Granny square to Granny stripes...

A while ago now I decided to learn to crochet, and embarked on some granny stitch.

Well, I've decided it's finished. (ie. I don't want to do anymore.)

It's not very big, but I shall give it to Poppy for her dolly.

A few online friends have mentioned granny stripes, so I googled it and found Attic24.

I made a practise piece as suggested,

which came out pretty well.

And so, in a fit of optimism and confidence I made a foundation chain of 120 stitches (about single bed size) and began my very own granny stripe blanket!

It's only two stripes long at the moment, but I can't put it down; it's fab!!

Mama made Monday - my first knitting project.

(Yes, I know it's Tuesday.)
This is a lovely idea started by Talie on her blog "Being Me." The idea is to share things you have made for your children - feel free to join in!

So this is the first thing I ever finished knitting!

I learnt to knit as a child, producing an ongoing scarf of odd bits of wool.

When I was a bit older I remember starting a tea cosy. And maybe a cardigan.. But I never finished anything.

So, pregnant and bored I decided to try again.

I started with a pattern for an intarsia blanket which I quickly abandoned in favour of knitting the humble square. Okay, so the stitching together isn't that neat, but it works as a blanket.

Still pregnant and still bored, I decided to knit a back piece to cover up the untidy stitching, and I finished that too. Which, to be honest, made a rather warm pram blanket for a June baby.

It didn't get an awful lot of use, but now it sits on Poppy's bed engulfed by soft toys. And reminds me that it is possible to finish something!

Crochet progress

I was going to make lots of granny squares, but the thought of eventually stiching them all together was not very appealing, so I am making a giant granny blanket.

Well, it's not giant yet. It's just about big enough for a dolly!

I stitched two pink granny squares together (because a rectangular blanket is more useful than a square one) and now I'm going round and around and around.

My tension seems to be improving, and this looks to be a good way of using up lots of part balls of wool.