Self-Striping yarn looks so pretty in the skein, but when you get home with it you wonder what to make. The little flower motif used in Modern Blanket of Flowers makes perfect use of long color changes – looks like you changed color with every round but you have much fewer ends to weave in. Pattern available in my Ravelry store for only $3.49 with Coupon Code MBF – Last Chance! Expires 10/31/15. Easy, fun, portable, and hard to put down!
Update: We will feature one free and one paid pattern each week, a total of 18 blocks. Don’t forget BOGO in my Rav store, with code FLFB, which is good until 10/31, but I will extend until 11/14. With the BOGO, you can get 21 patterns for 11.99. There are 7 free patterns on this website, See tab above, and I am going to add Loopy Dishcloth, Margaret, Viva la Vida, Heart to Heart as free patterns. I am going to give free coupons during the CAL for Spiral Circle to Square and Crochet Clusters. I am going to try to come up with two new designs by the end of the CAL. If you purchase yarn through my website links at joann.com or deramores.com or amazon.com or craftsy.com I get a commission, thanks.
I gave some palette suggestions in a previous post. Personally, I am going to use Vanna’s Choice Purple, Wildberry, Rose, Pink, Beige, Dusty Purple, Olive, Pea Green(sparingly, of course) and a Waverly green that looks almost exactly like VC Dusty Green, but I can’t wait to see what you all come up with.
Nov 2 ,8,16,23,30
Dec 7,14,21,28
For our next Crochet A-Long on my Ravelry board and Facebook CAL page, we are going to work through November and December on an afghan comprised of my 12″ Afghan Square Patterns. I have about 30 available patterns, a mixture of free and paid patterns, and you can choose which to use in your own personalized afghan. 12 – 12″ blocks makes a nice large lap blanket, and 20- 12″ makes a large afghan. You can choose your own join and border method, and I will give suggestions. For today, I am going to give you some color combination suggestions. As you know I love the Vanna’s Choice Fan Club board on Ravelry, and they always have great and unique palette suggestions for their afghan square swaps. I have “borrowed” a few ideas and here are the Vanna’s Choice colors you’ll need for each. With my 12″ squares in Vanna’s Choice you need a little less than 1 skein per square, plus a couple for border, so about 14 – 22 skeins total, depending on size. (For 12 blocks get 2 each of 6 colors plus 2 or 3 for border. For 20 blocks get 3 skeins each of 6 colors plus 2 -4 for border.) Vanna’s Choice is $2.99 per skein at joann.com this week, with a $1.99 shipping offer with purchase of $60.00, with coupon code SHIPDEAL298. . Vanna’s Choice and all aran weight yarns are 25% off at Deramores until 29 Oct. If you buy (anything)through my links or button I get a commission, thanks!
(I substituted a few colors that were discontinued.)
Here is Bankerlady’s beautiful blanket from the Lavender for Luck swap using Pink, Purple, Dusty Purple, Silver Blue, Sweet Pea and Fisherman.
This is Dakotastamper’s from the William Morris swap: Antique Rose, Pink, Beige, Mustard, Dusty Green and Silver Blue.
Lissa M’s pretty Happy Dancers: Charcoal Grey, Silver Grey, White, Baby Aqua, Aqua, Sapphire.
Havenodoutt’s lovely Merry Grinchmas – Scarlet, Lime, Fern, Kelly Green, Black, White.
And finally, Sharonhk’s Chocolate and Roses: Chocolate, Antique Rose, Rose, Dusty Rose, Fisherman and Taupe.
I love these combinations and thanks to the crafters who share their eye-candy with us! Disclaimer: These are not all my designs, just examples of the style and colors we are going for. We are going to be working on just my patterns. See tabs above and my Ravelry Store.
During the course of the CAL, the following squares will be added to the free section of the blog: Heart to Heart, Viva La Vida, Margaret, Loopy Dishcloth. The following will have free coupon codes for a limited time: Spiral Circle to Square, Crochet Clusters.
Some gorgeous finished versions of Faded Love are showing up over the interwebs. These are from daniellem, michelou, muffetsmom, pitamom, and theotherjenny:
Sweet and Fair Afghan Square
12” Block By Julie Yeager Designs
Materials
Suggested Yarn: Worsted or Aran Weight yarn, A: Olive B: Lamb
Suggested Hook Size: Size I (5.5 mm)
Pattern uses American crochet terms.
