I have been watching Youtube videos from Snapdragon Life and in one of the old ones Jane explained that her auto-immune condition, and the medication which helps her manage it, mean that she needs to start the day slowly so she lies in bed doing some simple knitting until she feels ready to get up. Ever since I was pregnant with my first child (now aged 50!) I have taken a mug of tea back to bed in the mornings before getting dressed and starting the day and since John died I have read whilst sipping. But the idea of knitting appealed to me. Not a jumper or anything else large and complicated which would need too much concentration and be difficult to handle in bed but a small simple project.

As a child my favourite Aunt and her husband had one of the early Dormobiles and travelled around Europe every Summer in it. On the beds were blankets made of knitted squares in lots of different colours made by Aunty Nan and she always took some yarn and needles with her on those trips and made more squares which she stitched together over winter and gave to charity. I loved the tales of adventure and discovery she told of their trips.

My Dad was a keen beekeeper and over each Summer we went with him on visits organised by the Beekeepers Association to members’ apiaries. One was in a field where a couple kept their bees and spent their summers living in a re-purposed railway guards van. I have no idea if they went ‘home’ when the weather was bad or where they spent their winters! They, too, had blankets of knitted squares on their beds. I loved their spirit of adventure and the idea of living in a small cosy space.

So two couples who, to my young eyes, lived lives of adventure and unconventionality connected by their choice of bedcovering – no wonder I also love blankets made of knitted squares or granny squares! Periodically I have made a few squares when I have wanted to knit but inspiration has been slow to arrive. I have a large collection of small balls of leftover yarn. So for the last few weeks I have been knitting simple 6 inch squares in the morning and have found it a lovely way to start the day. This is my collection, old and new, so far.

Check out the blogs of the other members of the group for more inspiration.

Kate, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Tracy, Jan, 
Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, 
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Viv, Karrin,  Alissa, Tierney,
Hannah and Maggie