Circle in a Square Granny: Wade's Blanket CAL (Part 1)

Hello and welcome to Part 1 of the Wade's Blanket CAL, hosted by Zooty Owl and Kokopelli Design!  

This blanket was made from scraps a while back with the patterns that we will be posting over the next few weeks: 

Today's pattern is:

CIRCLE IN A SQUARE GRANNY

PATTERN TERMS:    US

YARN WEIGHT:   DK (8PLY / LIGHT WORSTED WEIGHT)  

The amount of yarn required depends on the size of the blanket you would like to make. The one pictured in the photo is 110cm x 110cm - I used just over 600g (1800m) of yarn. A 150cm x 150cm would probably take 800g - 900g. 

HOOK SIZE:   5.00mm

SQUARE SIZE:    12cm x 12cm

Gauge is not too important with this blanket. Yarn thicknesses vary somewhat from brand to brand as do the tensions of individual crocheters. The most important thing is that your tension remains even throughout the blanket - this will ensure that your squares will always be the correct size, for example if this square measures 14cm x 14cm then the next two patterns will also measure 14cm x 14cm (instead of my 12cm x 12cm) and the fourth one 7cm x 7cm (instead of my 6cm x 6cm).

Zooty Owl's Colourway:   Denim Blue, Blue, Turquoise, Lime, Bright Green, Lemon and White.

My blanket will be 110cm x 110cm in size - so I made eight of these squares.

Andrea is making a larger blanket so she is making more squares!

Start with a MAGIC RING
(alternatively crochet 3ch, sl st into 3rd chain from hook to form a circle)

Row 1:  3ch (counts as 1dc);  11 dc into the magic ring;  sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch to close round (12dc);    Pull the beginning tail to tighten the ring

Row 2:  sl st into first space between dc; 3ch (counts as 1dc) 1dc in same space as join (2dc grouping);  [2dc into each sp between dc on the previous round (2dc grouping)] x11;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round (24dc)

Row 3:  Sl st to centre of 2dc grouping;  3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into the centre of the 2dc grouping;  [3dc into centre of next 2dc grouping (3dc grouping)] x 11;  sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round (36dc).   Break off yarn.

Row 4:   Join yarn in space between any 3dc groupings;  3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into same space as join;   3dc into next space;    (3trc, 3ch, 3trc) into next space (corner made);   [(3dc into next space) x2;  (3trc, 3ch, 3trc) into next space] x3;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round.

Row 5:  Before you start Round 5, turn your work, so you're facing the wrong side;  3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc into space between 3dc groupings;  (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch;   [(3dc into next space) x3;   (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch)] x3;   (3dc into next space) x2;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round;   turn work.   

Now your square should look like this from the wrong side:

 

Row 6:  Before you start Round 6, turn your work again, so you're facing the right side;  3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc into space between groupings;  (3dc into next space) x2;  (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch;   [(3dc into next space) x4;   (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch)] x3;   3dc into next space;   sl st into 3rd of beginning 3ch  to close round.    Break off yarn.

Use your favourite joining method to join your squares in a row - I am using my VISIBLE JOIN to join mine!

Have fun making your squares and see you again in two weeks with Part 2 of Wade's Blanket.

Wade's Blanket CAL: Introduction

Wade's Blanket CAL, hosted by Zooty Owl and Kokopelli Design. I am delighted to present my third blanket CAL (crochet-a-long)to you. The multi-talented Andrea of Kokopelli Design will be hosting this CAL with me!!

Here are some details to get you started:

Why are we calling it "Wade's Blanket CAL"?

Wade is a very brave little boy who is undergoing chemo at the moment.   While we were planning the CAL I told Andrea that I want to make Wade a blanket for comfort.   So we decided to name this blanket "Wade's Blanket".

The CAL will be over 16 weeks and we will post a pattern and a photo tutorial on both blogs every two weeks on Friday, starting March 20th.

There will be four square patterns, three stripe patterns, and a border. By the end of the CAL you will have a beautiful blanket in the size you want (depending on how many squares you make and how wide you make the stripes).

I made this one a while back using oddments of colour left over from other projects:

The patterns are written for DK (8ply / light worsted) weight yarns and a 5.00mm hook.  You can make the blanket from an assortment of different colours, or you can choose a specific colour palette - whatever you like!!

I will be using Elle Pullskein DK (100% Acrylic yarn) from our South African Mill, Saprotex and have chosen colours which are available in most acrylic yarns - Denim Blue, Blue, Turquoise, Lime, Bright Green, Lemon and White.

