Grandma's mittens

On April 23rd my family gathered at the cemetery to reunite my grandparents after 17 years apart. We chose their anniversary to do so. Both had been cremated and the boxes containing their ashes stood side by side, reminiscent of my grandparents. Grandma's ashes were in a small cherry wood box, significantly smaller than Grandpa's oak wood box. Along with them six roses and an old peanut butter jar from 1964 filled with rose petals from each year of their marriage to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Grandpa gave her 6 roses (one for each child) every year of their marriage (60 years), a tradition my mother would carry on after he passed away. 

The boxes containing their ashes and the jar of rose petals were placed in the ground and their children began to fill the hole. When it was nearly filled their grandchildren got on hands and knees and filled on the rest patting down the dirt and replacing the grass.

We returned to my family's home and looked at old photographs, laughing as we retold old stories and shared some new ones. At the end of the evening I asked everyone there to trace their hands. Grandma's mittens were ever present in our lives. There was always a pair available during the long cold New York winters, or if little girls were playing dress up and inexplicably needed a pair of mittens to complete their outfits. 

Grandma's notebooks were filled with tracings of kids hands which she used to size the mittens, and there always seemed to be a pair in progress on her favorite hook.

This project is my version of a memorial to her. With what she taught me I hope to remind my family of a love which, though it may not have been conspicuous was perennial.

My grandmother had six children, 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. I have quite a few mittens to make before we get together again in about six months. It will just about be mitten season by then.

If you would like to share the love with your family you can download the pattern here.

Crocheted Colorado Stripe Afghan

In an earlier post (Breakfast Scarf) I wrote about my mentor. About a year ago she contacted me via Facebook asking where her crocheted gift was. I assume she was joking, and possibly inebriated. I thought, I may as well make her something, after all she did have a significant impact on my life. I asked her what she wanted and she. She did not know, but suggested something with her mother in mind. Her mother had recently passed away unexpectedly. I enquired further if there was a place or color that reminded her of her mother. She told me Colorado and Yellow, and then she had to run.

I began working on a blanket. Actually I began looking for something to work on I googled "crochet" and "Colorado" and eventually came across a pattern for a Colorado Stripe afghan. It was from a book called The Great Afghan Book. I ordered the book, and began to follow the pattern once it arrived.

The book was one that my grandmother had referenced in her notebook. The first pattern I ever followed was from this book. I was glad to buy it, and am sure that I will end up using several of the patterns.

I worked on the blanket sporadically, and eventually set it aside as other projects grabbed my fancy. Finally in that in between period where my fancy lay dormant and I had nothing else to work on I remembered- I need to finish that blanket some day! And so I set to work, and when I finally tied off and wove in the last strand I thought briefly of keeping this for myself, but instead took a picture, shared it and tagged my mentor, "It's yours if you want it"

Now, I just have to make sure I mail it before another year goes by!

Follow the simple pattern below to make your own!

* * *

 

Crocheted Colorado Stripes

Worsted Weight Yarn (any two colors)

Size I hook

Make this as large or small as you like, I used about 6 skeins for this particular blanket.

With color A – ch 194 loosely. Work in pattern stitch as follows.

Row 1 (foundation row): Sc in 2^nd ch from hook *ch 3, sk 3 chs, sc in next ch, rep from * across

Row 2 (patt row): Ch 1, turn, sc in first sc, *ch 3, scin next sc, rep from * across

Rows 3-5: Rep row 2, 3 times. At end of Row 5 change to color B in last sc.

Rep Row 2 in the following 12-row sequence

2 Rows B

1 Row A

1 Row B

1 Row A

2 Rows B

5 Rows A

Rep 12-row color sequence until you are satisfied that the blanket is big enough! Weave in the ends and border as desired. I sc crocheted around once and finished with a scalloped edge (*ch 1, sk1, 4dc in next ch, sk 1, sl st in next st, repeat from * around. Tie off and Weave in ends.)



Happy St. Patrick's Day (a week early)

Today at work my colleague, who has begun to crochet requested that I figure out a pattern for her. She had seen a blanket she wanted to make, no doubt to celebrate her Irish-ness (translation-American Irish, not to be confused with actual people who live in or came from Ireland). At any rate at the end of a long work day she forwarded a picture of the afghan she wanted to make.

After five o'clock I headed home and worked on figuring out the pattern and then transcribing it for about 5 hours- through True Detective, Girls, Walking Dead, and Bates Hotel I worked, until finally I could produce something to be shared. It is late, and I am tired.  I just hope this pattern isn't complete nonsense.

