Small projects are obviously great for warm weather, when you actually don’t want the warmth of your whole project in your lap. (One of my favorite things about knitting.) So it may seem counterintuitive, but I’m thinking about blankets. Specifically granny square blankets. I’ve run across some wonderful atypical examples lately. And the beauty of granny squares — as I recall, anyway; haven’t made one in 25 years — is they’re quick and fun to make. You could crank them out all summer, let them stack up, and then spend some time in the fall stitching them all together, the blanket literally growing on your lap as the days get cooler. Is that standard operating procedure?
LEFT: Ingrid Jansen, Wood & Wool Stool
RIGHT: Muita Ihania
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Yeah that’s how a lot of folks do it! I just finished one & tucked it away for winter. :) (it’s on my June 3rd post) I love granny blankets, you can really get creative with them. There are several methods for joining the squares as you go too, instead of sewing them together. I was never big on the sewing part, so I like those.
Hi, Heather. I’d love to hear more about your preferred method, if you’re willing to elaborate (or link)?
Sure! Here are tutorial links for my two favorites: slip stitch method: http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-slip-stitch-crocheted-pieces-together/ Join-as-you-go method: http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/joining-asyougo-sqaures.html or
I like all of the new variations on the granny square!
Thanks, Heather!
I’ve been collecting links to granny square tutorials, all the variations under the sun. I think the version I knew when I was a kid was probably just the very most basic there is, but I don’t remember it. I’m sure it wouldn’t take much to refresh that memory. But there are so many amazing versions to try.
My first granny square project was *supposed* to be a blanket but it turned into a cushion when the novelty wore off and I ran out of color combos. That one was sewn and it was a PITA to piece together. The other cushions I made I used the join-as-you-go method from attic24. Definitely made the process more pleasant!
Hi, Iz. I do worry about the novelty wearing off, but I figure if I just make a square here and there — in the cracks between other projects — and just tell myself it will take a year or something, I might get away with it.