Granny Bunting for Yarndale

Isn't this knitted bunting completely, absolutely amazingly lovely? The photo was taken at the 2011 knit and stitch show at Alexandra Palace and was part of the Woman's Weekly Centenary year celebrations attempt to break the world record for the longest line of bunting ever made (8,982ft!).

 This fantastic image has stuck in my mind since I came across it at the start of the year, and I knew without doubt that I would love to help create lots of woolly bunting for Yarndale.

As one of the members of the Yarndale team, I immediately put my hand up and volunteered myself for the Bunting Cause. Yes I can make bunting! Yes I would LOVE to hook up a colourful bunting storm! And that is precisely what I have been doing during the past four days. I have been a Bunting-making Machine. Well, kind of. I am quite a speedy hooker, and I have been doing my very best to get this creative endeavour off the starting blocks.

I sampled various methods of triangle making which mainly involved rows of double crochet with either increase or decrease rows to create the tapering triangle shape. But it was all quite time consuming, and damn it, it involved counting. I kind of got a bit peeved about counting rows, and so began to search for another way....and that's when I remembered the granny bunting I made a few years ago. Yes of course! Granny bunting! So easy to work in rounds instead of rows and there is no pesky counting to be done.

These triangles are super easy to make, and ridiculously speedy and addictive. I have worked them up in seven rounds of random colours using leftover odds and ends of Stylecraft Special DK (100% acrylic yarn that I've used for various blankets, see here, here and here).

I also had a play with some variations which used one, two, three and four colours. Even easier and quicker than the seven-colour-change triangles, but perhaps not as much fun for a colour addict like me.

I also whipped up a quick flower to add a little extra flourish.....

....it was simply stitched in place on top of the plain one-colour triangle. Cute eh?

I've made this many triangles during the past four days, working on them whenever I could. My bowl of yarn has been sitting permanently on the table with my hook, scissors and darning needle, ready to to picked up in an instant. It's been fun and I've loved seeing such great results come off my hook so quickly.

Now then, I'd like to use this opportunity to chat a little about steam blocking. Oh I know, how riveting and thrilling, how can we stand the excitement?! Seriously, if you have Stylecraft yarn in your possession (and I know many, many of you do), then you will love this info. Follow carefully. See the above picture? This shows you what we are dealing with :: the before (crumpled and curly and a weeny bit down-and-out looking) and after (so perfectly flat, with beautifully pointy corners!)

This is the method :: you need an ironing board, tape measure and pins. Turn the triangle over so that the right side faces downwards. Stretch out the top edge and put a pin in both corners, making sure this edge measures 18 cm/ 7 inches. You are pinning directly into your ironing board cover, putting the pins at an angle so's they don't ping out.

Pull the bottom corner downwards until the triangle looks straight and even, and put a pin in the bottom corner.

Now set your iron to the LOWEST heat setting, and make sure you have STEAM.

Now HoVeR!!!! This is VErY ImPorTaNt....The Iron Does Not Touch The Crochet. You hover it very, very close, about a centimetre above the surface of the yarn, and you simply allow the steam to do the work. No contact, no pressure. Just the pfffffffffffffffff of the steam. Concentrate on the corners. It does not take long, maybe ten seconds is all. And the results are absolutely miraculous.

Take out your pins, and hey presto, the crochet stays exactly as if it were still pinned!

It remains all flat and neat and beautifully shaped, with the most marvellously perky-pointy corners.



Ahhhhhh. I love to see a sweet little pile of Grannies. So satisfying.

Now then...........I have something to ask you, a Big Request. As you can no doubt tell, I am having heaps of fun making these triangles, but I also have a serious amount of other things going on with Yarndale (see my Yarn bombing post on the Yarndale website). So I have decided to put out a call to all the wonderful hookers of the world and ask if you would consider working up some Granny Bunting triangles for me, for Yarndale? Do you think you might like to join in with me? I would SO love it if you would. I would be hugely ever so grateful.

I'm thinking you could use up your own odds and ends of yarn to make up some Granny Triangles, and send them to me here in Yorkshire. Use whatever yarn you have, in any colours. Use loads of colours or just single colours, with or without flowers. It doesn't matter. All I would ask is that you consider the size :: I've used a DK weight yarn on a 4mm hook, and have worked up 7 rounds, but the important thing is that when stretched/blocked, the sides measure approx 18cm / 7 inches.

I've written up the pattern with a picture heavy tutorial for those of you who appreciate the visuals. At the end of the tutorial I've also written out the pattern in words so that you can copy/paste and print it. FIND THE PATTERN HERE!

I've not managed to sort out a mailing address yet, but will let you know in the next week where you can send them. I am SOooooooo excited about this project, and am more than happy to put in the considerable work to join all the triangles together. It's going to be spectacular. Thank you in advance (and excited anticipation) for your help, especially to those of you who have already offered your hooky services for the Bunting Cause.

