Tag Archives: yarn

Adding purple to my color wheel

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Yesterday I alluded to a time where I had a really bad start to a project.  One summer while travelling back to my childhood home, I asked one of my two grandmothers to teach me to crochet.  I had just started knitting, and everyone remarked that crocheting was so much easier, implying that I should have started there.   Both of my grandmothers are talented when it comes to cooking, sewing, crocheting, and quilting.  Nanny dabbled in just about every craft imaginable and was an amazing florist, and Mama was a professional seamstress who now crochets to keep her hands busy.  The amazing thing is that both share the same birthday (albeit 5 years apart) – today.

One is celebrating her first birthday surrounded by loved ones in heaven, and the other celebrates 89 young years.  This baby afghan started six years ago almost never came to fruition.  Following the passing of Nanny in December, I just couldn’t let it lie unfinished.

When I started the project, I was visiting at Mama’s house, and asked her to teach me to crochet.  A quick trip to the Mecca of the South provided tutor and pupil with the needed supplies.  I don’t know what in the world possessed me to buy purple yarn – because it was and still is my least favorite color.  (Sorry to my Minnesota neighbors, Vikings colors and all.)

While my grandmothers are equally special in my heart, they couldn’t be any more different.  One is just a plain old purple girl, and the other is definitely a mauve maven. As different as they are, they share a love of the color purple.  Maybe their shared love is what guided that yarn purchase, but other than to make a Vikings scarf, I have never had much interest in purple yarn since.

When we sat down to start our lesson, I tried as hard as I could but didn’t find it easy or enjoyable.  This isn’t a condemnation of the teacher, because she was as patient as Job.  No matter what I did, my motor muscle memory was still in training for two needles – not one hook.  I completed maybe 2 or 3 inches of the afghan before it was time to load up the minivan with suitcases, coolers, and oh yes, kiddos to head on down to Florida.

At Nanny’s house, she critiqued the work and gushed about the color.  She wanted to see how many stitches Mama suggested to create the ripple pattern.  She, too, offered encouragement, but even her tutelage really wasn’t getting me anywhere.  At this point, five inches total were done.

One not to give in too quickly, I took the whole works on a 4-H trip, working while we traversed by Amtrak from Minnesota to New York.  After that trip, the whole kit and caboodle (all seven inches) went in the recesses of the craft buckets, not to be seen again until this last December.

Like a beacon from a lighthouse providing hope and guidance to wayward sailors, the afghan became a vestige of hope for a brokenhearted granddaughter, one who would never this side of heaven be able to work collectively with both of them again.  After tackling the Granny squares mentioned yesterday, I was equipped with more confidence and ready to complete the long forgotten baby blanket.

The resurgence of new found interest was not without problems.  Thankfully, I could phone a friend (Mama) and get a few more tidbits of instruction.  Also, when you start a project six  years earlier, most likely dye lots have changed on the yarn.  So rather than one seamless project it became a tribute to all things purple in memory of Nanny and in honor of Mama.

nanny blanket 3

One evening as I was close to finishing the afghan, my sweet little Clo climbed up in my lap and asked the most beautiful question.

“Momma, who is going to get this blanket?”

My response was one of uncertainty.  Her cherubic face and inquiry brought me to tears.

“Since I love purple, I have been thinking.  Someday, I am going to have a little girl of my own.  Could we save this afghan for her?”

The snuggled up view.

The snuggled up view.

With tears streaming down my face, I agreed to that request, knowing in my heart when I meet this future granddaughter I am going to tell her all about her great-great- grandmothers and how amazingly colorful they both were, in the life of girl who needed just a little more purple.

Happy 84th Birthday in Heaven, Nanny! Happy 89th Birthday in Alabama, Mama!

The Year of Crochet

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At some Chinese restaurants, you can spend your time while waiting  analyzing which animal and corresponding attributes from the Chinese zodiac (Shēngxiào) align according to your birth year.  Recently, I giggled at myself for creating my own “Year of Crafts” calendar.  No purported benefits have been found, other than self-satisfaction and a methodology to be a gift bearer (0ne of my very favorite things to do).  I have a lifelong goal of learning a new skill each year.  My list of goals includes other non-creative endeavors, but thus far, my attention has been focused on crafts.  My concerted efforts to this end began at our family goals and dreams meeting on New Year’s 2007.

