Wednesday, September 16, 2009

VTT - Cats & Granny Square Afghans



This postcard of two kittens is titled "Sisters." The kittens are are posed on what I personally consider the most classic type of granny square— rows of jewel-tone colors surrounded by black.




The photo of granny square afghans shows two that I bought secondhand. The larger afghan is one that I bought at an estate sale twenty-five years ago. I am guessing that it was probably made when "avocado green" and "harvest gold" were popular in the early 1970s. Those two colors are synthetic yarn. The bright colors were more popular in the 1960s and are wool yarn. You can see how the bright wool has shrunk and become felted from washing in a washing machine.

The colors on the larger afghan were already out of style when I bought it, but it was a good bargain. I used it folded up as a back support in lieu of a pillow on the back of a chair. When I got my former cat Tigger, he loved to knead it. He was declawed, so his kneading didn't damage it. Since Tigger loved kneading so much, I bought the baby afghan especially for him at a rummage sale in the 1990s. It probably isn't as old as the other afghan. The baby afghan is made as one large square instead of smaller squares sewn together.

Below is a photo of my "baby" Tigger posing with his baby afghan. Tigger has been dead since 2001, but I still consider it his afghan. One of my current cats likes to knead, but I can't let her knead anything that I don't want damaged— she has claws that she doesn't like to have clipped.






Vintage Thingies Thursdays


25 comments:

  1. Very pretty afghans - with the cats posing there, it makes it so cozy looking!

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  2. I love how you tied the postcard in with the afghans! I just bought my first one at a resale shop. It's a lovely pale orange and black. I am very drawn to these lately, and I don't know why. Maybe because I would love to learn to crochet and make one of my own some day!
    Happy VTT!

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  3. You did a great job putting all the things together. I have several afghans and use most of them. However, the kitties are sweet too.

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  4. I have a baby sized afghan that some one made me for a baby gift. It was
    my favorite gift because it was hand made. Purrs to pretty Tigger and
    your other kitties. :)

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  5. I have a granny square afghan that looks identical to the one in your first picture...jewel-tone colors surrounded by black. My neighbor knitted it many, many years ago. Fun post, enjoyed reading it.

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  6. The sisters postcard is too cute. Don't they (and we) all have our favorite blankies?
    Thanks for sharing!
    Living it up at Lakewood,
    Cindy

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  7. These granny squares bring such memories for me. Love the colors of yours.

    Thank you for sharing these :0)

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  8. Growing up I had one of those classic black background afghans..I loved it to death, literally. I think I just might have to do one for this winters crochet project...Thanks for the spark!

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  9. those granny square afghans are always a fav..love yours in the retro colours :)

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  10. Once again a perfect combination of postcard and the item in it! I didn't know that history of granny square afghans. I have just made my first granny square project this summer and working on another. I had to laugh at your description of the 70's colours; avocado green was a favourite here too.

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  11. The kittens on the postcard are adorable, my mother always enjoyed creating afghans such as these.
    Happy VTT.
    a bientot
    Maggie

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  12. Oh, that one afghan does scream 70's. I remember those colors well as I most likely used them when I was trying to learn how to crochet.

    Have a great VTT and a wonderful weekend.

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  13. Oh wow, I remember my Mom making those granny squares :-) Really sweet kitties.

    Jocelyn
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

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  14. I love the afghans-the colors are great!

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  15. Those afghans are wonderful! I need to find a god vintage one! They are the cuddliest of them all!

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  16. My grandmother crocheted a granny square afghan just like the one in your postcard way back in the 40's! I remember wrapping it around me all the way into the 70's! Your Tigger is a twin to our Sophie who is still going strong at 14!
    Cheers!

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  17. I remember I had an afghan that my grandmother made for me when I went off to college. Sad to say... I think I got rid of it years ago. So sad. I have not thought about that afghan for years.

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  18. Awww, Tigger was adorable. How you must still love the afghan too... Our pets... sigh.

    Ive seen a few articles on granny square afghans lately. I think they must be having some NEW popularity! Maybe I should get out my crochet needles again!

    Tracy

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  19. Oh...how...cute!!!!!! You had an afghan for your kitty! My mother-in-law made little afghans for my two pups last Christmas and I loved it (after I got over thinking it was weird at first). They love to snuggle on them. What a great blog - can't wait to visit more ~ ♥

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  20. I like Tigger's afghan and Tigger looks like he was a very special guy:)
    My mother and aunts all went through some sort of hormonal rage and crocheted hundreds of afghans when I was young!

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  21. What a wonderful memory you have of your precious Tigger! I wouldn't ever be able to part with his wonderful afghan! I remember when Granny square afghans were all the rage. I've never had one, but I'm on the look-out now!
    Thanks for stopping by my blog!

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  22. The afghans remind me of my grandmother. She loved to crochet. I still have several of her afghans They are so wonderfully warm. Although she is not here any longer, those blankets are evidence of her love and skill. Your cat tigger looks like the cat I had growing up~ Babe. she died at 18 years old. So I can completely appreciate your love of these things. Gone but not forgotten and we have the afghans to remind us. Lucky us!

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  23. We have two cats, have had them for ten years.

    Much as I LOVE them at SOME moments, I'm getting tired of trying to keep their shed hair from taking over the planet.

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  24. Nice post! My grandmother taught me how to crochet granny squares and helped me make my first afghan. Thanks for the memories!

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  25. I have a king sized granny square afgan crocheted by my grandmother in the late 70's. It can be thrown in the washer and never fades or wears, it a variety of bright, bright colors and brings back the most pleasant memories of my grandparents, many wonderful childhood summers spent in Maine, and a mental picture of her in her rocker crocheting for hours! And it is the warmest afghan, too! Thanks for the chance to remember all of this on a gloomy grey day in Central NY!

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