Andrea has chosen Stylecraft Special DK in a "Peacock" palette:

If you need a few ideas to help you choose your palette BE INSPIRED BY COLOUR!
Andrea and I look forward to having very many of you join us for this CAL on 20 March 2015

"Gorgeous Granny" Bag: Print Friendly Version

 The "Gorgeous Granny" Bag pattern is now available in my RAVELRY STORE

"Gorgeous Granny" Bag

I have made quite a few "FAT BOTTOM" GRANNY BAGS using a "modification" of a pattern I found on the internet.  

I wanted a bag that didn't look quite as casual, with a separate lining that could be worked into the bag without sewing through the crochet square, with neat, sturdy handles.

I am quite chuffed with the bag I came up with.    Went to the shops with this bag yesterday, and quite a few ladies stopped me to admire my bag.    "Gorgeous" was the most popular comment, hence the name "Gorgeous Granny Bag"

 I made quite a few of these with a mix of variegated and solid colour yarn.

They make lovely thoughtful gifts - each and every one of my "girlfriends" will be sporting one of these this winter!

Pattern can be found in my RAVELRY STORE

Inspired by Colour!

One of the questions I am most frequently asked is "how do you choose your colours?".

Unless you have had a class or two in colour theory or have an "eye" for colour, deciding what colours to use can be VERY frustrating!

A quick and easy way to build up a small "stash" of colours that work well together, is to pick out a few balls of variegated yarn.

Don't think about it too much - just something that catches your eye! 

Buy a ball or two of each of the colours in the variegated yarn and you will have a lovely little "no stress" colour palette!

LOVE!     LOVE!    LOVE, variegated yarn!

Layered Flowers

I have a little basket into which I throw my less than perfect blooms or those which I do not use on my finished projects.

Every now and then I will empty the basket and layer up the blooms to make a selection of "interesting" flowers!!    Just layer them from the biggest bloom up to the smallest and join them with an embroidery needle and some yarn!

For the first bloom I layered three different "flowers":

First 4 rows of my STARFLOWER MANDALA
A LITTLE WILDFLOWER
and a TEENY TINY STAR

For the second bloom I layered two different flowers:

A LITTLE WILDFLOWER
and two CHAIN LOOP DAISIES (you can vary the sizes of the chain loop daisy by crocheting more or less chains on each petal!)

Layer up whatever flower-like pieces you have made  - add a button or a bead and VOILA!!!

Granny Hearts

Granny Hearts!!!   

Just in time for Valentine's Day!

GRANNY HEART PATTERN

PATTERN TERMS:   US

MATERIALS:    100% DK COTTON (I used Coffee Cotton)

HOOK SIZE:  4.00mm

SKILL LEVEL:  Easy


Foundation:  3ch, sl st to make a circle OR  make a magic ring

Row 1:   3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into circle;  (3ch; 3dc into circle) x3;   3ch, sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 2:   Join yarn in any 3ch space.     6ch (counts as 1dc, 3ch), 3dc into same space (first corner);  (3dc, 3ch, 3dc into next 3ch space) x3;   2dc into same space as start join;   sl st into 3rd of 6ch to close.

Row 3:   Sl st into first corner space;  (2trc, 3ch, 3trc, 3ch, 2trc) into next space between corners;  sl st into next corner space;   ((2trc, 3ch, 3trc, 3ch, 2trc) into next space between corners;   sl st into next corner space to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 4:  Join yarn in unworked corner (the apex or point of the heart),   3ch (counts as 1dc), (2dc, 3ch, 3dc) into same corner;  (1ch, 3dc into next space) x2;   2ch, 3dc into next space;   2ch, (3dc, 3ch, 3trc) into next 3ch space;   sl st to right  of sl st in Row 3;   sl st to left of sl st in Row 3;   (3trc, 3ch, 3dc) into next 3ch space;   2ch, 3dc into next space, 2ch;  (3dc into next space, 1ch) x2,  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.    Break off yarn.

Row 5:   Join yarn with a sl st to left of 2nd sl in Row 4;   2ch,  1dc into same space;   (skip 2dc, sl st into next space between dc;  2ch, 1dc into same space;   skip 1dc, sl st into next space;   2ch, 1dc into same space) all around ending with a sl st to the right of 1st sl st in Row 4

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A special thank you to Jackie Ramsden of BLANKIES BY JACKIE for testing this pattern:

and to John Kelly of HE IS HOOKED and Michelle Westlund of CROCHET BETWEEN WORLDS  for proof reading the pattern!

