you’re a REAL ONE for showing what the granny square process really entails with pattern making!!! i’ve been trying to find a granny square vest video that fits my style the most and THIS is it!! i’m a crocheter and make my own patterns (self taught). I typically find existing items I like from fashion designers and identify/ count the stitches and use it as inspiration (only, no direct copying) to make my own patterns and styles. while I will use your vest as a base, I will change up a few things to fit my style and preferences more - which is what this community is all about!! the fit and cut of this vest is perfect so thank you!!! i’m ready to take it on!!
Choosing white / cream for the perimeter of each square was absolutely the right decision. And the neckline you knit is perfection! I really think you'll love wearing this vest and wear it often. Well done! 🙂
For fantasy audiobooks a good series is Terry Pratchett’s discworld series. The audios are really well produced and the voice actors are top notch. They are what I listen to while walking to work. I get them for free from my library app which also helps
GNU Sir Terry ❤ The Discworld Witches (from what I can infer about all y’all, Tiffany Aching’s books would be favorite) are my comfort reads. I especially love to listen to the old Nigel Planer narrated audiobooks while I stitch or make other art.
To start, you really remind me of my self like my inner self. I am many many years older than you but we could’ve been good friends. Your content brings me such happiness.
Sending love from Australia, and thinking of you all over the next 4? years. You are very welcome to live here for a while.....we have lots of sheep and lovely yarn.....
I greatly admire your precision in picking up stitches evenly for your borders & ribbing. The mitered corners at the armholes & changing gauge/needles when needed are especially fine work details. Well done, young lady.
Back when I was in high school and less than a year into my crochet journey, I decided to crochet a flower granny square cardigan (as a gift, no less). I didn't know anything about yarn selection so I used craft store worsted weight acrylic which made it incredibly stiff. I worked on it for probably 6 months and once I was finally done I gave it to the recipient. Maybe a week or two later they came to me and told me it had started to fall apart. At the time I didn't know how to properly weave in my ends and had cut many of my tails way too short. I tried to fix it but the more I tried the more it completely came apart. I wasn't able to salvage it. Now, years later, I use it as a reminder that no matter what happens (I mostly knit now), my worst project failure is behind me. Love the video!
ugh I love love love the look of this over that denim dress. makes me want to make my own granny square project but i don't think I could stay motivated for 70 hours ☠
i feel you so much on the "Oh this is cute!! I would enjoy making this just for the figuring out how to do it section, but I would never wear it, so I won't make it." I love the mental gymnastics of trying to figure out how I personally would try and recreate something I saw somewhere, even for things I would never wear. Crocheting something though, will have to be something either I will for sure wear, OR it's planned for a friend or family member. I'm never gonna make something again that I am not at least 90% sure I would get a use out of/ will wear when finished
I like how honest you are about your difficulties with a project. You do not try to show that it's all fun and glamorous when it's not. And it makes your videos much more entertaining! I have a book recommendation! Try Brandon Sanderson's Tress of the Emerald Sea. It's what I would call a cozy fantasy.
Love the honesty that came with this video. The color struggles, the spontaneous creative self versus the one desperate for structure. I'm super happy for you that you went with a vest instead of a sweater, because I also beat myself up for going "the easy route" sometimes. It's not all about making ourselves suffer for the sake of not being "lazy." That some Puritanical bs, and even if you do plan to wear this around the apartment for Thanksgiving... yeah. You don't have to beat yourself up. lol
Loved that youtube suggested your channel to me! I really enjoy granny squares and your vest fits you so so well. Tip for your next GS project: weave the ends as you finish each granny square. It will help you get motivated in the end not to weave everything at the same time!
My first crochet wearable project I ever started is a granny sunburst square hooded pullover. I walked into my LYS, my first ever visit to a small yarn shop, and was blown AWAY by all the colors and textures. The first yarn I saw was a hank of hand-dyed variegated rainbow stuff called "Fiesta" and it felt AMAZING...turns out it's a merino/silk blend. But, at that point I was absolutely mesmerized and there was no turning back. I bought 5 solid colors in this same merino/silk blend as well. In my mind I instantly saw a 'stoner' sweater in an array of beautiful tie dye squares, with a cute lil daisy inside each square. I got home and realized I cannot crochet with fingering weight yarn!? [I can now, but I couldn't then] so then decided to hold all of it double, and use a 5 mm hook. Believe it or not, I was still so new at this I didn't realize holding yarn double means paying for twice as much yarn...it's a merino SILK blend, mind you...and then when I started making the squares, I was at the same point you were in that it was all so BUSY. I played around and played around, and then finally decided I needed 2 additional colors, of course, which I could do a gradient mix with since I was holding double. 7 colors, 14 squares in the color rotation. I also had to get a swift and a winder and figure out how to divide all the hanks into two balls per hank [hello kitchen scale], and then started making squares, weaving the ends in and then blocking. After doing that for a few months, I then decided I needed a neutral to balance it all out and chose black [held with a strand of black mohair/silk for a fun pop of texture], which meant I had to take the pile of squares I already had and add a round of black, and then re-block them all. At this point I think I was about 5 months into the project...and had already finished 2 other sweaters at this point lmao. Now I started laying awake at night wondering how the HECK do straight squares accommodate a rounded hood at the neckline?? and would the sleeves fit?? Will the entire sweater fit around my giant butt?? I lost so much sleep to this sweater. At some point I realized I had enough squares and started laying them out. Did I want a roygbiv spread? did I want a randomized spread? I tried both and took photos on my phone and puzzled over the photos for DAYS. Finally decided on a roygbiv spread, then, laid out my squares for the final time, liked what I saw, and commenced to sewing, mumbling furtively all the while, "please let the hood be easy to figure out". Turns out, the hood was easy to figure out!! Also, I decided on a split hem, so I didn't have to worry with it fitting around my butt, and, by some miracle, the sleeves fit perfectly. Idk. That was just luck, frankly. Anyway, a gazillion dollars and stitches later, I actually finished my first crocheted wearable, and since I live in NC I have really only been able to wear it for about an hour in the mornings before the AC kicks on because it's still like 75 degrees out, but I have hopes that fall will eventually get here so I can wear my excellent if gigantic [as Hugh Grant would say] sweater. I love that color palette that you chose, and I LOVE the way that Knitting for Olive drapes...you crushed that vest. It's just beautiful.
