I have to start this post on a very sad note, as last Friday the crochet community lost one of its best designers. And with it, the world lost a beautiful soul. Marinke Slump, also known as Wink of the blog A Creative Being, succumbed to depression. She wrote about her struggle a few weeks ago and I left a comment to the effect that I hoped the light would return soon. I never thought it wouldn't - how unimaginable that such a talented and creative person would disappear, just like that! But she did, because depression is a disease like any other that takes lives indiscriminately. I feel desperately sad for her and for her family.
In order to celebrate Marinke's life and also to raise awareness of depression, Crochet Concupiscence has started the #MandalasForMarinke project. You can read the full details here, but it basically involves anyone who feels like it making one of the beautiful mandalas designed by Marinke, sharing pictures of it on social media using the above hashtag, and possibly sending it in for an art show.
In order to celebrate Marinke's life and also to raise awareness of depression, Crochet Concupiscence has started the #MandalasForMarinke project. You can read the full details here, but it basically involves anyone who feels like it making one of the beautiful mandalas designed by Marinke, sharing pictures of it on social media using the above hashtag, and possibly sending it in for an art show.
I've personally decided to take part only in the making, not the sending. The four little mandalas pictured are based on Marinke's Spoke Mandala pattern, and I'm going to incorporate them into my "Crochet meets Patchwork" blanket.
As you can see, the colours have changed a bit since my last update! I had a colour crisis a few weeks ago (oh the woe, I know I know). Something about the blanket had been bothering me for a while but, unable to put my finger on what exactly, I went ahead and started joining the sections I'd made. And then it hit me: light, pastel colours plus bold colours doesn't work! The copious amount of light grey was washing things out! Never mind that I'd already spent almost a year on this thing - out it all came because if you're going to put that much time and effort into something, you might as well make sure you love it.
As you can see, the colours have changed a bit since my last update! I had a colour crisis a few weeks ago (oh the woe, I know I know). Something about the blanket had been bothering me for a while but, unable to put my finger on what exactly, I went ahead and started joining the sections I'd made. And then it hit me: light, pastel colours plus bold colours doesn't work! The copious amount of light grey was washing things out! Never mind that I'd already spent almost a year on this thing - out it all came because if you're going to put that much time and effort into something, you might as well make sure you love it.
And now I do. I've taken out the light pink altogether and replaced the light yellow with a much stronger shade that DMC (who make this yarn) call "brique". I've also reduced the amount of light grey by redoing the final row of each individual square, and the borders to each of the sections are now more colourful as well. I'm much, much happier with it like this.
So at the moment I've got the green, blue and fuchsia sections done and I'm slowly acquiring a stack of yellow/orange squares. Then there will be joining, a border of some sort, possibly stripy. Depending on just how cold Swedish winters turn out to be I might back it with a lightweight fleece and make it even more quilt-like, but as it's currently 35° C in Italy I don't want to think about that too much yet!
So... what do you think? I've almost finished a new granny square pattern and tutorial, so look out for that in the coming weeks! In the meantime, give you loved ones an extra squeeze, and consider joining in with the #MandalasForMarinke project or leaving a message on the memorial site set up by Marinke's family.
So... what do you think? I've almost finished a new granny square pattern and tutorial, so look out for that in the coming weeks! In the meantime, give you loved ones an extra squeeze, and consider joining in with the #MandalasForMarinke project or leaving a message on the memorial site set up by Marinke's family.
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