MY HOOKY TREASURE
Eleonora Tully’s Seaside Stash Busting Blanket started with leftovers, but has grown into a worldwide community project.
This blanket is a treasure in the making. In January I decided to crochet something with the DK yarns scattered around our home. But I had other projects and design commissions on the go and didn’t feel I could commit to a new blanket design. So, what if I crocheted only four rows per week? Then the blanket would grow without too much commitment. I put the idea out on my blog and Instagram and asked if anyone wanted to crochet along with me.
I was completely overwhelmed by the response! I post the rows each week online – I’ve also set up a Facebook group – and I’ve lost count of how many people are joining in, from experienced crocheters to beginners, from over 20 countries. It’s so special because there’s a real sense of community as people share their progress and encourage each other, and new friendships have been made across the globe.
I wanted a seaside theme, so I’m being very imaginative at linking all those colours back to the coast. We have the obvious blues and greens for water and waves, and coral and beiges for shells, but we also have colours for ice cream, granny square blankets in beach huts, coastal flowers, fishing nets, sunsets and, of course, sand and pebbles too. I’ve also used coastal-inspired stitches, such as long wave stitch and shell stitch throughout the design as well as bobbles, basketweave and popcorns. It’s amazing for me to see my design being made in so many different colour combinations.
It’s turning into a wonderful shared experience and even though it’s not yet finished I know I will always treasure it. I don’t even know what the finished blanket will look like, so to have people put their trust in me as a designer is very humbling. The project has allowed me to spread a little crochet joy, which is always my aim. You can follow Eleonora’s progress on Instagram at @coastalcrochet, at www.coastalcrochet.com, and join www.facebook.com/coastalcrochetdesign/