Okay two weeks have soon gone by which means it’s time for part 2 of the CAL!!!! Have you got your hooks ready?

If this is the first you are hearing about this CAL the full schedule can be found here, to link the groovyghan project on Ravelry click here, or for just this pattern click here. There is a Facebook support group for this CAL which can be found here and you can use the hashtag #kcacoukcal2015 for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram if you want to link in photos and such like on social media.

For a print friendly version of this page please scroll to the bottom of this post and click on the Print & PDF button.

Edited to add: This page has now been translated to by the lovely Sarit Grinberg: groovyghan-part2-HEBREW

Part 2: Hot-butter Popcorn Panel

This weeks part is inspired by the extremely fun 1970’s song Popcorn by Hotbutter – you can have fun listening to it whilst you hook! I love how a Popcorn stitch looks and how much texture Popcorn’s can add to a crochet project so I knew I wanted to add some into the pattern somewhere. Almost by accident I discovered that a backwards (wrong side facing) Popcorn can actually look, in some respects, nicer than a forwards (right side facing) one – so I decided to throw that into the works as well! As with all the parts to this CAL I have included both the written pattern, chart and a photo tutorial of how I have made this pattern below.

One thing I quickly discovered when designing the Groovyghan was that size and stitches all have to match up somehow to join each component together. I had a devil of a time trying to get my panels to fit at first until I decided to use Foundation UK Double / US Single Crochet (FDC/FSC) for the first row; that gave the panels that little bit of stretch I was looking for to join everything together nicely. We will be using FDC/FSC with all the panels of the CAL – but don’t worry if you’ve never done it before I’ve added a photo tutorial below just for this stitch to explain how it works.

Written Pattern:

Hot-butter Popcorn Panel (Make 2):

Notes:

Hook: UK 4 mm / US Size G
Yarn: Double Knit / 8 ply / Weight #3
Yarn Amount required: Each panel roughly uses up 62.5 yds (25 g / 75 m) Total panel 125 yds ( 50 g / 150 m)
Gauge using Double Knit / 8 ply / Weight #3: 6 tr/dc sts = 1.5 inches / 3.8 cm

If your gauge is different to mine e.g. because you are using a bigger hook and heavier weight yarn all you will need to do is check your own gauge and stick to it – this should mean that the pattern should fit together at the end.

Finished panel size using Double Knit / 8 ply / Weight #3: 10 x 5 inches /25.4 x 12.7 cm cm (your block will be slightly larger if using worsted / aran / 10ply / yarn weight #4)

Pattern uses English (UK) and American (US) crochet terms for a conversion chart click here.

Abbreviations:

st(s) = stitch(es)
sp = space
sl st = slip stitch
ch(s) = chain
cc = change colour
FDC/FSC = Foundation UK Double / US Single Crochet
dc/sc = UK double / US single crochet
htr/hdc = UK half treble / US half double crochet
tr/dc = UK treble / US double crochet
PC = Popcorn

Stitch Guidance:

Foundation UK Double / US Single Crochet (FDC/FSC): Start with a slip knot on your hook, ch 2, * insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through 1 loop, yarn over, and pull through 2 loops * – 1 FDC/FSC single crochet made with its own chain at bottom, repeat from * to * until you have made the required number of chains.
UK Double Crochet/US Single Crochet (dc/sc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
UK Half Double Treble / US Half Double Crochet (htr/hdc): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.
UK Treble / US Double Crochet (tr/dc): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
Popcorn (PC): Work 5 tr/dc in indicated st, remove hook completely, insert hook in 1st tr/dc (1st tr/dc of the 5), insert hook in loop that you just removed your hook from (5th tr/dc of the 5), yarn over and pull through both loops on hook.

Pattern:

Note 1: Three colours used for each block; referred to in this pattern as YARN A, B and C but you could make the panel in a single colour if you don’t fancy adding the colour changes; just ignore the bits where I say cc to a different yarn.
Note 2: When changing to a different colour, pull the new colour through the last two loops of the previous st to complete that st. Continue in the new colour, following the pattern. Change colours in this manner, whenever indicated on the pattern. When changing to and from a colour carry the unused coloured yarn along the wrong side of the work loosely so that the work does not gather. Crochet over the unused colour as they are carried along; this will hide the strands of yarn invisibly and eliminate long unused strands carried across the back of the work.

