What Was I Thinking?
I love to crochet, but I’ve always avoided granny square afghans like the plague. When my niece was born I made an afghan that was a combination of small granny squares (saltines, I guess you’d call them) and ripple crochet. I remember weaving in all those little ends, but for the most part you connected squares as you went along. I also completed a lovely floral granny square afghan – again, join as you go.
Your conventional granny square afghan, however, usually starts out with the directions “Make 96”, or 782, or a million. There is nothing I dislike more than crocheting all those squares, and ending up with a big pile of squares! I want an afghan! My sewing skills leave a lot to be desired, too. A whipstitch is the best I can manage.
So what do I pick for my grange fair entry but an afghan where all parts are crocheted separately and then have to be sewn to the body of the afghan, like appliqués! What was I thinking? I know what I was thinking – “It has giraffes on it – I have to make it!” I haven’t worked with it in a couple of days, but I’ll keep moving along and will finish this. I’m sure that when all is said and done, it will be well-worth the trouble. I will post a photo once I get the tree finished and sewn on the afghan. That will be the biggest part of it. All those branches to be whipstitched in place…
I wish I had inherited my mother’s talent for sewing. She was a whiz with a sewing machine. I remember the beautiful Barbie doll clothes she used to make. They ranged from bathing suits to coats to the most intricate, lace-embellished wedding gowns with veils. I can’t even sew a straight line! LOL! I believe a couple of my sisters did get that talent, and they are handy with a sewing machine. I’m just thankful for the ability to crochet. It’s turned out to be one of the true passions of my life, after my family. I love being able to take a skein of yarn and turning it into a doll or a dinosaur!
Your conventional granny square afghan, however, usually starts out with the directions “Make 96”, or 782, or a million. There is nothing I dislike more than crocheting all those squares, and ending up with a big pile of squares! I want an afghan! My sewing skills leave a lot to be desired, too. A whipstitch is the best I can manage.
So what do I pick for my grange fair entry but an afghan where all parts are crocheted separately and then have to be sewn to the body of the afghan, like appliqués! What was I thinking? I know what I was thinking – “It has giraffes on it – I have to make it!” I haven’t worked with it in a couple of days, but I’ll keep moving along and will finish this. I’m sure that when all is said and done, it will be well-worth the trouble. I will post a photo once I get the tree finished and sewn on the afghan. That will be the biggest part of it. All those branches to be whipstitched in place…
I wish I had inherited my mother’s talent for sewing. She was a whiz with a sewing machine. I remember the beautiful Barbie doll clothes she used to make. They ranged from bathing suits to coats to the most intricate, lace-embellished wedding gowns with veils. I can’t even sew a straight line! LOL! I believe a couple of my sisters did get that talent, and they are handy with a sewing machine. I’m just thankful for the ability to crochet. It’s turned out to be one of the true passions of my life, after my family. I love being able to take a skein of yarn and turning it into a doll or a dinosaur!
Me, too! I love granny squares and other motifs, but always hesitate to start a big project because of the dreaded weaving in of ends. I guess it's all in the mindset and just being patient and determined to enjoy every part of the process (kind of hard when you're on a deadline like your grange fair entry, though!). Good luck -- anxious to see the progress!
ReplyDeleteLOL I know just how you feel. I am working on an afghan from Christmas to give my nephew. It take a few hundred tiny 3 3/4 inch squares. I am over half done with the squares but so hate this project.
ReplyDeleteHang in there.