Saturday, June 27, 2009

FO: Great Giant Granny Square Scrapghan Challenge of 2009

It's done!
(History here, here and here.)


The Details

Pattern: Purl Bee Granny Square Tutorial

Hook: size J (US)--because it's what I had on hand and it seemed to make about the right fabric with bulky yarn and worsted yarn doubled.


Yarns: A whole lot of different scraps, leftovers, and unallocated yarns from the stash, all bulky weight or doubled worsted weight.

Knit Picks Decadence (burgundy, brown); about 5 skeins each (1000 g total)
Knit Picks Andean Silk (olive--from traveling cables cardigan); about 4 skeins (200 g total)
Lion Brand Kool Wool (beige, dark green, red); about 9 sks beige/2 sks green/1 sk red (600 g)
Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool (brown--from Aran Cardigan); about 1/3 skein (75 g total)
Filatura Lanarota Puno (beige--from Mom's Christmas sweater 2007); about 4 sks (200 g)
WEBS wool tweed (banana); about 4 sks (400 g total)
Rowan Soft Tweed (green--from Tahoe); about 4 sks (200 g)
Debbie Bliss Luxury Donegal Tweed (green--from Mossy); about 4 sks (200 g)
Lana Grossa wool (green--from Knitting For Peace messenger bag); about 6 sks (300 g)
Araucania Atacama (green mix); about 8 sks (400 g)
Cascade Eco Wool (brown--from Not So Sahara); about 1/2 sk (100 g)
Elsebeth Lavold Classic Al (green--from Opulent Raglan); about 6 sks (300 g)
Malabrigo Worsted (dark green--from Central Park Hoodie); about 1 sk (100 g)
and
Cascade 220 Wool (burgundy); about 8 sks (800g)--just for the border!

If my recollections and my math are correct, this adds up to 4875 grams of yarn, or about 10.7 pounds! This is a biiiiiiiig blanket. I have a king-sized bed, and as you can see, the blanket drapes well over the sides. Although it's hard to get an accurate measurement of something so stretchy, it measures at least 108 inches--or nine feet--square.

Yes, it was an enormous amount of crocheting. It was also very heavy and unwieldy toward the end. The border took me a whole week to finish, and it's only six rounds of double crochet.

But it's soft and pretty and used up a whole lot of yarn I would never have used otherwise, so all in all, I call it a great success!

Now, where did I put my knitting needles?

30 comments:

Fibra Artysta said...

Its gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! I can sympathize with the unwieldy comment, my little babette (which is the equivalent of a potholder compared to what you just made) is getting to be a bit much to wrestle.

Well done!!!

Sharon said...

Congratulations! That's a whole lotta hookin'. =) It looks beautiful on the bed, so snuggly warm and comforting.

Allison said...

Wow! It turned out great! I can't believe how much yarn you got to use up. Well done!

Stephanie said...

Awesome! I love how the colors go with your pillows. I think it adds a great touch to your bedroom, I give you lots of kudos as well, as I would not have completed this in the time you did, and I would probably have petered out somewhere around row 10. Great job!

Mel said...

My gracious - that is beautiful!

Kelli said...

Awesome. It looks really good and I love the fact that its made mostly of left over yarn.~ksp

sophanne said...

That is great. Simply great. Btw-as I finish each pair of socks, I've taken to granny-squaring a la Babette. Your endeavor was the inspiration.

Jill said...

Holy cow! That's just amazing! And so sweet that you can have the blanket to remember all the wonderful projects you knit in the past with the same yarn. Love it!

Life's a Stitch said...

That is one inviting picture - makes you want to snuggle right in with that afghan.

Tammy said...

Wow! Just wow! I humbly bow to your fiber powers.

Senja said...

That is HUGE! Wow I am impressed with your crochet ability, I can really only do a single chain of crochet after that it is all a mystery. Looks beautiful!

marit said...

WOW! It's gorgeous! I love it! Well done!

Steph B said...

Awesome! And wow, woman, you have some staying power! Methinks my "Great Granny Square" would've ended up as more of a piddly potholder. It looks beautiful.

Unknown said...

I have always wanted a bed like that! Your blanket just ads to my fantasy. Oh, now don't misunderstand, I am only thinking how cosy and traditional it looks and this 4 poster bed is just my dream bed, either on my own or....

Patty said...

Ooooh! Congratulations on your fortitude! It is gorgeous!

Suzanne said...

Wow!! Its really beautiful!

Anonymous said...

You are the crochet QUEEN. I bow down to your greatness.

Serious that is gorgeous. and big. really. really. BIG. kudos for finishing it without getting super bored.

Walden said...

It looks great!

Angelika said...

Wow, this thing is huge! And heavy. I sure hope you never have to get it wet.

Unknown said...

That totally rocks, and I have GGSSC envy. It looks great.

Sunflowerfairy said...

beautiful!

Karen said...

It's fabulous! Great way to use up a bunch of stash!

sheep#100 said...

Just in time for summer! ;o)

Looks nice and used up leftover stuff - can't do better than that.

Deborah-- said...

Absolutely freaking gorgeous! A fantastic way to use scrap/leftover yarn. Be proud!!!

Romi said...

Fabulous!!!

Lori said...

Oh WOW! This is a beautiful afghan, stashbuster or not!

Amy S. said...

Seriously awesome. Eight skeins of Cascade 220 just for the border? Seems impossible, but I did the math and it sounds right. You are one long-attention-spanned lady.

Kim said...

SWEET. JESUS. That is seriously an epic blanket. It makes me want to learn how to crochet. And what a great stash buster too.

pdxknitterati/MicheleLB said...

I love it! It's humongous, and gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

You stuck with it, and it turned out GREAT.