My Gram Perkins loved to crochet (aside from making bread, canning, gardening, raising kids, and sewing). On those rare days growing up when I was sick and got to skip school, I would stay with my Gram Perkins. Curled up on her couch underneath one of her beautiful hand-made afghans, I would lay there with my fingers twirling her fine crochet stitches. As I would twirl and dream, she would bring a constant supply of freshly peeled oranges from Florida, cut-up peaches from Alabama or any other fruit she had on hand. To this day, those moments on her couch hold some of my fondest memories – being sick, underneath an afghan, eating oranges and in the nurture of my grandmother.
When I opened Norah Gaughan’s Comfort Knitting & Crochet: Afghans, I felt transported to my Gran Perkins’ world.And like a kid, I devoured the book to decide which one I would like to make first. As everyone knows, I am not much of a knitter but can work my way around a crochet hook (and have quite a collection of hooks poised and ready.) I debated about the Greenway (pictured below) as it is so like the colors and style that my Gram Perkins would love. BUT…I think that I have to go with her namesake – the Ethel – pictured above.
And while my Gram Perkins (Ethel Lucille) often crocheted with a nylon/acrylic blended yarn – like the Afghan shown below – I will choose an organic cotton/wool yarn like this. In life, I always look forward to the adventure of it all (but love to return to the comforts of home.) I will let you know how it turns out!
A great present for the Gram Perkins in your life: Comfort Knitting & Crochet: Afghans
Leave us your favorite afghan story in the comments below by Monday, the 3rd of May, 2010 by 12 noon for a chance to win a copy of Comfort Knitting & Crochet: Afghans. We will select a winner by judging the very best of the best stories. (Full disclosure: You all know that is hard to choose the BEST story – so we might have to put the best of all the stories into a hat and draw a name. All sweepstakes rules apply. That means no family or friends – smile. And don’t forget to sign in so we know how to reach you when you win.)
**Update – Thank you to all of you who participated and shared your lovely stories! As suspected, we just had to toss all of the stories into the hat! Congrats to Sharon, who won our copy of Comfort Knitting & Crochet: Afghans.
sad that link is broken, would love to see the “ethel”