Greetings! I'm so glad you're here!  The response to my granny square patterns has been awesome.  I know that a few folks have given them a try (or will be) and I can't wait to see how they turn out.  You know it's one thing to make the square but it's a whole different ball game when you try to turn what you did into a pattern for someone else to follow!  It's hard work!

And speaking of hard work as you can see I've been filling my days with pansies and classic squares. Well, the pansies are hiding! There's a little project coming together, but I'm not quite ready to tell/show you what it is!  Soon enough it will make it's debut in the next installment of the GSP.

The other night I did pick up Juliana (that's her in white). I didn't realize it, but I only have a row and a half of sc and then 2 rows of edging to finish her up! She really is lovely and will make quite a statement. I had planned on doing beads on the last row, but I think I'll just go ahead and put the tassels on that the pattern calls for and get to wearing her!  Eleanor (in those great fall colors) has been my carry along project.  The progress is slow and steady.  I know that she will be smashing when she's finished and I imagine we'll have plenty of good times this winter!

Just for kicks I thought I'd give you a glimpse into the space where my magic happens!!  This crazy messy area is my workspace.  It is directly in front of my big comfy chair.  It looks a little out of hand, but there is something so satisfying about having all my stuff around me.  I do my computer work at the dining room table (that's covered with books, and paper and colored pencils and camera equipment!), and I take pictures on our closed in porch (it's 2 walls of windows so the light is terrific!).  John calls these three spaces my "stations".  The truth is, I've pretty much taken over the house. And I have no intention of giving it back! Really,  I'm super lucky to have a supportive husband who doesn't mind eating his dinner surrounded by my projects! But he draws the line at having his picture taken while he's doing it!

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
All Souls Trilogy - Book 2
July 10, 2012
Viking Adult, 592 pages

In A Discovery of Witches we are introduced to Diana, a reluctant (untrained) witch and Oxford scholar and Matthew a geneticist vampire.  Together they are searching for a sacred manuscript called Ashmole 782 that is said to hold the secrets of the creation for all creatures - and just may be the only way to save them from extinction.

In Shadow of Night they have traveled back in time to 1590 and Elizabethan England.  Here they believe they can search for the manuscript in relative safety and find a teacher who can help Diana master her powers.

These books are so different from what I normally read, but I am completely enchanted with them! A friend convinced me to read the first one and I was captivated.  There is a blend of history and fact that makes the entire story seem plausible.  I also really like Diana.  She is a smart, strong woman who manages to face the unanswered questions surrounding her past with just the right blend of grace and trepidation. Matthew is complex and mysterious - as any vampire who has lived several hundred years would be, yet he manages to be compassionate and understanding especially where Diana is concerned.

In this book the author has done a great job (again) of blending real characters (William Shakespeare and Walter Raleigh plus Queen Elizabeth!) into the every day lives of the couple.  It was interesting,  the way that life was depicted. And I enjoyed watch Diana grow into a confident witch and "modern" woman.  The story and the search for Ashomle 782 did detour a bit, and occasionally I found myself wondering how a certain event fit into the big picture. Happily though in the final third of the book there's lots of action and I found most of my questions answered.  Of course, not all of them - or there would be no need for book 3! 

It's funny, but the older that I get the more varied my tastes have become, and I'm quite pleased to have discovered this series! I don't think that I'll actively be seeking witches and vampires on a regular basis, but I certainly won't be so quick to dismiss them.  So far this has proved to be an entertaining and engaging series.  There's history and action, a love story, family secrets, time travel, mysterious powers and the quest to save the world. Really what else could you ask for??

After that serious dose of otherworldly goodness I started Janet Evanovich's Wicked Business. I had forgotten that this series has it's own take on special powers and magic.  But they're hardly in the same category.  Anyway, I'm already more than half way through which means its a quick read.  I'll tell you more about it after I finish.

In the meantime, I'll be linking up with these wonderful blogs.  Each one offers something unique and I love exploring the sites and taking in the talent.  Have a look, I'm sure you'll find something that tickles your fancy!

