It’s time for part 5 of the Stitch Story CAL and I’m a big fan of this next block – I think there’s a lot to be said to the old adage ‘less is more’ sometimes.

If this is the first you are hearing about this CAL you can find the full schedule and Scheepjes yarn amounts here and a link to the crochet along page here. Would you like to see photos and specification all at once? Then click here for the Pinterest Board!

So let’s just quickly run through some of the pattern particulars…

Pattern:

This pattern will be free here on the blog but it’s also available in an e-book on Ravelry.  There is a small charge for the downloadable 46 page PDF e-book (payable once). The booklet will be released in instalments, along with the CAL, so as not to spoil anyone’s fun. This PDF has the full pattern descriptions, charts and information all in one place without adverts (as requested).

Through the course of this crochet-along I will provide you with patterns to make twelve different blocks, each in two different sizes. Which one you make is totally up to you! Make all one size or mix and match, whatever takes your fancy!  However to give you a helping hand I have included some schematics which you can see on this post here.

Support:

• The KCACO-UK Community Facebook Group  is a great source of support and helpful tips from fellow Crochet-a-longers.
• A Dutch translation will be available by Iris from Een Mooi Gebaar (and a Dutch e-book will be coming soon to Ravelry). Link to Part 5 here.
• For support with the Stitch Story CAL on  Ravelry there is a thread facilitated by Reimy.
• Accompanying CAL videos are being created by Esther from It’s All in a Nutshell. Link to Part 5 is below:

Social Media Links:

The hashtag for this years CAL is #SSCAL18 for Twitter and Instagram. Though you you can join in with any progress photos by linking your projects on your favourite social media sites: Ravelry, Facebook page or Facebook group and Pinterest.

Stitch Story…

Block 5 of the Stitch Story CAL represents the institution of marriage. The zig-zagging texture represents the ups and down and trials and tribulations of love and relationships.

Design 5: The Institution of Marriage

Hook: 4 mm / US size G or size needed to obtain 15cm /6” square

Abbreviations (same for both blocks):

• Chain (Ch)
• UK Half Double Treble / US Half Double Crochet (htr/hdc)
• UK Front Post Treble / US Front Post Double Crochet (fptr/fpdc)
• UK Back Post Double Treble / US Back Post Treble (BPdtr/BPtr)
• RS = Right Side

Stitch Guidance (same for both blocks):

• UK Half Double Treble / US Half Double Crochet (htr/hdc): Yarn over, insert hook in next 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.
• UK Front Post Treble / US Front Post Double Crochet (fptr/fpdc): Yarn over, insert hook from back to front to back around post of indicated stitch below (your hook should now be positioned horizontally in front of the st that you’re working around), yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over pull through two loops on hook (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through remaining loops on hook.
• UK Back Post Double Treble / US Back Post Treble (BPdtr/BPtr): Yarn over twice and insert your hook from back to front around the post of the indicated stitch of the row below (your hook should now be positioned horizontally behind the st  that you’re working around), yarn over pull through two loops (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops (two loops on hook), yarn over pull through remaining two loops left on hook.

15cm / 6 inch block:

• Note: Ch1 doesn’t count as a st
• Note 2: Do not work your post stitches too tightly

Row 1: Ch26, 1htr/hdc in 2nd ch from the hook and in each st along, turn (25sts)

Row 2-8: Ch1, 1htr/hdc in the same st as the beg. ch1 and in each st along until end.

Row 9: (RS) Ch1, 1 dc/sc in the same st as beginning ch and in the next 3 sts, miss 5sts of row 7, FPdtr/FPtr in the next st, miss st behind FPdtr/FPtr, dc/sc in the next 3 sts * FPdtr/FPtr in the same st as the previous FPdtr/FPtr of row 7, miss 3sts of row 7, FPdtr/FPtr in the next st, miss st behind FPdtr/FPtr, dc/sc in the next 3 sts *  repeat from * to * twice, FPdtr/FPtr in the same st as the previous FPdtr/FPtr of row 7, miss next st, dc/sc in the remaining 4 sts.

