I Heart Granny Squares!

Early this year, I made it my New Year's Resolution to learn how to crochet. I have been obsessed with granny square blankets (like the one my own grandmother made when we were young and we kept over the back of our sofa at my parents' house) for as long as I can remember. Seriously, who remembers having these on their couch?! It took me a little while to get the hang of it, but I believe I have officially mastered the art of the granny square!! 

I love being able to turn this:

into this:

I have completed several other projects:

A small granny square for Brennen's lap.

Several large rainbow granny squares..

And this one is a granny rectangle!

I even crocheted something other than granny squares. I'm pretty happy with this v-stitch blanket!

This is my most recently completed large granny square blanket. I love these colours!

And I always have a work-in-progress!

These are some of the other beautiful crochet blankets in my collection that have either been gifted to me, or I have purchased at some little shop around the bay! They are hard to come by, but when I see them, I just have to take them home! I know how much thought and time is poured into each one, and I love that they all have their own story. I just don't know how you can part with these things, but I appreciate them all for the time and the history that is embedded in them.

This one I picked up at a local craft fair. I was drawn to the colours (I don't often use red), and I love the scalloped edge!

This one was given to me by Andrew's Aunt and Uncle. They searched all over Nova Scotia for "granny knots", and finally found this treasure!
I adore the colour palate, and the super fine stitches! This is one of my absolute favourites!

This one I purchased at the Shag It Café in Whiteway. Andrew and I had lunch there one day, and I discovered this beauty in the gift shop! 

The owner said that an elderly lady in the community worked on this blanket every day while her husband was in the hospital.

This beautiful blanket was a gift to me from Andrew's Mom (who is also into the granny squares and has taken up crocheting as well!) 

I was so touched by the effort that she put into finding me a blanket that she knew I would love. This one means a lot to me, and I just love the story of how she got it - Let's just say she ended up at an old lady's house around the bay, having tea and a grand ol' chat!

This one was also a gift from Andrew's awesome relatives in Halifax. Thanks again, Phil and Marie! xo

This is the one we keep on our bed during the Winter. It's giant (90 x 55 inches), and is so cozy and warm! I found this one at a little shop in Green's Harbour. The store owner told me that the lady who made it was in her 90's and it was probably the last one she'd ever do. :(

And this is my grandmother's original granny square blanket that hung over our sofa when I was a kid. I am so happy to have it now, and to have so many wonderful memories of such a special lady neatly tucked inside. I love you, Nan!

Crocheting has become my new favourite pastime - it is a relaxing (yet productive) way to enjoy those fleeting moments of pure quiet where I can just do something for myself. In my 'down time', when I allow myself to take a break, to take a load off, to breathe.. this is what I like to do. Andrew is convinced that I am 100 years old, but that's ok! I don't even mind! Curling up on the couch with a work in progress is a great way to relax and unwind after a busy or challenging day. In a way, it keeps me from unravelling, one stitch at a time!

To put it another way - "I crochet so I won't kill people!"

One of these days, I would love to have an Etsy shop set up to sell my granny square blankets. Or I would like to have them available at a little shop or gallery somewhere out around the bay. (Anyone able to hook me up with that?!) For now, I am keeping them all for myself because I love them so much!! xo