An Afghan of My Very Own

So, if you follow me on Instagram, then you know that I have been working on some squares lately.  Well, they are all done, all put together, all the ends sewn in, a border crocheted around, and I not am the proud owner of my very own afghan!

The blanket measures 66"x83" and looks fabulous on my full sized bed...if I do say so myself.

I am so ecstatic about the way this afghan turned out.  It is made with 30 squares, and no two squares are the same.

The morning after the first night I was able to sleep with it, I was so happy when I woke up and saw what was on my bed.  I had kinda forgotten that I had a brand new snazzy blanket to cuddle with.

I think Jixer was pretty happy about it too!

This project did not start out to be a project to make myself a blanket, but a few squares in, I knew that I wanted this blanket all to myself...well, I will share with Jixer, but that is it!

This is when I fell in love, and I knew that I was going to be keeping this blanket all for myself.

I fell in love with this blanket even more once I started crocheting squares with multiple colors.

This is my favorite square of the blanket.

The square I am talking about, the one that I fell in love with, and the one that makes me so happy, is the In Treble Afghan Square by Julie Yeager.  Julie, I don't know who you are, but I know that I love you!  I rarely buy a pattern (this is my 4th ever pattern purchase in the 12 years that I have crocheted), but I really wanted this pattern, and it is only $1.99.  It is so worth every penny!

I followed the pattern to a tee, except I left off the last round of hdc.  For each of my squares, I used the same color yarn for the first row of hdc, and used Red Heart Super Saver in Aran. I also used this same yarn to join the squares with the flat braid join, as well as for the scalloped border.

This was a stash busting project for me, so the squares are a mixture of Red Heart Super Saver, Red Heart with Love, Red Heart Soft, Loops and Threads Impeccable, Craft Smart, and  Vanna's Choice.

Here is the progression of my blanket in photos...

The first square

The only variegated square in the blanket

First photo after I decided to add a row of hdc of Aran.

They are starting to pile up!

I never realized how pretty this color was until I crocheted it with the In Treble pattern.

Jixer is always around to help!  We were trying to figure out the layout of the squares.

All the squares are done and just waiting to be joined.

All joined and waiting for a border.

This afghan is by far my favorite that I have ever crocheted.  I hope you all have some exciting projects going on.  Remember, that I take custom orders at all times for crochet items.

Have a splendiferous day everyone!

Best Wishes,

Alison

Solid Circle in Square

Hello and Happy Wednesday!!

I recently made an afghan using squares with circles inside of them.  I was originally planning to make and keep the blanket for myself, and I wanted it to be completely solid.  No toes sticking through it while cuddling on the couch!

Well, I ended up making it into a baby afghan, because I had other projects come in and I did not want this cute afghan to be cast into the pile of "I will finish it later", since I just got done finishing all of the projects I had in that pile and I do not want to start a new one!

Here is a collage of the Lollipop Circles and Squares afghan.

I was asked for the pattern on Instagram, but did not follow a pattern since I could not find a square with a prominent circle that was completely solid.  There is a similar square by Manner's Crochet and Craft that is similar.  I almost used this square, but I didn't want the hole in the middle of the circle, and I needed a bigger square (the bigger the square the less squares I would need to join).

So, I got my hook and yarn and started to experiment.

This is how I do my version of the circle in the square, granny.

You will need:

5.5 mm crochet hook

worsted weight yarn (I used Red Heart Super Saver)

scissors

needle

Abbreviations:

ch - chain

sl st = slip stitch

dc - double crochet

tr - treble crochet

Pattern:

ch 3

Row 1: 12 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st into first dc (12 dc)

Row 2: ch 2, 2dc in first dc and in each dc around, sl st into first dc (24 dc)

Row 3: ch 2, *1 dc in first dc, 2 dc in next dc** repeat from * to** around, sl st into first dc (36 dc)

Fasten Off

Join contrasting color with a sl st to any dc

Row 4: ch 2, 1 dc in each of the first 4 dc, *(1 dc, 2 tr, 1 dc) in next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 8 dc** repeat from *to** twice, (1 dc, 2 tr, 1 dc) in next dc, 1 dc in each of the next 4 dc, sl st into first dc 

Row 5: ch 2, 1 dc in each of the next 5 dc, *(2 dc, 1tr) in first tr, (1tr, 2 dc) in next tr, 1 dc in each of the next 10 dc** repeat from *to** twice, (2dc, 1 tr) in first tr, (1 tr, 2 dc) in next tr, 1 dc in each of the next 5 dc, sl st into first dc

Fasten off and weave in ends

Here are row by row photos.

Row 1

Row 2

Row 3

Row 4

Row 5...FINISHED!!!

~Best Wishes~