Ch-3 at the beginning of a round counts as a dc. Ch-4 at the beginning of a round counts as a tr.
Special Stitches
Double Crochet Cluster (Cl): Into designated stitch, (dc to last step) x 3, yo and draw through all 4 loops on hook
Beginning Double Crochet Cluster (BCl): Into designated stitch, ch 3, (dc to last step) x 2, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook
Front Post Treble Crochet (FPTr): Yo twice, insert hook from the front side of work from right to left around post of indicated stitch on a previous row, yo, pull up a loop and work tr as usual.
Front Post Double Crochet (FPDC): Yo, insert hook from the front side of work from right to left around post of indicated stitch on a previous row, yo, pull up a loop and work DC as usual.
Front Post Half Double Crochet (FPHDC): Yo, insert hook from the front side of work from right to left around post of indicated stitch on a previous row, yo, pull up a loop and work HDC as usual
Front Post Single Crochet (FPSC): Insert hook from the front side of work from right to left around post of indicated stitch on a previous row, yo, pull up a loop and work SC as usual.
TR4Tog – Treble Crochet 4 Stitches Together – Treble crochet to the last step over 4 designated stitches; yo and pull through all 5 loops on hook. One rounded petal made.
TR3Tog – Treble Crochet 3 Stitches Together – Treble crochet to the last step over next 3 designated stitches; yo and pull through all 4 loops on hook. One rounded petal made.
Shell – Shell Stitch: 5 double crochet in designated stitch.
Instructions
Round 1: With A, ch 4, join in first ch with sl st to form ring. BCl, (ch 3, Cl) x 5, ch 3, sl st to top of first Cl. Fasten off. (6 Cl, 6 ch-3 sp)
Round 2: Join B with sl st in any ch-3 sp, ch 3. 3 dc in same sp. (FPDC around top of next Cl, 4 dc in next ch-3 sp) x 5, FPDC around top of next Cl, sl st to top of beg ch-3. Fasten off. (30 dc)
Round 3: Join A with sl st in any st. Ch 4, TR3Tog over the next 3 st. (Ch 5, TR4Tog over last st used and the following 3 st) x 9. ( Last st of the round will be worked in same st as the first st of the round.) Ch 5, sl st to top of beg petal. Fasten off. (10 petals, 10 ch-5 sp)
Round 4: Join B with sl st in any ch-5 sp, ch 3. 4 dc in same sp. (FPDC around top of next petal, 5 dc in next ch-3 sp) x 9, FPDC around top of next petal, sl st to top of beg ch-3. Fasten off. (60 dc)
Round 5: Join A with sl st in any st. Ch 4, TR3Tog over the next 3 st. (Ch 5, TR4Tog over last st used and the following 3 st) x 19. (Last st of the round will be worked in same st as the first st of the round.) Ch 5, sl st to top of beg petal. Fasten off. (20 petals, 20 ch-5 sp)
Round 6: Join B with sl st in any ch-5 sp, ch 4. 2 tr in same ch-5 sp, [FPTR around top of next petal, 4 dc in next ch-5 sp, FPHDC around top of next petal, 4 sc in next ch-5 sp, FPSC around top of next petal, 4 sc in next ch-5 sp, FPHDC around top of next petal, 4 dc in next ch-5 sp, FPTR around top of next petal, (3 tr, ch 1, 3 tr) in next ch-5 sp for corner,] x 4, omitting last 3 st. Sl st to top of beg ch-4.
Round 7: Skipping the ch-4 beg st, sc in next st. [(Sk 2 st, shell in next st, sk 2 st, sc in next st) x 4, sk 1 st, 7 tr in ch-1 sp for corner, sk 1 st, sc in next st] x 4, omitting last st. Sl st to beg sc. Fasten off. (16 shells, 20 sc, 28 tr)
Round 8: (This round will trick you with a little asymmetry. There are 3 sc in the corner, with 1 sc before the corner and 2 sc after the corner.) Join A with sc in 4th tr of any corner, 2 sc in same st. [(Sc in next 2 st, hdc in next st, dc in next 2 st, hdc in next st) x 5, sc in next st, 3 sc in next st] x 4, omitting last 3 st. Sl st to first sc of round. (136 st)
Round 9: Ch 3, [(2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in next st for corner, dc in next 33 st] x 4, omitting last st, sl st to top of beginning ch-3. Fasten off. (148 dc, 4 ch-1 sp)
Copyright 2013 – Julie Yeager Designs. Please do not post this pattern on the internet, even if it was obtained as a “free pattern.” Post the link to my website – https://julieyeagerdesigns.com, or my Ravelry store – where you can see all my patterns – http://www.ravelry.com/stores/Julie-yeager-designs. Contact me via e-mail at julieyeagerdesigns@gmail.com.
