Here is another square done from the book Granny Square Flair by Shelley Husband.
How long did it take you to notice that the center circle is showing the wrong side? I didn’t notice until all four outer circles were stitched in and I had started the connecting stitches. Sigh. I’ll put it in an obscured spot in the final garment. Or call it a design choice.
Making blocks is a great thing to do with the odds and ends of left over yarn you have in your stash. Warm Up America is a non-profit organization that gives warmth to those in need. One of their many ongoing projects takes 7”x 9” blocks either crocheted or knitted. Volunteers join the blocks together to make blankets. They have many free patterns, which is another way to increase your skill level with a smaller time investment, and make something truly meaningful. There is more than warmth in handmade items, there is connection and the knowledge that another person put time and effort into helping a fellow human. It is a philanthropic activity that is both physically and psychologically beneficial to both the maker and the receiver.
I made blocks with the diagonal squares pattern from Mary Maxim, which I love so much. I found worsted weight acrylic yarn crocheted with a size K hook with 8 squares by 10 squares makes a 7” x 9” block.
The block on top in the picture above was made with alternating rows of color, which was an interesting experiment, but resulted in many, many, many ends that had to be woven in. Please weave in your ends!
I forgot about this project. I started making every square in the book Granny Square Flair with fine alpaca yarn from Peru back in March. I was hoping it would be a travel project, but it requires way too much concentration as every row is different and I need to refer back to the pattern frequently. So I designated it a home project and it has sat next to my chair for a few months.
This is another forever project that will sneak in the gaps of other projects. I have no problem telling people my age, but asking how many open projects I have going will get you a flippant answer.
I was finally able to weave in all the ends for the diagonal crochet blanket made from scrap acrylic yarn. Yes, I had to negotiate around persistent cats to do so.
I did not add the edge because I’m so pleased with how even the edges came out, and how crisp the corners are, that I didn’t want to overshadow it with more stitches.
And the blanket will be staying in house, since it is a cat magnet. Izzy the calico is pleased.
The blanket is narrower than usual throws, but it works well on the chair, and is more a summer weight. The narrowness makes it easier to stick out a foot for temperature control.
I finished crocheting my diagonal scrap blanket, and now just need to weave in the ends. The challenge is extracting the cats so I can actually do the work.
I don’t mind weaving in ends, but this blanket sprouts cats as soon as I sit down, so it will take awhile.
Critters and Craft 