Thanks so much for stopping in and spending a bit of your day with me.
It's been great having you here.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

- Luther Burbank, American Botanist 1849-1926

A simple question. Yet for some reason I have struggled with understanding the difference. Since I've been working on making granny squares with flowers in them it seemed like it was time to find the answer. The internet offered me page after page of patterns for squares, hexagons, circles, flowers, leaves and more. It showed me options for Irish crochet and Japanese crochet. I was catching on, but still needed more. I left the computer behind and hit the books.  My old reliable dictionary told me a motif is a distinctive and recurring form, shape, figure, etc., in a design, as in a painting or on wallpaper (or a crocheted fabric!). The Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches finally brought it all together for me.  A granny square is a type or style of motif. A flower is a motif. A flower in a square is a granny square motif!! All granny squares are motifs, but not all motifs are granny squares.  Motifs can be used on their own, as embellishments or appliques, or joined together to create a fabric. The planets have aligned and the angels are signing. I understand!!

Now that I'm comfortable with the correct terminology, lets take a look at what's been going on here at Crochet Nirvana and The Granny Square Project.  So far I have journeyed back in time for a little history. I have experimented with the traditional pattern, and I have expanded my knowledge of basic color theory.  For this installment I decided to explore some of the ways to create flowers.

Granny squares are incredibly versatile.  Because they are worked in the round they easily  lend themselves to creating images that resemble flowers.  In a solid color the design is subdued, but clearly visible. When you start adding color, they jump right out at you.  I love that you can use bold and vivid colors as effectively as those that represent what the flower "really" looks like.  When I first started on this segment I was trying to use the colors in the pattern, but quickly realized that it was more fun to mix and match from the stash.  There were surprises along the way.  Like teal and orange - they're complimentary on the wheel but to me  it just seemed wrong, until I tried it!

All of the squares are made with Herrschner's Worsted Acrylic and my trusty H hook.  The patterns are all from The Granny Square Book which is proving to be a reliable and rich resource for me.  I like that they all have a chart to compliment the written instructions.  Using both has helped build my confidence in working from a diagram, something I've shied away from.  The only shortcoming I've found is that there are no dimensions on any of the squares.  I realize that hook and yarn size make a difference, but it would be nice to know based on the materials that were used.  As it turns out I have many different sized grannies.  I was hoping to make a sampler blanket with them, but that seems unlikely.  Unless any of you have a suggestion.  Please don't be shy - tips and pattern ideas are always welcome!!

This bunch of flowers were interesting and educational.  I was surprised by how easy it is to create three dimensional designs.  For the most part, you use basic stitches like sc, dc, tr and chains.  Working them into "clusters" or "groups" produces petals that are puffy, pointy or loopy!  In Square VII the unique petals are created by wrapping the yarn over the hook 10 times and pulling through a loop to make the bullion stitch.  I was intimidated  at first, but I persevered. It was awesome to watch the flowers bloom!

I've found that I can crochet all kinds of things when I take my time.  If I over think, or try to anticipate what's next I mess up.  Sometimes the instructions are confusing and don't make sense.  When that happens I don't let it stop me from trying.  I remind myself to have faith and only work one stitch at a time.  Usually that does the trick and as the stitches come together the pattern becomes clear.

- William Shakespear, Romeo and Juliet

Roses have been in existence for 32 million years, and have been used for many reasons throughout history.  In Victorian times the language of flowers (floriography), was a means of communication using various flowers and floral arrangements  to send coded messages.  This allowed people to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. They were most commonly communicated through "Tussie-mussies"'  or small, round bouquets of herbs and flowers with ­symbolic meanings.

In crochet, roses are perhaps the most popular flower motif.  And like their organic namesake there are numerous varieties available.  We don't think of them as having the same kind of meaning, but giving a gift of a blanket covered in blossoms would  surely show your love and affection for the recipient!

