Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Granny Possibilities

After a life time of working with color, it is still amazing to me how much more there is to learn. The way colors combine can make me feel happy or sad, melancholy and introspective, excited and adventurous. Color is one of the world's greatest marvels. I can't get enough.

After years of designing colorful knitwear, I recently rediscovered the joys of crocheting – a craft I learned from my grandmother when I was ten. My reawakening to crochet began with a vacation to Maine and a bag of assorted broken balls of many colors of Julia yarn which were left over from editorial projects. I quickly grabbed the bag of scraps as I ran out the door. A quick stop at a northern Maine yarn store just before boarding a ferry to Swans Island yielded me a size H crochet hook. With those two things I was off.

On Swans' Island, amongst my good friends and family, I crocheted away. During breakfast, during cocktails on the ocean, during dessert of apple pie, I kept crocheting. I was obsessed. I couldn't stop. Each little square became a color exploration. Every piece was different than the last. On the car trip home I crocheted. At home, I would pick up my hook and yarn and whip out a few squares when ever I had a free moment.

Little did I know that my little foray into crochet would turn itself into a television appearance. Last week on PBS stations airing Knit and Crochet Today (Season 2), my vacation folly made its t.v. debut. How cool is that? Here's the link to my free Granny Pattern which is available on the Knit and Crochet Today website. From there you can download the list of colors and how I made the afghan I demonstrated on t.v.
I'm still grannying away - making more squares because I'm hoping to make this a double bed size afghan. It will take me a few more years, I'm sure. I find grannies soothing to knit and mindless to make but rewarding in their own little colorful way. You should try it one day. You might be hooked too!

Our new litter of kittens have certainly enjoyed the afghan. It's amazing how kittens and cats appreciate good fibers - if there's ever a swatch of mohair, cashmere or wool lying around, they will take a little nap on top of it. When I'm looking for a missing swatch, I always have to remember to look under the snoozing cats.

10 comments:

Michele in Maine said...

Ohhhh, is there anything cuter than a kitten?

I didn't realize you had ties to Swans? I'm located just across Jericho Bay, on Eggemoggin Reach. I missed the folk festival this year (Sweet Chariot), but surely you've heard of it, maybe even been there? It's such a great island to visit.

Love the colorful squares!

Hilary said...

Oh, what cute kitties! And beautiful granny squares! Perhaps after my Christmas knitting projects I will try a few... just for fun... lol

Hilary

Anonymous said...

Love the squares! And how do you manage to produce the most adorable kittens year after year. Well, not you exactly...

Dany said...

You wont believe it, but few years ago my mother done a plaid like yours! with grey color for border (I dont know if I use right word... sorry, I'm italian!) and many other for the inside square. It was very, very similar to yours!!! And also my mother's cats make her plaid their favourite place to go sleeping!

Nice knit, I love it!

Sarah said...

does your grey kitty need a home?

My girls have just about got their multiplication tables finally memorized....

Kar said...

I just love the colors that you put together in all your projects! I'm going to have to sit down and make a scrap blanket full of granny squares. Lovely!

ellen said...

I am fairly new to crocheting and have been making some granny squares. I love doing it because of the color changes! Color!!!

Anonymous said...

Every year when you post kitten pictures I want to adopt all of them! So precious!

tamaram said...

I happened to see you on Knit and Crochet Today with your granny squares. You did a great job! I especially liked the explanation of how you select your colors. Thanks.

Thistledew Farm said...

I am glad you found your way back to crochet - I love it...my grandmother taught me also - I am one of 12 grandchildren and the only one who cared to learn....I am teaching my daughter and any other child who shows an interest! You can whip something useful up quickly and try to ensure the first childs project is done in one setting and useful...a chain can be a hair bob in no time! Thanks for sharing and I love your use of color

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