Making the Granny Square Coat
I think it’s important to try things that scare you, and when I came up with the idea to make a granny square coat, I was definitely shaking in my boots. I never want to become stale, so I try to find projects that will challenge me as a designer. It’s intimidating at first, but once I think about it and strategize, it becomes less daunting. With this design, I knew that this would challenge me in new ways and that it would allow me to grow.
When I saw this plain jacket in the store, my mind went wild with ideas. I imagined granny squares covering it and making it into an exciting garment with a wow factor. I knew that I wanted to use the Red Heart Granny Square Yarn. I hadn't used it before and this felt like the right project to try that out with.
I crocheted 26 individual granny squares and a few more rows to ensure the fit was approximate. I gauged out how they would fit by measuring the dimensions of the coat and for the collar, I created granny square clusters, which give that part of the garment its own detail while still flowing with the rest of it.
I placed the granny squares on the front and back of the coat before securing them just to ensure it all looked right, and when I was confident, I went for it and hand stitched each of the connected squares to the coat.
To be honest, it took quite a while to get this done. I spent most of the day getting this design just right, but it was well worth it. I had to concentrate very hard and although I wanted to rush through it, I knew that patience would win the day. By the time I finished, I was exhausted yet happy with the results. The colors of the granny square look so wonderful and it makes the coat pop just the way I wanted it to.
The granny square coat was one of the most arduous projects that I’ve done recently and also, entirely one of the most fulfilling, and that’s not a coincidence. I’d love to do more projects like this, and I have a few ideas bout how I can revamp the concept.