Anyway, here I am on a Thursday afternoon, sat amidst the chaos that is our living room, watching a film and crocheting my new ripple blanket. This is for a friend's new baby, and I confess it took a few false starts before I got going properly. I've been using this pattern, and I can't fault it one bit - once I actually followed it properly it worked perfectly...
Most vexing.
I'd also recommend using a larger crochet hook for the first chain row - that means when you do have to unravel it (which you won't, because undoubtedly you'd do it properly the first time) it won't be as fiddly to redo.
As you can see in the first picture, my rippling is taking place surrounded by boxes, piles, and things-out-of-the-cellar. There's barely room to put my feet by the sofa before the chaos starts. Our living room isn't exactly a relaxing, minimalist haven right now. This seat is a refuge, as long as I keep my eyes focused on my crochet and don't look up.
Outside, though, the garden is in reasonable shape and I'm very much enjoying the flowers that are springing up with no help at all from me.
I think my new favourite flower might just have to be nigella though. So delicate, and yet so strange and somehow not like flowers at all.
I'm trying not to scare myself with the thought that I find it difficult to keep on top of even this tiny garden, and we'll likely be moving to a much bigger one. How on earth will I manage? I'm comforting myself that at least the neighbours won't be able to see as much of it (hopefully). Somehow it's always more fun to just sit in the garden than actually do stuff.