Thank you for sharing the process. I remember my first crochet project and doubting my decisions on size and seaming technique - it all worked out in the end and it resulted in my most used blanket. Increasing the hook size can make your crochet more drapey.
I can totally recommend the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. Also reading Tress of the Emerald sea and it’s a lovely fairy tale. Another recommendation is Piranisi. The vest looks fab! I finally finished my 480 granny square blanket last year but took me 4 years!
I love how the final round is the same on every granny square, it looks so cohesive. I just crocheted a huge pile of granny squares to make a similar vest while on vacation. I had a lot more yarn than I thought, so I just kept making squares and think it'll be a cardigan inspired by a popular pattern recently on Ravelry. Knit sleeves and button bands and ribbing along the waistband. It's a fully scrappy project, bits and bobs of similar weight and plied yarns, so the sleeves will match, the button band and the waistband will be different from each other and the sleeves. I think it'll be a triumphant finished object and will have moved a whole lot of scrappy bits of yarn from my textile center garage sale purchased stash! Also, while I understand your want to have an even tone to your vlog, there truly is no "no matter what your political views are" any longer. This election was a study in the uneducated and easily gullible folks voting against their own human rights and the rights of everyone but rich cis white men. Gloves need to be off and we need to call it what it is - institutionalized White Christian Nationalism. Disturbing. Anything else is being complicit to the downfall of our democracy.
Girl. You brave brave girl. We all ignore the advise of dont do it. IF, huge stinking if, you attempt a sweater again , just remember if you set those grannies on point they cover more area and are easier to manipulate into a sweater. Alright. Turned out super cute. Love your choices on the ribbing.
I wonder if you'd like the hexa-granny cardigan. Toni Lipsey recently did a tutorial. It works up really fast. You could choose a limited palette or a variegated. She does a good job explaining how to alter the hook size to find your preferred drape.
It got the kitty seal of approval! Brava on a great vest, the colors and fit are perfect. I might have gone with ties, but who cares! There are 2 patterns that are on my list for when I learn how to do a granny square, Ariana and Jethro. I would need to follow a pattern, so it is so impressive you can just do it on your own!
For book recommendations I LOVE the locked tomb series. The first book is called Gideon the ninth, it can be fairly confusing but once it clicks it’s incredible. My best pitch for Gideon is space lesbian necromancers, childhood rivals in forced proximity, murder mystery, with a life or death game. It’s one of if not my absolute favorite series. Love how the vest turned out!! I’ve been wanting to play more with combining crochet and knitting and this definitely has pushed me closer to jumping in!!
It's YA-ish, but a fantasy world I keep going back to is Tamora Pierce's. The Song of the Lioness is the first quartet chronologically I think, but each individual series is pretty good standalone.
Love this recommendation. I loved all her stuff growing up and have been meaning to do a reread. The circle of magic quartet has full cast audio and it’s great.
I'm an audiobook fiend, my biggest recommendation is if you find an audiobook you want to listen to and there is an Graphic Audio version of it listen to that version. As for fantasy recommendation: Mistborn (especially the Graphic Audio version lol) it's an amazing book series
What an amazing result! Sometimes perseverance just pays off. Not always but sometimes^^ If you are curious about kid silk: My sister is incredibly yarn sensitive, especially if the yarn is fuzzy, but she can wear a merino+kid mohair from Knitting for Olive. It's the only kid silk we've found she can tolerate. .
That vest turned out lovely! I find that with granny squares, you can get away with using a much bigger hook than recommended. Fingering weight yarn worked with a 4,5 or 5 mm hook, will give you a bigger and drapier square that still looks good, especially if you use a yarn that "blooms". Also, there are ways to make granny squares with just one end to weave in, and that makes the whole process so much faster and more enjoyable! There are plenty of good instruction video's on YT about how to do that.
So after loving every second of your journey I was taken aback with delight at the big reveal. I don’t know if you saw it yourself, but you literally shone like a diamond wearing your vest. The colours look so great, cool vintage vibes in the motifs and the light border makes it current. A full sweater would have been amazing, but I get how you feel about the granny square fatigue. 🎉🎉🎉❤ thank you! X
Just wanted to say WOW! With all your uncertainty with this process, I was as unsure with you about how this would turn out! But it looks absolutely stunning! I did a little gasp even when you showed the vest with all the ends woven in -- such a gorgeous color scheme. And then the added knitted ribbing just makes everything look so polished! I also really loved seeing how you could style it at the end. So happy that you're happy with it -- what a great job! :)
I love your vest! I like that you made it a vest because with the solid long sleeve shirt underneath, it breaks up the busyness of the granny squares. Beautiful color palette! I love the finishing edges as well. Very chic! I made the Market Cardigan by mowgli, which is a granny square cardigan, for my mom's birthday last August, and it was definitely a long process!❤🧶
Don’t worry, no judgement received 😂 I ended up doing 6 round granny squares in DK weight yarn instead and those took me like 20 minutes. I’m realizing I’m just so slow with the tiny yarn.
