Lily Pond CAL - Set 8

I have just spent a lovely 15 minutes reading all the fabulous comments about the Lily Pond blanket on the Stylecraft Facebook page. It has been so nice to see the incredible reaction to this project and I am so glad that so many people chose to work through the project. It is amazing to think that within the next few days literally thousands of people will complete the project and have their own version of the Lily Pond Blanket.

Without the support of the wonderful team at Stylecraft it would not have been possible for me to offer a project like Lily Pond as free downloads and I think they have been amazing over the past 4 months while the CAL has been going on.

If you haven't done so already, you can download the last set of CAL patterns from the Stylecraft page by following this link. The patterns will be in place on the Stylecraft web site until December, after which time they will be removed. If you fancy doing the blanket, but don't have time at the moment it would be a good idea to download the patterns to a safe place so that you can use them in the future. We still have a few Lily Pond yarn kits in stock and our kits come with a free bag pattern.

The final set of patterns includes instructions for making the large Lily Flowers which will sit centrally and at the corners of the Lily Pond Blanket and for making the edging.

Below you will find step by step images for the Large Lily:

The image above shows the flower after 3 rounds 

Join the new yarn in at the central point between picots

Once you have made the framework for the first set of petals you need to work groups of 9 sts into each chain space

The petals are given an edging using the 'Rose' shade. To work the next round you need to join the yarn into the reverse side of a stitch between 2 petals

Once you have completed the framework for the second set of petals you make the next layer of petals so that they sit behind the first

As before - the next round of crochet is made by working behind the last round

Once you have completed 2 rounds of crochet using 'Fern' you just need to do 2 more rounds in 'Olive' to finish off.

I love the way the light green yarn creates the illusion of leafs sitting behind the flower.

Making Up & Edging:

Thankfully you don't have a massive amount of finishing off to do once you have completed the 5 large Lilies, but I know for a fact that many crocheters really dislike the making up process. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to take plenty of time to complete this process neatly and methodically.

It took quite a lot of maths calculations for me to get the edging right. Not only did I need to work out a repeat for the fan design, but I also wanted the fans to line up with the bobbles made along the lower edge of some of the pieces.

It is important that you manage to pick up the correct number of stitches around the outside edges in order to make the edging fit.

The first complete round is made using 'Cranberry'. It is worth checking your stitch count a few times to be sure you've got things right!

Working an edging can be incredibly time consuming, but I think it is like the icing on a cake. I remember attending a talk by Kaffe Fassett about his knitwear design and he talked about doing fun things with cuffs and necklines in order to create a lovely framework for his designs. He said that he thought of this as the frame on a painting and said that pitting the wrong edging on was like putting the Mona Lisa in a clip frame! I've always remembered what he said and have always tried to create lovely edgings. I use this fan edging quite often and felt it was particularly good in relation to this design as it emulates the Lily Flower petals.

So! That is it! The Lily Pond CAL is complete!

I am amazed at how quickly the time has gone and so grateful to all of you who joined us on the journey. If you get a chance, please send us some pictures of your completed projects.

We have been asked many times about the prospect of a new CAL. Stylecraft and I have been talking about it and we had originally thought we could do a new project to launch in the Autumn, but unfortunately, due to time restrictions, this has not been possible. However, Stylecraft have asked me to work on a new CAL design which will hopefully launch next year. I have some ideas and have already started working on some swatches, but my design process is a long one and it can take me months to finalise a design, so please don't hold your breath!

I am always working on new design ideas and have some new kits ready to launch over the next few months, so, if you are desperate for more of my design work to see you through the Autumn, do make sure to keep an eye on us by joining our mailing list. You can do this by filling out the form via our web site home page (the 'Newsletter' box is bottom left above the dark grey box) or following the link to 'email sign up' on our Facebook page.

Lots of hugs to all you amazing Lily Ponders! 

Janie x

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#MandalasForWink

I have spent the last couple of evenings working on a crochet mandala in memory of crochet designer Marinke Slump who very sadly died last week. There has been a global response to her untimely death and many crocheters have created crochet mandalas in her memory.

If you want to make a manadala in Wink's memory, you can find lots of lovely patterns on her blog 'A Creative Being' by following the link and, if you want to find out what to do with your mandala once it is completed, follow this link to Crochet Concupscence.

As a tribute to Marinke, I have turned one of my Lily Pond Flowers from the Lily Pond CAL into a mandala. I won't be sending mine off to join the other mandalas which are being collected from all over the world as the idea is that you send one of Wink's mandalas along with a note or personal message. I am hoping to find the time to do this another day.

I have attached my mandala to an embroidery hoop and have hung it on the wall in the kitchen so that I have a daily reminder, not only of my feelings upon the loss of Wink, but also as a reminder as to just how many people struggle with the dark clouds of depression every day.

I urge you all to make one of Marinke's beautiful Mandalas and have put some images of her work below:

If you would like to make a mandala like mine I have written a few notes below on how I made it. Please note that this is a rough guide to help you create your own mandala and there is not a written pattern for what I have done.

Using the pattern for Block Five of the Stylecraft Lily Pond CAL project (which you can download for free by following this link) I made a Lily Pond Flower using Stylecraft Classique Cotton. I followed the pattern through to the end of Round 12, then sewed all the yarn ends in. 

I secured the yarn into the reverse of one of the yarn loops behind the central dtr (tr US) of one of the 9st groups made on Round 11 by working 1ch. The image below shows where that stitch is. I worked a dc (sc US) into this stitch. I then created a framework using areas of chain between the petals.

I made 5ch and then worked a cluster of 3sts into the stitch at the top of the next petal (made on Rounds 8 & 9) and through the stitch between 2 petals made on Round 12 at the same time:

I made 5ch and then worked a dc (sc US) into the back of the next central st made as part of the next 9 st group on Round 11. 

I continued in this way until I had a completed framework. The image below shows the framework from the reverse side (please excuse the quality of the image, the light wasn't great by this time!):

I created the mesh rounds by working 5ch between each ch sp, with a dc (sc US) to secure the chain in each ch sp. To create the last chain space of the next 2 rounds (in order to leave the hook into the correct place) I worked 2ch, then a tr (dc US) into the st at the beginning of the round.

I bought some lovely coloured embroidery hoops at the Knitting & Stitching Show last year and have been looking for an excuse to use them. I though the aqua coloured hoop was perfect for this project and I am really pleased with my mandala. 

I am not sure how to finish this post - I am pleased with my mandala, but really sad about the loss of Marinke and the circumstances which led to me wishing to make the mandala in the first place. Depression is such a common illness and the fact that a talented beautiful girl like Wink has been taken from us far too soon as a result of it is sad beyond words.

Below are links to 2 mental health charities who are doing amazing work in the UK. They are Mind and The Depression Alliance.

Janie x

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