Attic24

Granny Square Day 2020

If you have a smart phone you may well have the Instagram app at the end of your fingertips, and you may also find yourself following along with the vibrant, worldwide crochet community that exists there. You can find pretty much every well known crochet designer/blogger over there on the 'gram, sharing yarn, projects, patterns and creative life in general within their little grid of squares. Yarn makers, crochet magazines and yarn shops are also there alongside thousands of crocheters, and there is a huge pile of inspiration to be found by following hashtags too. For example, if you look at the hashtag #grannysquare there are a whopping 699 THOUSAND images. It's truly incredible. Attic24 has it's own hashtags too - #attic24 currently has 48.8 thousand posts....let that sink in for a moment.....forty eight point eight thousand. I have a lot of virtual friends on the 'gram!!

Anyhow....yesterday on Instagram it was Granny Square Day, which happens every year on 15th August. It's a beautiful celebration of the vibrant online crochet community and the love for the traditional granny square. The idea is that you can click on the hashtag #grannysquareday2020 within Instagram and your phone screen will be filled with hundreds of granny squares, creating a virtual community blanket. Hosted by Simply Crochet Magazine, you can find loads of free granny square patterns by designers from all over the globe, as well as top tips and fun photos to make you smile.

The day was epic, with over 5000 granny square images shared under the hashtag. It's such a joyful thing, the very best kind of online creative community spirit.

If you don't have the app on your phone, you can also access images via a web browser on your computer - click on the following link to see some of the #grannysquareday2020 images >>

https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/grannysquareday2020/

The above photo is credit to my friend Kathryn of Crafternoon Treats. She created this beautiful mosaic of her favourite granny squares from yesterdays celebration, and I think it is just stunning. It gives you a good idea of the sheer variety of squares that were made and shared this year, from the beautifully simple, classic granny square original, to the most intricate applique and overlay designs.

As I mentioned, Simply Crochet are the hosts of the celebration, and the current issue of the magazine (issue 100) has lots of granny square inspiration in it's pages, as well as a free booklet containing 100 granny square patterns. I was really happy to contribute to an article all about granny squares.....

.....and I have to say it's still a major shock to see my mug shot in print! Even after working with Simply Crochet for 6 years, I still have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming the whole thing.

In the article I chatted about my love for granny squares and the nostalgic feeling they give. I taught myself to crochet in 2007 purely so that I could make a blanket for my Little People (who were then aged 3 and 5). This was my first ever crochet project as an absolute beginner and it took me five months to complete. It lives on the back of my grey sofa, a little bit worn and faded now, but so very, very loved.

The traditional granny square is well known to every crocheter, and there is also a vast number of pattern variations in existence. One of the very first patterns I designed and shared here on my blog was the Summer Garden Granny Square (shown above). It's a simple twist on the original where the first two rounds are made to resemble a flower which then gives way to the traditional 3-treble groups of a basic granny.

For me, the thing that defines a granny square is that the groups of stitches are worked into the spaces between stitches rather than into the top of the stitches themselves. I apologise if you aren't a hooker because this won't make any sense to you at all, but I promise I won't waffle on about stitchy terminology for too long.

Many of the squares I saw on Instagram yesterday weren't actually granny squares - yes they were square in shape, but they weren't constructed in the granny square style (ie groups of stitches worked into spaces), which I found myself feeling a bit bothered about. The humble granny square is just so lovely and to be celebrated in it's simplicity.

Above is another of my granny square variations - this is the Harmony Square which I designed in 2015. Do you know, it's actually quite difficult to come up with new granny squares because the essence of them is their simple construction and there is only so much change and variation you can make. It doesn't stop me wanting to try though!

I designed the above granny square especially for this years Granny Square Day. I started experimenting on Friday morning whilst sat in the park with friends partaking in a very lovely and informal al fresco crochet n natter sesh. I kept coming back to tweak it and re-sample it throughout the day and by the evening I'd settled on the final design. I'm super happy with it! I've named it the Leo Granny Square, in recognition of the zodiac sign for mid August which is when Granny Square Day takes place every year.