I made a granny square vest with knit ribbing. I had exactly the same issues as you! I added a panel of 2 rows each side and added a 2 inch border at the bottom.
Thanks for sharing your whole thought process! And I highly recommend the Dangerous Damsels series by India Holton. I'm not a big fantasy person so it took me a little while to get into the universe and style of humor. But I thought the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job, so I'm really glad I gave it a chance
I absolutely ADORE your videos. I'm a crocheter (not like you, omigoodness; you are a goddess) but I watch your videos because I admire you as a creator. The way you talk about the creative process is so honest and refreshing. You could talk about oatmeal and I'd be riveted. Another awesome video. Thank you for creating these gems.
You def made the right decision switching to the sweater vest! Maybe you could try a hexagon cardigan next? It kinda looks like granny square but you only need to do 2 big hexagons and sew them together to make the garment
It looks great! I understand the pain of granny squares. My 2023 temperature blanket was granny squares, one three round square per day, plus another round for the join. Around June, I showed all the squares I had to my friend (who I don't think ever made granny squares) and she said Oh you should start joining them soon, otherwise you'll have a bad time of it when you're done with the squares, and that was great advice. Re: weaving in ends. What I did was I would make maybe 6 or 7 squares, then I would weave in the ends on all of them. Of course, I had one colour per square, so that's different from six colours per square
I have figured out that the only square projects I can see myself wearing are those made out of a single colour, and ideally a different design that the classic granny stitch. The thing that helped me when making my floor-lenght square duster was blocking and attaching the squares as I was making them so I could actually see the progress and not be overwhelmed in the end by endless sewing
i highly recommend "the magic circle" quartet by tamora pierce. it's about a group of four teens from different races and socioeconomic backgrounds, whose magical abilities went undetected until later events took place and they get recruited to study magic. they even have a couple "stitch witches"--the author wrote that she got the idea by watching people knit and crochet and she felt there was a sort of magic to it!
Gorgeous vest! I wish I could knit to make such nice ribbing. I am one of those granny square people. I can make 6 inch worsted weight squares in 15 minutes, including sewing in ends.
that neckline shape is so appealing!! gorgeous vest. this video confirms for me that i should forgo a fine gauge granny square project 😅 but feeling so inspired by the force of will exerted in this video
Your vest turned out very nice and looks great on you. I love that you take us along your entire self-drafting process from the concept to the finished object, especially the parts where you show us how you pivot when presented with challenges. It’s a life lesson. ❤~Brenda
The vest is glorious! 🤩 It really does fit with a lot of your clothes (thanks for the little runway show). Fantasy Book recommendation with zero smut (I always skip over these parts as well 😅) is „The Secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel“. I love this book series.
As you plan to do granny squares again, you can actually "weave" in the ends as you go, so you're only left with one yarnend to really weave in. I did a scrappy catblanket made with mini-granny-squares. Did 72 of them I think, really small blanket, and I am not gonna do any grannysquares again for a looooooooong time 🤭 I find crocheying to be boring as soon as it takes bit longer as like a basket. But yey to everyone doing it, cause I like the look
This turned out SO CUTE!! I'm in love with the crochet/knit combination and the side splits are so smart. It was very gratifying to see the ups and downs of the process, the way the project idea went through so many permutations before landing on this absolute winner of a finished piece, thank you for showing that journey (and way to see it through)!
the granny fatigue is so. real. i've been crocheting for half a decade but when i first started i set out for make my friend a blanket made entirely of granny squares, and yeah, that turned into three rows of granny squares connected by panels of double crochet lol. and holy cow!!! i looooove the final result! it looks so awesome!!!!!! you holding it up when it looked like a bra also strangely struck an inspiration chord in me, i might have to try something similar for my next project
Book rec for a silly feel-good fantasy: the house in the cerulean sea! (My absolute favourite book I’ve read it many many times) features a grumpy but loveable main character, magical kids, some cute romance and very light social/political commentary AND it’s also just SO GOOD as an audiobook 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Just wow 😮 what an amazing piece, I am just in awe! I am not crocheter but this makes me want to work on similar project and I got soo much inspiration from this video! I love your videos, was really happy seeing the new one pop-up. You are on of my favourite creators❤
So glad you went with the knit trim. It looks seamless. And the sewed down edge at the underarm is such a good idea! I have a love/hate relationship with granny squares - I love using them for cushion covers or totes but the thought of using them in a sweater, in my size ... I shudder at the thought.
I love the vest, it came out great and I love the knitted ribbing! I also love listening to your thought process and troubleshooting. I’ve been working on sample granny squares with 4 colors in worsted. I haven’t decided whether to make the squares all the same or not. It’s an ambitious project with the size and massive amount of ends to weave, so it definitely won’t be ready for this holiday season. 🎄 Prismacolor color pencils are great. I still have mine from when I was considering going into graphic arts 35 years ago, before computers (I feel so old) but they’re still great, haven’t dried up or anything. Looking forward to your next video! 🐈⬛🐈⬛😄
If you want unserious/funny fantasy books I can only recommend the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett! They're amazing written and contain a lot of social commentary while being some of the most entertaining books I've ever read
As a "granny square person" (granny stitches look great on everything, anything, always) my biggest tip is just.. take breaks, don't do them all in a row and have another project on standby.
You did a really nice job! I love it! I tried crocheting for the first time this year, and I have 29 granny squares, haunting me on my yarn shelf. What was going to be a cardigan is no longer as I couldn’t bear to make one more square! I have watched TH-cam videos on what to do with granny squares till my eyes turned square and I think I will make a cropped long sleeve top😩.
okay okay you inspired me. i love a granny square vest, HOWEVER, my issue is that since im a curvy girl, the front and back never lay flat. I've always chalked it up to the fact that its crochet, and therefore not as drapey as my knit garments. it looks weird on me BUT i never thought of a side seam like you did. ive played around with a split at the bottom of the vest's ribbing, but it wasn't enough. i love how it lays on you. its super flattering. will be making my own soon with a similar side split!!!
