Advent calendars containing chocolate seem commonplace these days compared to the exotic versions going around. You can get ones which hold beauty products from Liberty, tea from Harrods, candles from Diptyque, colognes and creams from Jo Malone, and even ... wool!
I know lots of knitters are making sock yarn blankets and similar and are going to use their advent mini skeins - whether from a calendar or other purposely acquired set - to knit a square a day from now until the 24th. The idea of it - a small, different, daily act of making - appealed to me, but I thought I'd approach it in a slightly different way. I haven't bought anything new, instead I've nominated a range of projects, some neglected, some long-term, some yet to be begun; each day I'll draw one at random*, and work on it for a short while. This could be 20 minutes on some embroidery or needlepoint (canvases-in-progress, but ones which tend not to see the light of day for long periods), a little bit of sewing, a Granny square, or something that's not textile-related at all.
Where the crochet is concerned, I have several Madelinetosh Unicorn Tails which I bought for the purpose a few months ago, so they will feature on six or seven days, but as I've assigned each colour a number they will be used when that number comes up. Today's was Mandala (as you see above), and the square has been finished, washed and blocked.
I'm keen to see not only which project is drawn from the hat each day, but what I'll manage to accomplish in terms of diversification in my 24 'creative breaks' by the time Christmas arrives. It should be fun.
*I've put corresponding pieces of paper into a hat.
What a beautiful yarn - I'm not usually that keen on crochet but this looks really lovely! And a clever idea, too, both yours and the original wool Advent calendar. At this time of year, however, I'm generally desperately behind on gift knittng, so I simply wouldn't have time lol (a bit like the Yarn Harlot!!)... I defnitely get my daily knitting fix as I madly knit on - two jumpers finished off just last night! ;o
Posted by: Swissrose | 02 December 2015 at 07:31 AM
Brilliant and original idea!
Posted by: Callmemadam | 02 December 2015 at 07:39 AM
what an excellent idea! one I may copy if you don't mind :)
Posted by: Elaine | 02 December 2015 at 09:54 AM
I hadn't crocheted for years until I got the urge recently to do a few squares and see what might emerge.
Well done you with your jumpers, Swissrose! I'm still doing my usual evening knitting, just aiming to add these 'extra' things in to some spare minutes earlier in the day. That's the plan, anyway!
Posted by: Cornflower | 02 December 2015 at 10:17 AM
Thank you!
Posted by: Cornflower | 02 December 2015 at 10:17 AM
Go ahead, Elaine, and I wish you much enjoyment!
Posted by: Cornflower | 02 December 2015 at 10:18 AM
What a lovely idea! If I weren't up to my eyeballs in work, I would join in too. I will keep it in mind for next year ... Have fun!
Posted by: Grace | 02 December 2015 at 06:59 PM
Thanks, Grace. I think the trick is to limit it to a short while each day (e.g. a coffee break) so that it's not hard to fit in and doesn't feel like a huge task.
Posted by: Cornflower | 02 December 2015 at 08:23 PM
I have just recently re-encountered Madeline Tosh (vintage, in my case) and my, I have fallen hard! Enjoy your projects.
Posted by: Rebecca | 05 December 2015 at 11:30 PM