Granny Square a Week-Week Fifty

So here we are: Week 50! And this week is a Christmasy theme.

Christmas Wreath Square by Carol Wijma

This is a fairly easy square, even though it looks complicated. My only adjustments:

Round 6, when they call for 2 dc, 2 hdc, 4 sc, etc. you put one in each stitch. Meaning if you have 8 stitches from the row below, you would do 1 dc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, 1 sc, 1 sc, 1 sc. The only place you put 2 stitches in one stitch from the row below are the corners when you do tr, chain 3, tr.

Also, I omitted the red stitching on the inside of the wreath, I couldn't get it to sit correctly. It looked just fine without it.

As for the bow, I did not like the way they did it in the pattern. On my main color square, which I made second, you will see it is slightly different. All I did was chain 50, place a dc in the 3rd chain from the hook and all the way across, then fashioned it in the same way they did on the pattern. I left a long tail so I could stitch it up to about the center so I could attach it to the square.

And that is it! I am working on attaching all the squares now, so hopefully next week's blog will be the big reveal!

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty Nine

This week's square is... my own pattern!

I started out trying to make another square but it just was not working. With no way to get any help from the author, I decided to rewrite a similar one from scratch. I call it...

The Crooked Granny
You begin by making the base to a granny square:

Magic circle or chain 3 and slip stitch to the first chain to make a loop

Round 1-chain 2, dc 2, chain 2, *dc 3, chain 2*. Repeat * to * twice. Slip stitch to top of beginning chain

Round 2-Slip stitch to the first chain space. Here you may change color or stay with the original color. chain 3, dc 2 chain 2, dc 3, *chain 1, dc 3 chain 2, dc 3 in next chain space* repeat twice and slip stitch to the top of the chain 3. Fasten off yarn.

Round 3 -Slip stitch new color to any corner space. Chain 8 and slip stitch to next corner. Continue 3 more times and slip stitch to original corner space.

Round 4- Sc 5, chain 2, sc 5 in chain space. Repeat 3 more times, slip stitch to next corner. You will see you now have a granny middle on it's side in the middle of a square.

Round 5- Chain 3, hdc in every stitch until you get to the chain 2 space in the corner, in the chain 2 space you place 2 hdc, chain 2, 2 hdc. Continue this around-hdc in every stitch, 2hdc, chain 2, 2hdc in every chain 2 space in the corner-until you reach the chain 3. Slip stitch to top and fasten off yarn

I can not express how frustrated I was with the original pattern. I also can not stress the need for people to have testers try out their patterns before they post them online-either for free or for sale (that is the worst, when you pay for a pattern only to find out it does not work, at all). Because you may be able to get it to work, but the chance is high you may forget to note something, take a stitch out, write SC when you mean chain, etc. For example-when going over my own pattern above for the 4th time, I realized I had extra chains in 2 places.

Here are the finished products!

This was done with Vanna's Choice in Silver Blue and Red Heart Super Saver in Cornflower

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty Eight

This week was chosen by my fiance:

Webbed Flower Granny Square by Shelley Husband

This was a well written and very easy square. I enjoyed making this one! You can do it in all one color (as I did with the alternates) or more than one, just changing at the beginning of rows.

No adjustments at all!

Bernat Super Saver in Wedgewood

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty Seven

For this square we are doing something a little different. This week is my daughter's 14th birthday! And in honor of that I made a square for both afghans that reflect one of her most favorite things: My Little Pony, specifically Rainbow Dash's cutie mark. Which looks like this:

http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/logo/rainbow-dash-cutie-mark

I made a basic granny square out of blue-lucky enough my one color for my main afghan is very very close to the color blue that Rainbow Dash is. 

Then I made the cloud. I had to write my own pattern because I couldn't find one anywhere that 1-worked and 2-didn't charge an arm and a leg for (I understand you have to charge for your artistic ability but $9 for a pattern of a cloud that takes less than 5 minutes to make is ridiculous).

Here is the pattern:

Chain 10

Row 1-place a sc in 2nd chain from the hook and every chain there after (9 sc).

Row 2-Turn and make a sc in every stitch on the row

Row 3- Turn and make a sc in every stitch on the row

Now we are going to work in the round(which is different from a row in that you don't turn, you work continuously around)

Round 4- Turn, slip stitch in next stitch, in next stitch make 4 dc. Repeat that 3 more times. Slip stitch in last stitch, and turn the cloud on its side make 4 dc in the side of the cloud (try to aim  toward the middle row but it isn't a big deal if it doesn't land there). Turn again and make a sc in every stitch in the bottom of the chain. When you get to the end turn on it's side and make 4 dc in a stitch on the other side. Slip stitch into the first stitch on that round. 