I chose these three patterns because they each utilize a different technique.  I think the Irish Rose looks the most realistic.  I was frustrated with my inability to make the square straight.  I'm certain that I followed the pattern exactly (stitches were counted repeatedly!), but it just doesn't seem right.  I imagine with a different fiber and blocking the situation could be rectified, but there must be another solution.  I've had this happen with other squares.  Does anyone know why? I'd love to be hear your tricks for making squares square.  The Rose of Sharon was a snap to make.  I didn't realize I was such a fan of the popcorn stitch, but it turns out I am! This would make an excellent pot holder/hot plate if done in wool or something that doesn't melt!  The Picot Rose is John's favorite. Not because it looks like a rose (it doesn't!) but  because of the colors. This one was also a treat to make.  The long corner stitches were a mistake, but if I didn't tell you I bet you wouldn't have known!!

For the past two weeks I have been happily stitching away growing a wonderful garden of granny square flowers.  With every one that I finished I felt the satisfaction of creating a piece of crochet art.  As I was selecting colors I tried to examine all my options, and use new combinations.  Some I loved and others not so much, but I was willing to take chances regardless of the result. I moved outside my comfort zone.

This installment has had a tremendously positive impact on my stitching skills.  I understand more about how they work individually and when you group them together.  Crochet (and I imagine knitting) is a craft driven by math. We count stitches, elements are worked in multiples, even the way pattens are written resembles an algebraic equation. And when you think about it all motifs are geometric in design.  Math like this makes sense to me.  It's orderly.

With my improved understanding and confidence I have been inspired to try something new.  I'm going to design my own granny square flower.  Until this week I was completely content to let someone else tell me what to do. But this is different.  Not only can I see what I want to make, but I know what to do (I think!) to make it happen. I'm so excited!  I can't wait to get started - and to share the whole thing with you next time!!

The Granny Square Project is a series chronicling my exploration into the world of granny squares that I'm doing as a member of the Come Blog-A-Long group on Ravelry.   We’re all working on different things as part of A Year of Projects and come together once a week to share our stories.  Please stop by to learn more about YoP and to see what everyone has been up to.

If you’re interested in reading the other installment in the series I’ve placed buttons on my sidebar for easy browsing.



Thank you so much for stopping by and taking a stroll through Granny's garden with me. I'm having a fantastic time with this and I hope you are too!  In addition to sharing with my friends at YoP I'll be linking up with these other wonderful bloggers.  Be sure to stop by to see some amazing talent!

Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Do you have a suggestion for what I can do with all my different sized squares?  What about a tip on how to make an unruly square - square? or Maybe you have a hint for a first time motif designer?! 
Don't be shy! I love hearing from you!

Greetings and salutations friends! I'm so glad you're stopping by today.  As you can see, Granny has taken over as I've been busy preparing for the next installment of the Project.  In Part IV my focus is more on finished squares so that means lots of happy hooking this weekend!

I'm truly overwhelmed (in a good way!) by the amazing amount of encouragement, support and positive feedback that I have received for this series. I'm having a fantastic time learning new things and sharing them with you.  Thank you so much for  reading and commenting. Knowing that you're there each week keeps me motivated and inspires me to do the best work I can.

The square that you see here is known simply as Flower Garden Square VI from The Granny Square Book.  Join me next week for Part IV and I'll tell you all about it and the other lovelies that are growing in Granny's Garden!

In addition to my fiber offerings, I like to participate in Five Minute Friday over at Lisa-Jo Baker's place. It's writing in the raw and if you've never done it, why don't you give it a try? It's really easy - you just:
1. Write for 5 minutes flat on this week's prompt with no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking - then post it just as it is!
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Here's what happened when I spent five minutes writing on the prompt "Join"

Putting together.  Attaching.  Creating a whole out of parts.  These are all ways to describe “join”. With all of my recent work with the granny square I’m thinking about different methods for joining them. The whip stitch, a chain stitch, a mattress stitch or perhaps the invisible join?? Always options for creating a connection.

And now I think of all the pieces of my life that have been pieced together to make me who I am today. And of my friends and family and how I am connected to each of them in a way that is similar, yet different.

We are the sum of our parts. Some of our connections are strong while others are fragile and fraying. I know that I am more because of each one of these bonds. I am a beautiful, multi-colored, vibrant granny square blanket. Each square is an experience, a moment or milestone. And I am joined together with yarn made of hope, faith and love.

