Monday 14 March 2011

Granny in the Attic: ta-dah!


I'm very happy to introduce the newly finished Granny in the Attic (link will take you to its Ravelry project page).  Isn't it gorge?!

It feels so long since I stumbled upon this beauty on Lucy's Attic24 blog; so long since I was showing my mum every granny stripe photo I came across and repeating I just can't wait to make my own!!  (Sorry mum!  ;))


...it feels like a very long time ago indeed since the first batch of yarn arrived; so long since I set up this very blog just to chat about it.  I love that picture of each ball waiting patiently for its transformation :D


I sort of wish I'd taken more pictures of Granny's stripe-by-stripe progression.  Imagine how brilliant a time lapse video of her construction would be!  (Something to keep in mind for the inevitable Granny 2.0 I think)


Granny grew quickly.  Very quickly!  Many people have said the same thing about their own Granny projects - that there's something about them that becomes extremely addictive.

This, I think, is quite peculiar.  When you consider the criteria that many people (myself included) use to distinguish a good pattern from bad, there'll often be a nod to "not too repetitive" or "complicated enough to sustain interest".  By the time I finished my first blanket - an extended granny square - all I felt was relief.  I hated not just the double crochet, but crochet itself.  I despised it.  In fact, I didn't crochet anything else at all for almost a year.

But this time, I could quite happily start another Stripe tomorrow.  Most peculiar!  Perhaps it's watching the colours unfold?


...my colour philosophy for this was simply "balance".  There was no hard and fast rule, just a general idea of not having two colours in the same order twice, whilst keeping the stronger reds and yellows distant enough from themselves that they didn't overwhelm the other shades.  This didn't always work, but I just went off instinct - if a colour choice broke a rule, but still looked good, then what the heck?


Now all I have to do is work out what to do with the leftovers...
 

There are a few ideas up my northern sleeve which were inspired by a recent trip back to Manchester.  All I need to do now is sit down with a hot drink and an episode of Heartbeat, and work out how to bring them to life...

...luckily I know just the blanket to keep me company while I do so ;)

10 comments:

Tickety-boo said...

Loving your Granny Stripe! It looks fantastic. I particularly love the dark border. So many people have gone for the pastel colours but I think the bold colour beats them hands down. Look forward to your next hooky project :o)
Tickety-boo x

Nicole said...

Your granny stripe is super fab! I love your colour combination and the edgings lovely :-)

I know what you mean about wanting to make another, it's a really nice one to do and I'm seriously contemplating doing my own when I finish my baby stripe :-)

Looking forward to seeing what you make with the left overs!

Dietlinde said...

i love it!!! nice collors

Dietlinde from Lovelylinde

Teresa Kasner said...

You did a wonderful job on this! What colors do you want to use on your next one?

Hugs from Oregon, USA -- Teresa :-)

Wendy said...

Congratulations!! It looks fantastic! I started a granny square blanket when I first learnt to crochet, but no longer like the blocks, they're too big. I'm wondering if a granny stripe is the way to go instead? Did each stripe take more than a ball of wool?

Shanti said...

I really like it!! I think you did a great job, and how happy you'll be every time you see it!
yei!

Kim said...

Hi guys, thanks so much for all of your lovely comments :)

Teresa - I've just ordered some Stylecraft special in 14 different colours! I'm not sure yet if they will become another stripe, but expect a very giddy post as soon as they're delivered! Lol

Wendy - In the end I only used 1 ball of each of the Rico Baby colours. Each ball made about 4 or 5 stripes (and each stripe is two rows). I also used some Patons Diploma Gold which I think has slightly less meterage, but I'm not sure off the top of my head. It didn't end up huge, but it's plenty big enough for draping over my lap or as an extra blanket in bed. Hope this helps :)

Much love
Kim

Melissa P said...

Your instincts were great! It turned out beautifully. You're passing along the wonderful inspiration.

K @ Aurora Blythe said...

I am so inspired by this beautiful project! I want to get started on one of my very own. So glad to have come by your beautiful blog today! Happy crocheting =)

Gumbo Lily said...

So cheery and inviting. I'd like to wrap it around me and watch a good BBC movie.

Jody