My Crochet Story (aka why I love C2C crochet)
I’ve been crocheting for over 40 years. My mother was a life-long crocheter as was my grandmother before her. I didn’t start out wanting to learn how to crochet, but I guess it was just in my blood. And here we are, some 40 years later, and I can’t imagine a day without crochet!
Not only do I love the process of crocheting, the look and feel of a brand-new skein of yarn, the challenge of new patterns and techniques, I also love how crochet connects us to past generations and how our handmade creations will become part of the legacy we leave behind. That’s a lot to love! And with the launch of Square One Crochet Designs, I’m taking that love of crochet to the next level.
Why do I love crocheting C2C graphghans?
What is it about C2C graphghans that made me fall in love with them? My first C2C graphghan project was a 4-panel llama blanket that I made for a dear sweet family member who was obsessed with llamas. At first, I thought it was just that I loved the llamas, but after having made about 12 more of those llama panels for Project Linus, I knew there was more to it. I love the simplicity of the technique. There’s counting, of course, because it’s crochet so there has to be counting, but it’s counting by threes—one-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-three. There’s a simplicity in that, the one-two-three, that’s meditative. And once you learn the technique, I don’t want to say it’s foolproof, but it has been my experience that you don’t end up having to “frog” so much because of some mistake you made several rows back. Counting blocks to make sure you didn’t miss anything as you complete a row is a whole lot easier than counting tiny stitches. And what fun to see the image emerge as you crochet from one corner to the other. It’s almost magical!
And so, realizing my love went deeper than llamas, I went searching for new C2C graphghan patterns, but soon became frustrated by the poorly designed patterns I was finding. Sure, the cover photo was cute, but the graphs were barely legible and the written instructions (always my preference) were nonexistent. One day, as I was literally having to recreate the graph of one of those poorly designed patterns and then create my own written instructions, I thought . . . why don’t I design and develop my own patterns instead of wasting time and money on someone else’s poor-quality ones? And thus, a brand was born. Where did the name Square One Crochet Designs come from? Although the phrase “back to square one” is often viewed as a negative, I see it as the exact opposite. There is something hopeful about new beginnings, one thing ends in order to open the door for something new. It is, after all, the natural order of things. Plus, C2C graphghans are made up of tiny squares . . . so there’s that! From one of my first jobs at a restaurant where the staff referred to the booth where we all congregated as “square one” to the idea that, at any age, you can always begin again, the name just felt like a natural fit.
We’re just getting started so check back often as we release new designs! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or feedback.
Happy Crocheting! – LB Brumage