One day before the UK was put into lock down in March, I caught a bus to my local garden centre. I had a sense of impending doom and it felt like "now or never". It was a strange experience; for most of the journey it was just me and the bus driver. It was also the day before garden centres closed down for 2 months at the busiest time of the gardening year. I know I bought two shrubs and planted them that same day. But my brain has mercifully blocked out which shrubs they were. We have been revamping the garden since last year and a lot of the shrubs are new. It's easy to forget which were the last two. I won't have to forever look at my garden and link part of it to the pandemic.
Likewise, I planned to calm myself down by making a huge granny square blanket. I sorted out all my pinks and some contrasting cream. The photo just shows a sample. I have LOTS of these in my wool bag. The cream is in there because I have someone in mind as the eventual recipient and cream is more practical than white in her hectic household. (The dark maroon to the right of the photo did not make the final selection.) However, I could not bring myself to start crocheting while there was so much horror and depressing virus news every day. I did not want bad vibes and memories associated with the blanket.
One wonderful day we were judged to have reached the other side of the peak and to be in the "flattening the curve" stage. I celebrated by picking up my crochet hook. As usual, I had to go back to basics and remind myself how to crochet a square. Can you tell crochet doesn't come naturally to me?! I'm using a crochet technique that someone recommended for stopping the square twisting. You simply turn the square and crochet in the opposite direction at the end of each complete round. Simple, but it definitely makes a nice, flat square. It's crochet's version of "flattening the curve".
The square has grown since this photo. I'm enjoying planning the sequence of colours and taking my time. Further photos will follow...
I always love a granny square I never get sick of making them, the blanket will be lovely once it's done. Oh dear I'm afraid I have made lots of things which will be a reminder of this time, the blanket I'm making now I began at the beginning of May and is for a male friend but I'm looking at it in a different way, making this blanket has kept me sane and the lockdown has given me the opportunity to try out a pattern that I wouldn't normally have time for because it is quite time consuming. I went to the garden centre as soon as it opened again and spent far too much money, I did buy some young perennials and I know where I've planted them and if they thrive and and return next year I will remember them as something that gave me pleasure amidst all the doom and gloom. Lets hope for better times returning soon! xx
ReplyDeleteI haven't always crocheted granny squares that way, Una, but I have for a long time. Flattening the curve, eh? Every little bit helps.
ReplyDeleteI haven't done a granny square in ages. Yours looks great. And a different technique. Thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteCrafting is good therapy. The blankets going to be lovely. I've finished mone this week.
ReplyDelete:) Flattening the curved granny square. Too funny. You make me consider that I should get back to a flower square blanket I started years ago! This would really be the perfect time to do it. It's hot, and each square is a small project. I (mostly) have nowhere to go. And... when dh is in surgery in a few weeks, this would be a great tote-along project! Okay... I've almost talked myself into it.
ReplyDeleteThat is a hilarious way of expressing "flattening the curve" -- and a really great technique!! If I still crocheted, I would definitely use it! But crocheting hurts my thumbs too much now. That will be a pretty blanket!
ReplyDelete