Its starting to look a lot like a Baby Groovyghan CAL(6)

For those of you joining in now (or who may need to catch up) here is a little photo story of what we have done so far (I have included the links to the previous posts to make referencing easier for you):

WEEK 1 - RAINBOWS AND DAISIES SQUARES

I chose some shockingly bright colours in Mirage 4ply - and made some shockingly bright Rainbows and Daisies Squares

WEEK 2 - RAINBOW HALF GRANNY SQUARES

I made lovely (shockingly bright) Rainbow Half Granny Squares - and my baby groovyghan looked like this:

WEEK 3 - THE FIRST STRIPES

The Rainbow Daisy Square Row and the Half Granny Square row were joined with some shockingly bright stripes



WEEK 4 - CIRCLES IN SQUARES

Here we had a bit of fun "designing" our own "Circles in Squares"

WEEK 5 - ZOOTY OWL SQUARE

A little tutorial to make a Zooty Owl Square, and a twist on the "Circles in Squares" from Week 4.

We also crocheted 1 stripe onto the top of the row of Rainbow Half Grannies;  1 stripe onto the top and 1 stripe onto the bottom of the Circles in Squares Grannies



If you have a bit of catching up to do, don't feel too badly!   I have to admit that I also am a bit behind (embarrassed giggle) - I am working on so many exciting WIP's - there are just not enough days in the week!

STRIPES 

We have already worked 1 stripe onto the top of the row of Rainbow Half Grannies;  1 stripe onto the top and 1 stripe onto the bottom of the Circles in Squares Grannies

Crochet 5 Stripes onto the bottom of the Row of Circles in Squares Grannies:  AND
Crochet 5 Stripes onto the top of the Row of Rainbow Half Grannies:

Row 1 (already done in Week 5)
  
Rows 2 - 5:   "Granny Stripe"

Row 2:  Into space between first 2 double crochet on the wrong side of your work, crochet 3ch, 2dc,  *skip two spaces, into third space from hook 3dc* rep *to* to last 4dc, 3dc into space between last 2dc.

Row 2:  Into space between first 2 double crochet on the wrong side of your work, crochet 3ch, 2dc

Row 2:   *skip two spaces, into third space from hook 3dc

Row 2:  *skip two spaces, into third space from hook 3dc * rep *to* to last 4dc, 3dc into space between last 2dc.

Row 3:  turn work - now working on the right side;  ch 4;  *3dc into space between clusters* rep *to* to last sp between clusters, ch 1, 1dc into sp between last dc on final cluster of Row 2

Row 3:  turn work - now working on the right side;  ch 4;  *3dc into space between clusters*

Row 3:  rep *to* to last sp between clusters, ch 1, 1dc into sp between last dc on final cluster of Row 2

Row 4:   Working on the wrong side of your work;  3ch, 2dc into 1ch sp at end of prev row (i.e the start of this row);  *3dc into space between each cluster* rep *to* to last sp between clusters

Row 4:   Working on the wrong side of your work;  3ch, 2dc into 1ch sp at end of prev row

Row 4:   *3dc into space between each cluster* rep *to* to last sp between clusters

Row 5:  Repeat Row 3

Join the top of the bottom of the Row of Circles in Squares Grannies to the top of the Row of Rainbow Half Grannies using the VISIBLE JOIN

Crochet 5 Stripes onto the top of the Row of Circles in Squares Grannies:

Row 1 (already done in Week 5)

Row 2 - 5:   In the colour of your choice join yarn into first dc of previous row;  3ch (counts as first dc), 1dc into top of each dc;  repeat  to end 

Crochet 5 Stripes onto the bottom of the Row of Zooty Owls:

Row 1:   Join your yarn into the corner 3ch of the first square in the row; 1dc into the top of each hdc, when you reach a corner on a block 1dc into corner, 1dc into loop of  join, 1dc into corner on next block.   Repeat this to the end of the row of blocks.  1dc into the last corner 3ch.

