I've never made a big, huge afghan with smaller squares, and I don't think I'm about to start... Although I love the classic look and any project that uses up scraps, I just don't have the ambition to keep working on the same thing over and over. I get bored and lose interest. (And I hate weaving in end after end!) So for those like me who still wish they could make a large blanket with granny squares, here's a project that helps fight the boredom and reduces yarn tails:
My project started as one big square, with no strategy in mind other than to build as I went to use up the horribly-greenish Taupe that would never fit into my coffee-themed afghan, then give it to Dad because the color actually looks good in his house... And it ended with using up (almost) all four of my One-Pound skeins by the time I decided to call it "done"! Most agree that maybe it's a bit too large, but with the instructions I'll give you, the squares can easily be adjusted in size for a smaller blanket with the same sort of design. You can click here for the rest of the story behind the project.
Skill level:
Easy!
Yarns and colors used:
Color A - Red Heart Super Saver in Sage
Color B - Red Heart Super Saver in Frosty Green
Color C - Caron One Pound in (horribly-greenish) Taupe
Color D - Caron One Pound in Espresso
Color E - Red Heart Super Saver in SH Browns (Discontinued, but look for the color "Shaded Browns"; I think it's the same thing! Hmm, with such a similar name, could it be? Could it???)
Color F - Caron One Pound in Off White
Color G - Caron One Pound in Lace
Notes:
I used a hook size J/10 - 6.00 mm. These are just simple granny squares - Use whatever hook size works for you!
Squares begin with the magic circle.
All rounds begin with chain-1 and a double crochet; skipping over the chain-1 to join.
Begin in a corner with 3 double crochet, completing the corner at the end of the round.
Skip the last chain-1 of the corner space before joining the round, and join with a single crochet stitch to count as the chain-1 corner space.
Directions for joining squares are after the patterns, but I highly suggest you review them before you begin. The squares are NOT all joined together at one time, with extra borders added to the strips to make the stitch counts match up.
Instructions:
The big square:
Worked in the classic granny stitch (3 double crochet, chain-1), and using (3 double crochet, 1 chain, 3 double crochet) for corners.
2 rounds Color A
2 rounds Color B
4 rounds Color C
Repeat to desired size.
(2 more times for a width of about 40" / 102 cm - And keep in mind that's just the size of the Big Square!)
Bind off, weave in ends.
*Optional* Use Color E (variegated that reflects all the browns in the project) and the surface crochet slip stitch to highlight a design around some of the rounds. I only added this detail between Colors A and B.
Medium Squares:
Worked in the same pattern as above. Six of these were made to (almost) match the width of the Big Square, for three on each side.
(Shown here without last round worked)
(Make 4) Version 1:
2 rounds Color A
2 rounds Color E
2 rounds Color B
1 round Color F
(Make 2) Version 2:
2 rounds Color E
2 rounds Color B
2 rounds Color D
1 round Color F
Small Squares:
Worked in a variation of the classic stitch to save yarn and lighten up the pattern - (2 double crochet, chain-2), with (2 double crochet, 2 chain, 2 double crochet) corners. Twenty-six of these were made for a total of 13 on each side.
(6) Version 1:
1 round Color C
1 round Color D
(4) Version 2:
1 round Color E
1 round Color F
(4) Version 3:
1 round Color B
1 round Color D
(4) Version 4:
1 round Color A
1 round Color C
(4) Version 5:
1 round Color E
1 round Color B
(4) Version 6:
1 round Color D
1 round Color F
Joining:
The seamless joining method was used to put all squares together, but not all at the same time! This makes "mapping" the project a bit easier but much different than the usual way. Just check the diagrams and follow the directions starting from the top...
Where the map calls to "work regular", just work across the squares as usual. (I used the 3 double crochet, chain-1 granny stitch in each chain-1 space.) Where it calls to join: *Work 3 double crochet, chain 1, remove the hook, insert in the opposite chain space, pick up the loop. Chain 1.*
Repeat from * to * across the remainder of the square.
For the corner space on the joining side: Work the stitch, join, then make another (3 double crochet, chain-1) in the same corner space.
Using Color D, join the Medium squares together in strips of three in the following order - Version 1, 2, and 1.
Bind off Color D after finishing the join.
Using Color F, join the strips of Medium squares to the Big square.
Once the join is complete, continue around the outer edge of the pieces for a second border-round.
Bind off Color F.
Using Color G, join Small squares together in two strips of 13, in the following order - 6, 5, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 5, 6.
(You can use the map for the medium squares - Just add more squares in the row.)
Continue around for a second border-round; bind off Color G.
Join Color F; work 2 rounds; bind off.
Join Color D, work 2 rounds*; bind off.
*Optional* Knowing the blanket would be heavy, I changed to the (2 double crochet, chain-2) stitch for those last two rounds.
...And just for a tip, you can make the sides a little narrower if you make an extra Small square for that strip. You won't have to work as many border rounds to gain the length needed to join all pieces together. (But you're on your own with counting those stitches!)
Using Color G, join the strips of Small squares to the remainder of the project; starting at the corner of one strip of Medium squares, across the Big square, and to the next strip of Medium squares.
Once the joins are complete, continue working around for a second border-round.
Bind off Color G.
Could it be done now? YES! Did I stop? NO!
Border:
I continued around all that with a lacy border of (single crochet, chain-3), working two rounds of each of the following colors:
Color C
Color D
Color F
Color G
Could it be done then? YES... Did I stop? Still NO!
I transitioned from the lacy stitch with one round of Color D, worked with the (2 double crochet, chain-2 stitch).
