Monday, August 20, 2007

Craft What You Love

I started something new last night. That's sort of (OK, definitely) cheating on my UFO-completion plan. Except that I did finish something today. Behold ... the Granny Square baby blanket!

I mean ... Behold the Granny Square Scarf! Upon picking up these squares again, I started to feel that the gauge was just too loose for a baby blanket. I envisioned tiny fingers getting all tangled in those holes. I just started to feel very meh about the whole thing. But I could not bear to frog all those squares -- too much work. And they were pretty. Might there be enough of them for a scarf? Yes, there were! For the curious, the yarn is a melange of Plymouth Encore and Lion Brand Wool-Ease and the pattern is Traditional Granny from Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks.

Here's where the love part comes in. Nine times out of ten, I start a new project because I want to play with different yarn. This new project is no exception.

Colorways of the big square, from the center out: Pandora Rose, Mardi Gras, June Carter

No surprise here, it was Cider Moon Glacier calling me. The pattern is the famous Babette Blanket. Now here's a blanket project to get excited about! This is a seriously long-term endeavor, both because of its size and because it will require a lot of yarn. I couldn't possibly afford to buy it all at once. (No smart remarks about the size of my Glacier stash ... it's not that big!)

I love the big square I made with changing colorways, but I'm thinking about making most of the squares in one colorway only. What do you all think?

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18 Comments:

Blogger knitography said...

Nice! If you aren't enjoying a project, I don't think you should force yourself to work on it (unless it's a gift). Its time will come around again. I think the blanket will be nice with some mixed square amidst the mostly one colour squares.

6:22 PM  
Blogger The A.D.D. Knitter said...

Cute scarf! Personally I like the one color way per square idea since you'll be using a lot of different variegated yarn.

6:48 PM  
Blogger Katy said...

I'm in the single color per square camp too.

Great idea!

6:52 PM  
Blogger Courtney said...

Very cool! I've been saving leftover STR (my version Cider Moon) for ages. Maybe I'll try a square or two.

6:52 PM  
Blogger Mama Urchin said...

The yarn switching seems like a lot of work. It does look pretty though.

7:10 PM  
Blogger teesagypsy said...

I haven't seen that many Babette's done with single colored squares. This obviously means that it is time :D

I say go for it! What you have so far is drool-worthy by the way.

Theresa (of the pink camo baby blankie)

7:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmm, or you could do the big squares with changing colors, and the little ones with one color? Makin' everyone happy, that's my job! That is going to be the softest and squishiest blanket ever! What an inspiration, and you can have my little leftover glacier bits too (pistachio and apple crisp). The yarn is too beautiful to let one inch languish.

8:28 PM  
Blogger Stephanie said...

I'm gonna do Babette someday too. But crochet does suck up WAY more yarn than knitting does. Maybe that's the secret behind the crochet boom - yarn companies want to sell more yarn. :)

9:39 PM  
Blogger msubulldog said...

I'm always torn between holes "fingers can get caught in" versus holes that "little fingers love to explore" . . . tough debate. I guess it depends on the age of the child? Hmmmm....
Love the Cider Moon colors!

3:25 AM  
Blogger Stacey said...

what a great idea! i love it as a scarf!!!

7:39 AM  
Blogger Lola and Ava said...

I swear, you're in my head! I love Cider Moon Glacier. I just finished a BSJ with the Thin Mint color & I have a ton left over. I'm thinking a blanket with a bunch of their colors. Not sure what else to do with the DK weight, but I think it's a great way to see & use their yarn.
-L

9:01 AM  
Blogger maryse said...

i'm with you on the single colorway per square, or maybe mixed with a solid or two.

i'm starting mine soon too. ;)

i also like the granny scarf.

10:09 AM  
Blogger Marin (AntiM) said...

Mmmmm... Glacier *grggghlglglrlrlgr*

Ooooh... the Babette is so cool! I didn't know they made crochet patterns so cool! It's kinda like the Lizard Ridge of crochet.

Near as I can see (and consider the source), part of the charm of the Babette is the Klimt-esque play of colour blocks.

I think I'd do most of the squares in single colourways.

11:04 AM  
Blogger Dr. B. said...

Brill! Your concern for little baby fingers is so smart, and behold! A brilliant scarf!

Having a limited sense of how things will look, I can't weigh in with any veracity about Babette. I can say I'm quite sure you'll choose something beautiful.

12:37 PM  
Blogger Sourire11 said...

very nice scarf!

and that afgan is going to be so pretty - i got sucked into the flickr group for like 10 min there scoping out all of the possibilities. I think 1 square per color would be nice but really with that glacier you can't go wrong.

3:29 PM  
Blogger Sourire11 said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

3:29 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

They look great! Love the scarf, love the way the crazy Babette square looks. Personally, I would do a bunch of one color squares, and then combine the bits that you have leftover for some multi-squares to mix in here and there. I need to figure out how to crochet where it doesn't make my hand hurt. I think I just get real tense since I'm not entirely sure what's happening.

6:36 PM  
Blogger Faith said...

I'm so head-over-heels in love with my Babette, but it's sort of taking over my life. Get ready- this thing's addictive.

8:55 PM  

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