Letters
Comme des Grannies
Dear Ann,
Remember this post from Karen at Fringe Association? It sent me around the bend. I wanted that thing. Bad. But not bad enough to crank up my rickety granny square skills. I just wanted the THING. For once in my life, without all that fussing.
Then I remembered, I know people who crochet. In fact I know one knitter who crochets a lot, and likes it. One thing led to another, and before long a swap had been arranged and yarn was heading to Liz’s house. (My side of the swap is still TBD. I’m sure that makes your Spidey sense tingle. I promise to fulfill my side of the swap!)
Here’s the result, which arrived in the teeth of the SCPV (So-Called Polar Vortex) aka The Artist Formerly Known As Winter, or maybe, if we were feeling dramatic, a Cold Snap.
Isn’t it pretty? The yarn is Madelinetosh worsted, in Charcoal and Silver Fox (the Charlie Rich of merino wool). A whole lot of it. It weighs as much as a fourth grader. Keeps the chills out, and entirely equal to the Comme des Garçons version.
The moral of this story is, friendship is a wonderful thing, and cross-craftual skills are a gift to be cherished—and shared.
Thank you Elizabeth Kaplan!
Happy weekend everybody!
Love,
Kay
Having seen this in person I can only rave as Kay has done. It is beautiful. And now I want one. x x
What beautiful colors! And I can tell how soft it must feel.
Absolutely gorgeous. And inspires me to get that ‘how to crochet’ book out and learn something besides the basic chain. I want to be bi-craftie.
Ooooh, LOVE IT! Can’t wait to see what you make in return.
Wait one minute. I know an Elizabeth Kaplan! Wonder if it’s the same one? And, coincidentally, I wonder if she wants to make the same trade, because O My Gosh that’s Gorgeous. 🙂
I was JUST thinking the same thing as Adrienne. Regardless of which Elizabeth this is, it’s SPLENDID!
That is stunning. Granny Squares as Haute Couture.
There’s crochet, and then there’s grey crochet, a whole different animal. Two shades of grey, irresistible, especially on you, Kay — blondes in cowls have more fun!
Comme des Grannies, indeed! It is lovely, particularly in gray (which dresses up everything). I need to find someone to swap with — since I learned to knit, I just don’t enjoy crocheting large items anymore.
OH DEAR! Yes, yes, yes! That is the most fabulous crocheted item ever! Just swoon.
Saw the finished product in person…it is beautiful!!!!! And Liz is incredibly talented!!!
Kay it looks fabulous on you!!!
I love gray more than anybody, so that thing is just incredible. Love it so much.
It’s lovely! The humble granny square elevated to sheer elegance. Enjoy!
LoveDiane
Love the idea of it being very heavy around my shoulders! Also love the pinwheel version she linked to!
I love it! I’m pretty sure my crochet skills are up to it…. although I really need to finish these mittens first….
Love that thing. Stash diving now. Do you have a link to Elizabeth’s Ravelry page on this? It’s interesting, the crochet is feminine but not frou-frou. Just the ticket to lift us out of the winter doldrums.
I am so touched by everyone’s enthusiasm and the fact that Kay even asked me to crochet it for her. I didn’t write up any instructions since it’s just a matter of any old granny plus half granny pattern. BUT, I’m inspired to sit down and write up a little something for all the Comme des Grannies fans out there.
After all, without you, I would be nothing…
write it up Liz! I am not sure how to join a granny and a half, yet I crochet grannies addictively . I admire the grey monotone restraint. Maybe I should challenge myself to that.
Gale,
Madelinetosh grays are not ordinary grays. Full of life.
Do it! You have the skillz!
Xo Kay
It’s just lovely
how did you join the squares?
it is so perfect!
Thanks, Donna.
I tried several different techniques to join the squares and settled on sewing them into strips and then sewing the strips together. Crocheting them together was too bulky. I’m sure there is a name for the stitch I used, but I have no idea what it was. It involved putting the right sides together and picking up the outer loop of the corresponding stitch from each square.
L.
Thanks, Liz ! Can do the granny squares and halves, but would love to know how much yarn it took to make this size. Bravo 🙂
Thanks, Lori. It was 5 skeins of each.
SO JEALOUS.
Liz, let me know if you post a pattern somewhere — I’ll post an update at Fringe Association and link that right up!
Hi Kate,
Thanks so much. Here’s the Ravelry link.
http://tinyurl.com/n6dw7cf
EK, that is gorgeous. Nice colors and beautiful work.
I can’t wrap my head around crochet very well, but I have always LOVED a crochet blanket, afghan….anything.
Kay, you are so lucky to have that wish come true 🙂
Please tell how much yarn was used & approx how long it took.
Thanks!
It’s a special and beautiful blankie, and I love how happy you look wrapped up in it, Kay 🙂
The tonal variegation reminded me of the close-up shot you recently posted of denim cables.
Ya gotta love a little Comme de Garcons don’t ya? This colorway is perfect. Now ya did it. Now I want one.
That’s it. I have to knit myself a blanket. My own crochet skills would lead to an interestingly shaped, but wending, stretch of wool. How wonderful to have good (and talented) friends.
Best reason to have friends ever! Gorgeous! 😉
Love it! For a moment, as a granny and a square um, addict, my heart leapt. You were joining the kitschy craft underworld (um, the crochet part, let’s hold off on the other, right?) But seeing as I am all about swapping and all about appreciating Liz Kaplan, still very exciting. I just agreed received my end on a bespoke artsy clothes swap. Definitely the way to go.
Oh, she’s just lovely! Who would have guessed…the humble granny square blossomed into haute couture??!! The colors give an understated elegance that is so beautiful – enjoy wearing her every single second! I want to clone EK so I can have one of my very own! 🙂
Point of Interest: Regarding the yarn used, Kay’s post reports Madeline Tosh worsted. The Ravelry link that Liz gave above reports Madeline Tosh merino, dk weight. I’m sure either would do well, just keeping in mind that yarn weight will affect the size of the granny square.
LoveDiane
Hi Diane,
This is an error. It’s worsted! I will correct the Ravelry.
Happy hooking!
L
Thanks!