Podcast 7

Crochet Podcast 7 – Granny Squares, Purses, and More

Granny Squares, Purses, and More

Welcome to The Secret Yarnery Crochet Blog Episode 7! I’m Christa, and today I’m sharing what happened in the world of crochet this past week, including class projects, some troubleshooting, and a few creative ideas that I’ve been working on. Let’s dive into the details and don’t forget to check out the video below to see everything in action.

 

Crochet Class Explosion

This week, my weekly crochet class grew from just eight participants the previous week to over twenty! Talk about a full house! I’ve found myself juggling both the veterans and some new faces, which always brings some creative chaos. One of the challenges I’ve had is making sure that the newer members don’t have to be retrained with every meeting—we want consistency in quality and work over time. That’s why focusing on improving their technique is so important, especially when it comes to joining granny squares.

I noticed an issue where some of the ladies were joining their squares using single crochet instead of a slip stitch. If you’re familiar with granny squares, you know this creates lumps and unevenness. We want clean, corner-to-corner joins for a more polished look. But hey, crochet is a learning curve, right?

What to Do with Unconventional Granny Squares?

Even with some technique hiccups, there’s no such thing as wasted effort! I found a fun and practical way to repurpose some of the crazier-looking granny squares: Cute little handbags for girls. These bags are as simple as taking two squares, joining them with single crochet, and adding a chain as a handle. They’re a great way to put those “crazy” squares to use! I experimented with a thicker handle as well but found that a thinner chain looks more delicate and girly, which was the consensus during class too. Everyone loved the simpler skinny handle since it saves both time and yarn.

Stitching Like a Boss: Some Winning Granny Squares

While we’re working on improving quality overall, I’ve got a few ladies in class who crochet like absolute pros! They’ve been turning out beautifully uniform granny squares that are spot-on with color choices, strong stitches, and neat joins. I gave them more neutral, adaptable colors like grays and blues to work with this week, setting them up to create versatile pieces. I’m toying with ideas for these squares—perhaps messenger bags for a craft fair or even clothing items!

If you’re looking for inspiration for other easy crochet projects, check out this beginner-friendly guide, perfect for beginners who’s starting with small, manageable items.

Crazy Granny Blanket? Why Not!

One of my stars in class, my house mom from the orphanage, took some extra yarn and made over 100 granny squares using random colors. They look wild and vibrant, but they’re all the same size! With a little creativity, I’m thinking of turning them into a colorful granny blanket or two, maybe even raffling them off at the next local event. Even the most random squares have potential when you think outside the box!

Making a Granny Square Vest for Our Mannequin “Scary-ella”

Our quirky mannequin, affectionately known as “Scary-ella,” has inspired a new project! I’ve decided to make her a granny square vest, utilizing some neutral tones my class created. The intricate plan includes a tailored slit on the side for a bit of flair. You know, she’s not your average 6′ 2” mannequin, so making something to fit her has been quite the challenge. I’m using a mix of green, gray, and blue squares for this vest, which I’ll complete with a border to tie it all together.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of using eclectic colors in your crochet projects, take a peek at Exploring the World of Crochet and Life in Kenya with Christa, where I talk about how color choice impacts a variety of crochet items.

Holiday Craft Fair Prep: Crochet Balls and Puppets

Another whimsical item we’ve been working on is a range of crochet balls. These are simple, fun projects—a bunch of them were just finished last week using all sorts of fun colors. They’re great for kids’ play and even a creative holiday gift!

In a funny twist, what started as a cat toy idea recently morphed into making crocheted puppets. By adding arms, legs, and a little personality, we turned those basic shapes into playful toys that kids can enjoy. You can imagine, these puppets are going to be a hit at the craft fair.

Looking to start working on some easy crochet gifts? Check out some of the written patterns we have available to give you even more ideas: Written Patterns.

Driving to Craft Days in Kenya

Before I wrap things up, I captured a bit of the drive from my neighborhood to the beautiful Brackenhurst Conference Center where we meet for our classes. If you’re curious about Kenya and its landscapes, you’ll love the footage I’ve included in this episode. Stay tuned for the video and take a relaxed visual tour, starting from our gated community all the way to Brackenhurst!

What’s Next?

This coming week, my class will be working on something new—bunting made from granny triangles! I have colors already picked out, and each lady will be working on creating their pieces at home. This will be a fun addition to our lineup for the craft fair, and I’ll be assembling all their efforts into beautiful bunting banners. I’ll also make sure to keep control over the final touches to ensure everything looks just right!

Got any suggestions on what we should crochet next? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, and tell me if you’d love to see more of our community’s projects coming to life.

Don’t forget to watch the full crochet podcast above where I give a deeper look at all these projects and more. Let’s keep the creativity going and stay hooked!

Podcast 5

Crochet Podcast 5 – Explore Granny Squares, DIY Ideas & More

Granny Squares and More!

