Menokreatikkul - Non-Idle Hands

For those who may not have noted the message on Tuesday, the latest video from the big trip is out on the tubular channel now (click the badge on the sidebar). It gives you glimpses of the last few parking spots where I lingered before returning to The Hutch. Where I am supposed to have been getting things done to complete the build on the van and sort out the flat... but I, myself, have been a bit 'flat', and things have not moved forward. Much. But they will. Eventually.

While I may not have advanced as I would have liked with the continued build on The Grey, my hands have kept themselves busy...

When I got back, I was faced with a couple of bags of yarn sitting waiting for attention - nothing much of anything - tail ends, part-balls, remainders from other projects. All too good to trash but nothing that would make a single project in itself. With no particular thing in mind, I picked up a hook and picked a yarn and simply made a square out of it. More of an absent-minded need to be doing something while listening to a podcast. Before I knew it, there were four squares, and I liked the size and the stitch, so decided a new blanket was to be created.

It will be a 'counterpane' - a blanket that covers the top of a single bed but without a drape - more like a quilt. Which is fitting, given the squares are like patchwork swatches.

The coloured squares were a bit random at first, but as my plan formed, I started creating repeats, with only a few that are singular. Every second 'patch' will be of the combined wool and cotton yarns you saw me working above (working two yarns can slow down the hook, but does give this lovely marl effect).

Having completed the number of squares required for the size I wanted, I was faced with the next stage of the un-plan. How to join them? There are many ways to do this, of course, but I settled on a simple needle and blanket-stitch format.

Given this began simply because I was fidgeting with a hook and a random piece of yarn, I am rather pleased with how this is coming together. Probably, it will be given as a gift somewhere. It's a WIP (work in progress), so you are not going to see the end result here! Once the joining has been done, I need to think on about the edging. With good luck and a couple of hours hooking each day, it should be done by this time next week... check in on me then!