Friday, March 19, 2010

Changing seasons...the smell of Autumn

I've caught a whiff of Autumn the last few days.  It's still warm, but there's an indefinable smell in the air, an almost intangible chill in the mornings, and I feel as if I'm unfurling and waking up.  Like the sad garden around me, I am shaking the dry dust of summer off my Autumn raiment and I can smell moisture in the air, the promise of rain, that most potent green-maker.  Soon, small tendrils with tiny golden new-leaf wings will be poking their heads out of the dry soil, the dried up stalks of summer's victims will give way to green growing things.  And so I am optimistically pulling out my yarns and wools and making things to wear when the weather turns cold.  I love wintery fashions so much more than summer ones; boots and scarves and hats and gloves and snuggly shawls, and bright coloured socks and stockings.

I actually made these a couple of weeks ago, during a slightly cooler couple of days...I didn't really believe Autumn was on its way then, it was merely wishful thinking and inspiration from crafty bloggers in the northern hemisphere.  These are semi successful...they're not identical, but do the job.  I've never learnt how to follow a crochet pattern, I learnt from a friend's mum who showed me how to start a granny square, and off I went, discovering and adapting along the way.  So every crochet piece I make is made up as I go along, and I've never attempted anything before where I had to make two pieces the same.  So a lot of throws and scarves and shawls and hats.  Especially hats...I love hats!

I've made lots of long scarves before, but never a short scarflette, and I thought they seemed an excellently practical way of keeping warm without having to constantly rescue long dangling ends from dipping in your coffee, getting caught on door handles, and filling up your shoulder bag if it turned a bit warm and you needed to take it off.  The button is a seed pod, but I'm not sure what of!

See, I told you I love making hats.  I want to enjoy making as many as I can now because I know it's only a matter of time before mummy's hats are simply not 'cool' enough to be seen in public in...and then I'll have to wait 15 or 20 years for grandchildren before I can make more!  This is one of two, because of course, I have to make two of everything.  The 2nd one will be slightly different simply because there's no pattern, but that's part of the fun...I never know quite how it's going to look until it's finished!

I've just started another project, and so my family room floor looks like a half constructed tent at the moment.  Inspired by the magical textiles of Jude at Spirit Cloth, I'm attempting a larger textile piece, a sort of a mat come cloak if you like, because I enjoyed my small pieces so much.  Well that's the plan, but at the moment it exists only in the fertile possibilities of a large untidy pile of fabric and textile scraps, and my mind of course.

7 comments:

Susan said...

awesome hand/wrist warmers!!
I would so wear these!
:)
we are on our way out of winter and into spring, with the occasional cool day here and there, and it is still cool at night.

Be well,
Susan

Jess said...

Oh my goodness, the colour is to DIE for! It does look funny worn with your summer top doesn't it? Do you really get cold winters? I'm the same with crochet, I make things up as I go along and at the moment making granny squares. Thing is, I'm having to make each on the same so that they fit together and I don't make them in the same way as everyone else with equal stitches into each hole, so I've got to be focused! It's so frustrating not being able to put up new pictures on my blog at the moment. I think I'm going to have to bombard everyone with them once I get my laptop back! ;o)xx

A mermaid in the attic said...

Thanks Susan, my first attempt so I was quite pleased! Jessie, the colour is why I bought the yarn, I can't seem to resist ocean hues! It's also gorgeously soft. I thought someone might notice the tank top...but seriously, I could go outside wearing it and not be hot, so it's a BIG improvement LOL! I actually had to put a long sleeved T-Shirt on yesterday...I can't wait till I have to wear jumpers and socks! Our winters can be quite chilly, but not like you've been enduring lately...3˚C is a cold night for us, although it can get down lower in the south west!

Theresa MacNaughton said...

I LOVE the fingerless gloves. They are my absolute favorite things to knit. And the scarf is so very petty, as well. The colors remind me of the ocean. And what a fanciful hat!!! Wish I had something that fun when I was young! :)
Theresa

Kathy said...

The hand warmers are great and I love the fact that they're not exact myself...the hat is so awesome...I'd wear it, but then again I'm a big kid at heart. That hat matches this light hoodie jacket I wear...LOL! I never could get the hang of crocheting, so I always admire the ones who do. Great work.

Unfortunately where I live Springtime is way to short...sigh.

Have a wonderful day.

Bright blessings,
Kathy

herhimnbryn said...

Love the hat!

Ruthie Redden said...

beautiful, i love the wonderful colours in the scarf & gloves. i especially adore the hat though, it is so cute, i wish mine were still small enought to get away with making them things to wear, i used to love doing that, sighs ;-)

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