A Rug for a Bedroom

Back in September I showed you some rugs I'd crocheted in very chunky t-shirt/rag yarn and I had decided then and there that I wanted to make one for our bedroom - partly to break up the large expanse of cream flooring, and partly to disguise the poor condition of the carpets we inherited with this house. We plan to replace them eventually but, for now, rugs are my solution. 

I bought some yarn in gentle colours which I hoped would tone with our bedroom without being too matchy-matchy. I like to be able to move things around to different parts of the house all the time without worrying about whether something "goes". 

I have to say that I do really love working with this stuff. Projects work up incredibly quickly and have a structure that is so different to my usual crochet; more weighty, more substantial. It's a lot of fun, and the make-up of the stitches is so distinct. It can be hard on the fingers or wrists after a while, and I wouldn't want to crochet all day with this thickness of yarn, but for an hour at a time (if I'm lucky!) it's fine. Also, the rugs have a delicious squishiness to them underfoot - almost a bounce - and they feel wonderful when you step out of bed barefoot onto one. 

I like the effect of the colours very much. The greys were chosen for their neutrality and the navy blue to reflect the blue drawer handles and wall behind our bed, but I didn't think I'd love the peach so much. It brings some warmth and a little femininity to the finished project. 

I used Boodles (from Hobbycraft) again, more for convenience than any attachment to that brand. I find the thickness of Boodles yarn very inconsistent but I don't think that this necesarily affects the overall outcome of a circular project, so long as you start and finish a round with the same ball. You're not going to get a perfect circle, and the size of this project makes it impossible to block with pins, so I didn't bother and have found that these rugs seem to flatten down and even themselves out with time. 

I used most of my six balls with small amounts of each colour left over, and I want to try making some bowls or baskets with the remaining yarn.  The pattern is the Medium Lace Rug from my much-used Modern Crochet, but with a colour variation that I made up as I went along. It measures 90 cm across and I used a 10 mm hook. 

Thank you for your comments on my last post. I really enjoyed your advice on how to survive - even enjoy - an endlessly wet, grey November. Getting cosy, fires, candles, cake, crafting - all good stuff. And you are all right, we need this time to pause and gather strength before the inevitable craziness of December sets in. And it will, it always does. 

It's still raining here. Oh, if only you could've seen me run this morning to grab my camera, as the light levels briefly changed from Awful to Moderate, before reverting to Awful again. Not great photos here today, sorry, but if I wait for a sunny day then..well, see you next spring! Apparently the weather is going to turn cold this weekend, and I welcome it. I was supposed to be going to London with Bella and Angus to meet up with a friend from Leeds and her son, but it's been postponed as she's unwell. I'm disappointed not to be going but at the same time thrilled with the prospect of a bonus day, a day to spend safe at home with the children and perhaps some pottering and maybe even a little festive crafting.