Row 2 - 5:   In the colour of your choice join yarn into first dc of previous row;  3ch (counts as first dc), 1dc into top of each dc; 1dc into the 1ch over each join;  repeat to end

NOTE:  Rows 1, 3 and 5 are worked on the right side of your work;   Rows 2 and 4 are worked on the wrong side of your work.

Join the top of the bottom of the Row of  Zooty Owls to the top of the Row of Circles in Squares Grannies using the VISIBLE JOIN

This is where I have fallen slightly behind - I did mention that the Zooty Owls were quite a bit of work and so, alas, I have not completed my Zooty Owl row.    But this is what mine looks like so far:

There are a good few hours of crochet work involved to get up to this point, so I don't think I am going to load another row of squares onto this week!   I am still trying out a few ideas for the next row anyhow- not quite sure which one(s) to pick yet!

I have a fair bit of catching up to do - so that is what I shall be doing for the rest of the afternoon.

Hope you enjoy crocheting along with me!

If you do notice any errors please do not be shy to point them out - always a bit difficult to proof one's own work!

The First Stripes: Baby Groovyghan CAL (3)

At this stage of the CAL we have two rows of squares.   One row of 8 x  RAINBOWS AND DAISIES SQUARES;  and one row of  8 x RAINBOW HALF GRANNIES SQUARES

We are going to be working "bottom" to "top", your "bottom" row being your Rainbows and Daisies Squares.

If you are a seasoned crocheter you will not have any trouble joining the completed striped rows to the next row of squares in an even manner.    I do find, however, that the more inexperienced crocheters struggle to get an even finish here - so I am going to teach you a little "trick".

We are going to crochet 10 rows of stripes - 5 onto the top of the row of Rainbow Daisies and 5 onto the bottom of the row of Rainbow Half Grannies - and then we will join stripe to stripe!

Crochet 5 Stripes onto the top of the row of Rainbows and Daisies as follows:

Row 1:   Join your white yarn (or whatever colour you are using as your border colour) into the corner 3ch of the first square in the row; 1dc into the top of each dc, when you reach a corner on a block 1dc into corner, 1dc into loop of  join, 1dc into corner on next block.   Repeat this to the end of the row of blocks.  1dc into the last corner 3ch.

Row 2 - 5:   In the colour of your choice join yarn into first dc of previous row;  3ch (counts as first dc), 1dc into top of each dc;  repeat  to end 

Crochet 5 Stripes onto the bottom of the row of Rainbow Half Grannies as follows:

Row 1:   Join your white yarn (or whatever colour you are using as your border colour) into the corner 3ch of the first square in the row; 1dc into the top of each hdc, when you reach a corner on a block 1dc into corner, 1dc into loop of  join, 1dc into corner on next block.   Repeat this to the end of the row of blocks.  1dc into the last corner 3ch.

Row 2 - 5:   In the colour of your choice join yarn into first dc of previous row;  3ch (counts as first dc), 1dc into top of each dc; 1dc into the 1ch over each join;  repeat to end

NOTE:  Rows 1, 3 and 5 are worked on the right side of your work;   Rows 2 and 4 are worked on the wrong side of your work.

Your two sections should now look like this (ignore the bottom part of the Rainbows and Daisies Section - I am working ahead there).   The rows are quite straight but the photo was taken on an uneven surface.

Now work the two sections together using the VISIBLE JOIN

Your Baby Groovyghan is now starting to take shape - with a lovely even stripe between your rows of squares:

I need to go and contemplate the next square (something easy but interesting)....... Part 4 will be posted by next week Wednesday!

Happy hooking until then!

Rainbow Candy Diagonal Granny Stripe

I had been planning to make my niece a "groovyghan" for Christmas.    Luckily I remembered that eleven year olds are VERY particular little people, and decided that I should rather discuss the project with her before plunging in.

A good thing too!

She wanted stripes - no blocks.   Very particular stripes in fact - "they must not be fat, also not dizzy stripes" (thin stripes).   No frills or flowers.  I had also planned to make it for her bed - she wanted a square blanket to snuggle under while watching DVD's.  Alrighty then! - as I said - good thing I asked!

We added a couple of colours to those I had already selected and I got started on the project HERE early in October. 