So there you have it. I know "time flies" is a bit cliche but it doesn't stop it from being true! Today before it escapes completely I'll be linking up with these wonderful bloggers, and stopping by to see what kind of fun everyone has been up to.  I hope you'll join me.

This week I'm also joining in with Tricia and her Stash Bash. Click over for a peek!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Paul Klee, Swiss Expressionist painter 1879-1940

Color – It surrounds us and plays a significant role in nearly every aspect of our lives. It affects our emotions, moods and desires. Color tells us what to do, “Stop at the red light”.  How we feel, “Boy she’s got the blues” and how our finances are doing, “Thank goodness we’re in the black this month!”  Advertisers use it to sell their products and to create brand recognition – we all know what color a can of Coke is.  It's even used to demonstrate excellence as we saw at the recent Olympics where everyone was going for the gold!

When I decided to write about color I didn’t have a real plan. As I began my research it became clear that there was a lot of information available.  With so many qualified experts only a click away it seemed silly for me to try to educate you on the many facets of color.  Instead, I decided to share with you some of the information that I found interesting and useful to me as a crafter.

I am quite taken with the color wheel. To me it represents the science of color, and I can relate to the orderly way it presents information and options. After just a bit of study I can talk with (some) confidence about hue, tint, tone and shade. I know the difference between warm and cool colors.  Color harmony or themes however struck me as an incredibly important concept, and it seems that an understanding of this would be useful in working with granny or any project.

The original color wheel is attributed to Sir Isaac Newton in 1704 which he discovered through his experiments with light and prisms. It provides us with several formulas for creating balance and harmony. I imagine that we use them often without realizing there is a name for our choices!


Here is a list of the most common themes and how they're made:

Monochromatic – use various values within the same color family
Analogous – 3 or more colors side by side on the wheel
Complimentary or Direct Complimentary – are colors that appear opposite each other on the wheel
Split Complimentary – one color paired with 2 colors on either side of the color's direct complement creating a theme containing 3 colors
Double Compliment – 2 sets of complimentary colors that sit next to and across from each other on the wheel forming an X
Tetrad – 4 hues equal distance from one another forming a square or rectangle on the wheel
Diad – 2 colors located 2 steps apart on the wheel skipping the color in between
Triad – 3 colors equally spaced apart from one another forming an equilateral triangle on the wheel.

Grannies are excellent for experimenting with color. Making a square with potential colors for a project is a good way to see if they’ll live harmoniously or create a disturbance. It’s interesting to see how different colors effect one another.  Take a look at these four squares. They all have the same blue center, but the outside color makes each one look and feel different. The placement of colors is important. Deciding what goes where will have a big impact on your project.

There are patterns for granny projects that use color in many ways. In pastels for babies, primary colors for kids and in varying shades to create an ombre effect. I’ve seen blankets that look like vibrant stained glass windows and that resemble a garden of wildflowers. I noticed on Pinterest that white is a popular boarder color, while the blankets from my childhood were done with black.  If you’re designing your own afghan it can be hard to decide which color goes where. Creating random balance is harder than it seems! Check out The Granny Square Color Pattern Generator.  Choose your colors (using a color wheel!), the number of colors per square and the number of squares in your blanket. Voila! It generates a pattern that is aesthetically pleasing - no spread sheets required!

In the end, it all comes down to personal preference.  We think about who we’re making the project for, how they will use it. What feeling are we trying to covey? Warm and cozy, bright and energetic, young and fresh or classic and timeless. The possibilities are as endless as our imagination.

Spending time learning about color has been a great experience. It has opened my eyes and made me curious. I’m interested in trying new combinations and expanding my horizons beyond my comfort zone. And granny is just the girl for me. With so many different ways to make the square, it is a small canvas where I can create with any colors I want. No matter what the wheel says!

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope that you enjoyed my adventures in color as much as I did and maybe you have been inspired to do some exploration on your own.  Some of the sites that I used are:
Sensational Color,  Pantone,  CrochetCabana,  Visual.ly, and The Psychology of Color.

I’m a member of the Come Blog-A-Long group on Ravelry and The Granny Square Project is my contribution to a Year of Projects. We’re all working on different things and come together once a week to share our stories.  Please stop by to see what everyone has been up to.
If you’re interested in reading more about The Granny Square Project  I’ve placed buttons on my sidebar for easy browsing.