The Neon Shawl

I crochet very fast and never have a problem finishing something quickly or getting my orders out on time!

This does, however, make me a very, very bad blogger!     Once my hands get going I forget to take photos or write down the pattern.   At this stage there are almost 60 patterns on my to-do list.   

One of my resolutions for 2015 is to work through THOSE old patterns (and ideas) before I allow myself to come up with anything else (not sure how much success I will have there - but I am determined to persist!!!)

The Neon Shawl is something I made in OCTOBER 2013.     It is one of those practical pieces that matches with most of my casual clothing - and it is just perfect to drape around the shoulders while socialising outside at night!  

The Neon effect is achieved by alternating colour stripes between dark grey and black stripes.     Very simple!      You can use any DK acrylic!    The colours do not need to be an exact match, and you will find that most brands stock colours similar to the ones I used.

The pattern is exactly the same as the Cosmos Fields Shawl (apart from the stripe composition and edging) - so here goes:

THE NEON SHAWL PATTERN


Yarn:    100% Acrylic DK

Colours: Black,  Dark Grey,  Pink, Bright Pink, Peach, Red, Lemon, Lime, Mint, Jade, Aqua, Turquoise, Baby Blue, Lilac

Special Stitch

Picot:    A picot is formed by crocheting 3ch then sl st into the top of the last dc

Stripe Composition:
Rows 1 - 4 Dark Grey
Row 5 - Pink
Rows  6 - 7 Dark Grey
Rows 8 - 9  Black
Row 10  Bright Pink
Rows 11 - 12 Black
Rows 13 - 14 Dark Grey
Row 15 Peach
Rows 16 - 17 Dark Grey
Rows 18 - 19 Black
Row 20 - Red
Rows 21 - 22 Black
Rows 23 - 34 Dark Grey
Row 25 Lemon
Rows 26 - 27 Dark Grey
Rows 28 - 29 Black
Row 30 Lime
Rows 31 - 32 Black
Rows 33 - 34 Dark Grey
Row 35 Mint
Rows 36 - 37 Dark Grey
Rows 38 - 29 Black
Row 40 Jade
Rows 41 - 42 Black
Rows 43 - 44 Dark Grey
Row 45 Aqua
Rows 46 - 47 Dark Grey
Rows 48 - 49 Black
Row 50 - Turquoise
Rows 51 - 52 Black
Rows 53 - 54  Dark Grey
Rows 55 Baby Blue
Rows 56  Grey
Row 57 Lilac
Rows 58 - 63 Black


Hook:   5.50mm 

Foundation & Rows 1 - 55 Follow the pattern for the COSMOS FIELDS SHAWL (using the above stripe composition) repeating the last row twice more for Rows 56 - 57.

Border:

Rows 58 - 59 (follow the pattern for Rows 56 - 57 of the Cosmos Fields Shawl)

Row 60 - 62:   4ch (counts as 1dc, 1ch), 2dc into 1ch sp;  [3dc (3dc group) into space before next dc group] repeat this until you reach the point (corner);    (3dc, 3ch, 3dc) into corner 3ch;  [3dc (3dc group) into next 3ch space] repeat this to the end of the row - working 2dc; 1ch, 1dc into the chain space at the end of the row 

Edging:  3ch (counts as 1dc), (1dc, picot, 1dc into 1ch space at start of row);  (sl st into space before next dc group;   2dc, picot, 1dc into same space as sl st] repeat this until you reach the point (corner);    (sl st into corner 3ch;   2dc, picot, 1dc into same space as sl st);  (sl st into space before next dc group;   2dc, picot, 1dc into same space as sl st) repeat this to the last 3 stitches and sl st into the 1ch space at the end of the row 

(We are now going to do the base edging - the longest side of the triangle which is formed as you do your rows) Into same 1ch space work 3hdc;  sl st into side of first dc post, (2ch, 1hdc, sl st into side of next dc post) repeat to last dc post, 3hdc, sl st into top of 3ch at start of row to end.

The Rally Scarf

Happy New Year!!!!

In celebration of the New Year my son designed a new logo for me and I am sharing my latest and first pattern for 2015!!!

This scarf is very addictive to make - and being so economical and easy too you could make as many as you feel inspired to!