Foundation Row: With YARN A, FDC/FSC 33 sts, turn (33 sts)

Row 1: RS Facing – ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st), 1 htr/hdc in same st as beginning ch 1 and in each st along until end, turn (33 sts)

Row 2: WS Facing – ch 2 (doesn’t count as a st), 1 tr/dc the same st as the beginning ch 1 and in the next 3 sts, cc to YARN B on the last st, 1 PC in the next (pushing the PC to the RS), cc to YARN A to complete the PC, * 1 tr/dc in the next 3 sts, cc to YARN B on the last st, 1 PC in the next (pushing the PC to the RS), cc to YARN A to complete the PC * repeat from * to * five times, 1 tr/dc in the last 4 sts, turn, finish off YARN B and weave in any ends (33sts)

Row 3: RS Facing – ch 2 (doesn’t count as a st), 1 tr/dc in same st as beginning ch 1 and in each st along until end, turn (33 sts)

Row 4: Repeat row 2 (using YARN C instead of YARN B on the cc)

Row 5: Ch 2 (doesn’t count as a st), 1 tr/dc in same st as beginning ch 1 and in each st along until end, turn (33 sts)

Row 6: Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st), 1 dc/sc in same st as beginning ch 1 and in each st along until end, turn (33 sts)

Row 7: Ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st), 1 htr/hdc in same st as beginning ch 1 and in each st along until end, turn (33 sts)

Row 8 : Repeat row 2 (using YARN C instead of YARN B on the cc)

Row 9: Repeat row 3

Row 10: Repeat row 2 (using YARN B instead of YARN C on the cc)

Row 11: Repeat row 5, finish off and weave in any ends.

Finishing: Very loosely (as otherwise it will make your panel curl up) slip st along the short edges of your work 17 times (so you have 17 sts on each end). This not only neaten’s your finished panel but will help when joining the ‘parts’ of our groovyghan together.

Chart:

For crochet symbols in English (UK) and American (US) crochet terms click here.

Blocking:

Some of the patterns in the CAL may need to be ‘blocked’ so that they are equal on all sides (not curling) and fit the size dimensions of the pattern. If you are unfamiliar with what blocking means / or how to do it then please check out the following links:

What is blocking? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blocking_%28textile_arts%29
How to Wet Block a Square by Moogly: http://www.mooglyblog.com/how-to-wet-block-afghan-squares/
Steam Blocking Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSe949pbkBA

You may already have blocking boards to hand but if not anything you can firmly pin your square to will do e.g. a folded up towel or an ironing board.

Part 2 finished panel size in double knit / 8ply / yarn weight #3 should be 10 x 5 inches /25.4 x 12.7 cm cm (your block will be slightly larger if using worsted / aran / 10ply / yarn weight #4)

Joining:

You can either join parts 2 directly to part 1 now (please refer to the CAL schematic below for details), or wait until you have completed parts 3, 4 and 5 too – I personally waited so I could get a neater join by joining parts altogether in one sequence.

I joined my pieces together by slip stitching in the back loop only on the wrong side of the work (you could also single crochet either through the back loop or through both loops to join).

Tip 1: Use stitch markers or knit clips to hold your pieces steady and lined up whilst you join them together; line up your pieces so the edges and stitches match.
Tip 2: Do not pull your yarn too tight when working your joins. Generally you should have the same sort of stretch that your piece has.

Photo Tutorial:

Foundation UK Double / US Single Crochet (FDC/FSC):

Start with a slip knot on your hook,

ch 2,

* insert hook in 2nd ch from hook,

pull up a loop,

yarn over, pull through 1 loop,

yarn over, and pull through 2 loops *

1 FDC/FSC single crochet made with its own chain at the bottom, repeat from * to * until you have made the required number of chains.

Hot-butter Popcorn Panel (Make 2):

Foundation Row: With YARN A, FDC/FSC 33 sts, turn (33 sts)

Row 1: RS Facing – ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st), 1 htr/hdc in same st as beginning ch 1 and in each st along until end, turn (33 sts)

* 1 tr/dc in the next 3 sts, cc to YARN B on the last st,

1 PC in the next (pushing the PC to the RS), cc to YARN A to complete the PC

* repeat from * to * five times, 1 tr/dc in the last 4 sts, turn, finish off YARN B and weave in any ends (33sts)