Thursday, September 29, 2011

A Blanket with a History

Good morning everybody, I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do, I was really looking forward to this - I've made a little something last week-end, look:


Naaaah... just joking :) What you see here is a huuuuge granny blanket I've made around 1996, when I was sixteen or seventeen.


I've been wanting to show you this blanket for a long time and wonder why it took me so long. Unfortunately I remember little of the actual working process or how long it took to finish it - it looks like a very time consuming project, but on the other hand I still went to school and had lots of time in the afternoons, so I guess it was done quite quickly (I can be a maniac when I start doing something I really enjoy).



As you can see, it's just the simple basic granny square pattern. I've first seen this pattern on the backside of a wiggly cushion from my grandma. I've also seen granny blankets on TV, do you remember the one that Roseanne had in her living-room? I think it was Roseanne's blanket that inspired me to make my own. Thank god for the wonderful crochet-blogs we have today, nowadays Sitcoms simply aren't as stylish as they used to be... :)



When I started this blanket, I must have been in my Seventies mood (thanks to ABBA and the German "Schlager"-Revival) and wanted to work with as many colors as possible. First, I used up all the left-over yarn my Mom had in her stash. Then we've asked neighbours, friends and relatives for more. At some point I had to start buying yarn, and I needed a lot - the blanket is made with 144 granny squares and measures more than 200 x 200 cm (~ 80 x 80 inches).



You probably know this feeling of anticipation, when you're working on a blanket and can't wait to use it every day. With this blanket it's different: I'm showing you these pictures, not dreaming of the days to come, but remembering what has been - this blanket definitely has its history already!



I remember my sister and me coming home from watching the local Icehockey games on Saturdays and snuggeling up under this blanket, warming our frozen bodies. I also remember us watching the early-morning formula 1 races under this blanket (we used to call it "lucky blanket") - I was a huge fan of Jacques Villeneuve and even made some squares in the same colors as the colors of his helmet. Sounds a bit nerdy, but hey: I was a teenager! :) I crawled under this blanket alone in my teenager-room and took it with me, when I moved upstairs in my own appartment. Every year around christmas my girlfriends and I make ourselves comfortable under this blanket when we watch the "Lord of the Rings"-Trilogy. I remember lying under this blanket when I was sick, or crying my eyes out when I had a heartache. The most recent memories are cuddling up with John under this blanket on the sofa in our living-room :)


I've been using this blanket almost every day since I've made it, it's always lying on the sofa (and sometimes in the washing machine). Somehow it's an odd feeling to know that this blanket has to make way for the new blanket, soon. Now don't be silly girl, it's just an old blanket! Or isn't it...?



22 comments:

  1. Hello Barbara!
    I enjoyed so much reading the history of your blanket! It is so beautiful and emotional :) I was 18 in 1996 so we have approx the same age:) but in 1996 it was my mother and grandmother who used to crochet blankets ... I was only concerned by boys, parties etc :) silly age :)
    Your blanket is a real treasure... the colors are wonderful...
    I love your blog :)
    Angie

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  2. I was 18 in 1996 too!!!And it was soo good reading about the history!!Its a beautiful blanket. And it need not give way to new blankets. You can use all of them!!:)

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  3. Oooh, it is SO cute. And it's great to read the story. I love how all items we made by hand just have their own history. I am making my first granny blanket as we speak and when I see your blanket all I can think of is ALL the threads to weave in. ARGH ;-)
    Esther.

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  4. Es preciosa¡¡¡ Cada manta tiene su propia historia y lo que queda todavía por llegar, que seguro que es igual de interesante¡¡
    Un saludo.

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  5. oh! lots of memories 'behind' this blanket..loved reading this post..

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  6. Ooh - I have one of those ginormous granny blankets I made in my late teens (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tintocktap/3091763459/in/set-72157608237806619)

    It's nowhere near as gorgeous as yours!

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  7. Thats amazing that you made such an accomplishment at such a young age! If someone told me to make something this elaborate (many many color changes!) and this large.... I would have laughed so hard, I might have exploded! I guess you were meant for great projects early on because I love everything else you do too :)

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  8. Great story and beautiful afghan. Funny you mention Roseanne...my son is a fan and always wanted a "Roseanne" afghan. I made him one for Christmas one year. I finished all the squares and gave them to him in a box then had to take it back to connect and finish them. He laid it out and we bagged the squares so they could be sewn together how he wanted them. Anal? A little! ha ha I gave it to him again, finished, the next Christmas! They take some time! I need to post a picture on my blog. It's on his FB.

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  9. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

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  10. Hi Barbara! Deine Decke ist ja der Wahnsinn, ich hätte das mit 16 bestimmt nicht hinbekommen. Deine Geschichten dazu sind einfach wunderschön! Danke, daß du sie uns erzählt hast!
    Liebe Grüße! Barbina

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  11. Wow, thank you so much for your wonderful words, they mean a lot to mean and always make me smile, THANKS GIRLS!!! I'm glad you like this post as much as I hoped you would! It wasn't planned this way, actually I just wanted to show you some pictures and write a few words, and somehow the post got longer and longer, and I remembered more and more, and in the end I was a bit surprised how it developed. I'm so glad, I could share it with you! :)

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  12. that is a lovely blanket thanks for sharing it and your happy memories too

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  13. Wow, that's absolutely gorgeous, and I love the story that goes with it. Thank you so much for sharing it! :)

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  14. The blanket is lovely and the story is great. It is an odd feeling when something beautiful you made has to make way for the next project :). (And I remember Roseanne's blanket, too!)

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  15. Thank you for sharing your lovely Granny Squares with us; your story brought back lots of memories for me. When I was 16, waaay back in 1972, I knit a king size afghan in my high school's colors: gold & royal blue. (What was I thinking???) It took me right up until graduation to finish, nearly 2 years. I was so proud of myself for seeing it through to the finish, but by then the sight of those gaudy acrylic colors was more than I could stand! I impulsively gave it away right after blocking it to my neighbor; we'd gone all through school together & rented a small cottage together upon graduating. Well, she put it on her bed, & the first time we went out & left her hyper Irish Setter alone for a few hours, he chewed & ripped, and ripped & chewed away 2 years of knitting!
    Sigh....Lisa in Lake O., Oregon

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  16. Wooow thats sooo lovely.
    Great job!

    hugs Conny

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  17. Wow! It looks like new.
    Beautiful blanket and gorgeous colours.
    And what wonderful memories it holds too.
    Xx

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  18. I love this blanket! I've got one too from when I made one around the same age .... and it's on our bed!! I love laying in bed & looking at it & remembering all the hard work that went into it!

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  19. Just gorgeous and so much snugglier with that history!
    Sandra x

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  20. Beautiful! It reminds me of my unfinished project and inspired me to dig it out:) Thanks for sharing!

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