Get your Granny on!

 I just reached the first great crochet milestone (well, after learning what HDC means), Granny Squares! Such a simple thing, with endless variations, and so much potential!. It makes great use of small amounts of yarn, and creates vibrant color swatches.

I learned the technique in my year-long afghan class, and the squares are piling up in shades of green. But I've never been able to focus that well...

 I received, via a de-stash chain, this box of wonderful hand-dyed yarns. Some are a nubby thick and thin, some a simple worsted. All of them have exciting color pallets, and combined they just sing. Each ball seemed to be a slightly different size, and no ball was big enough for any major projects.

So, thru the magic of granny squares, these great colors are getting stirred into a colorful afghan! The squares are popping out fast, I already have quadrupled them since taking these photos. Of course, at the end I'll have to stitch them all together.... Ugh.

Do you have fond memories of granny square blankets, or that famous 70's vest?

Squared Up

 I'm certain that everyone who has ever met me knows I knit, usually in front of them in fact. What's worse than forgetting to bring your knitting with you? But I also know crochet. That is, I knew exactly two stitches - chain, and single crochet.

I just joined a year-long crochet afghan class, and already doubled by repertoire of crochet skills! Each month we will be learning a new square, and then sewing them together to make a mixed blanket. It's like a sampler that keeps you warm!

I bought all the yarns already - 10 different shades of green. After all my years of art classes and yarn dying the safest color combo for me is still to not combo at all ...

You locals can still join the class if you want to dedicate yourself to a year-long project (they may be offering the classes month by month also, for those of you who are afraid of commitment.) Check it out at Fancy Tiger.

Are you expanding your craft in the new year?