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Comments

[Karuna]

Count me in! And Email me the address sometime so i can post the little bunting pieces to.
Yikes. Your postbox might get quite full with everyone's contributions. You might even beat the world record Lucy!
Can't wait to see the results.
K x

[Rosieposy]

Not only the excitement of sending you a modest package of crochet all the way from New Zealand (once I work out how to make it)...but also the anticipation of seeing your photos and hearing all about the event! Will you think about what to do with the bunting after? Will it continue to be decorative and colourful,raising spirits somewhere, or could it be put together into WaRm BlanKetS for people who might have need of them?

[Wendy]

this sounds perfect for me to do in my lunch break at work - we have started having a bit of a knit and knatter and this is a perfect quick and easy project. Count me in x

[Jenny]

What a super idea! What will happen to the bunting after the event? Could it be made into blankets for homeless children or something?

[Karen]

I'm so excited Lucy! Bunting sends me giddy anyway and every crochet bunting pattern I've tried has been a disappointment. Genius to start from the middle, can't wait to give it a go. Would love to send some triangles your way for Yarndale, I'll see what I can do :)

[Pat]

Thanks so much for editing the pattern dear Lucy...the corners look fabulous now!

Did someone ask what a US G hook is? That should be a 4.5mm. An F is a 4mm. Hope that helps.

[Jacky Russell]

Yep, I'll join in! I am hoping to come up for a couple of days as travelling from the South West :)

[Kate Taylor]

Lucy...if I could crochet, I would!Am desperate to learn but in the meantime am about to purchase a cushion from etsy. It suddenly occurred to be that you might actually be selling things when you have your open studio day. I live in the same town as you (am excited about the yarnbombing and will be at yarndale!) and would much rather buy local. If you let me know, I will keep hold of my pennies and spend them with you if that's an option! x

[Gillian]

I'll make some! Can't promise how many but I do love a granny square (or traingle!) Might have to make a few for myself while I'm there... x

[Deb Price]

I am in! I live in Indiana, US, so please let me know when you need these, as the post sometimes takes FOREVER! This is a wonderful way of taking part in something that I'd love to see. There's just this HUGE body of water stopping me:)
Deb P.

[Carole Williamson]

Hi Lucy, I'll do some for you. I know Yarndale is at end of Sept,isn't it? So when would you like the triangles for, cos I am a bit slow!
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxxx

[Vera]

Just hovered with the iron and it looks great!!!
Must crack on and make more, so they will be ready to post to you. Looking forward to "Yarndale" in September x

[Vera Menary]

Hi Lucy,

Count me in !!! I have just made my first triangle and am about to "hover" over with the iron .x

[anne@andamento]

I see Yarndale is not till Sept, so yes, I'd like to have a go at making some bunting triangles for you. I need a new small project having just finished a crochet blanket for a kingsize bed, which I wouldn't have been able to dream of making had it not been for your excellent how-to-crochet tutorials which got me started on this malarky in the first place!
Anne.

[Mellie]

Fabulous ... count me in for making bunting ... it will be a perfect lunchtime project to keep at work!! xxx

[Josefina]

Hi friend,

Just great, nice and easy and always so full of colour.
Thank you once more.

Josefina from Barcelona

[kathy]

I'm in!

[Anya Lulu]

I've made a stash already, commuting to and from London on the train, getting lots of lovely comments too :-) just waiting for an address to post

[Claire Hayden]

Hi Lucy, I would love to help with the lovely colourful bunting for Yarndale. I have just made my first one and it looks great, even though I do say so myself! The blocking is amazing, I have never done this before - blocking or making bunting. I think I will be making some for myself and as gifts in the future. Thanks for the pattern. Claire :-)

[ilka]

there's something strange in the written pattern, I've tried one last evening - the corners are: tr3-ch3-tr3-ch1-tr3-ch3 - it looks very crumpled at the corners that way - now that I see your pictures again I think there's one tr3-ch1 that should be left out - is that possible?
apart from that, it's a very easy pattern - thank you!

[Mihaela A.]

I'm in, too!
I'm waiting for the mailing address.

[Thomasina Tittlemouse]

Love this pattern - thank you so much for sharing it. It's such fun to hook up and of course very happy to add to your bunting triangle pile for Yarndale although I think by the looks of it you may not need any more! I agree with Suzanne and Pat - I think the instructions add an extra cluster of trebles in the corners of round 3 and following, which shouldn't be there, looking at the pics and if I've understood the principle of the way the pattern works correctly. I guess just a typo but you might want to see it off before your bunting-makers get going properly! Happy Hooking, Lucy and all hooky-bunting-makers out there! E x

[Kitty]

Hi Lucy, would love to join in the fun too! One question? The crochet hook is 4mm. Would that be size G/6. I live in the USA. I know sizing can be tricky. Kitty from New Jersey

[Lee]

Awesome! U.S.A. made granny triangles probably won't make it in time, but this is a fab idea.

[Karen Reid]

happy to help out; and like the other ladies it is wonderful to be able to repay your much appreciated kindness