I had fun picking out the colours for my squares, dipping into the box of oddments and scraps of Stylecraft Special DK left over from my extensive blanket making. 

The Leo square is made up of 7 rounds / 7 colours, and I thought you might like to see my mini colour palettes.....

♥ Raspberry ♥ Fondant ♥ Powder Pink ♥ Cloud Blue ♥ Sage ♥ Cornish Blue ♥ Violet ♥

♥ Cloud Blue ♥ Turquoise ♥ Lapis ♥ Wisteria ♥ Violet ♥ Fuchsia ♥ Tomato ♥

♥ Buttermilk ♥ Mushroom ♥ Grape ♥ Lincoln ♥ Pistachio ♥ Sage ♥ Lavender ♥

♥ Camel ♥ Buttermilk ♥ Dandelion ♥ Meadow ♥ Pale Rose ♥ Raspberry ♥ Plum ♥

♥ Wisteria ♥ Grape ♥ Raspberry ♥ Meadow ♥ Sage ♥ Duck Egg ♥ Mushroom ♥

I made this last square this afternoon so that I could photograph a step by step tutorial for you, and I think it's my favourite combo of colours. They are so serene and pretty, like a waft of fresh summer air.

You can find the tutorial for the Leo Granny Square over in my left hand sidebar, or click on the following link >>

❤️ LEO GRANNY SQUARE TUTORIAL ❤️

There is also a PDF version of the pattern for you to download/print free of charge, click on the following link >>

❤️ DOWNLOAD LEO GRANNY SQUARE PATTERN ❤️

It's been a lot of fun designing and playing with colours the past few days and I've really enjoyed myself inside my little creative bubble. I was away for a few days earlier in the week down in Dorset with the family, gosh it did me the world of good. I hadn't realised quite how much I needed the break away to completely rest and recharge my batteries. We came home on Wednesday and I feel completely re-energised and full of good spirit. I'll show you some photos from our time away very soon, a little bit of sea air and lots of glorious sunshine. It was quite marvellous!

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In The Slow Lane

Hello my friends, thank you so much for paying me a  visit, it's really lovely to welcome you back into the Attic. Here I am, quietly and gently stepping through my days as we continue to navigate life in a global pandemic. During the past month quite a bit has changed here in the UK as shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars and leisure centres have all reopened. Although we are still practising social distancing we are no longer in Lockdown, but for me personally I continue to live my life in a rather small, quiet bubble very close to home. 

Our "Daily Walk" which became an absolutely vital part of Lockdown is still happening. We don't go every single day but more often than not you will find us tramping along these very familiar and much loved pathways through the woods.

It really is glorious out there when the high summer sunshine streams down through the greenery.

Mind you, July was an extremely wet drippy month but often pretty warm too - there was a very damp, humid spell when a persistent light rain fell for endless days and it felt like there was never quite enough oxygen in the air to breathe properly.

We still walked in the woods even in the rain, and I tell you I inhaled so deeply that I nearly turned myself inside out - ohhhhhh, the scent of warm, damp earthy green woodland is such a wonderful, wonderful thing!

There is something very soothing about the gentle sound of rain falling in woodland - that soft, continuous patter as the droplets hit leaves is just magical. I've always appreciated having this ancient woodland just a short walk from our front door, but during the past few months I've been glad of it more than ever. It has been absolutely beautiful to walk the same paths almost every day and watch the seasons change slowly from Spring to Summer. I wonder how it's going to feel as we see Summer gently give way to the colours of Autumn? I will do my very best not to give in to the melancholy that often comes over me at Summers end. I shall embrace the change with a positive mindset (I will, I will!)

Last week I created a new midweek routine for myself. Of course I didn't know it would become a routine at the time, but after repeating it again this week, I think I've decided to officially adopt it as my weekly "Wednesday thing". This is how it is when you relish life in the Slow Lane.....these little routines become very important!