That's so cute. You look great in it. I really like making granny squares and blocks in the summer - keeps the yarn heat off me. However, summer granny project finished by fall is just the right amount for me. That being said, I'm working on the plain squares for a Battenberg Blanket. My husband is helping me to make my own Yarn Advent Calendar from our hand dyed yarn for the colorful squares. I think this blanket will take about 2 years, not working steady. Take care!
this video is so inspiring....like i planned all of my projects for the next year already but i really want a granny square vest now 😭love how you make self drafting seem pretty simple hahahaha
Wow, thank you for taking us along on your Granny Square adventure! I was not sure I was going to like this sweater as I watched. I have always been ambivalent about Granny Square sweaters. I loved watching your process, your struggles and decision making. You nailed it! that Granny Square sweater vest is perfection!!! It looks adorable on you!
Love your crochet vest l have just started crocheting my first crochet project was a hat so I’m might trying a granny square vest for future projects ❤l like to say love your podcast ❤your are one to keep 😍
I choose to believe that Pippin thinks you make these podcasts for her, so even though she doesn't entirely understand what you're talking about, she does her best to show that she's paying attention. (Edited to add that I, like Pippin, love how the vest turned out!)
I'd love to recommend, the legendary Inge (very fun Beowulf retelling), masque by W R Gingell, What comes of attending the commoners ball and Inkeeper Chronicles. They are all rather light-hearted and fun books with a bit fantasy, but no 50 pages of world building and epic lore. And all more on the clean side. Can't say anything about the audiobook version as I didn't listen to them.
my tip for large granny square projects is to operate like a factory lol. im very particular about making sure i have an equal number of color combinations, and then i make all the middles first, and then the next row all at once for every square, and so on. i am currently finishing up my second granny square jacket while watching this, and i had to set it aside for a couple of weeks after joining them all together because that granny square fatigue is real!!
I could see this vest in the most popular crochet/knitware magazines! I love your color choice, the knitted ribbing, the split hem and the neckline!!! Great podcast 💕
This is so beautiful!! I LOVE the way you knit the ribbing for the neckline and how it sits with the half/triangle granny squares. Such a gorgeous color palette as well
I keep meaning to reread The Night Circus, I remember ADORING it the first time I read it like 15 years ago. Also the vest over the denim shirt is SO CUTE!
Another great video with appreciative discussion of the project! The granny square "need to put it together now" feeling is REAL!! My suggestion is read the rest of the Kimberly Lemming books (they are hilarious). Also suggest Ilona Andrews series on Kate Daniel's (LOVED the graphic audio versions, the single narrator versions, and the written versions - they are just good books).
Loooove the finished project, it looks so good on you! I'd recommend trying a blown yarn with alpaca for granny squares, something like Drops Air! The alpaca makes the squares really drapey and because the yarn is so light, the project doesn't end up feeling super heavy :)
It came out so cute! I know a lady who made a sunflower granny square vest with black as the background colour and it is amazing. Finnish Knitting Stories latest ep had a spectacular pink granny square poncho/wrap/jacket/open vest (very versatile) that is truly worth a look, too.
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"Router is not for sleeping "
Cat: but WARM.
you’re a REAL ONE for showing what the granny square process really entails with pattern making!!! i’ve been trying to find a granny square vest video that fits my style the most and THIS is it!! i’m a crocheter and make my own patterns (self taught). I typically find existing items I like from fashion designers and identify/ count the stitches and use it as inspiration (only, no direct copying) to make my own patterns and styles. while I will use your vest as a base, I will change up a few things to fit my style and preferences more - which is what this community is all about!! the fit and cut of this vest is perfect so thank you!!! i’m ready to take it on!!
That’s so awesome!
That's entire "that time I got drunk" series is absolutely iconic. And if you enjoyed the first you'll love the rest. They're so fun
I just finished the second 😂 I’m on to the third. Absolutely loving it!
Choosing white / cream for the perimeter of each square was absolutely the right decision. And the neckline you knit is perfection! I really think you'll love wearing this vest and wear it often. Well done! 🙂
Thank you!
For fantasy audiobooks a good series is Terry Pratchett’s discworld series. The audios are really well produced and the voice actors are top notch. They are what I listen to while walking to work. I get them for free from my library app which also helps
Love his work!
I thought about suggesting the Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher.
About to start Hogfather from Discworld! Gettin in that Christmas spirit!😎
GNU Sir Terry ❤
The Discworld Witches (from what I can infer about all y’all, Tiffany Aching’s books would be favorite) are my comfort reads. I especially love to listen to the old Nigel Planer narrated audiobooks while I stitch or make other art.
To start, you really remind me of my self like my inner self. I am many many years older than you but we could’ve been good friends. Your content brings me such happiness.
Aweee, that’s so kind 😊
Sending love from Australia, and thinking of you all over the next 4? years. You are very welcome to live here for a while.....we have lots of sheep and lovely yarn.....
😂 my husband have a list of countries we’d be willing to live in and Australia is definitely up there on the list
Me too! Aussies reunite! 🫡😤🤪
I greatly admire your precision in picking up stitches evenly for your borders & ribbing. The mitered corners at the armholes & changing gauge/needles when needed are especially fine work details.
Well done, young lady.
Thank you!
