Granny Sets her Sights on a Smart Car
By Alicia Kachmar – 12 CommentsIn all my years of crocheting, I have yet to make a granny square, let alone an entire afghan of pieced-together granny squares. This is probably due to the fact that I already have an excessive number of crocheted afghans from more than one crocheter, including one of my grandmothers. Now, there’s nothing wrong with granny square afghans! It just isn’t something I find myself wanting to make. (There’s also a heat index of 100 today, so I am definitely not in any mood to think about afghans!) I have, however, seen some interesting uses of the proverbial granny square in totes, shawls and clutches, elevating this common crochet motif to new heights. This Smart Car, covered in crochet granny square goodness, takes the cake.
Photo by StartTheDay
The yarn-happy vehicle was seen on the streets of Rome, courtesy of Magda Sayeg, the woman behind Knitta, Please. She is known for taking knitting and crocheting to the streets–quite literally–in the form of public works like the above. For Sayeg, it’s about looking beyond the purely functional and practical uses of these fiber arts. In addition, she likes adding an element of handmade and human-ness to an otherwise very concrete, sterile world we find ourselves in. This particular work was made for Il Lusso Essenziale, an arts festival in Rome that celebrates “the rediscovery of the the extraordinary nature of everyday life.”
In the words of one blogger, “It sort of looks like the Smart Car crashed into a bus full of little blue haired ladies.” Well, I think this car screams COOL rather than GRANNIES, but okay. The car can still function as a car too, as opposed to some of the yarn-bombed bicycles one sees that are completely covered in yarn and rendered mostly useless.
Have you come across any non-afghan items that use the granny square as the building block?
Personally, I think that car is full of awesome! Colorful, eclectic. As you say, usable rolling art.
It’s absolutley beautiful! I looooooooooooooooooooooooove it!
LOVE it!♥
Wow, I like to crochet, but not THAT much. Doesn’t it get wet when it rains or does it come off?
I LOVE THE CAR
I love Granny Squares but I also dislike to have too many afghans – so here are some ideas for the partial or complete use of Granny Squares:
* cardigans
* bags
* place mats
* dishcloths
* slippers
* scarfs
The advantage of using Granny Squares is that you can quickly repair the thing you made out of them if one of the Squares should get haggled; just take the broken Square out, crochet a new one and insert it.
…and then there are bookmarks, vests, tablecloths, hats, book covers…
Hey, I love small projects, so I didn’t want to make a blanket, but I reallly wanted to try making granny squares… as a result, my cousin will soon receive a granny square watch strap :). But they’re sooo easy n fun to do so I’ve gotten sucked in to doing a baby blanket afterall 🙂
Absolutely awesome!
I have crocheted alot of different patterns, and alot of different projects, but at ’62’ don’t want to try to cover a car–I’ll stick with afghans, it’s a whole lot easier.
That. Is. AWESOME!!!!!
Wow! I have just found the courage and the yarn to start making an afghan. This car brings a whole new level to crocheting. Love it!!