Sew in ends and attach to your square.

For the lightening I just did basic embroidery. I am not very good at it LOL so I won't even attempt to tutorial it.

Since I just made two of these in the same colors, I will only share one picture this week.

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty Six

A little sunshine for your day:

Sunburst Granny Square by Rhonda Rowley

This is a very quick and easy square. The only adjustments are as follows:

As you begin round 2, make a chain 3 so the height and stitches are consistent. Because you are adding a chain, do one less DC since the chain counts as the first DC.

Do the same as you start Round 4, removing one DC from the cluster.

Round 5 you will do the same as above, removing the first dc from the set of 4 in the chain.

This was done with Vanna's Choice yarns in Goldfish and Aqua

Until Next Week!!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty Five

It is getting to be that time of year where everything dies off and you don't get to see the pretty flowers anymore. So we will make our own!

Dahlia in a Square by Kinga E.

This square is made in 2 parts: the flower and then the square around it.

First adjustment is with the flower itself.: When you do Round 2, I found it is far easier to work subsequent rounds if you work Round 2 in the front loops only. Otherwise you will be struggling to get the stitches in.

The last round on the flower, I would suggest doing back loops instead of front loops for ease of the next round, which is the building of the square.

Also, I stopped at round 3 of the square for size.

Other than that it is fairly easy and straight forward and brings a lot of interest since it is a 3D square.

This was done in Caron Simply Soft in Soft Pink and Vanna's Choice in Heather Gray

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty Four

Happy Halloween! Hurray! I love Halloween and this week I have two squares, both in the Halloween theme, one I have been looking forward to sharing for a while.

The first one:

Spider Web Square by Dayna Audirsch

This is a very straight forward square, worked up easily. I stopped after Round 6 for size. It is very cute and practical for the afghan!

The second one is my own creation: I call it my Frankie Square! I just made a basic granny square with green and when I was working up my last round, I did one side and 2 corners in black, for hair then added eyes.

The eyes were made like this:
In white, make a magic circle or chain 4 and slip stitch in the 4th chain. Chain 1 and make 7 sc in the round. slip stitch to the first sc. Then work 2 sc in each sc around (you will have 14 at the end), slip stitch to the first sc.  Leave a long tail for sewing. There is the white of your eye!

In black, make magic circle or chain 4 and slip stitch in the 4th chain. Chain 1 and make 5 sc in the round. Slip stitch to the first sc. Leave a long tail for sewing. There is your pupil!

Sew the black to the white and then sew that to the green anywhere you want. I also added a scar above the eye, I just made long stitches with a piece of black yarn.

And here he is:

Done with Red Heart Super Saver in Honeydew, Vanna's Choice in Black and Bernat Super Saver in White

Until Next Week!!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty Three

This week's square:

Fill'er Up Afghan Square by Margaret MacInnis

This square is incredibly easy and quick to work. It is pretty simple but the clusters and the chain spaces create a lot of interest!

This was done with Impeccable in Arbor Rose

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty Two

Again with the hearts! I just love them, and flowers:

Hearts All Around by Laurie O. Campbell

This pattern has a tendency to be a wee bit confusing. You have to pay attention and count in the early rounds. It can be easy to be thrown off slightly.

Adjustments:

Round 6, when it tells you to skip four stitches, ignore that. I am not sure why she says that because if you actually skip 4 stitches you will be far off from where you need to be. Just finish your last LHC chain 2 and dc in the first DC in the corner section.

Round 7, in the corner spaces, you 2 dc in the next 2 stitches, make the corner and then 2 dc in the following stitches. It says to make 3 but there are not enough stitches to do that, just chain spaces and we are told to  skip those.

Round 8, it says to dc in next 4 chain spaces, but it is to dc in the next 3 dc and then dc in the chain space. After you sc and chain in the top of the heart humps, you dc in the chain space and 3 dc in the 3 dc.

I ended on Round 9.

This one was done with Impeccable in Forest and Vanna's Choice in Terracotta

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty One

This week's is another one of those "easier than it looks" squares:

Obscured Flower Granny Square by Prague Loop

My adjustements:

On Round 4, when you go back to color 2, you will have to slip stitch twice to the chain space. That chain space is in between 2 corners so you only make 2dc and then chain 1. The next chain space will be the corner, where you can 3 dc, chain 2, 3 dc. When you look at the row where you will be placing the 3 dc, you can see where the corner is and where the sections between corners are. Follow that and you will be golden.

On Round 5, again you have to slip stitch twice to the chain space. Which is a space in between corners. Again, 2dc, chain 1 and you continue from there(3dc, chain 1, then make corner).