Back when I was in high school and less than a year into my crochet journey, I decided to crochet a flower granny square cardigan (as a gift, no less). I didn't know anything about yarn selection so I used craft store worsted weight acrylic which made it incredibly stiff. I worked on it for probably 6 months and once I was finally done I gave it to the recipient. Maybe a week or two later they came to me and told me it had started to fall apart. At the time I didn't know how to properly weave in my ends and had cut many of my tails way too short. I tried to fix it but the more I tried the more it completely came apart. I wasn't able to salvage it. Now, years later, I use it as a reminder that no matter what happens (I mostly knit now), my worst project failure is behind me. Love the video!
That’s heartbreaking! I love your perspective of it
I really appreciate the details for the neck ribbing construction. I'm glad you found so many outfits and are happy with the result.
Oh thank you!
Weaving in ends on a giant granny square sweater right now. This is such a realistic look at the process. End result is great.
ugh I love love love the look of this over that denim dress. makes me want to make my own granny square project but i don't think I could stay motivated for 70 hours ☠
I barely held on to motivation 😂
this video is EXACTLY what i needed while chilling in bed working on a project :)
i feel you so much on the "Oh this is cute!! I would enjoy making this just for the figuring out how to do it section, but I would never wear it, so I won't make it."
I love the mental gymnastics of trying to figure out how I personally would try and recreate something I saw somewhere, even for things I would never wear. Crocheting something though, will have to be something either I will for sure wear, OR it's planned for a friend or family member. I'm never gonna make something again that I am not at least 90% sure I would get a use out of/ will wear when finished
Totally!!!
Night circus is such a joy, truly one of my favorite books! You should read the starless sea by the same author
I like how honest you are about your difficulties with a project. You do not try to show that it's all fun and glamorous when it's not. And it makes your videos much more entertaining!
I have a book recommendation! Try Brandon Sanderson's Tress of the Emerald Sea. It's what I would call a cozy fantasy.
This looks so polished 💎 I get the feeling of it being too busy being a concern but like... Im in love
Anything by Ursula le guin
Earthsea is fantasy but I would also highly recommend left hand of darkness and the dispossessed
Love the honesty that came with this video. The color struggles, the spontaneous creative self versus the one desperate for structure. I'm super happy for you that you went with a vest instead of a sweater, because I also beat myself up for going "the easy route" sometimes. It's not all about making ourselves suffer for the sake of not being "lazy." That some Puritanical bs, and even if you do plan to wear this around the apartment for Thanksgiving... yeah. You don't have to beat yourself up. lol
Loved that youtube suggested your channel to me! I really enjoy granny squares and your vest fits you so so well. Tip for your next GS project: weave the ends as you finish each granny square. It will help you get motivated in the end not to weave everything at the same time!
the montage of you crocheting on your sofa in different clothes and lighting was so pretty i just about cried ❤
My first crochet wearable project I ever started is a granny sunburst square hooded pullover. I walked into my LYS, my first ever visit to a small yarn shop, and was blown AWAY by all the colors and textures. The first yarn I saw was a hank of hand-dyed variegated rainbow stuff called "Fiesta" and it felt AMAZING...turns out it's a merino/silk blend. But, at that point I was absolutely mesmerized and there was no turning back. I bought 5 solid colors in this same merino/silk blend as well. In my mind I instantly saw a 'stoner' sweater in an array of beautiful tie dye squares, with a cute lil daisy inside each square.
I got home and realized I cannot crochet with fingering weight yarn!? [I can now, but I couldn't then] so then decided to hold all of it double, and use a 5 mm hook. Believe it or not, I was still so new at this I didn't realize holding yarn double means paying for twice as much yarn...it's a merino SILK blend, mind you...and then when I started making the squares, I was at the same point you were in that it was all so BUSY. I played around and played around, and then finally decided I needed 2 additional colors, of course, which I could do a gradient mix with since I was holding double. 7 colors, 14 squares in the color rotation.
I also had to get a swift and a winder and figure out how to divide all the hanks into two balls per hank [hello kitchen scale], and then started making squares, weaving the ends in and then blocking.
After doing that for a few months, I then decided I needed a neutral to balance it all out and chose black [held with a strand of black mohair/silk for a fun pop of texture], which meant I had to take the pile of squares I already had and add a round of black, and then re-block them all.
At this point I think I was about 5 months into the project...and had already finished 2 other sweaters at this point lmao. Now I started laying awake at night wondering how the HECK do straight squares accommodate a rounded hood at the neckline?? and would the sleeves fit?? Will the entire sweater fit around my giant butt?? I lost so much sleep to this sweater.
At some point I realized I had enough squares and started laying them out. Did I want a roygbiv spread? did I want a randomized spread? I tried both and took photos on my phone and puzzled over the photos for DAYS. Finally decided on a roygbiv spread, then, laid out my squares for the final time, liked what I saw, and commenced to sewing, mumbling furtively all the while, "please let the hood be easy to figure out".
Turns out, the hood was easy to figure out!! Also, I decided on a split hem, so I didn't have to worry with it fitting around my butt, and, by some miracle, the sleeves fit perfectly. Idk. That was just luck, frankly.
Anyway, a gazillion dollars and stitches later, I actually finished my first crocheted wearable, and since I live in NC I have really only been able to wear it for about an hour in the mornings before the AC kicks on because it's still like 75 degrees out, but I have hopes that fall will eventually get here so I can wear my excellent if gigantic [as Hugh Grant would say] sweater.
I love that color palette that you chose, and I LOVE the way that Knitting for Olive drapes...you crushed that vest. It's just beautiful.
Thank you for sharing the process. I remember my first crochet project and doubting my decisions on size and seaming technique - it all worked out in the end and it resulted in my most used blanket.
Increasing the hook size can make your crochet more drapey.
I can totally recommend the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. Also reading Tress of the Emerald sea and it’s a lovely fairy tale. Another recommendation is Piranisi. The vest looks fab! I finally finished my 480 granny square blanket last year but took me 4 years!
