Channeling Grandma

I bought some flannel sheets from L.L.Bean about 10 years ago and they finally were starting to wear out. I was sad because they were warm and a pretty green color and I didn't want to shell out the bucks for a new set. I remembered hearing stories about my grandma in the great depression cutting worn out sheets down the middle and sewing them back up with the edges as the new middle, so the worn out edges got tucked under the bed. My sheet that was worst off from the set was the fitted bottom sheet, and I didn't think I could manage this sewing feat since it wasn't just a rectangular sheet. I thought it would be a pity to throw out the sheet, and decided to make a rug out of it.

I didn't figure making a braided rug could be so difficult, so I just tried it. And guess what! It wasn't hard at all. The only part I had a problem with was ending it. As you can see, the braid just ends on one side when I ran out of sheet.


I didn't bother to try to keep the edges of the sheet from showing in the braid. I decided that it gave the rug a rustic look. Um. Yeah. (Also, as I look at these photos, it looks like there's a yellowish stain in the middle of the rug. There's not. The yellowish spot is an artifact of my crappy camera and the crappy light I took the picture in.)

I put it in the downstairs bathroom, recently scrubbed free of icky teenage boy and I think it looks nice. Nicer than the bare floor anyway!

After finishing the rug, I was still feeling crafty and wanted to do something else to keep my fingers busy in the evenings. I remembered that I used to like to crochet and decided to pick it back up. I decided to make something I had made before to warm up, and remembered all those wonderful evenings I used to sit on the bed with grandma, looking at Talbot's catalogs, watching Dynasty, sewing and/or crocheting. She taught me how to make granny square blankets, so that's what I decided to do for my first project.


It's funny. I was very awkward with the stitches for the first square, but after that, it was like riding a bike. I am happy I started this project. A funny thing is that I haven't felt crafty since the summer I worked in California and left the kids up here in Oregon. Now, suddenly, I am feeling crafty again now that I'm an empty nester. Coincidence? I think NOT !