Ten o'clock and off I go, out the door, down the street, turn right and walk about five minutes or so down the road to one of my favourite little cafés on the edge of town. It's small with only a handful of tables at the moment due to social distancing. It is so charming inside with a bit of a continental atmosphere, and oooohmygosh the coffee is sensational. I just adore it, and can happily sit at a table all by myself, sipping my coffee and feeling like I am on holiday.

Once my coffee is finished, I am ready to head into town. Another few minutes walk along the side of the canal...

...then a quick jaunt up a little narrow cobbled cut-through (what do you call these, it's a narrow lane that runs between buildings and connects two roads? An alleyway, a snicket, a ginnel?) - anyhooo, up here I go, emerging into the very centre of the bustling main street in town.

The market comes to town three days a week on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and it re-opened at the start of June. Since then we have been making a concentrated effort to visit a couple times a week to buy fresh produce and support small local businesses as much as we can. 

First stop is the cheese stall where I buy some "True Grit" which is our favourite farmhouse cheddar. Some soft creamy goats cheese also makes it into my bag.

Next stop is for fruit and veggies - oh my, such a treat. I admit that in recent years we had gotten very lazy with our food shopping, using the supermarket for pretty much everything as it was just so convenient. Lockdown has caused us to rethink our habits and find a new appreciation for shopping small. 

It's been a revelation, truly! Eggs, meat, cheese, the most incredible sourdough bread from a new local micro-bakery, as well as an abundance of fresh fruit and veggies are crammed into my bag. I absolutely love it. LOVE it! And I'm determined that this will be the only way to shop from now on. We still use the supermarket once a week for basic groceries, but I'm so happy to rediscover the joys of living and shopping in a small, rural market town.

There is such a lot of pleasure to be had from tasty, fresh wholesome ingredients and I really enjoy preparing, cooking and eating in this way. I very rarely eat anything processed these days, and I think it's making a huge difference to my overall health and well being. I'll be chatting some more about this at some point as my eating/health has undergone quite a big change in the past eight months (for the better I might add). For now, please just feast your eyes on the above photo (Wednesdays lunch following the aforementioned trip to the market) and get a load of those incredible "Yorkshire Black" tomatoes!! Wowsers, the flavour....oh, you have no idea. Too good for words.

I think one of the most difficult things for me personally during Lockdown has been the loss of my alone time. Our house is pretty small with just one open plan living/dining room which as you can imagine is a very well used space for a family of five. Sometimes I've found that I really, really crave some uninterrupted time to just be alone with my own thoughts, to quietly think and ponder, to noodle on creative ideas, to just allow my thoughts to run through my mind without any conversation or background noise interfering. This is pretty vital to my well being, I am an introvert through and through and I desperately need regular quiet time to process and make sense of life and all the things that seem to be on my plate each day.

Every so often I'll reach a point where I just know I need to get out and be by myself. Luckily the Little People are very self sufficient and J is working from home, so I'm (mostly) at liberty to take off out the door when I feel the need.

I don'd tend to go far - just five minutes walking brings me up the cobbled streets, over the hill, down through the park, through the wooden gate and into the meadow. I honestly feel my soul breathing out with utter relief when I am gifted with these far reaching views and the tranquil sounds of nature doing it's thing.

There is a pathway that meanders all the way around the edge of the meadow, and usually by the time I get back to the wooden gate I feel like my mind has cleared and my emotions have settled. Being out amongst nature is truly the best tonic.

The wild flowers have been amazing this year, what with the abundance of hot sunny weather through spring, then the shed-loads of rain we've had so far this summer. The meadows, verges and hedgerows have been a riot of living colour and I have really delighted in observing it. 

Right now the flowers are almost gone and the tall, pollen laden grasses are taking over but it has been so lovely to feast on the floral beauty while it's lasted. 

My climbing rose at the front of the house is doing well this year and I've really been enjoying having small summer posies on my table again. More than ever before, I've been appreciating the small simple rituals and seasonal routines that bring pleasure to my days spent at home. 

Snipping a few flowers to bring indoors....

....pegging laundry on the line to air dry in the sun (ooooo, fresh sun-dried bedding is one of most favourite things about summer!)

