Wednesday 18 March 2015

MIXED BAG OF GRANNY SQUARES

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, free crochet granny squares patternsSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, free crochet granny squares patterns
MIXED BAG OF GRANNY SQUARES 
FOR PROJECT CHEMO

I’ve been slowly building up my granny square collection for donation to the lovely project for cancer patients with Project Chemo Crochet (PCC) at  http://www.projectchemocrochet.com/.

This blog will be the addition for the last few squares to complete my 100 squares.  I’m so thrilled to have been associated with this project – it’s been so fulfilling and such fun discovering new and lovely squares to add to the collection.


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Right at the bottom of this blog, I’ve added links for the other squares as well.

Some of the patterns used did not reach the required dimensions of 9” x 9” – so once I’d completed the square as per the original design, I just added a few more rounds following pattern of the last round (or last 2 rounds) till I got to our desired size specifications.

It is also heartening to note that when people heard I was doing this for Project Chemo, some of them have gone out of their way to share ideas, links and/or photos for this.  Thank you.

Materials used : A combination of our local Indian Oswal acrylic yarn with a 3.5 mm   crochet hook ; fabric glue to seal ends 
This yarn is not specific for this project.
You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.
As today's project is a donation to Project Chemo Crochet, the squares need to be 9” x 9” - going towards toddler blankets

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros ; Red rose metallic or  unbranded  knitting cotton as well as Vardhaman acrylic yarns

International yarns :  Among the international yarns I have used, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn ; Alize bamboo yarn ; Spotlight 4-Seasons Stallion or Marvel acrylic yarns or "I-love-this-cotton" cotton yarn from Hobby Lobby.
Abbreviations used :
sc : single crochet            dc : Double crochet
ch : chain                         ch-sp : chain space
sp : space                        rep : Repeat
trc : Treble / triple crochet
dtrc : Double triple crochet

Here are some easy video tutorials for all basic stitches used in granny squares.
Stitches used :
Starting slip knot : Here’s how you start with a slip knot.  https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : This is a neat new way to start your work without a slip knot.  https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a slip stitch : Here is a neat video tutorial at https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

What is a chain stitch ? Here is an easy video tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXx5ukBjKkY

Magic circle : To refresh your skill, please view this easy video https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : To refresh your skill on the fsc, please view this video https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA  

Half Double Crochet : Hdc :  yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;
yo, draw through all 3 lps.  One hdc made. 
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);
[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice.  One dc made. 
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Double Triple Crochet : dtrc :  wrap yarn three times around hook, insert hk into st ; yo (4 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] three times.  One trc made. 
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/XyPrnAtOs3U

Once you have made as many squares as you want for your blanket, use one of these joining methods for a neat join.

Whipstitch to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the whipstitch at https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the embroidery needle and whipstitch to get an invisible join at https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the single crochet at https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

How to change colors seamlessly : Here’s an easy video tutorial to show you how to change from the Main color to the Contrast or second color of yarn seamlessly.  View it at https://youtu.be/fRzSBja9jno 

How to carry your yarn when using two colors : Here’s an easy video tutorial to show you how to carry your yarn along when working with two colours.  


1. TEDDY BEAR GRANNY SQUARE 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of Teddy bear granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of teddy bear granny square pattern
                                                Detail

So I started making something on my own .. using a general pattern, and then found this lovely video link.. so you have fun with this one.  


2. DOG N BONE GRANNY SQUARE 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, crochet dog granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of dog granny square pattern
                                                  Detail

A really cute pattern for a dog n bone.. that you’ll love even if you aren’t an animal lover.


3.FALLING STAR 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of star granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of star granny square pattern
                                                   Detail


4.SUNRISE PATTERN 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of sunrise granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of sunrise granny square pattern
                                                            Detail



5. SNOWFLAKE 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of snowflake granny square pattern

In this lovely pattern, the designer has said the square is 7.5”.  As we need 9 x 9” for our present project, I increased this as follows :

So we have a last round 8 here that gives us one ch-3 sp between 14 dcs. 
To square this up..
Next round : dc in the 14 dcs and 1 dc in the ch-3 sp (between dc’s in the middle of your square), dc in the next 14 dcs till corner ; (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each corner and join with a sl-st to finish off this round.

