just think that task of joining them needs to be spread out otherwise it will be too intimidating all at the end!
The Snail of Happiness 
davidprosser
/ January 28, 2014I hope the break doesn’t prove too much and that you come back with lots of squares bordered and joined to show us. Take care of yourself too please.
xxx Hugs Galore xxx
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2014Thanks David… I’m hoping I won’t be needed for too long
xxx
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Nanette
/ January 28, 2014I have your square knitted Jan, and just have to do some “value adding” embroidery. I’m a bit worried the background might be a little dark, but my plan is the embroidery will cover some of it so I’m hoping once that’s in place, it will be bright and colourful. Fingers crossed it works….we know how those wonderful ideas in our heads don’t always translate well off the needles, and if not, I’ll do another. I hope all goes well while you’re away.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2014Ooh, how exciting I’m sure your square will be lovely. Thank you so much x
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wscottling
/ January 28, 2014I’m looking forward to seeing it all put together. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2014So am I… I hope a dark border will work. At least t will be practical.
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Karen B
/ January 28, 2014What a lovely, blog and a real ‘heart and soul’ project.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2014It really is turning out to be a brilliant project… and I’m so touched to receive squares from all over the world.
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Karen B
/ January 28, 2014That is so special. I love the way that it is bringing people together.
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katechiconi
/ January 28, 2014I’ve always found assembling a project one of the most exciting parts, and my main reason for needing a ‘design wall’ so I can put things up and fiddle around with them till I’m satisfied with the arrangement. I can’t wait to see your baby grow!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2014I do hope the new yarn arrives soon… at least I want to put the middle nine together.
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katechiconi
/ January 28, 2014The Royal Mail is hands down better than Australia Post. Fingers crossed. Otherwise you’ll just have to make yourself some more squares!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2014Well, there’s always my Beekeeper’s quilt and Jacob’s hoody… not to mention some lovely Australian yarn…
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katechiconi
/ January 29, 2014Oho, you’re as bad as a quilter; lots of UFOs, all on the go at once. Have we seen anything about the beekeeper’s quilt on your blog? If you’ve posted about it while I’ve been following, so sorry, my memory is shockingly bad!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2014The beekeeper’s quilt is a very long-term project. It’s a way to use up left-over sock yarn by knitting tiny stuffed hexagons. The original post is here: http://wp.me/p2mlPL-cR and there have been several updates, but there is a picture that gives a better idea in this post: http://wp.me/p2mlPL-uH
Currently I have made a few more than 100 of the little things, but I’m aiming for about 600!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 29, 2014Hurrah – it arrived this morning… less than 24 hours after I ordered it!
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katechiconi
/ January 29, 2014There’s nothing like a nice parcel in the mail. Well, you’ll have something to do with your hands while you’re away, and something to post about when you get back.
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anne54
/ January 28, 2014This is such a fabulous idea and I wanted to be involved from the start. So, I have a square for you that I finished last night :). Where will I send it? How will I send it — snail mail, of course!!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2014Thank you so much. If you drop me a line to thesnailofhappiness@talktalk.net I will send you my address.
I’m very excited!
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segmation
/ January 29, 2014What masterpieces, full of color! http://www.segmation.wordpress.com
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 30, 2014Thank you!
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Anne
/ February 27, 2014I love the idea of a meditation square. What a wonderful project!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ February 27, 2014I have lots of them… I have never been able to do that meditation stuff with thinking about your breathing etc, but these work really well for me!
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