hooked

The weather outside is frightful - dark and cold, windy and rainy - in dramatic contrast to this Wool-Eater blanket that I've started. When I signed up for the CAL I had a niggling concern that the crochet work may be too complicated for my limited skills. But after following the step-by-step instructions on Sarah London's website and comparing my work to the photographs, I'd say it's going fine. Remind me, how did we ever manage before the internet?

Following Sarah's instructions, I'm doing things I've never done with a crochet hook. The foundation rows for each colour are worked into the posts of the previous rows of stitches - I've seen that before but it still strikes me as unusual. The groups within the foundation rows are created as "Cluny" groups where a series of stitches are worked with each last loop accumulated on the hook until they're joined with one big stitch pulled through all the loops to finish it off. Never heard of that before. I've googled and perhaps the name comes from traditional Cluny Lace? One thing's for sure, it's addictive, this blanket pattern. I just can't wait to finish one colour and add the next. It's kinda fun doing something completely out of my usual comfort zone.