When I put down my paint brush I picked up a crochet hook and am so glad that I did. Crochet is something I have always wanted to try but have been putting it off for years out of fear of doing badly.

I am learning to accept that you do not have to be good at your hobbies, you just have to enjoy them so I took a plunge and began to teach myself to crochet.

I decided my first ever crochet project was going to be a daisy granny square cardigan, perfect for the summer and great practice for granny squares which are the fundamentals of many projects.

At the time I thought it was going great, which is hilarious on reflection because it truly proves that practice makes perfect. I began making squares and attempted making daisies separately and slowly began to realise I hate the magic circle.

Fast forward a week or so and I have actually formed my first square for the cardigan! (it did fall apart later into the project and wasn’t included in the final piece).

I needed 45 squares and soon ran out of places to store them so asked my dad to create a blocking device to keep them all safe! As the project went on the squares got progressively better and I was so excited to finish them. Future Chloe has no idea it would take an entire day for her to learn how to mattress stitch them all together or that because she is a tall girl she would most likely need way more than 45 squares… but she did it!

The final piece is not perfect but it is wearable, see me sporting it below!

I’d advise anyone who is a beginner to start with a project that is not as big or as complex but if I can do it anyone can!

Credit to Tangled Between Threads for her youtube video that inspired this project and to dad for making me a blocking contraption that I will continue to use for all my granny square projects. Thanks to my sister for the very fabulous photos of me sporting the cardigan the day it finished and to mum for trying to teach me patience with the magic circle.

Persevere and who knows, you might have an average cardigan like me in the near future! -Chloe