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GRANNY LOVE

by

 

 

I absolutely adore this new little book, “Granny Square Love” by Sarah London.  London has definitely lived up to the cover’s subtitle, ‘A New Twist On A Crochet Classic For Your Home’.  In addition to the well-loved and time-honored traditional granny square, this books takes Granny for a drive, leading to a few new places.

London starts off with the traditional granny square, that simplest of all crocheted squares that bumfuzzles the minds of many!  Getting those double crochet clusters that start with a circle into a square can be a challenge.  Her good instructions, large photos, and very clear, large diagram will get anyone over that hump.  From there, London shows other traditional uses of the granny, updating colors to stimulate your imagination.  Floor cushions and patch pockets are easy enough to pull off.  But, a non-kitchy granny lampshade and ‘floating’ granny square curtains definitely bring granny into the 21st century.

Then there are the really cool projects!  How about a granny style Christmas stocking?  So easy and flexible.  Pick your colors and make one for everyone on your list.  The charming teapot cozy is a winner.  And, the color treatment on the Bedroom Blanket – a nice, bold, color-blended afghan – is stunning.  Best of all is the very tailored Bold Bedroom Cushion.  London certainly has an eye for color that elevates the simple granny to much higher levels.  Each project is accompanied with a few lines from London about color treatment – which I find especially helpful.

You may recognize Sarah London’s name as the designer of the very popular, stash-busting, free afghan pattern, Wool-Eater.  You can see it here and follow the link to the free PDF pattern.  It’s a marvelous pattern that will turn the least of your scraps into a much-prized blanket of any size.  Sarah also sells a lot of patterns on her blog, http://sarahlondon.wordpress.com/  Check it out for more news and inspiration.  But, if you like granny squares or want to give a book to someone who will enjoy learning to create granny squares, grab a copy of this book!

BOOK  SPECS:

North Light Books, September, 2011

8X8 satin finished soft back

144 Pages, lots of color photos and diagrams

ISBN 9781440312946

$22.99 USD

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Check out this amazing book with over 100 different Granny Square patterns

 

Comments

  1. I love her patterns – I love to use granny squares to make pillows for the sofa and bed. I can use up leftover yarns and make a great project.

  5. I love making a huge granny square afghan- lots of colors and combinations! Thanks for the chance to win <3

  7. Oh i just love granny squares. Brings me back when i first started to crochet. I made one giant granny square afghan.

  8. I love to crochet and have been doing it since I was 6 or 7 years old. I would love to win this book. Thank you for giving me the chance to win it.

  9. JD, I do a lot of squares for charity and am constantly looking for new ideas for squares. I have resized, taken big things and cut done to square size, etc. This book will definitely go on my Christmas wish list, unless, of course, I win it here. Thanks for the heads up!

  13. This is awesome! The first thing I ever made was a granny square blanket for a sick friend. I would love to see the stocking. Hope I win 🙂

Have you read?

Shock Wave Free Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.