Sunday, January 31, 2010

{ Crochet Granny Rug Love }

Perhaps I am tempting fate by setting another new years resolution...but I love a good crafty challenge! I would love to learn how to crochet this year, and if I'm successful at learning the skill perhaps complete a super cute granny rug...let's not get too ahead of ourselves though. 


Standing in my way: my left handed un-coordination with fiddly crafts. My poor mother tried in vain to teach me to knit when I was about 12 - but I am all thumbs with the needles. And impatient. My grandmother was a knitting freak - she wouldn't bat an eyelid at whipping us kids up a knitted jumper in a jiffy for winter. We would go around to her house, stuff ourselves with tick-tock biscuits and sit at her feet while she was knitting in her rocker. We would trawl through what seemed like hundreds of patterns for kids jumpers - I settled on a three little pigs one, or rather I think my mum did because I clearly remember really wanting the Cinderella one...
Anyway, I really wish I still had that jumper. I think it was passed on to a younger cousin {my mum is one of 11 children - I have a lot of first cousins }.


My lovely friend Michelle, who I used to live with in Melbourne, gave me the Meet Me At Mike's crafty project book for Christmas. I love it - the projects are different and interesting, and the instructions have heaps of photos, diagrams and are easy to follow. Lucky for me there is a little tutorial on how to crochet and make the squares required for my ultimate goal of the granny rug!



Those diagrams of stitches are not daunting me at all...ahem...no, not at all. I am determined! Next time I'm near a Spotlight or craft store I might just have to stock up on crochet gear...baby steps.


In my crochet obsessed flickr viewing - I found the delightful images of Femkes photostream. Check out all of the cool stuff she makes! Her granny rug has got me very jealous. Plus her beautiful golden Cocker Spaniel 'Pluk' reminds me so much of our family dog Penny who sadly passed away a few years ago. I miss her so much, every time I pull up at my mum's I expect her to bound over to the car, it's still strange that she's gone. One day I want to have a big, lumbering, floppy, dopey Cocker Spaniel as a family pet again.

{ Top image: found here, 2nd and 3rd images: Little Miss Emma, bottom image: found here }

7 comments:

Jenny Butler said...

I learned how to crochet last night! I tried using the MMAM book last weekend and I just ended up in a frustrated mess- there was not enough info for someone who lacks general crafting ability. Last night I used all the videos that Pip posted and today I'm crocheting like a pro. 8 squares down, a billion to go!

Kellie Collis said...

Perhaps my girls would love one of these!!? xx

Anonymous said...

Best of luck with crocheting, I can't either, despite my mothers best efforts... My Nanna made me one of those rugs, it is so warm, only it clashes with everything as my nutty Aunties sewed all the squares together with fluro orange wool!!

Emma said...

@Jenny: Thanks, I will definitely be checking out Pips videos - your 8 squares has given me hope! I think once I get going I'll be alright...?
@Kellie: YES! My Tess-Tess would love it!
@Flick: Can you unstitch and put back together with something a bit more bearable? I have far too many nutty aunties - my mum has 6 sisters.

Tina said...

Hi Emma - I have just found your fabulous blog via the gorgeous Kellie's Ada & Darcy blog! Have you seen the blog Attic 24? Lucy crochets and her images are divine, well worth a look just for the inspiration alone! As a rural girl myself, I am loving your blog and look forward to following you in 2010:) Good luck with your crochet:) - Tina.

Emma said...

Thanks Tina - I will pop over to Attic 24 and have a look!

Glad you found me way over here... :)

material girl said...

my sister has two cockerspaniels that i like to babysit as often as possible! little leila (black) and dexter (gold) i wish i could crochet too! my great grandmother was a machine at it! I sent this picture to my sister and she absolutely LOVED it!! thanks for cutifying my day!

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