Sunday 26 June 2016

Blue and Green Granny Cushion

Hello dear friends and readers - thankyou for popping by, and a big hello to my new readers and followers, I'm so glad you could join us :)

My weekend has mostly been spent moving furniture around to accommodate the decorator who is painting most of the inside of our house. It was just too big a project for me to take on, as basically the whole thing needs doing - from some skimming on the ceilings, and covering some bare plasterwork on the walls, right down to painting radiators and repairing skirting boards. It has not escaped my notice that the paint we're using is called "Endurance". Very appropriate I feel.


If you remember a short while ago I made a blanket for my Dad. He only had it a week before he passed away, but it's very special to me, and so my Mum let me have it back. I love the colours in it, plus it is a good match for my front room which is greens and blues, so I decided to make a granny square cushion cover to match the blanket.


It's a very simple design using a traditional granny square with 4 rounds. Each side of the cushion is 5 squares by 5; I made 25 squares for the front and 25 for the back. I also made an extra 5 as a sort of envelope type flap enclosure. All the squares were joined using the join-as-you-go method, mainly to avoid dealing with all those pesky ends.


To fasten it closed I sewed on 5 buttons, one for each square of the flap - no button-hole needed, the button just slots through one of the gaps in each granny square. I messed about with loads of different combinations of buttons but in the end decided that the best solution was a button for each square to match the colour of the square - plus that way I didn't have to find 5 buttons that matched each other.


There was talk of a lining at one point, however, seeing as I couldn't make up my mind whether to go with a green lining or a blue one, or even grey come to that, I just left it with no lining at all. What a rebel. The white you can see through the granny squares is just the cushion pad, and I think it looks great as it is :) The yarn is all Stylecraft Special DK (who doesn't love a bit of Stylecraft) in the following colours:
              Aster - Pistachio - Kelly Green - Sage - Lobelia - Silver


Sadly I rarely get to see my cushion - it's normally stuffed behind me on my seat on the sofa. Well, I couldn't let anyone else squash it, now could I.

My current project is a baby blanket for a friend who's just had her second little baby, a boy, no name yet that I know of, but so exciting, I can't wait to go for a cuddle (with the baby, not my friend). It's a really easy pattern, a bit like a circular ripple, if that makes sense. Here it is so far ....



I am slightly worried that because its round my friend won't get that it's a blanket, and she'll think it's a mandala. Except she's not a crocheter, so she won't know to call it a mandala, she'll just think it's some weird giant doily. Oh well, I'm enjoying making it, so hey-ho. More details to follow when I've finished it.

Hope you've had a lovely weekend,
Jillxxxx

ps: I am not very political and I sit on the fence most of the time, but even I am shocked, dismayed and deeply saddened by the result of the UK's referendum last week. In case you've been living in a cave for the the last couple of days - the UK voted whether or not the vote to remain in the EU, and the result was a very narrow majority wishing to leave the EU. To me this is narrow-minded, short-sighted, and irresponsible. How anyone can think we are better off cutting ourselves off and trying to succeed in isolation, is beyond me. I believe we and our children belong in an inclusive society that embraces diversity. There's nothing else to say really 😞


19 comments:

  1. Love your cushion the colours are fab
    Jackie

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  2. Sounds like you're having some nice work done at your home. I'd love to see your dad's blanket on the sofa with your new pillow. I'm sorry about the vote - I have heard that many who voted to leave didn't research what they were doing very well. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  3. Beautiful work!
    I'm not usually very political either but circumstances tend to push you into it. The UK and the US seem to be of one mind all of a sudden and it's strange that seeing how far we've come we seem to be ready to head back to our segregated past. If Trump wins in November I will firmly believe we have all lost our collective minds. You can at least be thankful that your guys are not planning on arming the entire population to cut down on gun violence. Really.

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  4. The cushion is lovely I love the colours and the way you selected the different coloured buttons it is beautiful. Hope all the work in your home goes well I know how stressful that can be.