....pulling on a pair of hand knit woolly socks when the evenings feel unexpectedly damp and chilly.

They are such small pleasures in the scheme of things, but I value these little comforts enormously. 

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The Little People (who really aren't so very little any more) have coped remarkably well through Lockdown, and I feel so very grateful for the ease of parenting them at this age (they are 17, 16 and 10). I've especially relished all the extra time I've had with Little Lady, we get on extremely well and are very close. Like most teenagers she spends much of her time in her bedroom when she's at home, but she does still choose to hang out downstairs to watch a film or have a chat with us "oldies". By the way, I'm loving seeing my Aria blanket being so well loved and used around here since I completed it in May. More news about that coming up!

At the start of Lockdown my planner sat untouched - I felt like I had absolutely no reason to open the pages. Why bother planning when there is nothing to do and nowhere to go? Why make to-do lists when everything is on hold, things are being cancelled left right and centre and we feel like we are simply treading water? That was definitely my mindset for the first couple of months, but towards the end of May I really began to miss it. I felt adrift and lethargic, frustrated and a bit lost, and one day I suddenly had the realisation that getting back to my planner might just help me deal with all those feelings. 

I began to make some simple to-do lists for the week and noted down small accomplishments each day. And for the first time I also started to write down random thoughts, dreams and ideas as they occurred to me, a series of mini " brain dumps" if you like. This is the sort of stuff that usually stays firmly locked inside my head in a big giant tangle unless I make a deliberate effort to sort through it and release it all - it gets very congested inside my head if I'm not careful! Mental tangles are absolutely no good for the likes of me, they make me feel agitated, frustrated and weighed down. 

This is just a brief summary of how I've been feeling of late - there are other things that have been going on which have all contributed to me feeling very off kilter just recently, but I can tell you that I am good! I am emerging from my Personal Wobble feeling really positive and ready to make things happen. I have plans and dreams, and I am quietly hopeful for some changes in the future which will open up all sorts of wonderful things. I promise to elaborate when the time is right.

So yes I've been a bit wobbly, and I've been feeling doubtful and insecure about certain things, but honestly I really am not complaining. Life in my own personal Slow Lane has been pretty damn good and I count my blessings every single day. 

In June I quietly celebrated the Summer Solstice and faffed my mantel for my most adored season of all. Did I tell you how much I love the Summertime ;) Hahaha, of course I did, I probably dwell on it way too much, but summer, oh my, I do LOVE it so. I love the relaxed ease of these months, the outdoor living, the colours and the warmth, the flowers and the holiday vibes. But most of all I love the light in summer, these looooong hours of daylight feed my soul like nothing else. 

Take the above photo for example.

The date : 23rd June, the day after the solstice.

The time : 20:53.

Almost nine o'clock at night, and was in the park (on my own I might add, nobody else wanted to come) sat on my Aria blanket crocheting up a stripe sampler in the soft golden glow at the end of a hot day.

Look...................................

..........it was just so delicious! I didn't speak to anyone, just sat quietly with my own thoughts, feeling the sun on my face and the yarn run through my fingers, listening to the sound of laughter and music coming from a nearby group of teenagers. Watching the sun lower in the sky until it fell behind the trees, thinking how magical life can be if you just take the time to stop and soak it all in.

Incidentally - my Aria blanket is giving me all the happy summer feels, the colour palette is scrumptious I have to say. Did you know that the word "Aria" means "air" in Italian? It makes me think of the utter joy of breathing in lungfuls of fresh air after a long time spent cooped up indoors. Memories of lazy hours spent outdoors enjoying a light fresh breeze with the sun on your face. 

After a long, unavoidable delay due to the pandemic, the pattern and yarn kit for the Aria blanket should be ready in early September. I'll be able to tell you more about it a bit closer to the time - I am really looking forward to sharing it with you.

I really hope you are all doing OK and that you are practising lots of self care and prioritising your own wellbeing. I've learnt how important it is to check in with ourselves regularly and make sure all is well right down into our souls. 

Wishing you a fabulous weekend in your own lane of life, however fast or slow it is....!

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