I love how the final round is the same on every granny square, it looks so cohesive. I just crocheted a huge pile of granny squares to make a similar vest while on vacation. I had a lot more yarn than I thought, so I just kept making squares and think it'll be a cardigan inspired by a popular pattern recently on Ravelry. Knit sleeves and button bands and ribbing along the waistband. It's a fully scrappy project, bits and bobs of similar weight and plied yarns, so the sleeves will match, the button band and the waistband will be different from each other and the sleeves. I think it'll be a triumphant finished object and will have moved a whole lot of scrappy bits of yarn from my textile center garage sale purchased stash! Also, while I understand your want to have an even tone to your vlog, there truly is no "no matter what your political views are" any longer. This election was a study in the uneducated and easily gullible folks voting against their own human rights and the rights of everyone but rich cis white men. Gloves need to be off and we need to call it what it is - institutionalized White Christian Nationalism. Disturbing. Anything else is being complicit to the downfall of our democracy.
Girl. You brave brave girl. We all ignore the advise of dont do it. IF, huge stinking if, you attempt a sweater again , just remember if you set those grannies on point they cover more area and are easier to manipulate into a sweater. Alright. Turned out super cute. Love your choices on the ribbing.
I’m not generally a huge grannysquare fan but that vest is really pretty. Great job!
I wonder if you'd like the hexa-granny cardigan. Toni Lipsey recently did a tutorial. It works up really fast. You could choose a limited palette or a variegated. She does a good job explaining how to alter the hook size to find your preferred drape.
I’ve heard good things about that!
It got the kitty seal of approval! Brava on a great vest, the colors and fit are perfect. I might have gone with ties, but who cares! There are 2 patterns that are on my list for when I learn how to do a granny square, Ariana and Jethro. I would need to follow a pattern, so it is so impressive you can just do it on your own!
For book recommendations I LOVE the locked tomb series. The first book is called Gideon the ninth, it can be fairly confusing but once it clicks it’s incredible. My best pitch for Gideon is space lesbian necromancers, childhood rivals in forced proximity, murder mystery, with a life or death game. It’s one of if not my absolute favorite series. Love how the vest turned out!! I’ve been wanting to play more with combining crochet and knitting and this definitely has pushed me closer to jumping in!!
It's YA-ish, but a fantasy world I keep going back to is Tamora Pierce's. The Song of the Lioness is the first quartet chronologically I think, but each individual series is pretty good standalone.
Love this recommendation. I loved all her stuff growing up and have been meaning to do a reread. The circle of magic quartet has full cast audio and it’s great.
okay but i’m actually so in love with the finished product!!!! it’s stunning!! I’m always so impressed with your ability to free style!
I'm an audiobook fiend, my biggest recommendation is if you find an audiobook you want to listen to and there is an Graphic Audio version of it listen to that version.
As for fantasy recommendation: Mistborn (especially the Graphic Audio version lol) it's an amazing book series
Ouuu, thanks for the tip!
What an amazing result! Sometimes perseverance just pays off. Not always but sometimes^^
If you are curious about kid silk: My sister is incredibly yarn sensitive, especially if the yarn is fuzzy, but she can wear a merino+kid mohair from Knitting for Olive. It's the only kid silk we've found she can tolerate. .
Ouuuu, that’s good to know!
Loved this episode! It’s given me the confidence to make a granny square jumper myself, thank you!
You can do it!
That vest turned out lovely!
I find that with granny squares, you can get away with using a much bigger hook than recommended. Fingering weight yarn worked with a 4,5 or 5 mm hook, will give you a bigger and drapier square that still looks good, especially if you use a yarn that "blooms". Also, there are ways to make granny squares with just one end to weave in, and that makes the whole process so much faster and more enjoyable! There are plenty of good instruction video's on YT about how to do that.
I LOVE! If you do ever decide to do a full sweater of this, maybe do the sleeves in stripes or the solid background color.
Definitely!!
Love seeing this as a long time crocheter, because I feel like it’s a right of passage complete a massive granny square project 😝❤️
So after loving every second of your journey I was taken aback with delight at the big reveal. I don’t know if you saw it yourself, but you literally shone like a diamond wearing your vest. The colours look so great, cool vintage vibes in the motifs and the light border makes it current. A full sweater would have been amazing, but I get how you feel about the granny square fatigue. 🎉🎉🎉❤ thank you! X
Just wanted to say WOW! With all your uncertainty with this process, I was as unsure with you about how this would turn out! But it looks absolutely stunning! I did a little gasp even when you showed the vest with all the ends woven in -- such a gorgeous color scheme. And then the added knitted ribbing just makes everything look so polished! I also really loved seeing how you could style it at the end. So happy that you're happy with it -- what a great job! :)
Thank you so much!
I love your vest! I like that you made it a vest because with the solid long sleeve shirt underneath, it breaks up the busyness of the granny squares. Beautiful color palette! I love the finishing edges as well. Very chic! I made the Market Cardigan by mowgli, which is a granny square cardigan, for my mom's birthday last August, and it was definitely a long process!❤🧶
No judgement AT ALL it’s just so interesting to I see others peoples perspective on granny squares because they take me like 15 minutes
Don’t worry, no judgement received 😂 I ended up doing 6 round granny squares in DK weight yarn instead and those took me like 20 minutes. I’m realizing I’m just so slow with the tiny yarn.
20 minutes may be an exaggeration 😆 it was more like 30
the color pallet is SO GORGEOUS
it is BEAUTIFUL. i havent touched crochet in like 6 months so i could focus on knitting, but you have me inspired!
Beautiful! I absolutely love the neckline and the way you did the ribbing with the short sewn seam under the arms. 😍
Thanks!!
