Another Crochet Project: King Sized Granny Square Blanket

This isn't a new project, in fact, it's about ten years old!  It is the largest crochet project that I've completed.  (I have another large blanket that has been languishing in my WIPs bin for years.)

  It has a great weight to it and is quite cozy.  We normally use it while lounging on the couch.

This is an "exciting" picture because Catherine is in it.  (She thought the rest of this photo shoot was way too boring.)

Here's another granny square project from a while ago:

Do you like crocheting granny squares?  What's the biggest project you've completed?

I love to party here!

W(s)IP

I've decided to admit to having quite a few projects going, otherwise known as 

Works In Progress.

My purple and grey chevron blanket.  

I don't know what to say other than it has severely stalled.

My silver capelet.  

This one I at least have a valid excuse for not finishing yet.  I needed to order more yarn.  It should be here any day!

My pink lacy scarf. 

This has been my main focus recently and should be finished soon.  

My Christmas baby afghan. 

Because I needed a project that moved more quickly than the lacy scarf I decided to make a blanket.  (It makes sense to me!)  

My (adult-sized) Elegant Hat.

This one is sized right, as opposed to the one that ended up being for my daughter, and really all that is left are the small finishing touches.  

My Scrambled Egg Scarf.
This ruffled, not quite twirly, scarf's color just reminds me so much of scrambled eggs--in a good way--that I had to rename it.

That's it!  Well, there might be a couple more things in my yarn storage area . . .

Oh, and I have a huge favor to ask you!  I really, really, really like the pink earrings in this picture and today I have the opportunity to win a pair!  (Seriously, I just added this pair to my Etsy favorites this week!) But I need you to like One Artsy Mama's Facebook page and then comment on the picture that I referred you--use my full name Rachel Marie Furlong.  If five people do this then I win!
Pretty, please!  It would make my day!

I love sharing my projects!  Here is where you can find me this week:

Yarn Along with Ginny

Frontier Dreams with Nicole

Work In Progress with Tami

What You Doing Wednesday with Sue

Tuesday's Tallies with Carole
and
Hookin on Hump Day

7 Quick Takes Friday

ONE

We are back from two glorious weeks at the beach.  I miss it already.  The house was great--large, well equipped, and super close to the beach!  We had so much fun with family and friends.  If you're interested I did post a few pictures!

TWO

Catherine and I have been able to take the edge off of our sad-to-end-a-vacation blues by hanging out at the pool.  I've swam early morning laps four days this week and we've been to the toddler swim time just as often.  Next week the pool begins its regular hours and I foresee us spending even more time there!

THREE

I am super excited that another season of Master Chef is beginning.  However, I am bummed that I will be a week "behind" because Hulu is delaying the show by eight days for non-paying subscribers.  

FOUR

I love entering giveaways in blogland--I do it fairly regularly.  I have decided that a great use of my Twitter account is to tweet about these giveaways.  Most giveaways award this with extra entries anyways, so it works out quite well.  If you also like entering giveaways you definitely should follow me--if not, I wouldn't bother. (@The_Phil_Wife)  

FIVE
Oh my gosh, speaking of giveaways, have you seen all the Shabby Apple giveaways?!?! I'd really really LOVE to win one of those because their dresses are absolutely adorable!

SIX
Last night I spent some time looking for a specific recipe.  When I was very little there was an incredibly kind older woman at our Church who made a very unique cookie.  It was a soft "blonde" cookie with white chocolate chips, coconut, and corn flakes in it.  I've never been fond of coconut but these cookies were amazing.  Sadly, none of the recipes that I found last night seemed right.  (So, dear readers, if you know this recipe, or see one that looks like it might be right, I'd love to know about it!)

SEVEN
I finally got started on my chevron afghan!  It is dark purple and grey.  I am using this pattern, which I found on Ravelry.

Check out more 7 Quick Takes!

A Crochet Basic: Granny Square Afghan

The Granny Square is one of the fundamental designs in crocheting.  Since I got back into crocheting I've been staying away from them--working on scarves, broaches, belts, and various other projects.  Way back when I made a few granny square blankets, but to my complete and utter frustration they weren't exactly what you'd call square.  The shape they most resembled was a butterfly.  Yeah, not exactly what one wants in a blanket.  They are nice to cozy up with, but don't present themselves as well as they should.

The biggest project (that I've completed) is a bed-sized afghan for my hubby.  It turned out fairly nicely--but still had quite a bit of the butterfly effect.

Well, now that I am back in the crocheting zone I decided to take a look at actual granny square patterns.  In the past I was working from a pattern given to me at a 4-H craft camp day.  Back then I was afraid of reading patterns so I worked primarily from oral instructions or pictures from library books.  What struck me immediately was that I had been using more chains between shells and in corners than any of the online patterns indicated.  (You have to check out this page of patterns--it's almost overwhelming and not in English, but there are so many cool things that I want to try!) Maybe the extra chains were helping to cause my "butterfly" shape?

With some of the yarn I picked up from Michael's I made this blue and cream afghan.  It could work as a baby blanket or a lap afghan.  I am pretty happy with how it turned out--it's a square!  I did cut down the number of chains--corners only had two and between each shell only had one.

It is a granny SQUARE!
There is the slightest bit of  "butterflying" but not much.
(By the way, it is very difficult in a small apartment to find a place to photgraph  an entire blanket laid flat.)

This is a close-up of the center of the afghan.  I do really like how the colors work together. 

For the edging I did two rows of single crochet all around.

The finished product!

I was featured!

Check out these amazing places I like to party!