Each year after watching the final sunset of the year, we put to pen and paper (or sometimes other mediums), a list of our dreams for that year.  In my recollections, this is the first time that I audibly announced that I was going to try to learn a new skill annually.

2007 – The Year of Knitting

2008 – The Year of Quilting

2009 – The Year of the Digital Canvas (wall art)

2010 – The Year of Digital Storybook

2011 – The Year of Machine Embroidery

2012 – The Year of Crochet

My bemusement arose when I realized that each year most of my gifts had something to do with the new skill at hand, (pun intended this time). I love creating things with my hands, especially when it is meant to be a gift.  With each stitch or mouse stroke, I think about the person who will be the final recipient from my heart and my hands.

So it was with the Year of  Crochet (which may be special enough to warrant a repeat performance on the “Year of Crafts” cycle).  I began a project back in October during some free time with full intention of blessing the newest upcoming arrival to our family tree.  Of course, when I began the project she was still being knit together in her momma’s womb (Psalm 139:13).

Since I had never crocheted before (other than one really bad attempt to learn during the Year of Knitting), I went to the mecca of teachers (youtube) to learn how to make Granny Squares – those quaint Americana favorites that I have loved my whole life.  I found a teacher that I enjoyed, and she didn’t mind if I had to rewind and play her over and over until I got the technique just right.  I will admit that I never warmed up to her way of wrapping yarn for tension, but I think my improvised method worked for me. (The link to the first in a series of videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79zZJjXRfSM)

I chose my colors (an aqua reminiscent of the beaches of my childhood and a variegated aptly named ocean) and got to work, in the beginning saying my steps aloud so that my fingers would cooperate with my brain.  Once they were in agreement, I “went to town” making squares, at first not having a plan of how many I would ultimately need.  I just made stacks of squares. Stacks of squares. Stacks of squares.

Yarn colors and one of my many stacks of squares

Yarn colors and one of my many stacks of squares

Eventually, I needed a plan and not just stacks of Granny squares everywhere.  I sat down with colored pencils and sketched out what my vision of the final product would be.  That in mind, I now kept track of the number of squares in the two colors I had chosen.  The bag of yarn, hooks, and scissors went with me everywhere – appointments, bleachers for basketball games, and travelling.  As I made each one, I said prayers for the tiny baby that we were all waiting to meet – my first great-niece.  Finally my magic number of squares (99) was reached, and it was time to piece the squares together.  I researched various methods, settling on the one I liked the most.

Piecing together - which was much like quilting

Piecing together – which was much like quilting

 

Then it was time to finish the project. Possessing a thimble-full of knowledge on that topic, I did some research knowing enough to know what I didn’t want for a finished look.  Another blogger came to my rescue, and I found a technique I could do that would allow the blanket to lay nice and flat.  (http://bunnymummy-jacquie.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-make-flat-border-for-granny.html) One more trip to the store for a coordinating yarn – a nice lilac –  followed by many practice tries –  and away I went.

Completion of first round of edging.

Completion of first round of edging.

Since the recipient of this blankie was to be a newborn baby, I wanted a super plush edging similar to the ones my own babies had nuzzled into in their early days.  About the time I made this decision, it was D-Day.  (Delivery Day arrived, and this auntie stayed up very late to pray for safe arrivals. Praying love into each and every stitch.)

After a night of prayer, the final touches were done.

After a night of prayer, the final touches were done.

 

Our sweet little girl arrived, and I waited patiently until I could personally deliver my labor of love.  Little L lives just under 450 miles from my house; so, my visit had to be a planned one.  My wait was worth it when I got to see God’s beautiful baby wrapped up in one of my favorite projects from the Year of Crochet!

Little L and her blanket made with love!

Little L and her blanket made with love!