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  5. Lovely cushion - agree with you re EU x

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  6. Hi Jill! It is wonderful that you have the blanket you made for your dad and have made a matching pillow...lovely reminders of him, as well as pleasing decor for your home. The baby blanket you are making is stunning! I have never tried to make anything so complicated and really appreciate your beautiful work. I hope the painting in your home goes well this week, and am praying that those in authority will make wise decisions for our world. Are you doing any gardening this year? I did some weeding two days ago...and caught a slug before he could do any more munching on our plants! xx

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  7. Your cushion is very beautiful. I love how you have the blanket too and with it the memories of making it for your dad. I made a similar round blanket for my grandson a few years ago. He loves Spiderman so I made it red and blue with black lines in it to resemble a spiderweb. He's 10 years old and still carries it around. :-) Your blanket is beautiful and I know your friend will appreciate it.
    Blessings, Betsy

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  8. Hello Jill,

    What a beautiful cushion, those colours go well together. Love what you did with the buttons - matching colours! Brilliant idea!

    Have a nice week!
    Ingrid xx
    Myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be

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  9. Hi dear Jill,thank you so much for your sweet words on my blog, really apreciate it! Your blanket and now the matching cushion are beautiful, such a nice combination of colours! Xxx

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  10. Hi Jill! I love your cushion and your blanket. Both just lovely. ;) And I think that baby blanket is so cool!! I love the fact that it's a different shape. Perfectly unique and I LOVE the colors. I bet your friend is going to just love it.

    So sorry to hear about the leaving the EU decision. I've seen a bit about it on the news, and what seems most sad to me is that I read that a majority of voters were looking up what it actually meant to leave AFTER they already voted! It's sad to vote in a negative way, but especially when you're not even quite certain what you're voting about. Prayers sent out to all of your countries there.
    xoxo

    PS: I think Annie is almost done with her letter and hopes to mail it this week!

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  11. Hello Jill, just found your blog and nice to meet another textile nut from NI. I love that you have the memories of your dad and hope it brings you a lot of comforting memories in the months ahead.

    I'm a wee bit disappointed at this notion of those who voted to leave the EU being all a bit thick and unresearched. It's as dopey a suggestion as all who voted to remain being just sheep with no imagination.

    I'm an ex-teacher turned journalist and for a couple of years I produced a weekly national political programme for a broadcasting organisation. Never have I researched anything as much as I did for this referendum - and having done so, voting leave was the only option. We need a lot of healing of attitudes across the country.

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    1. Hi Anonymous, always glad to hear from another Norn-Irn-er :) Regarding the referendum I guess we will have to agree to disagree:)
      Jill

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  12. Your cushion will be a lovely addition to your blanket which I am sure you will treasure a great deal. Your friend will love the blanket, whatever they decide to call it!!

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  13. The news has been very upsetting een over here in the US, so sad that people think it is better to be apart form a group than to work together, now the whole world is economic turmoil because of that decision. We have a very narrow minded, racist man running for president and it amazes me how many people agree with him, sad indeed. Love your cushion,
    Meredith

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  14. Jill, your cushion looks very nice & I love your colour choices for your friends baby blanket, your friend is very lucky. Thank you for your honest & frank words on the EU referendum, I suspect history will judge that day as the beginning of the end of the U.K.!
    Anna

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  15. Hi Jill, your granny squares look very neat! And I like the buttons matching the squares. I don't think it needs lining either. xx

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  16. your crochet is lovely, so much nicer to focus on than the politics....

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  17. Your cushion is beautiful - so glad you have your Dad's blanket. I remember when you made if for him. I'm sorry the vote in the UK didn't go your way. I'm hoping that there will somehow be a happy ending for you. We have our own issues here in the US and I'm trying to have faith that things will work out for the best.

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  18. Mill your cushion cover is really lovely, the colours are great, and I like the coloured buttons to match the yarn colours. I feel the same as you about the referendum results, really devastated. X

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Thankyou so much for visiting, and for taking the time to leave me a comment :) I really really love getting little messages, I read and value every single one, so thankyou again, and have a great day :)
Jillxxxxx