The granny square itch...

In the lead up to the stitches and craft fair, I descided to give the crochet patterns a trial. I was volunteering for two days on the knitting bar. I wasn't feeling too confident with my crochetting ability, as primarily I love knitting. But I had heard that some of the projects would involve crochet. And boy am I glad I did the practice runs, as the crochet projects were so popular! It seemed that most people were keen on learning how to trebble, chain and form a slip stitch. Given that my skill level with crochet is basic at best, I feel quite intimidated really. I can do what needs to be done, but nothing more really. And can I instruct someone else on how to crochet? Well, I needed to on Friday and Saturday.


So in preparation I crochetted a floral twist (as per my previous blog entry), a fortune cookie and a granny square. And the grannys have sucked me in! What can you do with one granny square after all? Make a lone coaster perhaps, but little else. Four would be a set of coasters, sixteen would make a cushion cover, make enough and you have a scalf. Even more and a granny rug. Where should I end? So I've caught the bug. The granny bug. Oh, and I'm loving it.

This granny square addiction is not new. I've been through this faze before. And made a lumpy little lap rug. It is one of my more ugly creations. I think it should be bequeathed to the cat.

And others have inspired with the granny square. Such as "a granny a day" challenge by people such as Pip from Meet Me At Mikes. With flickr groups dedicated to grannys. With new crafters wanting to make treasures similar to those their own grannys made!

Given that patterns are freely available on line, I don't feel too bad giving instructions for these. They don't come from me, rather were available at the S&C Fair. Hopefully this is not a breach of copy right. If it is, let me know and I will remove the pattern. I think the instructions are generic enough to be given to you lovely bunch though.

Simple Granny Square.

Chain five, join into a circle with a slip stitch.

Round 1: Chain up four. 3 x treble into the centre of the circle, chain 1. Repeat twice. 2 x treble, join to the third space of the chain of four with a slip stitch.

Round 2: Change colours into a one chain space, chain up three. 2 x treble into this space, chain one, 3 x trebles into this space, chain one. Skip over round 1 set of trebles, into the next chain space 3 x trebles, chain one, 3 x trebles, chain one. Repeat from "skip over" twice more. Join into the third space of the chain of three with a slip stitch.

Round 3. Change colours into a one chain corner space, chain up three. 2 x trebles into this space, chain one, 3 x trebles into this space, chain one. Skip over round 2 set of trebles, into the next chain space (will be in the centre of the side you are working on) 3 x trebles, chain one. Skip over the next round 2 set of trebles, into the next chain space (will be a corner), 3 x trebles, chain one, 3 x trebles, chain one. Repeat from "skip over round 2 set of trebles... centre of the side you are working on" twice more. Join into the third space of the chain of three with a slip stitch.

You are finished, well done!