Now, perhaps you can help me here. This pattern is untested. I've provided a link to the pdf of the pattern below.  Test it out for me, and let me know if it works, or makes sense. Feel free to make suggestions. Thanks, and happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

Click here to download a pdf of this pattern

Grandma's notebook project 8: Lily Sugar 'n Cream String Bag

At the top of this pattern in my grandmother's notebook she writes that this bag was made for me.  Once I got over the guilt of not recalling the bag she must have made for me, I got to work making one myself.  This is definitely a pattern I can get behind.  As soon as I finished one bag I started another.  The second bag was made from recycled grocery bags.  As I have been collecting grocery bags to make plarn this is an ideal pattern.  Ultimately even though I did not remember the bag the Grandma made this pattern certainly was , as she wrote, for me.

If you would like to make this bag for yourself you can find the pattern here.

Grandma's notebook project 7: Crocheted puff stitch afghan

In her notes on the pattern she writes "finished January 1986". Iwas 10 years old. She kept this blanket for herself, and Grandpa. It is a nice heavy blanket, perfect for January in central/upstate NY. The blankets she kept hold more significance because they were the stuff of my childhood. They hold the memories of naps on the couch, or sometimes the lamb skin rug. And of Grandpa lovingly pulling an afghan over us, even when it was perhaps too warm for one. They remind me of the sense of security and warmth of walking into a home that smelled like casserole, brownies and a hint of paint thinner from Grandpa's work day at the Paint Shop. This afghan is filled with loving memories. I think I might keep this one, too.

To make this afghan yourself, click here for the pattern.

Grandma's Notebook Project 6: Ripple Afghan

The first project my grandmother tried to teach me was a ripple afghan. She probably chose it because it was so simple. Of course as a complete novice I didn't find it so. It required counting, and that I pay attention. The first blanket I made employed the stitch in the back loops, but the peaks and valleys of the ripple afghan were quickly abandoned. I still have that blanket, it is a random assortment of left over yarn that Grandma must have given me.

Many years later when I picked up this pattern to complete the sixth project in her notebook I had to laugh to myself. This is such a simple pattern, it must have frustrated her that I would insist on doing nothing but single crochet for so many years.

The colors I chose were ones I had left over from making a 1960's style crocheted dress in brilliant dayglo colors. The dress was for a 1960's Pop Art Party at work. I worked the dress with no pattern, but even here you can see that I used the ripple effect.

If you would like to make your own ripple afghan, you can download the free pattern here.  Hopefully my transcription works for you!!

Ripple Afghan pattern pdf

Grandma's Notebook Project 3: Colorful Summer Afghan

This afghan pattern is what crocheters might call "a stash buster".  My grandmother wrote "use up scraps!" at the top of the page on this pattern.  She also writes that this is a "Colorful Summer Afghan", but my colors ended up making a colorful Autumnal afghan.  As I worked on this project I found myself feeling overwhelmed and doubtful, and then foolish, as this is not a terribly complicated pattern.  I worried that I would not have enough yarn to finish it, that my color sequence was all wrong.  I started doing crazy lady crochet math, trying to work out my problems. I began to flip forward in the notebook and found a knitting pattern with Grandma's crafting math. It made me feel instantly better.  I thought of how Grandma handled children's tantrums.  She just let them happen.  She had six children, and as we've been told, she raised them with a sense of humor and an acceptance that sometimes you have to abandon the illusion of control.  If you don't you might miss out on the unexpected moments that make life delightful. I recalled stories of my uncle running away from certain punishment with Grandma giving chase. He ran straight for Grandma's bed, diving under the covers to hide, causing Grandma to laugh too much to follow through with the punishment.  Then there is the story of my mother returning home late after a date with my father.  Her brothers had locked the doors so that she could not get back in, so she climbed a ladder to get into her second story window.  Grandma called out, "Rosa, are you in?" to which my mother responded, "halfway".
I let go of the worry, I relaxed and finished the blanket.  I held it up and realized, this is beautiful in spite of all my frustrations as I made it. I might even make it again.

If you would like to make this afghan too, click here to download a pdf of the pattern.

Grandma's Notebook Project 2: Mittens

These mittens were omnipresent in our lives. Everyone in the family had a pair. I remember sitting in my grandparent's living room while Grandma crocheted these mittens during a visit from my Great-Uncle, her brother.  I remember her mhming while he talked. Sometimes the mhm's didn't quite land right, but that never much bothered my Great-Uncle, nor did it slow down his monologue. I understand now that she was counting, especially now that I've made a few of my own mittens.

Click here to download a PDF of this pattern.

Grandma's Notebook Project 1: Baby Sacque

 This pattern was tucked into a birth announcement inside of a pencil case in Grandma's binder. Along with the announcement there were two shipping slips and two cards from family members thanking her for the beautiful baby blankets- one for their first child, a girl and another for their second child, a boy.  I do not know the baby she made the sacque for.  That baby would be 43 now.
I had yarn left over from a baby blanket I made for a dear friend expecting her second child.  The end result was lovely. I will send the sacque along with the blanket. My friend's son happens to share my Grandfather's name, purely a coincidence, and just one of those instances of cosmic connectivity that makes the world that much more magical.

Download a PDF of this pattern.