Polka Dot Square - 2018 Updated Version

A few months ago I started a new blanket using the polka dot square pattern that I made several years ago when I first learnt to crochet.  It is still a favourite of mine because the circles are nice and solid and the squares turn out solid and fairly gap free.  I'm not the biggest fan of open lacy crochet so this really appeals to me, I seem to make lots of solid, tight crochet fabric type projects.

In the original squares I striped the circles, giving a bullseye effect, 

(you can see this cushion cover over here if you are interested). 

For this blanket I wanted to use the rather large collection of speckled hand dyed 8ply wool I seem to have accumulated,  there are lots of different dyers work in here, some of these I have dyed myself, but mostly they are from other dyers.  I also had some lovely semi solid hand dyed colours, so they were also included. 

Here is the updated version of the Polka Dot Square pattern..

UK crochet terms -  dc = double crochet   (US sc) 

                                 htr = half treble          (US hdc)

                                 tr = treble                   (US dc)

          slst = slip stitch

  ch = chain

Chains at start of each round do not count as stitches

The circles can start to curl up a bit around the edges, but they flatten out once the background is added.  You can also stagger the increases so the increase points don't all sit on top of each other to  get a rounder circle, as long as you keep the correct amount of single dcs in between the increase 2dcs. 

If you don't like the magic loop at the start you can Chain 4 and join to make a ring and then make the 8 dcs into the centre.

Centre Circle: Using circle colour

Rd 1 : In a magic loop, make 8 dc,  join to first dc with a slst to create first round.  ( 8 sts)

Rd 2 : Ch 1, 2dc in 1st stitch, 2dc in each stitch around, join to 1st dc with a slst. (16 sts)

Rd 3 : Ch 1, 2dc in 1st stitch, 1dc in next stitch, *2dc in next stitch, 1dc in next stitch,* repeat to end of round, join to first dc with a slst.  (24 sts)

Rd 4 : Ch 1, 2dc in 1st stitch, 1dc in next 2 stitches, *2dc in next stitch, 1dc in next 2 stitches* repeat to end of round, join to first dc with a slst. (32 sts)

Rd 5 : Ch 1, 2dc in 1st stitch, 1dc in next 3 stitches, *2dc in next stitch, 1dc in next 3 stitches* repeat to end of round, join to first dc with a slst (40 sts)

Rd 6 : Ch 1, 2dc in 1st stitch, 1dc in next 4 stitches, *2dc in next stitch, 1dc in next 4 stitches* repeat to end of round, join to first dc with a slst  (48 sts)

Rd 7 : Ch1, 1dc in each stitch to end of round, join to first dc with a slst (48 sts)

Rd 8 : Ch1, 1dc in each stitch to end of round, join to first dc with a slst (48 sts)

Background:

Rd 9 : join background colour to any stitch, ch1, *3dc, 3htr, 3dc in next stitch, 3 htr, 2 dc* 

repeat *to* 4 times, join to first dc with a slst.

Rd 10 : Ch1,  *2slst, 2dc, 1htr, 4tr in next stitch, 1htr, 4dc, 1slst* repeat *to* 4 times, join to first slst with a slst.

Rd 11 : Ch1, 1dc in each stitch of the round, making 2dc, in each of the 2 centre stitches of each 4tr corner.  Bind off .

My blanket has 80 squares, and is about a cot size, I haven't added a border yet, but plan to do a simple border of a few rows of dc, and then a final round with a few picots for interest. 

I have heaps of speckled wool left over, so might have to make another one of these, maybe with different coloured backgrounds this time, or maybe a pale blush pink....

It's a gorgeous day here, the sun is shining and a big blue sky is above, I hope its lovely where you are too! 

( It's been a while since I've written up a crochet pattern, so please excuse any mistakes or unclear bits!! ) 

Bye for now! xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Retro Solid Granny Square Blanket - Tadah!

Hi there! 

I hope everyone is having a great day, I have a colourful post for you today! 

I have been hooking steadily away through January and I've actually finished my first project for 2017! Yay! :) That's pretty good going for me! 

This blanket was quite the speedy make, I seemed to have enough squares made in no time and then it was just a matter of sewing them all together and hooking a border up.  

I have to say that I loved working with the MoYa Caresse Aran Cotton, it was nice and textural and worked up fast with a 5mm hook.  The colours were all so beautiful and worked so well together all the combinations look great (well I think so anyway!) . I love that slightly washed out look of the MoYa palette, and the hand dyeing process leaves some nice subtle variations in the colours which I really like. (You can see this most in the border where there are a few rows of the same colour).

This has ended up about cot size, nice for a baby or lap blanket. 

So here's the nitty gritty: 

Pattern: My version of a Solid Granny Square (108 squares)

Yarn: MoYa Caresse Aran Cotton in 10 different colours

Hook: 5mm

Size: cot size (9 x12 squares) 

........this was when I was blocking the blanket after joining all the squares together, I thought about blocking each individual square, then decided to wait till they were all joined, it seems to have worked out ok.  It is quite a thick textured blanket, and i like the slightly puffy look to the squares....

 .....tadah!  All finished! 

....you can see how big it is all laid out on my table, not giant........

Onto the next thing now, it feels great to have something completely finished in under 6 weeks, I wonder if I can keep the momentum going and get the next one finished as quickly!  Not likely! :) 

Have a great day/night everyone, happy hooking!! 

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Solid Granny Square Pattern ( my version:) )

Hello!  How has your day been?  

Mine has been great, it's warm and sunny here, hard to have a bad day in weather like this.  :)

Today I thought I'd share the pattern I've been making recently, it's my version of a solid little granny square.  I'm sure there are heaps of patterns out there for a traditional square like this, but I want to keep a record of what I've done just in case I happen to get side tracked by some other shiny project and leave these sitting unfinished for ages. I tend to be a bit of a fickle crafter!

Ok here we go! 

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Little Woollie Solid Granny Square

(This pattern is written in US terminology.)

Material: MoYa Caresse Cotton (Aran weight)

5mm hook

Special stitch:

2dctog : Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and insert hook into same stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. 

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Chain 4, slip stitch join to create a circle.

Round 1: Ch2, 4dc into circle, ch1, 4dc into circle, ch1, 4dc into circle, ch1, 4dc into circle, ch1, join with slip stitch to 1st dc.  Bind off.

Round 2: join new colour to any corner chain space, ch2, 3dc in same space, *1dc in next stitch, 2dctog in next stitch, 2dctog in next stitch, 1dc in next stitch, (3dc, ch1, 3dc) in corner chain space,* repeat from *to * along each side of the square, ending with 3dc, ch1 in 1st chain space. Join with a slip stitch to 1st dc.  Bind off.

Round 3: Join new colour to any stitch, ch1, sc in each stitch around, making (1sc, ch1, 1sc)  in each corner,. Join with a slip stitch to 1st sc. Bind off. 

Weave in ends.  All finished.

As you can see from the photo above, the squares benefit from some blocking to get their square shape in order. ( the one on the left hasn't been blocked yet, the one on the right was lightly blocked)

This is quite a chunky little square, I think it will make a nice sturdy blanket when I sew a heap of them all together

Anyway that's it for now, I'm off to make a few squares! 

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