SALE ANNOUNCEMENT: Columbus Day/October Flash Sale in my Ravelry Store – BOGO – Buy One Pattern, Receive One Pattern Free. Use Code FLFB. Does not apply to e-books. Edit: E-books now included. Good through Oct. 31, 2015.
Many beautiful finished Summer Mosaic Afghans are showing up on Ravelry and Facebook! So much great work. Over 10,000 people downloaded the pattern while it was free for over three months! Over 500 project pages were made on Ravelry, and there are over 4000 members on the private CAL group on FB. That is a lot of crocheters! And I thank you all for the support and the faith you have in my patterns. Now many are crocheting along with Faded Love, and I’m hard at work on several more afghan designs (going to be awesome!) Please think of going through my links when you order from Deramores , Joann, and amazon. Thank you! 🙂
Here is my Summer Mosaic, done in the soft and beautiful Scheepjes Stone Washed XL:
Theresa Pearson got all “overachiever” and did 12 motifs – STUNNING!
Mary Flannery used the Scheepjes kit from Deramores but totally re-invented the border – AHMAZING!
Dakota Stamper was neat as a pin as usual and puts us all to shame (sometimes I hate her):
Cynthia Beatty has the “comfy couch” thing going on:
And Pragati and Emma Bjork refuse to listen to direction and aren’t we glad of that? ;p
More next time.
One of my favorite designs, Modern Blanket of Flowers! Here’s an inspiring version by Guiguine on Ravelry. This easy and addicting hexagon motif will become your new favorite. You’ll need about 1000 yards of a self-striping yarn and 1000 yards of a coordinating solid. The self-striping yarn looks just right in these little hexes, and fewer ends to deal with is always a good thing! Get the pattern for a limited time for only $3.49 with coupon code MBF in my Ravelry store. Good until October 31, 2015. I’d love to see your finished work!
Faded Love CAL is ongoing now, and you can chat and share on my Ravelry board or our private Facebook CAL group (Crochet-A-Long with JulieAnny.) As ever, if you purchase yarn through my links to Deramores (US) or (UK) (Pull down menu for other countries,) I will receive a commission, thanks! If you send me your invoice number and Ravelry name (send in a message through email , Rav, FB, or here) I will send you the pattern as a gift. I made a smaller version as a prototype for this pattern (the join method is different) but you can see that it makes a cute baby blanket with fewer squares and colors. With the recommended yarn, Scheepjes Stonewashed XL, keep in mind that each skein of MC is good for 4 blocks, and each skein of CC is good for 3 blocks, then you’ll need 2 or 3 skeins of MC for join and border. Each block is about 8 inches, so you can get an extra small baby blanket with only 12 squares, approx 26″ x 34″ with 5 skeins MC and 4 skeins CC. A little larger baby blanket of 20 squares ( 34″ x 42″) with 7 skeins CC and 7 skeins MC.
With this one I didn’t take advantage of the 3 blocks per skein, but you get the general idea. 🙂
As you know, our next CAL will be Faded Love; pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry.
If you want it to look just like mine, yarn packs are available at Deramores and I’ve been assured by Scheepjes and Deramores that they are sitting on the shelf waiting to be dispatched! If you purchase the yarn pack I will send you the pattern for free, PM me your order number. If you’ve already bought it, PM me for a refund or I’ll send you another pattern.
Pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/faded-love
Yarn Pack US: http://tidd.ly/c70b97a0
Yarn Pack UK: http://tidd.ly/79e6ca38 (Or use pulldown menu for your country)
Crochet Along with us, share progress photos, questions, and encouragement on my Ravelry board and my private Facebook CAL group page. I will share advice and tips as we progress. It is an easy pattern and the beauty is in seeing all the colors come together. I will give dates to keep us on track, and you will have a nice new blanket in 6 weeks.
Now – September 21: Choose your yarn and buy pattern.
Week of Sept 21: 10/54 squares
Week of Sept 28: 20/54
Week of Oct 5: 30/54
Week of Oct 12: 40/54
Week of Oct 19: 50/54
Week of Oct 26: 54/54
Week of Nov. 2: Join and border.
Who is in?