I made a granny square vest with knit ribbing. I had exactly the same issues as you! I added a panel of 2 rows each side and added a 2 inch border at the bottom.
Thanks for sharing your whole thought process!
And I highly recommend the Dangerous Damsels series by India Holton. I'm not a big fantasy person so it took me a little while to get into the universe and style of humor. But I thought the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job, so I'm really glad I gave it a chance
I absolutely ADORE your videos. I'm a crocheter (not like you, omigoodness; you are a goddess) but I watch your videos because I admire you as a creator. The way you talk about the creative process is so honest and refreshing. You could talk about oatmeal and I'd be riveted. Another awesome video. Thank you for creating these gems.
Thank you! 😊
You def made the right decision switching to the sweater vest! Maybe you could try a hexagon cardigan next? It kinda looks like granny square but you only need to do 2 big hexagons and sew them together to make the garment
It looks great!
I understand the pain of granny squares. My 2023 temperature blanket was granny squares, one three round square per day, plus another round for the join. Around June, I showed all the squares I had to my friend (who I don't think ever made granny squares) and she said Oh you should start joining them soon, otherwise you'll have a bad time of it when you're done with the squares, and that was great advice.
Re: weaving in ends. What I did was I would make maybe 6 or 7 squares, then I would weave in the ends on all of them. Of course, I had one colour per square, so that's different from six colours per square
I have figured out that the only square projects I can see myself wearing are those made out of a single colour, and ideally a different design that the classic granny stitch. The thing that helped me when making my floor-lenght square duster was blocking and attaching the squares as I was making them so I could actually see the progress and not be overwhelmed in the end by endless sewing
i highly recommend "the magic circle" quartet by tamora pierce. it's about a group of four teens from different races and socioeconomic backgrounds, whose magical abilities went undetected until later events took place and they get recruited to study magic. they even have a couple "stitch witches"--the author wrote that she got the idea by watching people knit and crochet and she felt there was a sort of magic to it!
Gorgeous vest! I wish I could knit to make such nice ribbing. I am one of those granny square people. I can make 6 inch worsted weight squares in 15 minutes, including sewing in ends.
that neckline shape is so appealing!! gorgeous vest. this video confirms for me that i should forgo a fine gauge granny square project 😅 but feeling so inspired by the force of will exerted in this video
Thanks 😂
Your vest turned out very nice and looks great on you. I love that you take us along your entire self-drafting process from the concept to the finished object, especially the parts where you show us how you pivot when presented with challenges. It’s a life lesson. ❤~Brenda
Thank you Brenda!
Wow, the edging melts right into the squares. Lovely 🧶 👏🏻
I was shocked by how well the knitting and crochet combined
The vest is glorious! 🤩 It really does fit with a lot of your clothes (thanks for the little runway show).
Fantasy Book recommendation with zero smut (I always skip over these parts as well 😅) is „The Secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel“. I love this book series.
As you plan to do granny squares again, you can actually "weave" in the ends as you go, so you're only left with one yarnend to really weave in.
I did a scrappy catblanket made with mini-granny-squares. Did 72 of them I think, really small blanket, and I am not gonna do any grannysquares again for a looooooooong time 🤭 I find crocheying to be boring as soon as it takes bit longer as like a basket. But yey to everyone doing it, cause I like the look
This turned out SO CUTE!! I'm in love with the crochet/knit combination and the side splits are so smart. It was very gratifying to see the ups and downs of the process, the way the project idea went through so many permutations before landing on this absolute winner of a finished piece, thank you for showing that journey (and way to see it through)!
Loved the end result. It's giving kind of a '70s vibe.
I think it looks fantastic. I’m not a sweater vest person but I would wear this.
the granny fatigue is so. real. i've been crocheting for half a decade but when i first started i set out for make my friend a blanket made entirely of granny squares, and yeah, that turned into three rows of granny squares connected by panels of double crochet lol. and holy cow!!! i looooove the final result! it looks so awesome!!!!!! you holding it up when it looked like a bra also strangely struck an inspiration chord in me, i might have to try something similar for my next project
Book rec for a silly feel-good fantasy: the house in the cerulean sea! (My absolute favourite book I’ve read it many many times) features a grumpy but loveable main character, magical kids, some cute romance and very light social/political commentary AND it’s also just SO GOOD as an audiobook 🙏🏼🙏🏼
Just wow 😮 what an amazing piece, I am just in awe! I am not crocheter but this makes me want to work on similar project and I got soo much inspiration from this video!
I love your videos, was really happy seeing the new one pop-up. You are on of my favourite creators❤
Thank you 🥹
So glad you went with the knit trim. It looks seamless. And the sewed down edge at the underarm is such a good idea! I have a love/hate relationship with granny squares - I love using them for cushion covers or totes but the thought of using them in a sweater, in my size ... I shudder at the thought.
“I shudder at the thought” 😂 me too now, me too
I love the vest, it came out great and I love the knitted ribbing! I also love listening to your thought process and troubleshooting. I’ve been working on sample granny squares with 4 colors in worsted. I haven’t decided whether to make the squares all the same or not. It’s an ambitious project with the size and massive amount of ends to weave, so it definitely won’t be ready for this holiday season. 🎄 Prismacolor color pencils are great. I still have mine from when I was considering going into graphic arts 35 years ago, before computers (I feel so old) but they’re still great, haven’t dried up or anything. Looking forward to your next video! 🐈⬛🐈⬛😄
If you want unserious/funny fantasy books I can only recommend the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett! They're amazing written and contain a lot of social commentary while being some of the most entertaining books I've ever read
Thanks!
