Scrumbling along nicely

Oh please indulge me and let me bore you with crochet scrumbles for a while.  I think this is complete now.  I mean how do you know?  If I could do a nice bullion stitch button I would, that is what it is lacking.  I have tried bullion stitch and it is beating me for now, so I had to make do with puffy buttons that look like anemones to me.  As soon as I master it, this scrumble is having a big one!  I did not really like making a scrumble from one colour.  It was for a challenge.  It did make me look at how to add variety, shape and texture to the scrumble without colour.  I tried different hook sizes and worked with multiple strands of yarn but not to any great effect.  I loved adding the other shades of yarn.  I really loved working with silver sparkly thread.  I liberated the thread from a charity shop for 20p, it is a great big spool, I am sure the thrifty bargainousness of the thread makes it even lovelier to work with.  In my opinion scrumbles cry out for sparkly thread.

My friend who is not a crafter is completely baffled by my scrumble.  I hope for any of you that are baffled, after this post you won't be.  I have been busy working on other scrumbles too.  (If you say you have been 'busy working on' it sounds more important than saying 'I have been having great fun playing with yarn').  Working 'freeform' without a pattern is very liberating and I can recommend it if you feel your skills have reached a plateau.  You live and learn eh?  For example my next scrumble will not be repeated.  I liked lots of 'petals' but they were a labour of love.

Scrumbles do not have to be elaborate or complicated.  Simple scrumbles have their place in the world.

Playing with stripes, yarns and stitches.

This was my first attempt at a 'block stitch'.  I will keep practicing, I liked the bend though.

I have also played with circles and spirals.  I am yet to master spirals too.

It is when you start to piece the scrumbles together that the magic happens.  These two were 'made for each other'.

You piece it together like patchwork into a single 'fabric'.  None of the pieces are fixed yet, it is fun swapping them all around.  

Then you have to decide what to do with it.  If I made a hat I would sure get noticed.  Some people make 'art' and 'wall art' with their scrumbles.  You can pay hundreds for a freeform crochet coat.  You can use the scrumbles to embellish plainer fabrics or garments.  I think I am going to turn this one into a cushion.  I am going to work on some pink scrumbles to decide if I would like two pink and purple cushions or one pink and one purple.  Decisions decsions.  I best get scrumbling.  I do hope I have tempted at least a couple of you to have a go.  Let me know eh?  xx  

Some of these and one of them...

I do have a life other than tinking my knitting mistakes you know.  I just have to remind myself.  I am afraid to mention the knitting.  I fear it may be jinxed.  We had a stand off for over a week, then I tinked my little heart out again to correct yet another mistake.  I do love the yarn and the pattern and will show you more when there is more to show.

How clever am I?  I can grow 'Yellow Benders'!  I am yet to eat one but they are fun to look at.  Their correct name is a Yellow Crook Necked Squash ( I think, but Yellow bender is what they are called in this house).  We have also dug up potatoes.   We are really living off the fat of the land again, if you like potatoes and yellow benders.

I am out of my comfort zone knitting a garment with a pattern.  There is a certain amount of concentrating and counting, neither are my strong points.  I often have multiple projects on the go at any one time. The opposite to counting and concentrating is to 'Freestyle'.  I have crocheted without patterns before but I have never crocheted abstract freestyle.  It is something I fancied having a go at.  I have created my first 'scrumble'.

 
The yarn is lilac with silver thread through it, in the photographs it is showing more as gun metal grey.  A scrumble is one piece of knitting or crochet containing several elements.  This is my first scrumble and it was for Challenge Number 1 in the Project Freeform Group on Ravelry, (you are not too late to join in).  The challenge was to only use one yarn.  I just made it all up as I went along and tried to add a variety of stitches and texture.  Now it has been photographed I can't wait to add more colour to it.  The beauty of freestyle is you can't go wrong.  Anything goes.  This 'scrumble' may not look much but I have high hopes for it.  Watch this space.  I have more scrumbles to show you just as soon as I have sewn some pesky ends in!  Move over Granny Squares, make way for the Scrumbles.