Please join me next time for Part IV – Granny Flowers.

Until then friends I hope your day is filled with color!
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

I'm having trouble getting started. Trying to figure out what to say. Here's why, my husband is in the hospital. He's doing much better, and I expect that he'll be able to come home in a few more days. I started to write this big description of what had happened and how it's effecting me, but that's not what I want to do. Then I started writing about appreciating life and loving your family, but that's not what I want to say either.  Those things are important, but what I really want to tell you is this:

I've been trying to stay busy to keep the worrying at bay.  I wanted a small project that I could finish in one afternoon. I was flipping through this issue of Crochet Today! and I found inspiration.

So I grabbed my supplies...

and following the step by step instructions on page 83 - 84, I created a collection of parts. I don't have much experience making things like this, but I threaded my needle and attached them one by one.

When I was all done there was a little red bird in the world that hadn't existed earlier in the day. That makes me happy, and it kept me busy.

I had to go to the library this afternoon and empty the book drop so the staff that open on Monday  don't have to spend their morning checking in books.  We just started closing on Saturday's and our patrons are still getting used to the idea.  I stopped for a moment to appreciate the lovely flowers that are blooming in our garden.

I brought along my little red bird because I thought it might be nice to take his picture outside. The sun was so bright, but he seems to be enjoying himself, and he's so light that he can perch just about anywhere!

We were having so much fun that I decided to let my new Chubby Sheep spend a little time grazing.

It was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.  If it weren't for my ability to loose myself in my crochet I would have spent the day worrying about John. And worrying isn't going to make him get better any faster. So I guess what I really wanted to say was this: The only thing in this whole world that you have any control over is how you respond to things.  And when something happens that knocks you for a loop, you can choose to worry and fret and be anxious. Or you can choose to stay calm, to trust in your higher power, and find yourself some yarn.

Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

I was drawn to The Lost Years, the most recent offering by Mary Higgins Clark,  because the inside cover told me, "(it) is at once a breathless murder mystery and a hunt for what may be the most precious religious and archeological treasure of all time." Sounds exciting doesn't it?  Unfortunately, for me the book falls short of being "breathless" or any kind of treasure hunt.

The story begins in the Vatican Library in 1474 A.D., where thousands of sacred manuscripts are stored.  The most controversial of these is know as both the Joseph of Arimathea Parchment and the Vatican Letter, believed by many to be the only letter ever written by the Christ.  Fearful that it will be destroyed by Pope Sixtus IV who believes it to be a fake, a monk removes the letter from the Vatican and it is never seen again. 

Jonathan Lyons is a biblical scholar who, while cataloging documents from an ancient monastery, discovers what he thinks is the Vatican Letter. Within a few days of sharing his discovery with his closest colleagues Jonathan is found murdered in his home by his adult daughter.  His wife, who suffers from dementia and advanced Alzheimer's, becomes the prime suspect as she is found hiding in the office closet holding the murder weapon. Mariah Lyons is convinced that her mother is innocent and sets about trying to discover who really killed her father and to find the missing letter.

There's tremendous potential for a really great mystery here, but the book just doesn't take advantage of any of the characters or the significance of the missing document. The author introduces us to many people (too many?). I don't think any of them are well developed and as much as I wanted to, I just didn't care about any of them. Except maybe the mother. I was a little worried about her.

The book reads really quickly.  I admit that I didn't figure out "who-dun-it", and there were some unexpected little twist. Overall, I'd say it was a fair offering from Mary Higgins Clark.  Not worth going out of your way for, but acceptable if you find it in the library of the B & B when you're looking for an easy read on a long weekend!

Currently I'm reading The Body in the Boudoir by Katherine Hall Page. This is a Faith Fairchild Mystery and in this installment the author goes back in time and tells of the story of how Faith (the caterer) and her pastor husband Tom met. I'm about 70 pages in and so far the story is moving easily and the characters are as unique and entertaining as I hoped they would be. Check back next Thursday and I'll tell you if it holds its own or misses the mark!