Depending on the yarn / ply you have in hand, work rounds with dc in each dc and the (to) for each corner till you have a square of 9 x 9”.


6. HEART PATTERN IN SQUARE 
Unfortunately the color choice and poor photography does not show off the lovely pattern, but trust me on this one - and do make it.

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of heart granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of heart granny square pattern
                                                       Detail


7. CORNERED HEARTS
Fascinatingly unusual pattern... a must do
Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of cornered heart granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of cornered heart granny square pattern
                                                  Detail


8. HEART TO HEART AFGHAN  
A great pattern that was part of an afghan - Of course squares joined to get the afghan, so I just had to make this heart for the project as well.

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of heart granny square pattern


9. MYSTERY SQUARE   
Part of a mystery square pattern, just the title of the pattern ensnared me.. as it will you.
Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of mystery square granny square pattern


10. GEOMETRIC PATTERN 
No no, it is not meant to be this wonky.. needs blocking 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of neat geometric square granny square pattern

So in this lovely simple square, I’ve increased till I tweaked the pattern, till I have the square in the size we need.  Followed till Round 4, and then instead of decreasing, I’ve continued increasing (per pattern) for a few more rounds, before then decreasing for our present project requirement. 


11. ZIG - ZAG SQUARE 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of zig zag granny square pattern

Now this is a pattern for a blanket, but its can easily be made up into a square.. so that’s just what I did – started with a row of fdc (foundation double crochet) and then worked the pattern accordingly.  As you can see, the pattern repeat is 12 sts + 1 


12. GRANNY SQUARE SPIRAL 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of spiral granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of spiral granny square pattern
                                               Detail

Spirals are great for squares – they are not *that* confusing but oh my gosh, they do look like they are!  I’d just like to mention here that when working with spirals, the one major difference is that you have four (depending on how many colors you are using for your spiral) loops that stick out of your project all through.  So instead of adding the colors (as we do for regular color changes), with spirals, you “hook into” and then “hook out of” a colour when you’re done with it. So our designer has called the four colors A, B, C & D.  So starting with A, you make the magic circle, then leave a long loop in A, and add / attach B to the magic circle and then continue similarly with C & D.  So at the end of Round 1, you’ll have four colors attached to the magic circle , with four loops sticking out of it too.

Round 2 onwards, you will pick up one loop at a time, and work the stitch regimen as given per color. So you will start with A, do as indicated, leave a long loop (or attach a marker), and take hook out of A, and put into B to continue with the pattern there.

When you come to the final color (D) on each round, it may look confusing as the stitch pattern may require you to work say  in only 5 sts, and it will look like there are a lot more – These *extra* stitches are the ones you’ve just done – in the following round… so don’t worry.  It will work out.
Sounds difficult, but is not that bad.. the only thing that someone jokingly said is ensure you don’t have cats around.. especially cats that love yarn .. more so for this project! 

Following the square per pattern, I ended up with an ~4.5” x 4.5” project.  As we need a few inches more for our present project, I added a final colour – starting with the new colour in a corner space and then continuing with 2 dc’s all around in the ch-1 sps, and the same (3 dc ; ch 2, 3 dc) for our corners.


13. FRIENDSHIP RING SQUARE  

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of friendship granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of friendship granny square pattern
                                                        Detail

This square , I’d say, was the perfect one for charity.. just for someone to know.. ‘you’ve got a friend’.. and we care !
In this pattern, for our Project Chemo 9” x 9” square, we can’t work the Round 4 of sc’s – so I just repeated Round 3 of dc’s all around till I reached our required dimensions.

14. INTERESTING DIAMOND SQUARE

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of diamond square granny square patternSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, detail of diamond square granny square pattern
                                                            Detail


15. GEOMETRIC PATTERN SQUARE 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of geometric square 2 granny square pattern
Taken from an Ondori book - Sorry no pattern link :( 


16. GEOMETRIC PATTERN SQUARE 

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of geometric square 3 granny square pattern
Taken from an Ondori book  ..Sorry no pattern link :( 

I am really grateful to my friend Prabha, for introducing  me to this wonderful donation incentive by Project Chemo Crochet, and to Sudha, Suchitra, Padmaja and Vaibhav for carrying these squares to USA for me.

Just one set of 24 squares (for one blanket) will go a long way in spreading a smile.

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Here are some of my older creations.