This is the perfect strip to be the 7th one. Halfway there. You are in the beautiful garden looking around when your friends arrive to join you for that perfect garden party. Strip 7 is Friends Around the Garden and was designed by Rosina Plane, a much familiar name of beloved patterns. We are especially thankful for Rosina Plane, as she had a big impact on us doing this type of CAL. Along with Moira Douglas of daisyknots, they helped us figure out how to make this work. Both mosaic crochet enthusiasts, they provided us with good advice, and technical assistance for both Overlay and Inset Mosaic. And now it just so happens that today we will feature both of their works here, as we will also be including the link to the border. This way, if you are making more than one blanket or want to stop at any point, you can move on with the border. It is the same border that is being used throughout this CAL and all three blankets. The design works well with everything, and if you just want a plain version without the zig zag, there are instructions for that too.

Rosina Plane is based out of Norfolk, UK. It is wonderful how the designer’s grandmother has impacted her life and the way she is honoring her. Here is the story:

“Hello, my name is Samantha and I love to crochet!

Rosina Plane was my grandmother, and she taught me to knit and to crochet while staying with her during my summer holidays back in the early 1980’s … Grandad would be busy tending to his garden, and Nanny and I would sit under the little shelter he made next to the garden pond and do all kinds of crafty things!

My first crochet project was a granny square blanket. It wasn’t very good. As I’m sure you can imagine the tension wasn’t great and I hadn’t quite got to grips with how to go round corners (I was only about 12 years old!) but I made a blanket big enough to cover a double bed, and gifted it to my grandparents for Christmas that year. They loved it of course 🙂

I have designed and made many things in the intervening years – including knitted blankets and garments, needlepoint cushions and cross-stitch patterns, but my favourite items are still the crochet blankets. I love playing with the huge range of textures and colours, and the comforting cosiness of snuggling up under the finished item.

So when I decided to start writing down my designs a few years ago, what better name to choose to publish them under than Rosina Plane?

My designs cover most styles of crochet, but over the last couple of years mosaic crochet has really dominated (both inset and overlay) – I love how you can create such complicated and intricate looking designs from such simple stitches and, as you are only using 1 colour at a time, it is so much faster than Tapestry or Intarsia crochet.

Overlay mosaic can also be a great way of adding texture to a project, and my next CAL (due to start in December) really makes the most of that – look out for more information over the coming weeks by following me on Instagram (@rosinaplane) or joining my Facebook group Rosina Crochets (https://www.facebook.com/groups/rosinacrochets)  

I have a Ravelry store, also called Rosina Crochets (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/rosina-crochets/patterns)

“Friends Around the Garden” will be available as a free Ravelry download

Some of my designs are also available from Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/RosinaPlaneCrochets)

Next challenge for me will be Interlocking … I understand the principle, but my brain really struggles with working the WS rows … maybe one day it will click for me!”

We certainly wish her all the best in her newest ventures and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. Here are the versions of Friends Around the Garden from our Makers. This pattern is worked in Inset Mosaic, so you may want to go down a hook size for it. If you are used to only doing Overlay and have not tried Inset before, I urge you to at least give it a try, It is so easy and looks great. The whole purpose to this Mosaic CAL in the first place was to get more people interested and proficient in these mosaic techniques. Our designers have gone out of their way to get these out to you and make it easier to learn. So please, try. See what a great job our Makers did? You can too. Videos for right and left handed are also provided.

Link to Strip 7

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/friends-around-the-garden

Link to Border at daisyknots, find free pattern under Zig Zag Envelope Border. While you are there check out all of the other great patterns.

https://www.daisyknots.co.uk/mosaic-crochet-patterns

If you are not a member of the Facebook Group CAL – Crochet A Long, you can request to join here and then join the event. You will be able to get to the Event if you are a member. Do share your photos.

Facebook Group

Link to the Event if you are already a member of CAL – Crochet A Long.

Event

Silvana

So far for this Garden themed blanket the patterns are

Strip 1 – Flamboyance by Lana Ignjatovivc

Strip 2 – Picket Fences by Suzanne Lively Boren

Strip 3 – Falling Leaves by Carola Herbst

Strip 4 – Roselyn Motif by Carolann Tuffo

Strip 5 – Springtime in Aotearoa by Jenness Fulton

Strip 6 – British Columbia Dogwood by Lucille Schubert

Strip 7 – Friends Around the Garden by Rosina Plane

Zig Zag Envelope Border by Moira Douglas of daisyknots