Interested in seeing what others are reading this week? Come with me to An Accidental Knitter where I link up on Thursdays.

I may not have loved this book, but what do you think of the latest addition to my yarn stash? This is a bulky weight wool from Canada that I got for free from my terrific crochet/knitting group. The label says it's from Candide Yarns and is color 79. I have 6 skeins (about 1140 yds. / 24 oz.) of this wooly goodness - now what am I going to make with it!?!

That's all for now.  Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

The only fiber action today is this new yarn that I got for free! I don't know what I'll do with the cotton, but I'm sure I'll figure something out.  And I don't even know what the orange sherbert looking stuff is, but I thought it would make a nice wash cloth or doily since there's not that much of it.  The coup of the new addition however is that totally beautiful sock yarn,  I have no idea what brand it is, but I think it's gorgeous.  Since it doesn't have a name I'm going to call it "Autumn Stroll".  I can't wait to give it a try with my new sock skills. I'm going to try a smaller hook this time because I think it'll make a nice fabric that way.

The past 24 hours have been busy.  On Wednesday I wrote about balance, my lack of it to be specific.  To add to the chaos I've been feeling, I spent way to many hours trying to make friends with Facebook (that's me asking for help on the Rav Group The Blog Hub).  Eventually we established what can only be considered an "association".  Friendship I fear is not in the cards for us. On top of that I've been trying to buy a new computer for the past two weeks.  Really.  I've somehow managed to turn a fairly straight forward purchase into I don't even know what. How's that possible? Here's the quick version: I purchased computer 1, brought it home, set it up and used it for about 10 days.  It couldn't stay connected to the internet (wirelessly) and the space bar stuck.  I tried trouble shooting with my internet provider with no improvement.  Back it goes. Computer 2 (a different brand) comes home, gets set up and is incredibly slow and temperamental on the internet.  Some pages open, some don't, those that do are so slow I could make dinner while waiting. I try to adjust settings, firewalls and such.  It doesn't get any better.  Back in the box it goes. And oh yeah, my son's 7 year old laptop is working like a champ so I know the connection is fine. Today I went to the store for one last try.  The bright side of this adventure has been the staff at the store who have made the exchanges easy.  I was going to get my money back, but I was assured by the friendly clerk that I can try another one if I want and as long as I keep my receipt I can bring it back (for any reason) within 15 days for a full refund. I figured why not? So here I am with yet another model computer. It's been about 6 hours and it seems like the third time might be the charm.  I'm staying connected, the keys don't stick and it even has the big 17 inch screen (fancy!). Buying a computer shouldn't be like this, and I've probably added to the situation because I refuse to settle and I refuse to spend 3 hours on the phone with the manufactures tech support who I can't understand trying to adjust something that I just spent a bunch of money on. I'd rather take it back to the store. Again and again.

Now I'm going to relax and see what's happening at Natural Suburbia and Wisdom Begins in Wonder.  Why don't you join me?

Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch and read with love!

I have to admit that participating in this challenge has been educational.  Why, you ask? What have I learned? Well I already know that I am lazy and procrastinate always. What I didn't know was planning and preparing in advance (months, not weeks like I usually do) is quite a bit of effort! During this week I have been thinking about what I'll be making for whom. So far, all that I've really feel committed to is what I'll be making for my co-workers.  Since they may be reading I'm not sharing more than that today.  What I can say is that it will be one item made in a slightly different manner to make them each unique and personal for the recipient.  As for everyone else well I'm keeping my options open and my eyes peeled for projects that strike my fancy.  I don't think there are any blankets or throws in my future, but who knows? On another note, I realize that we're supposed to be reducing our stash, but I couldn't help but add these three yarns to my collection.

After all they were free (from my club at the library) - and who can resist free yarn?! Plus I came across them on a day when I had socks on my mind, and I think each of them would make a fine sock.  Maybe that's what I'll do.  Make socks for everyone.  Do you think they'll get suspicious when I ask for foot measurements?

Be sure to check out Marie's great tips and prompts over at Underground Crafter.  Honestly it's because of her that I'm even considering my holiday list in May!

That's all for today friends.  Until next time,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!