I used the Diagonal Granny Stripe - a firm favourite of mine.    You can find a how to in my Diagonal Granny Stripe Infinity Scarf post

This Diagonal Granny Stripe had to be square - this means to you keep on increasing on both sides until the outer edges of the triangle measure the length and width you wish your finished project to be.   Then decrease on both sides until your last cluster.

I used candy pink, fuschia, peach, red, lemon, lime, mint, jade, aqua, turquoise, blue, denim, lilac and purple for my colour stripes:

On the increase half I used white to separate the colour bands.   A few rows before I started decreasing I introduced grey between the colour bands.     

Once I started decreasing I began using grey as the separator colour and phased out the white over the first few rows.  

For the border I did a double row of shells:

I crocheted a two tone border - white on the white diagonal (2 sides) and grey on the grey diagonal (2 sides):

We had fantastic weather on Friday.     Hot as ...., but beautiful clear blue skies.    Perfect weather for a  bit of photo fun.  

Bundled the blankie onto one of our shaded walkways:

 Posed it on the stairs leading up to my rose garden:

Rolled up under the Lapa's thatch:

Hanging it from the beams:

Folding it in different ways:

Posing it here and there:

By then I was rather hot and bothered.    Took a lovely swim and poured myself some homemade ginger beer with lots of ice and lemon slices.   Sat myself down poolside to contemplate my Christmas List (one down - way to many to go!!)

Didn't get much done yesterday - "meltingly" hot again = hanging out with hubby and my youngest (who turned 21 recently!!!) - swimming, sipping iced tea and ginger beer, nibbling on finger food, and watching movies in the lovely cool family room (until four in the morning!).     Such a relaxing, perfect day!

Going to make brunch in a few minutes and after that I suppose I should go back to contemplating that Christmas List!

Infinity Scarf - Diagonal Granny Stripe

I used to love long floaty winter scarves (even better if they had super long full tassles)!   Only problem with this type of scarf is the possibility of serious bodily injury - as they always seem to get caught on and in everything.

My new winter favourite is the Infinity Scarf (lovely and warm, fairly loose around the neck and so out of the way!   

The Diagonal Granny Stripe is also a big favourite of mine - I just HAD to use it to make an infinity scarf:

Here is my pattern in case you would like to make one (I have tried to make it as accurate as possible - I am only human though - so please leave me a comment if you find an error)!

Start with:  5ch
Row 1:  Into 5th ch from hook - 3dc, 1ch, 1dc (first corner formed)

Begin Increasing:
Row 2:  4ch -  turn; 3dc into 1ch sp; 3dc, 1ch, 1dc into corner space

Row 3:  4ch - turn;   3dc into 1ch sp, 3dc into space between clusters; 3dc, 1ch, 1dc into corner space

Repeat Row 3 13 times (16 rows in total)

In order to form a long rectangular strip you will now continue to increase on the one side of your work, while decreasing on the other:

Row 17:  4ch turn; 3dc into next sp between clusters (decrease = 2nd corner formed), 3dc into each subsequent sp, into last sp on row work 3dc, 1ch, 1dc (increase)

Row 18:  4ch  turn; 3dc into 1ch sp (increase); 3dc into each subsequent sp up to 2nd last sp; 1ch, 1dc into last sp

Repeat rows 17 and 18 until you have a total of 130 rows

At this point you will continue to decrease on the one side as you have been doing and you will begin decreasing on the side where you were previously increasing:

Row 131:   4ch turn; 3dc into next sp between clusters (decrease), 3dc into each subsequent sp up to 2nd last sp; 1ch, 1dc into last sp (decrease - 3rd corner formed)

Repeat until second last row = 1sp, 1 cluster, 1 sp

Final Row:  4ch turn 1dc into sp at end of row.

Fasten off

Fold in half and join the bottom and top seams:

I gathered my seam slightly (I find it sits better at the back of the neck) - but this is up to you.

Yarn used:    Stylecraft Life - Fuschia, Melon, Clover (four rows of each in that order)

Hook used:   5.00mm (my tension is a bit on the tight side though).

Fun to make - lovely to wear!