Granny Squares

Hello! How are you?

Maddeningly, after escaping any major problems (only a couple of outside burst pipes), the phone line has broken now that the weather is milder. To be fair, it’s been on its last legs for a while because it has been holding up an aged oak tree single-handedly. BT are aware and will fix it soon (I hope) but are currently “experiencing a heavy demand on their services.” Which is to be expected. It’s an odd experience to be without the telephone, don’t you think? And the internet too. I know there’s always the mobile but I don’t really use the mobile to chat - my mobile is there for emergencies, or text messages for keeping in touch the ‘light’ way. The house feels quieter without the telephone in it. All in the mind, I guess. Internet access is a coffee shop ten miles away so I’m saving up all my online stuff to accompany a latte. Interesting to observe just how much stuff is online now. I still carry stamps in my purse but there’s less and less need to actually conduct business via the post now. Renew a subscription? Online. Pay a bill? Online. Talk to the bank? Online. Keep in touch with friends? Online. Maybe it’s time to write a few letters.

I’ve been dashing off some colourful little Granny squares this past week. They’re so quick to do and so endearingly cheerful. I’ve made these using my Rowan Handknit DK Cotton stash, lots of odd balls and leftovers. I did treat myself to a couple of newer colours in town last week but the choice was rather limited. Guess stocking cotton yarn is seasonal.

The basic pattern is from here Attic24 . Now there’s a lady who knows about colour. I’m using the Attic24 method of joining the squares as I go which is lovely as it gives such a sense of achievement as the blanket keeps growing. It is already getting a little cumbersome so maybe I could whip up a bunch of little squares in colours and do a lot of cream edging in one go.

The ends are a bit of a pain. To begin, I just let the ends dangle, thinking that I would just darn them in at the end. Then I thought that would be a major job and it would be better to weave them in as I crochet which I’ve done for the last few squares. I’m wondering if this will be sufficient to hold the cotton as it doesn’t create the slight felty-ness that weaving wool ends does? Might the ends work themselves out over time? Does it matter? How do you deal with cotton ends?

The stash of cotton isn’t appreciably smaller yet (note to self: don’t buy any more colours, perhaps?) My plan is to just keep crocheting. It will be as big as it gets.

Right, time to write some letters now. Or something. Hope life is good with you?

Cheerio for now! xx

Posted by Anita at January 15, 2010 09:13 PM