Do you dare to wear a granny square?

I’m not sure if I’d manage a granny square evening dress….

But I’m loving the cowl I made last week and have been quite excited to show you!

I must apologise for the photos, I’ve cropped them right down this week, so you can’t see the whole effect, but let me tell you, it really is lovely, I tried it on my friend to see how it looked on someone and couldn’t get it off her and back around my neck fast enough!

Being that we are heading into winter at what seems like a veeeeeery fast pace right now, I’m obsessed with cowls and this I have to tell you, is the first of a series of cowl posts.  Cowls are my new thing, neck warmey snuggliness without flappy ends, they are perfection.  I’ve got another one on the hook right now which I’ll share with you when it’s finished, but I was also thinking it would look fabulous in Lovely Lucy’s Granny Stripe pattern too!

Anyway, let me tell you how I made this one before I run off telling you about others to make!   Even though I’m sure most people reading this are Granny Square making legends, I’ve added a quick pattern below…

• Begin with a magic ring/ sliding loop, ch3 (counts as 1dc) 2dc into ring, ch3, 3dc into ring, repeat twice more and join with a slst to 3^rd ch of original 3ch.  Pull loop tight.  Fasten off.
• Attach new colour with a slst into 2ch space, ch3 (counts as 1dc) into same space make 2dc, ch3, 2dc, ch1, *into next 2ch space make 3dc, ch3, 3dc, ch1* repeat ** until end of round and join with a slst to 3^rd ch of original 3ch.  Fasten off.
• Attach new colour in corner space with slst, ch3 (counts as 1dc) into same space make 2dc, ch3, 3dc, ch1, into next 1ch space make 3dc, ch1, *into corner space make 3dc, ch3, 3dc, ch1, 3dc into next space, ch1* continue until end of round and join with a slst into 3^rd ch of original 3ch.
• Repeat until granny square is at desired size. 

I made my squares with a 5.5mm hook so they would be nice and drapey and not resemble a granny square neck brace, and used 8ply wool in 6 different colours, so 6 rounds in total, which makes a nice big granny square.

Make one, and on the last round of the second square, join as you go to one side of the first square.  If you’re not a fan of the join as you go method, you can obviously slip stitch them later or sew them, your choice!  I made seven in total, which made my cowl long enough to wrap around my neck twice.  (Cozy and warm yay!)

Once you are finished joining your squares, even up the edges by joining a new colour with a slst, ch1, sc into all of the stitches except when you reach a joining place between two squares, in these stitches (the 3ch gaps from the last rounds) make a hdc to make the edge nice and straight and not dip at the join.  Join with a slst to first ch, repeat other edge.  I went around then and did a row of dc clusters, but these are not necessary, you might like to do none, or one, or ten to make it a big chunky cowl!

In fact, the possibilities are huge, you can make them with lots of little squares, I think I’m going to have to spend this weekend (Easter yay!) trying out some of these possibilities!  I’m loving this cowl and have had so many comments on it from people, including strangers which is always telling!  I say to them, it’s not often you get an excuse to wear a granny square, and they all agree!

So what do you think?  Is it still cool enough to hook yourself up a granny cowl before summer hits?  I’m thrilled with this and can’t wait other variations pop up around the place!

Allright lovelies, I’m off, this morning I have begun my Easter break, the sun is shining and I have lots of fun knitting and hooking to do, walks to go on, assignments to finish and books to read, sending you lots and lots of love and blessings!

From Alice and Raymond XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX