Crochet

Granny Square Blanket: My very own “Hello World”

May 29, 2018
Detail from the Granny Square quilt made by Susana from Fluffy Stitches

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For this first post, I want to share with you how this all started. And I can say without a doubt that it was a granny square blanket project that brought all this on. But there’s more. I also want to tell you the reasons that led me to start this blog. I want to say them in my first post because I believe that very very very very few people will read this, so I feel safer spilling my guts out before getting to business.

Once upon a time…

A few months ago…

No… Actually, it’s a bit longer before that…

When I was 14 years old (that’s almost 20 years ago!), my mom taught me how to do a granny square. I’m sorry that I have a lousy memory of this moment. I guess it’s just one of those that you have no idea that will be relevant in the future so you don’t save it. Anyway… she taught me that simple figure and that was how it all began. We started making more granny squares in different colors and to me, that was pure joy! Sometime after my mom stopped joining in, but I kept going. I could already see all those squares getting together to form a really crazy colored granny square blanket! A few months later, at the end of winter, I had my first 400 granny squares! I was happy, but not satisfied. It was not big enough.

Then came spring and it was getting hot, so the wool in my hands didn’t feel all that good, and the blanket became a seasonal project. Also, I was entering into my teens so I’ll admit that boys started occupying my thoughts more than granny squares… The granny square blanket became an on-and-off project for several years.

Then one day, I decided to finish the damn thing. And so, almost 10 years later, I finished my 1200 granny square blanket!! This made me really happy and proud! It’s not perfect – far from it – but it was my first project and even though it wasn’t a continued one, every time I worked on it a little, I felt good!

Granny Square quilt made by Susana from Fluffy Stitches

After my blanket, I did not crochet again for a while. Don’t know why it just didn’t seem to call out to me anymore… Until!

The comeback!

A few months ago, I felt that I needed to make more and better use of my time. I wanted to try and get better at something and find a creative outlet to quiet my mind. And that’s when I remembered “I used to crochet… I used to like it… I wasn’t all that bad at it…”.

So I picked it up again and this time it was for real! I only knew two stitches, the chain and the double crochet, so I dug up everything I could to learn new things and try different projects! Last Christmas, most of my shopping resumed to skeins for crochet presents! Seeing my interest in the craft, my dad showed me an article on how I could use crochet to help premature babies and that led me to my first amigurumi!

Also around that Christmas, I asked my boyfriend’s mother and his aunt to teach me how to knit. This was a challenge! I remember my mother trying to teach me with no success whatsoever, but I was confident in my newly re-found skills and eager to learn more! This I can tell you was when I started knitting. It’s still a skill in progress but I already have loads of fun practicing it!

To me, it is a wonder that there is a world of stitches to make everything you can imagine. More unbelievable is how I could have been away from this world for so long!! Shame on me!  

Truth time

So, how does this fit with me spilling my guts?

I have recently moved to a new country – a new continent, more accurately – and I’m quite far from my family and friends. I am also in a slightly different timezone (about 6 hours difference) and I don’t speak the local language (I can hardly say “Thank you” correctly). Although I’ve always considered myself independent and capable of being on my own this situation is taking its toll and I have been feeling lonely. And this is where this blog and YOU come in!!

I have created this blog to fight my loneliness by connecting with people like you, who like crochet and/or knitting! I want to share my ideas with you and hear what you think, tell you about something new or old, things I’ve seen that I like! And I want to publish it to keep me committed and focused on something that makes me happy and confident, and hopefully bring you some new ideas, a smile (and maybe even a laugh) with the tales of fluffy in a world of stitches!

So thank you so much for bearing with me. I’m gonna get out of your way in just a second, just wanted to say

Thank you for reading!

Susana signature for Fluffy Stitches

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2 Comments

  • Reply Jan April 17, 2021 at 1:49 am

    Hello, what a wonderful story, I learned to knit much the same way you did, from a family member. I made everything I could, I even knitted a skirt & sweater for myself, but then I seemed to see that crocheting didn’t take so long to finish a project so I switched over. Where did you say you moved to? I am sorry you are lonely but crafts have a way of brightening one’s day. Stay well & safe may God bless you:)

    • Reply Susana April 19, 2021 at 7:18 pm

      Hello Jan,
      Thank you so much for your comment. 🙂 At the time I wrote this I had moved to Thailand. It’s a country with a lot of beauty, but I had a hard time adjusting. I then moved to Australia, which is where I am now. I have adapted a lot better, thankfully and I’m feeling much happier. All that’s missing now is being with my family who I haven’t been with in almost a year and half. But I’m sure we’ll all be together again soon. 🙂
      Thank you again for your message. I hope that you too are safe and well and let me know if there is anything I can do to brighten up your day!
      All the best.
      Susana.

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