Working in the classic granny stitch again, I finally finished with a border of one-round color changes in the following order:
Color C
Color F
Color D
Color G
Color C
Color F.
Okay. Now that I can barely pick it up on my own, it's DONE! I never did get an exact measurement of the final size, because my sewing tape measure was too small and my big tape measure is missing from my toolbox... But we know that when spread out, it takes up the whole length of Dad's 6' (2 m) long couch.
Skill level:
Easy!
Yarns and colors used:
Color A - Red Heart Super Saver in Sage
Color B - Red Heart Super Saver in Frosty Green
Color C - Caron One Pound in (horribly-greenish) Taupe
Color D - Caron One Pound in Espresso
Color E - Red Heart Super Saver in SH Browns (Discontinued, but look for the color "Shaded Browns"; I think it's the same thing! Hmm, with such a similar name, could it be? Could it???)
Color F - Caron One Pound in Off White
Color G - Caron One Pound in Lace
Notes:
I used a hook size J/10 - 6.00 mm. These are just simple granny squares - Use whatever hook size works for you!
Squares begin with the magic circle.
All rounds begin with chain-1 and a double crochet; skipping over the chain-1 to join.
Begin in a corner with 3 double crochet, completing the corner at the end of the round.
Skip the last chain-1 of the corner space before joining the round, and join with a single crochet stitch to count as the chain-1 corner space.
Directions for joining squares are after the patterns, but I highly suggest you review them before you begin. The squares are NOT all joined together at one time, with extra borders added to the strips to make the stitch counts match up.
Instructions:
The big square:
Worked in the classic granny stitch (3 double crochet, chain-1), and using (3 double crochet, 1 chain, 3 double crochet) for corners.
2 rounds Color A
2 rounds Color B
4 rounds Color C
Repeat to desired size.
(2 more times for a width of about 40" / 102 cm - And keep in mind that's just the size of the Big Square!)
Bind off, weave in ends.
*Optional* Use Color E (variegated that reflects all the browns in the project) and the surface crochet slip stitch to highlight a design around some of the rounds. I only added this detail between Colors A and B.
Medium Squares:
Worked in the same pattern as above. Six of these were made to (almost) match the width of the Big Square, for three on each side.
(Make 4) Version 1:
2 rounds Color A
2 rounds Color E
2 rounds Color B
1 round Color F
(Make 2) Version 2:
2 rounds Color E
2 rounds Color B
2 rounds Color D
1 round Color F
Small Squares:
Worked in a variation of the classic stitch to save yarn and lighten up the pattern - (2 double crochet, chain-2), with (2 double crochet, 2 chain, 2 double crochet) corners. Twenty-six of these were made for a total of 13 on each side.
(6) Version 1:
1 round Color C
1 round Color D
(4) Version 2:
1 round Color E
1 round Color F
(4) Version 3:
1 round Color B
1 round Color D
(4) Version 4:
1 round Color A
1 round Color C
(4) Version 5:
1 round Color E
1 round Color B
(4) Version 6:
1 round Color D
1 round Color F
Joining:
The seamless joining method was used to put all squares together, but not all at the same time! This makes "mapping" the project a bit easier but much different than the usual way. Just check the diagrams and follow the directions starting from the top...
Where the map calls to "work regular", just work across the squares as usual. (I used the 3 double crochet, chain-1 granny stitch in each chain-1 space.) Where it calls to join: *Work 3 double crochet, chain 1, remove the hook, insert in the opposite chain space, pick up the loop. Chain 1.*
Repeat from * to * across the remainder of the square.
For the corner space on the joining side: Work the stitch, join, then make another (3 double crochet, chain-1) in the same corner space.
Using Color D, join the Medium squares together in strips of three in the following order - Version 1, 2, and 1.
Bind off Color D after finishing the join.
Using Color F, join the strips of Medium squares to the Big square.
Once the join is complete, continue around the outer edge of the pieces for a second border-round.
Bind off Color F.
Using Color G, join Small squares together in two strips of 13, in the following order - 6, 5, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 5, 6.
(You can use the map for the medium squares - Just add more squares in the row.)
Continue around for a second border-round; bind off Color G.
Join Color F; work 2 rounds; bind off.
Join Color D, work 2 rounds*; bind off.
*Optional* Knowing the blanket would be heavy, I changed to the (2 double crochet, chain-2) stitch for those last two rounds.
...And just for a tip, you can make the sides a little narrower if you make an extra Small square for that strip. You won't have to work as many border rounds to gain the length needed to join all pieces together. (But you're on your own with counting those stitches!)
Using Color G, join the strips of Small squares to the remainder of the project; starting at the corner of one strip of Medium squares, across the Big square, and to the next strip of Medium squares.
Once the joins are complete, continue working around for a second border-round.
Bind off Color G.
Could it be done now? YES! Did I stop? NO!
Border:
I continued around all that with a lacy border of (single crochet, chain-3), working two rounds of each of the following colors:
Color C
Color D
Color F
Color G
Could it be done then? YES... Did I stop? Still NO!
I transitioned from the lacy stitch with one round of Color D, worked with the (2 double crochet, chain-2 stitch).
Working in the classic granny stitch again, I finally finished with a border of one-round color changes in the following order:
Color C
Color F
Color D
Color G
Color C
Color F.
Okay. Now that I can barely pick it up on my own, it's DONE! I never did get an exact measurement of the final size, because my sewing tape measure was too small and my big tape measure is missing from my toolbox... But we know that when spread out, it takes up the whole length of Dad's 6' (2 m) long couch.
Happy Crocheting!
Comments
Post a Comment
This is not a political website. Any comments with political content will be removed. Y'all need to learn how to act right.