Not So Square: Always Listen to Your Granny

Another day, yet another Giant Granny Square afghan. Color yourself...surprised.The only difference this time around? It's not a baby blanket; this afghan, instead, was gifted to a much deserving ole friend, who I hope is as pleased with it as I am. I've called it "Square for a Not So Square", and this blanket will serve as a great starting place for me to extol some advice on the oh so grand Granny Square Afghan.Don't restrict yourself. Really. I'm not kidding. Let me expound...I decided to keep this blanket in a variety of not so related but kind of related colorways, but was much less restrictive of myself than the Baby Blanket for Baby Hux'. While that blanket was a bunch of bright greens, blues, teals and grays, this giant afghan features a few more distinct colors--like white, and yellow, lime green with brown, and a blazing maroon that's just gorgeous. And instead of changing colors every single row, some of my rounds are much wider, which gives the blanket this added detail.Giant Granny Squares are hard; when you start out, the colors all sort of look lost together and you can't see it all fitting. Ignore that little voice that says: rip it back. Start over.Please, listen to me; make sure you just plow ahead with abandon. Many a times I started this blanket over when I probably should have just kept going--I have a pile of swatches that will forever sit or eventually I'll manage to get around to ripping them.The swatches didn't help me. Not one bit.The key to remember is that this style of crochet will look excellent the larger it gets; even if you have no color repeat plan (I didn't for this one), the bigger it becomes, the more brilliant the palette and pattern. Eventually, your senses automatically know which color to pick next and of course, its the perfect one for that particular round. And it's as if you didn't have to think about it a second.So plod on. Do not tread lightly. Just let the afghan take you, instead of trying to control the afghan.Take lots of snaps at its various stages; a photograph will really show you what its going to look like (which is what I did; see above for the afghan in various stages of progress...all snaps taken at cliffs on the South Shore). This will give you some sense as to what you like, don't like, and where you want to see the entire thing go.As always, more snaps of my Square for a Not So Square at its Flickr set.File Under: Always take advice from your Granny. It makes the most sense. Unless of course, you have a Granny who gives awful advice.