PATTERN TERMS:   US
My patterns are all written in US terms

I have included this little chart to make it easier for my UK readers to reference the difference in stitch terms.

Skill Level:  Easy

Approximate Time:  3 hours

Yarn:   Any DK (8 ply / Light Worsted Weight)

Acrylic;  Courtelle;  Acrylic / Wool;  Acrylic / Wool / Tweed are all suitable types for this scarf

Amount Required:  100g (2 x 50g balls) / 300metres / 330 yards - this was sufficient across three different types of DK yarn

15g / 45 metres / 50 yards of a contrasting colour for the edging 

Hook Size:  I used a 5.00mm hook

Use whatever hook size suits your choice of yarn and your tension.

Length: 140cm (excluding the braids)

Width:  25cm (from straight edge to centre point)

Elle Rustica DK - Saddle (acrylic / wool / tweed)

Lollipop DK Colours - 0016 (100% Acrylic)

Elle Family Print DK - Sushi (100% Courtelle)

Elle Kidz DK - Dino Dudes (100% Acrylic)

Elle Kidz DK - Magic Potion (100% Acrylic)

PATTERN NOTES:   


This is a "long triangle scarf".    Shaping is done on one side of the scarf only.    The top edge remains straight.

The pattern repeat is 1 row hdc;   1 row dc - worked over Rows 4 - 7 for the "Increase" half of the scarf.

You will be increasing at the start of every dc row.  The last stitch on every hdc row is worked into the 3rd the start 3ch (the increase) where your previous row was dc (if you miss working into this your scarf is going to be oddly shaped)

The pattern repeat of 1 row hdc;   1 row dc  - is worked over Rows 8 - 11 for the "Decrease" half of the scarf.

You will be decreasing at the end of every hdc row.

Foundation:   4ch

Row 1:  1hdc into 3rd ch from hook;   1hdc into next ch (2ch at start counts as 1hdc) = 3hdc;   turn

Row 2:   3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into space between hdc (2dc "V");    2dc into next space between hdc (2dc "V");   turn

  
Row 3:  2ch (counts as 1hdc); 1hdc into "V" ;   2hdc into next "V";  turn

Row 4:   3ch (counts as 1dc increase);  2dc into each "v";   turn

Row 5:  2ch (counts as 1hdc) 1hdc into first "V";  (2hdc into next "V") repeat to last "V";  1hdc into top of 3ch at end of row;   turn

Row 6:  3ch (counts as 1dc increase), 1dc into space before first "v";  2dc into each "v";   turn

Row 7:   2ch (counts as 1hdc) 1hdc into first "V";  (2hdc into next "V") repeat to end of row;   turn

Repeat Rows 4 - 7 until your work is approximately 70cm long, omitting Row 7 on your last repeat (in other words, your last pattern repeat will be Rows 4, 5 and 6)

Row 8 - 2ch (counts as 1hdc) 1hdc into first "V";  (2hdc into next "V") repeat to last "v";   crochet 2hdc together (dec);   turn

Row 9 - 3ch (counts as 1dc);  2dc into each "v" to end of row;   turn

 

Row 10 - 2ch (counts as 1hdc) 1hdc into first "V";  (2hdc into next "V") repeat to "v" before last "v" (2nd last v);   crochet 2hdc together (dec);   1hdc into top of 3ch at start of previous row;   turn

Row 11 - 3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into space before first "v" (counts as first "v");  2dc into each "v";   turn

Repeat Rows 8 - 11 until there are 3 stitches left, omitting Row 11 on your last repeat (in other words, your last pattern repeat will be Rows 8, 9 and 10).  Break off yarn.

Edging:   Join contrasting colour to end post on any dc row.    3ch, 1dc into same space as join, skip next hdc row, sl st into side post on next dc row;  (3ch, 1dc into same space as sl st, skip next hdc row, sl st into side post on next dc row) repeat around all edges of scarf ending with a sl st into same place as start

Braids:  Pull a double strand of yarn through a stitch at the end of your scarf (until you have two equal lengths).    Start twisting both lengths in the same direction.   Once they are tightly twisted, hold them together and gently guide them to twist in the opposite direction.    Knot the end of the braid.

I added three of similar (not exact) lengths to each end.

Flowers:   Add a PANSY or a button or two at each end and you are good to go!

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Thank you so very much to Leanne Nisha and Laura Brozo for testing the pattern for me, and Michelle Westlund for proof reading the pattern!    

This one was made by Leanne Nisha of GUMNUT CROCHET