Wednesday 10 July 2013

Social Fabric and Cotton Blankets

Social Fabric is a cool new craft shop in Totnes. It sells yarn, some fabrics, notions, probably the best collection of craft books in Devon and lots of other awesome little things I'm sure I'm forgetting. There is also a big inviting table in back perfect for classes, workshops and being social.

I've wanted to take a class there since it opened and finally having a bit of money in my pocket I signed up to develop one of my more neglected crafts. I signed up for a granny square workshop.

Before the workshop my crochet background was this: I could do it. I could do a couple of stitches (but not remember what they were called) make a square, a simple hat but I could not do anything vaguely open. I could not read a chart.

the squares I brought home

In between booking the workshop and going to it I was given plenty of temptation. Suddenly I was seeing an internet's worth of granny square blankets. The ladies at my group where bringing lovely granny squares and making stunning granny hearts. I wanted in.

So I arrived at Social Fabric on Friday morning, getting my Tour Spinning done as I waited for it to open. We sat down in the bright and friendly shop and I was taught how to make granny squares. Turns out, all this time I've been making some key crochet mistakes. I'd been wrapping my yarn the wrong way round, sending my stitches off and I'd been holding my hook in a death grip destroying the muscles of my forearm.

A weekends worth of squares

My mistakes corrected I was talked through making the squares and even how to read a chart. Feeling pretty good with myself I filled my arms with cotton from the front of the shop and brought them home. I've carried on making the squares and Stephen is doing his best to plot how they would look best (and most logical) in a blanket.

I'm ecstatic with both my workshop and the resulting squares so if you are ever in Totnes do check them out.

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