It’s done, it’s done, it’s DONE! Wa-whoo!!
It’s so satisfying to have at last finished turning the cast-off granny squares that I found in a local thrift shop during September 2011 into a Big, Warm and Wonderful Blanket!
DH is such a good sport! I interrupted his yard work just so I could show you how Big my Thrifty Granny is. Keep in mind that he’s six-foot two.
O.K. – I realize a four-foot by six-foot blanket may not seem all that big to you – I see many queen and even king-sized blankets in Ravelry’s project pages – but it’s quite Large compared to the little ripples that I make every week.
Thrifty has a couple little boo-boos, which I think only add to its casual folky charm. Somehow I missed crocheting a blue granny cluster between two red ones in the border . . .
I didn’t notice what I’d done, or rather, not done, until I was working in the yarn ends on the finished border. Oops! ROFL at the thought of ripping back to fix such a small error! If the child who receives this blanket should ever notice, I suppose he’ll wonder about me, the person who made it, for a moment, just like I wonder about him.
Whoever crocheted all these fun granny squares also demonstrated that an imperfection does not bother a Granny. – By ‘Granny’ I mean the style of blanket, but certainly small imperfections wouldn’t bother a Granny person either! – But back to what I was saying. . . When the yellow yarn ran out, switching to the light blue of the next round was a simple solution and causes no upset.
Wow! The black lattice makes all these bright colors dance and sing!
You may remember that this was my first time to use the Zig-Zag Join. Not only did I find this to be a fast and easy way to enlarge a blanket while joining motifs, but it also takes far less yarn than crocheting another round on each square while doing the usual join-as-you-go. IMHO the Zig-Zag Join was a win-win-win.
As far as I know, I made up this blanket’s easy and dainty scalloped edging. Let me know if you’ve seen it anywhere else. Just do a sc, skip 1, sc, chain 3, then repeat. I fudged things on each corner by working in every stitch as I went around the bend, sc, chain 3, sc, chain 3.
If you give my edging a try, please let me know how you like it. I think it coordinates well with granny clusters.
This blanket will certainly be a warm and cheerful companion for a foster child this winter, and, hopefully, for many winters to come.
Great job, Linda. The lighter blue, yellow and pink you put in the outside border really highlights all the blocks. Another warming for a foster child!
Thank You!
I’m so glad the squares came with enough of the uncommon coral pink yarn to do the border. The other colors weren’t hard to match.
I love grannies, I love the colours and black joining, and I had to learn zig zag joining, sounds very nice as you describe it. It is big blanket, I know there are monster blankets, but I don’t know how people wash them?????????
As usual I am so happy when reading your post, you and your DH are so nice and warm couple and do so much for less fortunate, I am sure God has big smile in His face when looks at you both. Have a nice holidays!
I wouldn’t want to use the Zig-Zag Join on every granny, but it does have its good points. I hope you’ll at least give it a try.
Hmmm, washing Monster Blankets by hand would be hard. I can only imagine how heavy and unruly a Monster would be when wet! Maybe they take them to a laundry mat that has the over-sized washing machines?
You are a dear woman. I am glad reading my post made you feel so good.
Thank you for leaving such a lovely comment for us. I sent it in an email to DH at work because I know I will choke up and have a hard time finishing if I try to read it out loud to him when he gets home tonight.
A Happy and Blessed New Year to You and Yours!
Since I can’t get an email to go through to you, I can only hope you come back and read my reply. Please let me know.
Awesome job my friend!!! It’s getting to the end of the year, can’t wait to see your totals.
Thank You! It took me a long time to complete, sigh, but I’m proud of the results!!
Totals? You think there will be totals? lol.
You have come to know me. .. perhaps, too well?
beautiful. happy new year and happy blankie!
Thank you. Yes, I think it is a HaPpY!! Blankie!!
And a happy new year to you too!
Excellent job, Linda! Looks wonderful! And the big size is great! I think that little red “boo boo” looks like a heart.
Thanks!!
What a sweet idea – a little red heart sounds so much better than a
boo-boo– accidental design element! lol.absolutely gorgeous granny blankie. whoever gets it will be over the moon
It’s wonderful! I’m so glad you rescued those squares and put them to good use.