{"id":940,"date":"2013-06-17T22:50:34","date_gmt":"2013-06-17T22:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kandynolesstevens.com\/?p=940"},"modified":"2013-06-17T22:50:34","modified_gmt":"2013-06-17T22:50:34","slug":"the-year-of-crochet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/?p=940","title":{"rendered":"The Year of Crochet"},"content":{"rendered":"

At\u00a0some Chinese restaurants, you can spend your time while waiting\u00a0 analyzing which animal and corresponding attributes from the Chinese zodiac (Sh\u0113ngxi\u00e0o) <\/b>align according to your birth year.\u00a0 Recently, I giggled at myself for creating my own \u201cYear of Crafts\u201d calendar.\u00a0 No purported benefits have been found, other than self-satisfaction\u00a0and a methodology to\u00a0be a gift bearer (0ne of my very favorite things to do).\u00a0 I have a lifelong goal of learning a new skill each year.\u00a0 My list of goals includes\u00a0other non-creative endeavors, but thus far, my attention has been focused on crafts.\u00a0 My concerted efforts to this end began at our family goals and dreams meeting on New Year\u2019s 2007.<\/p>\n

Each year after watching the final sunset of the year, we put to pen and paper (or sometimes other mediums), a list of our dreams for that year.\u00a0 In my recollections, this is the first time that I audibly announced that I was going to try to learn a new skill annually.<\/p>\n

2007 \u2013 The Year of Knitting<\/p>\n

2008 \u2013 The Year of Quilting<\/p>\n

2009 \u2013 The Year of the Digital Canvas (wall art)<\/p>\n

2010 \u2013 The Year of Digital Storybook<\/p>\n

2011 \u2013 The Year of Machine Embroidery<\/p>\n

2012 \u2013 The Year of Crochet<\/p>\n

My bemusement arose when I realized that each year most of my gifts had something to do with the new skill at hand, (pun intended this time).\u00a0I love creating things with my hands, especially when it is meant to be a gift. \u00a0With each stitch or mouse stroke, I think about the person who will be the final recipient from my heart and my hands.<\/p>\n

So it was with the Year of\u00a0\u00a0Crochet (which may be special enough to warrant a repeat performance\u00a0on the “Year of Crafts” cycle).\u00a0 I began a project back in October during some free time with full intention of blessing the newest upcoming arrival to our family tree.\u00a0 Of course, when I began the project she was still being knit together in her momma\u2019s womb (Psalm 139:13).<\/p>\n

Since I had never crocheted before (other than one really bad attempt to learn during the Year of Knitting), I went to the mecca of teachers (youtube) to learn how to make Granny Squares \u2013 those quaint Americana favorites that I have loved my whole life.\u00a0 I found a teacher that I enjoyed, and she didn\u2019t mind if I had to rewind and play her over and over until I got the technique just right.\u00a0 I will admit that I never warmed up to her way of wrapping yarn for tension, but I think my improvised method worked for me. (The link to the first in a series of videos:\u00a0http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=79zZJjXRfSM<\/a>)<\/p>\n

I chose my colors (an aqua reminiscent of the beaches of my childhood and a variegated aptly named ocean) and got to work,\u00a0in the beginning saying my steps aloud so that my fingers would cooperate with my brain.\u00a0 Once they were in agreement,\u00a0I “went to town” making squares, at first not having a plan of how many I would ultimately need.\u00a0 I just made stacks of squares. Stacks of squares. Stacks of squares.<\/p>\n

\"Yarn<\/a>

Yarn colors and one of my many stacks of squares<\/p><\/div>\n

Eventually, I needed a plan and not just stacks of Granny squares everywhere.\u00a0 I sat down with colored pencils and sketched out what my vision of the final product would be.\u00a0 That in mind, I now kept track of the number of squares in the two colors I had chosen.\u00a0 The bag of yarn, hooks, and scissors went with me everywhere – appointments, bleachers for basketball games, and travelling.\u00a0 As I made each one, I said prayers for the tiny baby that we were all waiting to meet – my first great-niece.\u00a0 Finally my magic number of squares (99)\u00a0was reached, and it was time to piece the squares together.\u00a0 I researched various methods, settling on the one I liked the most.<\/p>\n

\"Piecing<\/a>

Piecing together – which was much like quilting<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Then it was time to finish the project.\u00a0Possessing a thimble-full of knowledge on that topic, I did some research knowing\u00a0enough to know what I didn’t want for a finished look.\u00a0 Another blogger came to\u00a0my rescue, and I found a technique I could do that would allow the blanket to lay nice and flat.\u00a0 (http:\/\/bunnymummy-jacquie.blogspot.com\/2011\/06\/how-to-make-flat-border-for-granny.html<\/a>)\u00a0One more\u00a0trip to the store for a coordinating yarn – a nice lilac –\u00a0 followed by many practice tries – \u00a0and away I went.<\/p>\n

\"Completion<\/a>

Completion of first round of edging.<\/p><\/div>\n

Since the recipient of this blankie was to be a newborn baby, I wanted a super plush edging similar to the ones my own babies had nuzzled into in their early days.\u00a0 About the time I made this decision, it was D-Day.\u00a0 (Delivery Day arrived, and this auntie stayed up very late to pray for safe arrivals. Praying love into each and\u00a0every stitch.)<\/p>\n

\"After<\/a>

After a night of prayer, the final touches were done.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Our sweet little girl arrived, and I waited patiently until I could personally deliver my labor of love.\u00a0 Little L lives just under 450 miles from my house; so, my visit had to be\u00a0a planned one.\u00a0 My wait was worth it when I got to see God’s beautiful baby wrapped up in one of my favorite projects from the Year of Crochet!<\/p>\n

\"Little<\/a>

Little L and her blanket made with love!<\/p><\/div>\n

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At\u00a0some Chinese restaurants, you can spend your time while waiting\u00a0 analyzing which animal and corresponding attributes from the Chinese zodiac (Sh\u0113ngxi\u00e0o) align according to your birth year.\u00a0 Recently, I giggled at myself for creating my own \u201cYear of Crafts\u201d calendar.\u00a0 No purported benefits have been found, other than self-satisfaction\u00a0and a methodology to\u00a0be a gift bearer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[131,134,351,365,380,446,501,665,667],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=940"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/940\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.realsweetgrace.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}