This is a very special project that has been on my mind since the early days of my blog.
Once I was comfortable with crochet, I knew that I wanted to make something to go on my dining table. The early thoughts were actually fairly monochrome but one day I saw this rug – http://vi.sualize.us/pdf_pattern_hexagon_rug_available_in_english_and_spanish_yo-yo_spiral_crochet_stripe_picture_C1BQ.html – and I was inspired.
What could be better than something made up of hexagons that was also a spiral!
(I really like multiple spirals – viz. my bedcover my mother made for me.)
One thing that has always fascinated me is the fact that the rainbow that is essentially linear – longer to shorter wavelengths – is paralleled by the colour CIRCLE which goes round and round!
Here was a chance to use that since hexagons meant a six colour spiral and I have always considered the indigo to be a bit redundant.
And if the hexagon motifs were actually snowflakes! what could be better.
When I shared my new snowflake motif and my Snowflake bookmark pattern in January 2014 what I was planning was this cloth but I didn’t want to share the whole idea yet as I didn’t know when I would fit it in.
I had mentioned it earlier here – https://rainbowjunkiecorner.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/a-new-snowflake/
The size was largely determined by how many motifs I could get out of one ball of yarn.This is the yarn I bought last October. Including one ball each of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet and two balls of dark blue for the edge. I was going to make the central motif in white but I had that already.
I didn’t find time to start it till this February and it might have been finished before Easter if I hadn’t got distracted by other things!
A first I had terrible second thoughts as to whether it was going to look any good but by the time I had spent a week on it and it looked like this.I felt reassured.
Because I can and because I am so happy I will show you various stages in it’s developement.
The coloured spirals complete.The dark blue (indigo!) edging added.
Finished off with a white chain edging.
I wasn’t sure which way to put it on the table.
or
Now recently the cloth I have had on the table has been this:
which was the teatime cloth my mother made that was used when I was a child. (Just a bit of nostalgia!)
Aren’t the rabbits cute?Before that I was using this.
Also made by my mother.
Which is now replaced by this.
Everyone in my Friday craft group seem to just love this and there is a women in the craft group who wants to make a bolero for her daughter using these motifs (though all in the same colour). So in due course I was intending to supplement the bookmark pattern with further instructions on joining the motifs in case anyone else would also like to use them.
Some statistics:-
Yarn was Rico Essentials Cotton (DK) 50g balls. One each of: Red (02), Pumpkin (87), Banana (63), Grass-Green (66), Turquoise (33) and Purple (18) and two of Cobalt Blue (32), with small amount of white.
Size 4mm crochet hook.
21 motifs for each coloured spiral. 42 motifs for edge. Total of 169 including one white central one.
Finished size from side to side is about 30 inches (75cm) and 35 inches (87cm) corner to corner.
Time taken in the region of 50-60 hours including sewing in the ends. (Spread over about six weeks).
I love your work and I wanted to pin it in Pinterest. It is wonderful . My crochet followers will love it. Would you please add the share buttons. Thanks.
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Sorry, but I am afraid that I have no interest in Pinterest and post things on my blog for my followers. Not that it seems to stop some people putting my photographs on Pinterest.
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I pinned it too….P.S Lamia if you add a pin button to your browser it will show up and all the sites you visit 🙂
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I am not usually fond of multi-coloured crotchet but I love the rainbow effect here. Great work.
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Thank you. Rainbows make me happy!
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Very inventive! It turned out very well.
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Thank you. I am oh so pleased with it. Makes me smile everytime I walk past.
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Stunning !!! [I think I may be one of the people who has pinned some of your work on Pinterest – full credit is always given to the source (in this case, you) but I’ll remove the pins if you don’t want them there. I have a board calle Rainbow Colours, and another one called Colour Me Happy. Say no more].
🙂
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Thank. You I was pleased withhow it turned out. As to Pinterest I’m not totally against pins especially by people I know but I am in no hurry to encourage it.
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I guess the worst that could happen is you get some new fans of your blog 🙂
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Fantastic work – I love it!
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Thank you! 🙂
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Absolutely gorgeous! I have been wanting to make a tablecloth, but it is a little daunting.
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If you mean you might consider making one like mine. It isn’t very difficult. Only three rows to a motif, join as you go with slip stitches. Only bit at all tricky is getting hook in chains to slip stitch together at end of rows or last dc.
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I have never done the join as you go thing before. I’m sure it’s not as difficult as I’m making it out to be in my head. 🙂
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Well all the ‘join as you go’es that I have done up to now have been a matter on the last round of at some points replacing a chain with a slip stitch into a gap on an adjoining motif. Bit fiddly at first but I like it so much more than sewing.
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Wow, completely gorgeous!! I also love the bunny table cloth 🙂
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Thank you! Yes the bunny cloth is rather fun isn’t it.
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Gosh, that is so impressive. Bowled over!
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Thank you! It did turn out to be all that I had hoped in the end. Definitely the right choice.
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Looks fab, how wonderful to bring your rainbow colours to your table and the sprial effect works so well. Adore the bunny tanble cloth too.
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Thanks! The bunny cloth is a bit old and stained now but I still love it.
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Just beautiful! What an inspiring use of the motifs.
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Thank you!
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What a great idea – I love your tablecloth! I also love the ones that preceded it … Cute bunnies! Have a wonderful weekend! Emma
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Thank you 😊
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Brilliant. The bunnies are so cute!!
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Yes, we all loved it. (Including my children and their cousins as my mum used it when they were young too.)
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