2.2.15

coffee and crochet and a loopy lou!

I think February is looking like being a coffee and crochet month! Since I started last months 30 day craftathon, finished items are just flying off my hook. My shop is starting to fill up again. I am wading through what needs to be finished and just looking out for some brighter days to photograph things. There is one thing that has been waiting so patiently for me to show you.


It actually all began in here, all the way back in May last year, on a day out in Bristol. I had travelled up on the train with my son and he had gone to meet friends for the day. I was wondering around the quite new to me city, looking for a pit stop and somewhere to sit and cast on my new project. This sign in the city center called me in,  I liked the sound of the 'lush coffee' the 'banging salads' and the comfy sofas!


The vintage decoration inside ticked all the right boxes, it was vibey, full of students, vintage clothes were for sale. I was served by a guy wearing baggy jeans, a jumper from the eighties and the kind of curly hair do which left me thinking he might have been my boyfriend from 1986!.... I love the way vintage now includes the 1980's as well.

 

I sunk down into one of the eighties black leather sofas and tried to look inconspicuous amongst the students. With the Blackcurrent Frangipani cake and the 'lush coffee' for company I cast on for my Loopy Lou. I figured crochet was kind of vintage looking anyway.....!  This was the first time I had ever followed a longer pattern. Initially I cast on with the wrong colour, and then had to begin again. I tried to rush through without reading it properly, lessons were learned! I used a too small cochet hook as well, and then had crochet really loosely from that point on. Also if the pattern is a repeat you need to make sure you have read it correctly otherwise you will have to keep repeating the mistake you have made! So yes slow down, take your time and you can make this,


I choose the dark green because I had quite a large amount of green merino wool to use up, and then I added in the softer colours. I decided to make the poncho longer so I kept on going, and going.


It's just right with jeans and boots, which is just as well because that's all I wear! I decided to finish with a simple edge rather than the 'loops', which makes it rather less loopy.


It was a hugely satisfying longer project, which spanned over about 6 months. The merino wool is soft and warm, and I think hung in such a way that it doesn't need blocking.


I also added a little label in the back so I know which is the reverse. So thank you Sandra@Cherryheart for your pattern!

And this was a little dog I saw that day, as I peeped in the doorway of At-Bristol.

beacause I had to leave mine at home!


17 comments:

  1. Now that looks like a fab and cosy place to relax in. Loving your poncho the colours work really well together. dee x

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  2. 80's vintage...I remember when the 80's were awesome! I love the colors you chose for your poncho and the cute little tag finishes it off nicely. I hope your February is full of coffee and crochet! Have a great day!

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  3. We are hoping for a weekend away in Bath in the spring, I'm thinking of incorporating a whistle stop tour of Bristol enroute too....loving the poncho :) xxx

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  4. Not sure if the café would appeal if 80s is in, but…!
    I don't normally much like the look of crochet (being a knitter and all) but this is really attractive; definitely like!

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  5. Hey Heather,
    I'd love to know where in Bristol the cafe is. I was a teenager in the 80s and the DM boot revival on today's teen girls makes me very nostalgic. I adore the colour of the shawl too.
    Leanne xx

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    1. Hi Leanne, sorry I mean't to reply to you, here is a link to the cafe, http://www.birdcagebristol.com/
      X

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  6. What a great place to go for a coffee.

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  7. It's beautiful! I love your colours choices so much and that label is just perfection too.

    S x

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  8. Love the colour combination the green and pale pink are gorgeous together
    Clare x

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  9. Your poncho looks amazing, I love color combos so much...

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  10. Gorgeous!! Poncho and the café by the sounds of it! You are right, it is so funny that 80's is vintage! That probably means that I have various items of vintage that I don't even realise are vintage. Scary huh! Glad that you enjoyed it so much. Really do like the poncho and the colour combos a lot! xx

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  11. That cake! Glad you enjoyed Bristol, the poncho is amazing! :)

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  12. your colour choices for the poncho are gorgeous & the handmade label just made it perfect!
    the café is somewhere I would gravitate too as well ♥

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  13. That is absolutely bloody gorgeous! I love the idea of wearing it with jeans and boots. They are also my uniform right now, with a very thick woolly jumper too. The pink and dark green together are beautiful. xx

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  14. This looks gorgeous, love the colour combinations. The pit stop reminds me of a similar one in Peterborough. They have the same idea with the lampshades and it fascinates me! Have a great weekend!

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  15. Your loopy Lou is so beautiful! Love the story too especially the bit about your boyfriend from 1986! X

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  16. Hey Heather!
    Mmm, I just discovered I missed a couple of your latest blogs, including this one! Somehow the didn't show up in my google-feed. I'm going to catch up right away! ;-) Love your poncho, very pretty!
    Once spend a long weekend in Bristol, really liked it...
    All best,
    xhaafner

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