Row 10: Ch1, 1htr/hdc in the same st as the beginning ch1 and in the next 3sts, BPdtr/BPtr in the next st (around the FPdtr/FPtr of row 9), htr/hdc in the next 3 sts, * BPdtr/BPtr around the 2 FPdtr/FPtr in one st of row 9, miss next st, htr/hdc in the next 3 sts * repeat from * to * until last FPdtr/FPtr, BPdtr/BPtr in the next st (around the FPdtr/FPtr of row 9), htr/hdc in the last 4 sts.

Rows 11-12: Ch1, htr/hdc in each st along

Row 13: Repeat row 9 but working your FPtr/FPtr on row 11

Row 14: Repeat row 10 but working your BPdtr/BPtr on row 13

Row 15-19: Repeat row 2, finish off and weave in ends.

30cm / 12 inch block:

Hook: 3.5 mm / US size E or size needed to obtain 30cm / 12” square 

• Note: Ch1 doesn’t count as a st
• Note 2: Do not work your post stitches too tightly

Row 1: Ch51, 1htr/hdc in 2nd ch from the hook and in each st along, turn (50sts)

Row 2-8: Ch1, 1htr/hdc in the same st as the beg. ch1 and in each st along until end, turn

Row 9: (RS) Ch1, 1 dc/sc in the same st as beginning ch and in the next 3 sts, miss 5sts of row 7, **FPdtr/FPtr in the next st, miss st behind FPdtr/FPtr, dc/sc in the next 3 sts * FPdtr/FPtr in the same st as the previous FPdtr/FPtr of row 7, miss 3sts of row 7, FPdtr/FPtr in the next st, miss st behind FPdtr/FPtr, dc/sc in the next 3 sts *  repeat twice, FPdtr/FPtr in the same st as the previous FPdtr/FPtr of row 7, miss next st,** 1 dc/sc in the next 8sts, miss 12sts of row 7 (from the last FPdtr/FPtr in the same st made), repeat ** from ** twice, dc/sc in the remaining 4 sts.

Row 10: Ch1, 1htr/hdc in the same st as the beginning ch1 and in the next 3sts, **BPdtr/BPtr in the next st (around the FPdtr/FPtr of row 9), htr/hdc in the next 3 sts, * BPdtr/BPtr around the 2 FPdtr/FPtr in one st of row 9, miss next st, htr/hdc in the next 3 sts * repeat from * to * until last FPdtr/FPtr, BPdtr/BPtr in the next st (around the FPdtr/FPtr of row 9)** 1 htr/hdc in the next 8sts, repeat ** from **, 1htr/hdc in the remaining 4 sts.

Rows 11-12: Ch1, htr/hdc in each st along

Row 13: Repeat row 9 but working your FPtr/FPtr on row 11

Row 14: Repeat row 10 but working your BPdtr/BPtr on row 13

Rows 15-16: Ch1, htr/hdc in each st along

Row 17: Repeat row 9 but working your FPtr/FPtr on row 15

Row 18: Repeat row 10 but working your BPdtr/BPtr on row 17

Rows 19-20: Ch1, htr/hdc in each st along

Row 21: Repeat row 9 but working your FPtr/FPtr on row 19

Row 22: Repeat row 10 but working your BPdtr/BPtr on row 21

Rows 23-24: Ch1, htr/hdc in each st along

Row 25: Repeat row 9 but working your FPtr/FPtr on row 23

Row 26: Repeat row 10 but working your BPdtr/BPtr on row 25

Rows 27-28: Ch1, htr/hdc in each st along

Row 29: Repeat row 9 but working your FPtr/FPtr on row 27

Row 30: Repeat row 10 but working your BPdtr/BPtr on row 29

Rows 31-32: Ch1, htr/hdc in each st along

Row 33: Repeat row 9 but working your FPtr/FPtr on row 31

Row 34: Repeat row 10 but working your BPdtr/BPtr on row 33

Rows 35-40: Ch1, htr/hdc in each st along. finish off and weave in ends.

Edging for all blocks: 

On the right side of your work evenly work dc/sc along each side of your block working 3 dc/sc in each corner (25sts for smaller block / 50sts for larger block).  Fasten off and weave in ends.

You do not need to use the same number of stitches I have for each square, you just need to evenly spread the single crochet border along the rows and edges.  Whatever number edging you use just keep the same number of stitches for ALL of your blocks – with the same count of single crochet border on each edge then they will line-up when its time to turn them into a finished blanket.

And that’s it!

Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx