Hi, y’all! So, it’s Granny Square Day 2018, and usually I design a new square for the occasion, but this year I was way too busy preparing for a huge project by checking a bunch of things off my to do list. With the VVCAL Reboot, the wrap-up of the Relaxghan Series, a complete restructuring of this website (peep the new main menu!), and planning the promotion schedule for my book, The Art of Crochet Blankets (Nov. 13) – let’s just say I have a lot of things to check off before my big project gets here. SO, since I don’t have a new square pattern to share, instead, I wanted to tell you about Shelley Husband’s book, Granny Square Flair! Yay!

In her book, Shelley (from Spincushions.com) gives us 50 beautiful granny squares, which range from super simple to very intricate. If you are looking for some more squares to add to your blanket or cushion making sessions, then this is a fantastic book to pick up.

[Related: Find Granny Square Flair on Amazon.com – US Terms // UK Terms – affiliated but I love Shelley and highly recommend it!]

The Process

When Shelley was developing Granny Square Flair, I remember watching her Instagram feed, @spincushions, like a hawk, to see the next photos of her squares. Here is one photo posted as a progress pic.

And another photo down below. Aren’t the squares beautiful? A snippet of Shelley’s signature blue aqua and cream palette is a real treat! I love how she combines those hues across all of the squares, and the consistency of the colors lets the textures sing. Take a look through @spincushions on Instagram, and dig into these gorgeous photos. There are plenty to swoon over!

An Incredible Testing Opportunity

As her book journey progressed, I was lucky enough to be asked by Shelley to make one of the squares from her book in any yarn and colors I chose. What an honor! Some Scheepjes Cahlista (affiliate link) was laying around in my stash, waiting for a purpose, so I picked my favorite square – okay confession, I picked a random one. They were all too pretty! But I’m glad it was this one, because with my colors, it looks like a turtle shell, right?

Fun with Granny Square Flair

After my book arrived (check it out in the photo below – squeeeee!) it was practically impossible not to make a couple more squares, and just in time for Granny Square Day!

[Related: Read more about this book on spincushions.com]

Another view of these beauties – one in a dk weight yarn (Scheepjes Softfun aff) at left below, and one in a bulky aran yarn (teal River Washed XL and a pretty purple Cahlista aff) at right.

Just love these squares! Looking forward to grabbing a spare moment soon to create some more. It was fun to just stash dive and make squares in random colors and yarn weights.

Shelley is Amazing!

One other super cool thing, and further proof that Shelley is an awesome human (as if I needed more proof!) is that my square is in the book. I mean how cool is that? All of the crafters who were selected to test squares for Granny Square Flair have their squares in the book. Honestly it’s the neatest thing, and again, I’m incredibly honored to have received my very own copy of Granny Square Flair for my crochet book collection. Look! My name is there and everything! I’m still geeking out!

Shelley and I have been hooky friends for ages, and I remember even back when she still made the hand-sewn pin cushions that are her website namesake. Seeing your hooky friends grow and flourish and thrive is one of the most fulfilling parts of being involved in such a talented community of crafters.

Thank you to Shelley for letting me get my hands on her book and for giving me my own little personal real estate in its pages! I recommend Granny Square Flair to anyone who just loves the comfort that a granny brings.

Find Granny Square Flair on Amazon.com – US Terms // UK Terms – affiliated but I love Shelley and highly recommend it!

Happy crafting, y’all!

– Rachele C.