Also, anywhere you make a chain 3, that counts as 1 dc so you don't need to make 3 in that space.

This was done with Vanna's Choice in Pink and Bernat Super Saver in Rouge

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Forty

This week's square is another solid one, and fairly simple:

Popcorn and Treble Square by Marlo Cairns

Only adjustments: is in round 3 in the beginning of the round, as you are making your first corner, you chain 3, 1 dc, chain2, 2 dc.

I stopped at round 5 for size.

Done with Red Heart Super Saver in Light Periwinkle

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty Nine

This is a very simple and cute one. You don't need a pattern but I will share where I got the idea from:

Tawashi Set, Version D by Pierrot Yarns

I did my edging slightly different-I joined at a corner, chain 1 and did  a sc in each stitch and chain 1 space around, and 3 sc in the corners. When you get to where you started, you make one more sc and join.

My fiance chose these colors! LOL This was done with Red Heart Super Saver in Pumpkin, a  generic $1 bin yarn that is neon green and Vanna's Choice in Aqua.

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty Eight

Simple one color square this week:

Diamonds Are Forever by Melissa Dalton

Only adjustment was a correction that is not shown in the pattern itself, but the comments. It is for Round 5:

Correction: Rnd 5: sl in nxt dc, then in ch sp (ch3, dc, ch2, 2 dc) in ch sp, ^skip 1 dc, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1, skip st, dc in ch 1 sp, dc in next dc, dc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk st, dc in next 3 dc, sk 1 dc, (2dc, ch2, 2dc), repeat from^ twice more ………rest as written

An easy and quick square, very simple and pretty. Would make a great afghan with just these squares!

I stopped at round 10, purely because I felt it was big enough and round 11 did not interfere with the aesthetics.

This was done with Bernat Softee Baby in Princess Pebbles

Just as a note: the yarn in the alternate square is a #3 light weight, so it may appear smaller than the main color square.

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty Seven

This week's square is:

Box Fan by Donna Kay Lacey

And it is actually my SECOND square for this week. The first one I had selected was such a mess, I could not get it to work. And after nearly an entire day working to get it to come together, I threw it out. Unlike me, yes, but I don't advocate driving yourself insane.

Now this pattern is awesome! It comes out pretty and works up very fast. It is super simple, too- just the same 2 stitches over and over in different multiples. Which is what creates the pattern that resembles a fan. You can be as intricate or as simple as you wish. I went with the straight single colored block but there are a few awesome ideas on the Ravelry page.

Done with Red Heart Super Saver in Honeydew, which is far prettier than what this picture shows.

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty Six

Up for this week:

Four Hearts Square by Deb Y.

Very quick, easy and adorable square. No adjustments at all. I did both these squares in 45 minutes. And I think it took that long because I stopped in between the two to scroll around on Facebook. Hehe

So here they are:

This was done with Red Heart Gumdrop in Smoothie and Bernat Super Value in Lilac

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty Five

This week's square:

Peacock Feather Square by April Garwood

Such a fun square. Some ideas I have seen are to make the oval part a solid color and it can look like an Easter Egg.

The only thing I recommend is that when you are doing Round 4 you pay attention after you have done the 3rd corner-you have to put the first single crochet in the stitch that is now under the corner. Push the corner stitches aside and make your first single crochet. Otherwise you will come up one stitch short.

Also, the last round, instead of single crochet, I did it all in half double crochet, basically to make the square slightly larger.

This one was done with Vanna's Choice in Eggplant, Red Heart Super Saver in Light Periwinkle,  Bernat Super Saver in Bright Yellow and Red Heart Super Saver in Honeydew

Until  Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty Four

This week's square:

Jackie's Heart Granny Square by Jackie Karp

I seem to have a bit of an obsession with granny squares with hearts. I just love them!

This is a tricky one.  Making the heart you have to pay very close attention, especially the second round. And starting the granny square, just make sure the single crochets and chains are evenly spaced so the heart is straight on the front of the square. Although, I did try to make the alternate color slightly off to the side to give it more interest. I did this by not working the corner until the second chain 3 space on round 2.

This one was done with Vanna's Choice in Pink and Bernat Super Value in Rouge

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty Three

In honor of the 44th Anniversary of Woodstock this week, we have this square:

Peace Sign Granny Square by Kara Gunza

Quick and easy square to spread a little peace and love! No adjustments or notes, this square is well written and works up in a snap.

