Vintage Granny-Square Goodness…

by Sister-Diane on December 30, 2007

in Craft Books, Oddball Crafts, Yarn Crafts

I hit the gold-plated motherlode of craft books this Christmas. I’ll be blogging about them all in the near future (assuming the sun stays out long enough for photos anytime before June 2008.)

But let’s start here: The Great Granny Crochet Book, a 1979 publication from the American School of Needlework. (ISBN 0-930748-10-7) This was a gift from my grandmother, and it harbors all kinds of granny-square fun. Don’t you have a deep and abiding love for that robot?

Lots of granny square softies appear in this book. A craft concept that deserves further exploration, I think.

I’m including this one mostly because I thought the photo styling was funny.

But, not to get all snarky. There are a number of cool block patterns, including this snowflake one, which I quite like. I’m imagining it with a silvery blue-grey background.

. . . And a new take on the granny square slipper.

And this, which is a strong contender for my Favorite 1970’s Craft Book Image Ever. I’ve been threatening ever since this arrived to crochet a giant cozy for our giant exercise ball.

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cheryl

oh my. the robot and the ball just made my day. I'm sending a link to this to all my crazy crafty friends.

cheers,

C

Lisa

Now where do I find the pattern for the slippers?????

Sharon Y.

There was no XBox or Facebook back then...you took fun where you could find it!!!
She LOVES that ball doesn't she!
It's so soft, cushiony and romantic...........

Carole Fitzgerald

I actually have that book- and giggle whenever I look through it. That is a plus of being a book collector!!!

Carole

Kay

I've been looking for that slipper pattern everywhere! I would love to have it... They're all really awesome though. I wonder if you can still find this book on Ebay.

kat

I to would be interested in the ball pattern.
I love the comment about making an exercise ball ! I have always threatened to make a muffler cozy for my Harley. Hubby says "no way!"

Kat

Sister-Diane

I've been emailing folks individually, but let me also reply to pattern requests here.

This book is still copyright-protected, so I can't republish any of the patterns here. Luckily, though, there are lots of copies of the book available on places like eBay, Biblio, and others. Your local libraries might also have copies.

Thanks for the interest, everyone!
Sister Diane

the aesthetic onion

I do love the snowflake afghan, I too would love that pattern.

Susan

I really want the pattern for the snowflake afghan. Beautiful!

Tina

Do you have the patterns scanned? I'd love to have them all.

mary

I have the original book that they came from! My brother always wanted the robot but never got one! The marshmallow baby set that is in that book is still one of my top selling baby patterns! Do not underestimate some of the older patterns until you try them!
Mary

Jacqui

I had one of those big ball cushions a girlfriend made for her kids in the 70's. She passed it on to me and my boys loved it in fact I only threw it out 2 years ago when I couldn't repair it any more!

Shirley

These are awsome! I would like to have the pattern for granny square slippers.

Rachael

That giraffe is fantastic!! Fantastic!

bansheegrrll

no reason for sven to be defensive . . .

gl.

upon seeing the giant crocheted robot sven immediately said, "lucky boy!" then, slightly defensively: "it was a different time then!" :)

bridget re stopmo: if only giant crocheted robots had armatures inside... that's toby's downfall, too.

Elizabeth

I want a poster of the exercise ball, too! I love it!! :>

Bansheegrrll

oh - and gl? - I'm imagining Sven with the robot. Now, I'm imaging Sven doing stop-mo with giant crocheted robots. Now, I'm picking myself up off the floor.

Bansheegrrll

You hit the motherlode!! This is amazing stuff - and the idea of a cozy for your exercise ball . . . I have one of those goofy exercise-balls-in-a-chair-form that I use for my desk chair, and the idea of having a cozy for it . . . mine would more likely be fleece, and have softie arms and giant eyeballs, but still - a cozy . . . again, you delight!

Jenny

That floor ball is astoundingly awesome...but I NEED that robot in my life!! He's so lumpen and cute!!

Candie

Yep, the ball made me laugh out loud and then your comment made me laugh louder. The woman's expression is priceless. My question is, where is the giant robot and ball now?!?! Fun post!

Deanne

LOL!!! I can't even type more about that ball, because I keep chuckling at the thought of it and the serious woman leaning on it. XD

cathy

i am totally speechless! that giant floor ball is amazing!
and that olive green, turquoise, yellow and rust color combo is so inspiring.
thanks for sharing these images!

gl.

oh, that robot! sven probably would have loved one as a child.

futuregirl

I feel eternally sorry for any boy who has to play with a granny square robot. Certainly, *I* think the robot is awesome, but it's not very hard-core testosteroni by any stretch of the imagination. :)

The Godzilla dice are hilarious. The snowflake blanket would be AWESOME. I think my grandma made us crochet slippers one year, but I don't think they were granny squares.

BUT THE CAKE HAS BEEN TAKEN by that ball. Mother of God! I love it so much. Can you imagine how much stuffing is in that thing?! And it's not under-stuffed, like a bean bag, so what the heck do you do with it? Sit on the hard floor and cuddle it? I have an overwhelming urge to make one!

Jenny

That robot! That exercise ball! I have so much love for them both!

Pete

holy living i don't even know. that huge exercise ball cozy has blown my mind. i kind of want a huge poster of that in my living room...but i might be driven insane by it...