As a "granny square person" (granny stitches look great on everything, anything, always) my biggest tip is just.. take breaks, don't do them all in a row and have another project on standby.
The Discovery of Witches series is fenomenal! I’m currently on the last book, #5 and I’m so sad it’s coming to an end. Highly highly recommend!
This vest is SPECTACULAR! I really love the palette you chose. Thanks for taking us on your journey 😊
You did a really nice job! I love it! I tried crocheting for the first time this year, and I have 29 granny squares, haunting me on my yarn shelf. What was going to be a cardigan is no longer as I couldn’t bear to make one more square! I have watched TH-cam videos on what to do with granny squares till my eyes turned square and I think I will make a cropped long sleeve top😩.
That’s is so relatable! By the end I didn’t want to make a single extra square 😩
That top is absolutely gorgeous ❤
okay okay you inspired me. i love a granny square vest, HOWEVER, my issue is that since im a curvy girl, the front and back never lay flat. I've always chalked it up to the fact that its crochet, and therefore not as drapey as my knit garments. it looks weird on me BUT i never thought of a side seam like you did. ive played around with a split at the bottom of the vest's ribbing, but it wasn't enough. i love how it lays on you. its super flattering. will be making my own soon with a similar side split!!!
I’m really happy with how it ended up fitting structurally. I had low expectations
A cathartic watch
That's so cute. You look great in it. I really like making granny squares and blocks in the summer - keeps the yarn heat off me. However, summer granny project finished by fall is just the right amount for me. That being said, I'm working on the plain squares for a Battenberg Blanket. My husband is helping me to make my own Yarn Advent Calendar from our hand dyed yarn for the colorful squares. I think this blanket will take about 2 years, not working steady. Take care!
Good luck! That sounds awesome
@@BreathingYarn Thank you
this video is so inspiring....like i planned all of my projects for the next year already but i really want a granny square vest now 😭love how you make self drafting seem pretty simple hahahaha
I absolutely love your videos. Can really resonate with the reading drought and then not being able to get enough!
Wow, thank you for taking us along on your Granny Square adventure! I was not sure I was going to like this sweater as I watched. I have always been ambivalent about Granny Square sweaters. I loved watching your process, your struggles and decision making. You nailed it! that Granny Square sweater vest is perfection!!! It looks adorable on you!
Thank you!
I wish I had seen this before I finished mine. I would have done the sides the way you did. I love it!
Love your crochet vest l have just started crocheting my first crochet project was a hat so I’m might trying a granny square vest for future projects ❤l like to say love your podcast ❤your are one to keep 😍
Good luck with crocheting your hat! I hope you really enjoy the process of it 😊
wow, the sweater vest turned out beautiful!!! And you are also just so stunning, wow!
i loovee the colors you chose for the granny squares !!
Excellent video of your process! Well done vest 😘
I choose to believe that Pippin thinks you make these podcasts for her, so even though she doesn't entirely understand what you're talking about, she does her best to show that she's paying attention. (Edited to add that I, like Pippin, love how the vest turned out!)
She’s my biggest supporter by far. You nailed her attitude of “idk what’s going on but I support you!”
watching this while working on a granny square project
Stay strong! 💪
I love videos like this! It’s so real! I feal like this when I make things with the ups and downs and (over?)thinking things.
Thanks for sharing!
I'd love to recommend, the legendary Inge (very fun Beowulf retelling), masque by W R Gingell, What comes of attending the commoners ball and Inkeeper Chronicles. They are all rather light-hearted and fun books with a bit fantasy, but no 50 pages of world building and epic lore. And all more on the clean side. Can't say anything about the audiobook version as I didn't listen to them.
Thank you!
I love love loooove your granny vest! Well done xx
Great job on your sweater vest! 👏🏾 Love the colors and the knitting/crochet combo. 🧶
Thank you! 😊
my tip for large granny square projects is to operate like a factory lol. im very particular about making sure i have an equal number of color combinations, and then i make all the middles first, and then the next row all at once for every square, and so on. i am currently finishing up my second granny square jacket while watching this, and i had to set it aside for a couple of weeks after joining them all together because that granny square fatigue is real!!
I could see this vest in the most popular crochet/knitware magazines! I love your color choice, the knitted ribbing, the split hem and the neckline!!! Great podcast 💕
This is so beautiful!! I LOVE the way you knit the ribbing for the neckline and how it sits with the half/triangle granny squares. Such a gorgeous color palette as well
My favorite video of yours! So interesting to far you talk through your choices on this project! It turned out so beautifully!
I love the vest and the colors. Great job. I’m inspired
Thank you so much!
it. looks. so. GOOD.
I keep meaning to reread The Night Circus, I remember ADORING it the first time I read it like 15 years ago.
Also the vest over the denim shirt is SO CUTE!
Another great video with appreciative discussion of the project! The granny square "need to put it together now" feeling is REAL!! My suggestion is read the rest of the Kimberly Lemming books (they are hilarious). Also suggest Ilona Andrews series on Kate Daniel's (LOVED the graphic audio versions, the single narrator versions, and the written versions - they are just good books).
Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series is fun.
Loooove the finished project, it looks so good on you! I'd recommend trying a blown yarn with alpaca for granny squares, something like Drops Air! The alpaca makes the squares really drapey and because the yarn is so light, the project doesn't end up feeling super heavy :)
You read my mind. I have a bunch of drops air and I’ve been wanting to crochet with it so badly!!
It came out so cute! I know a lady who made a sunflower granny square vest with black as the background colour and it is amazing.
Finnish Knitting Stories latest ep had a spectacular pink granny square poncho/wrap/jacket/open vest (very versatile) that is truly worth a look, too.
Complete success! In terms of fantasy, you might like The Thief (and sequels) by Megan Whalen Turner.