This was done with Red Heart Super Saver in Paddy Green, Pumpkin and Bright Yellow and Deborah Norville  Everyday in Bright Violet

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty Two

This week's is a tutorial video, rather than a written pattern

Windmill Granny Square by Elizzza13

This is an easy pattern to follow and since the majority of it is chains, it takes far less time to do. The longest portion is doing the edging, making the square itself takes no time at all. It is a large square-I think larger than any we have done up to this point-so I am thinking this may have to be a center piece, at least for my afghans.

My Notes:
Starting with the end of Round 3 you  DO NOT join, you just keep working each round until the end. I had a little trouble with the pattern at first because I was listening to the video instead of watching and I was joining my rounds and could not figure out why it looked so off.

Round 12, when you do 2 single crochets in the double crochets in the corner, I  put them in the first to as you come to them and the last 2 as you leave the corner, it gives it a more uniform look that way.

Also this is a bit of a yarn eater. It doesn't look it but it ate up quite a bit of yarn. So be mindful as you choose your yarn.

And don't get discouraged if your square looks slightly wonky as you are working it in the earlier rounds. It will come together, I promise!

As you can see, I did this one in a solid color.

This was done with Sugar and Cream in Lime Stripes

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty One

This week's granny:

Sunburst Granny Square by Priscilla Hewitt

Super easy and cute, this one can be made with as many or as few colors you wish. No adjustments. I just finished before round 5 for size.

As I was making it, I swear I have done a similar square but I can't seem to find it. I think I am having granny fatigue. Hehe

The camera is not picking it up but these are neon colors and  they give the square a retro feel.
Done with Deborah Norville Everyday Collection in Bright Violet and Impeccable in Arbor Rose

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Thirty

We're in the thirties! This week's pattern:

Jelly Mould Pattern by Frankie Brown

This pattern is written with British terms, which are different than US ones:

British DC = US SC
British TR = US DC
British HTR = US HDC

You have to pay close attention to your stitches because it is very easy to get confused. I had forgotten here and there in the pattern and I was like "why is this doing this??" and it was me forgetting to convert terms.

The pattern is supposed to pop up, but for some reason, no matter how I tried, I could never get it to really pop up at all. But it is a pretty pattern in it's own right and the pattern is written well-I have had issue as of late with poorly written patterns there is nothing more frustrating than trying to get a pattern to work that is written poorly. I tried 3 patterns before this one for this week and let me tell you, I was ready to call it quits!

The only adjustment is Round 2 in the edging- after you complete the corner, the  pattern should be (In US terms): 2 hdc, 2 sc 3 times and 2 hdc before you come to another corner. On the pattern above she has the 2 sc being done twice and that leaves you short of the corner.

This was done with some bulky generic yarn I found in the dollar bins at AC Moore.
It is coral and a greenish teal.

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Twenty Nine

This week is a very sweet heart square that is a break from the more complicated ones we have been doing.

Cornered Hearts Square by Elizabeth Ham

This darling square works up quickly with no adjustments. She even has a video!  I finished at round 6 for size.

This was done with a random black yarn and Bernat Super Value in Rouge

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Twenty Eight

Hello again everyone! This week's square is a bit like one from March-it has a bit of a celtic knot in the middle but it is only done with 2 pieces and it is a larger square.

Granny's More Complex Star by Tiggerbee

My only adjustments are:

1-I found it was easier to make the star separately then join them. I would make the first arm and not close it off, make the second arm, intertwine them like the picture on the pattern illustrates, then join the 2 arms to themselves. 

2- I ended on round 8 since my larger squares are only about 7-8 inches and I wanted to keep that size. 

This was done with Red Heart With Love in Bubblegum, Red Heart Super Saver in Pumpkin and Vanna's Choice in White

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week-Week Twenty Seven

Happy 4th of July! This week our square is:

I Love The USA Square by Dayna Audirsch

This sweet pattern has hearts in each corner and very interesting stitch work in the middle. There were no adjustments, I just stopped working after round 7 to maintain a smaller size.

The only thing you want to be careful with is round 6 when you stitch 2 rows below; I found that it helps a bit to look at the finished product picture to see exactly where your stitches need to end up!

Otherwise, a very easy and quick square.

This was done in Red Heart Super Saver White, Cherry Red and Soft Navy

Until Next Week!

Granny Square a Week; Week Twenty Six

This week's square is off season!

Snowflake Potholder by Linda

I know, I know, we just started summer, but this pattern is just too pretty to keep in the cold months. It is a pattern for a pot holder but if you make one, it can easily be used for a granny square. This works up fairly quickly, with big pay off.

No adjustments at all, I worked straight until the last round. 

This one was done with Red Heart Super Saver in Pumpkin and Vanna's Choice in Aqua

Until Next Week!