So earlier in the year when I got the news that my Grandad had died I got the urge to do something with my hands. I believe this is a common occurrence for many of us, the need for our hands to be busy when we hit a crisis of some variety. I find that it occupies enough of my brain to stop it spiralling down a rabbit hole but has to be something that doesn’t require too much concentration.
Recently a colleague of mine had expressed an interest in learning to crochet granny squares, I agreed that I would be able to show her how, because well, in theory, I know the idea of how to make them. But I felt that I needed to relearn before teaching someone else. So my Grandad square blanket was born…
When I was in town the day he died (thank heavens for pre-arranged dinner dates to keep me occupied) I picked up 3 balls of coordinating yarn and some cream to pull them all together, and a crochet hook. I had initially planned to give these to my colleague but when waiting for my friend I needed something to do. I will have to pick up some more colours for her instead.
I didn’t really have much of a plan when I started but decided that I would just start with one square of each possible colour combination of C1 (two rounds), cream, C2; and go on from there…
Each row would have one square of each possible colour combination in it. They were joined in a way which made it look like there was another round of cream, but these are actually the seam. And I devised a pattern which would have each row being different from each other.
Although I could have added another row onto the blanket I think it looks good at this size. I think it is better this way round and not being square.
After I put the squares together I thought it needed an outer border to it. Partly to bring the blanket together visually and partly because I thought it would be better strength wise. I also decided that the outer layer of the blanket needed to be a colour and not white as this is the part that is most likely to pick up dirt. Especially from little hands!
The blanket is not the densest banket in the world but I think that that could be a good thing as sometimes you just need a light but snuggly layer. (At least that is what I’m saying and I’m sticking to it!)
Once the blanket was finished it was gifted to a friend from Uni who had just had a baby, it felt nice that this “thing” that I had created after the death of a family member would go on to (hopefully) bring comfort to a new life in this world. The whole circle of life thing…
It was a little hard giving this blanket away as I love the colour scheme. Although I have some wool left over that I will have to use in another blanket I think. Whether I get to keep that one or not is another matter. But at least I will enjoy the colours whilst making it 🙂
I find it difficult to part with things too. I think Granny style blankets are good. The holes make it lighter as you say and trap air like thermal blankets.
Yes that’s one way to look at it. Although I think the holes in this one don’t trap the air quite so well as some. ☺
It must have been hard to give the blanket away but your ‘circle of life’ analogy is a nice way of thinking about it.
Yeah. But I can’t keep hold of everything I make… no matter how much I would like to ☺