Welcome to another episode of The Secret Yarnery Crochet Blog! Today, I’m sharing a quick update on what’s been happening, and oh boy, do I have a lot to share! From hanging out with some wonderful ladies to ending up with 62 crazy-colored granny squares, it’s been an exciting week. Let’s jump right in!

 

Meeting with the Ladies and the Granny Square Craze

Yesterday, I had the best time meeting a group of ladies, and while I planned for around 10 women, 18 actually showed up! We gathered under the beautiful trees—it’s such a serene spot. The location is one of those places where you feel like you’ve entered a giant green oasis. Fun fact: this area reportedly has over 1,000 species of trees. So, imagine us crocheting, surrounded by nature.

I brought yarn parcels for everyone to make granny squares. But let me tell you, things didn’t always go smoothly—especially with language barriers and some rather interesting crochet techniques. Some of these ladies can join yarn with almost zero tail—amazing, but definitely not ideal for our granny squares. Still, we had a blast, and by the end of the day, I had collected 62 weirdly-colored, mismatched granny squares! Now, what to do with them?

If you have any ideas of what I can do with these crazy squares, share your thoughts in the comments! One idea I had was to stitch them all together using white yarn, hoping it would tone down the wild variety. But I’m open to any suggestions. If you’re curious yourself, you can check out some granny square patterns here.

How We Made the Squares

To ensure everyone could follow along, I made a simple granny square sample, focusing on four rounds. We also practiced weaving in the tail after each row to ensure it stays put, even after a hundred washes! Not every square was perfect (some were definitely more interesting than others), but perseverance was the key.

As we moved forward, I encouraged the group to leave longer tails so we could easily stitch the pieces together later. The highlight of the session was when I gave everyone scrap yarn to share and work with different colors—except I didn’t quite realize I’d end up with 62 multicolored, crazy squares by the end of the day! You can find inspiration from the Secret Yarnery with unique block patterns here.

Unexpected Fun with Swahili and Crocheting Techniques

The language barrier made things even more interesting since some of the ladies didn’t speak English. As for me, my Swahili is not great, but we made it work! We had some good laughs, especially when I was trying to count in Swahili while demonstrating certain stitches.

One of the funnier surprises was discovering these new techniques some of the ladies used. While they didn’t quite work for making standard granny squares, their yarn-saving skills were mind-boggling! I mean, how do you crochet with a yarn tail that’s less than a centimeter long? Hats off to them for sheer efficiency.

What’s Next with the Squares?

Now that I’ve got these 62 mismatched granny squares, I’m planning to sew them together into something. Some ideas include making a colorful pillow with an interesting folded pattern design or perhaps even turning them into a cozy dog bed.

What would you do with a bunch of slightly off, multicolored granny squares? Let’s not overlook the magic of granny squares—they’re the backbone of so many creative crochet projects, after all. If you’d like to follow more granny square-related tips or ideas, check out our feature on Blocks.

The Tissue Paper Holder Project

On a slightly different note, I recently made some tissue paper holders that look like little Kenyan-style houses. Yep, you heard me right! The idea hit me when I noticed my kids’ classrooms were missing tissues, and I figured, why not offer a fun solution? These are seriously cute and keep messy hands clean at school! I even made a few extra for the other classes.

I used basic crochet techniques, starting with a few rounds of double crochet, then shaping the project to fit a roll of tissue. Bonus: it pulls from the center, just like those Clorox wipes! Pretty neat, right?

Side Projects and Teacher’s Tools

In addition to my usual yarn projects, I’ve been busy creating small gifts for the school using leftover yarn. One of my helpers is crocheting these adorable Christmas balls, which we’re planning to make into fidget toys for the kids. This idea came from one of the teachers who thought the quiet, soft balls would be perfect to keep little hands busy without making noise.

We also brainstormed another fun idea: transforming these balls into a mini bowling set! Picture plastic water bottles as the pins, bright yarn balls as the bowling ball, and voilà—a cute, DIY kids’ game!

What About the Hug Shrug?

Before I forget, I’ve been itching to start a new tutorial for a hug shrug. It’s such a cozy project, and I can’t wait to get started. Let’s hope the batteries on my camera hold up long enough so I can squeeze in some recording before the kids get home. Stay tuned for that, and keep those hooks moving! You can explore more crochet podcast topics like this one in previous episodes, such as Episode 162.

Conclusion: Let’s Keep Crocheting!

So, that’s been my week—from meeting up with crochet-loving ladies and amassing a colorful pile of granny squares, to coming up with fun projects for the kiddos at school. If you’ve got any fun ideas for those quirky granny squares, toss them my way! Until next time, stay hooked!

Make sure to check out more crochet ideas and podcasts at The Secret Yarnery, and don’t forget to subscribe for more creative yarn adventures!

Stay cozy and keep crocheting!

Missed the last episode?  It’s HERE.