KCACO-UK CAL 2015 – Block 10

They say that variety is the spice of life! Applied to crochet I think that means we should try lots of different things because that keeps life interesting! So this next block has just the perfect name for a CAL such as this one which is ALL about variety and it introduces us to a new stitch; popcorn stitch (which are the puffy ones in the picture below).

This square is free (and has been since February 2012) on the My Blue Angels blogspot.

Although we are on block 10 there is still plenty of time to catch up – the full schedule and details about the CAL can be found here.

Click on the link in the title below to go straight to the pattern or add it to your Ravelry queue here.

Embracing Variety by Aurora Suominen

Notes:

Hook: 5 mm (US Size H)
Yarn: Aran / 10 ply / Worsted / Weight #4
Colours: I would suggest at least two
Pattern uses American crochet terms: see the following link for a printable conversion chart: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/70437470329344/

My Version:

Ta dah!! This is my version of this square using my colour palette (I blogged about this here). I was really excited about trying out all my colours on this square and love how it turned out; the popcorn stitch is definitely one of my favourite stitches.

Don’t forget to stay tuned for the next block to be released on May 27th (or 28th)

29Apr2015

KCACO-UK CAL 2015 – Block 9

Posted in Afghan Square, Crochet, Crochet-A-Long 2015 by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

So this next block is another one of those blocks that I’ve had saved for ages because it’s just so COOL looking! This nice repetitive pattern means that once you ‘get it’ you can hook the triangle construction fairly easily. This square is free (and has been since January 2010) on the Tiggerbee’s Buzz blogspot and the lovely Jacqui has now additionally added this to Ravelry for us as a download with some extra notes. Plus on Ravelry there is also a link to a chart of the block created by StabtheWool for those that like diagrams.

Although we are on block 9 there is still plenty of time to catch up – the full schedule and details about the CAL can be found here.

Click on the link in the title below to go straight to the pattern on the blog or add it to your Ravelry queue here.

On the Huh Crochet Square by Jacqui Goulbourn

Notes:

Hook: 5.5mm (US Size I)
Yarn: Aran / 10 ply / Worsted / Weight #4
Colours: I would suggest at least two
Pattern uses American crochet terms: see the following link for a printable conversion chart: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/70437470329344/

My Version:

Ta dah!! This is my version of this square using my colour palette (I blogged about this here). I think it’s unique construction produces a fabulous result don’t you! I loved how mine turned out and the sunshine was so obliging so I got a great photo; you can even see the dark purple which is the MOST difficult colour to photograph ever.

Don’t forget to stay tuned for the next block to be released on May 13th (or 14th)

19Apr2015

Butterfly Garden Afghan – Ta dah moment!

Posted in Blanket, Crochet, Family by Keep Calm and Crochet On UK

So I did promise to show you a photo of the afghan I made for my Great Aunts 90th birthday didn’t I. I had decided to make her a lapghan made up from 12 inch squares as I have never made a blanket with squares that big before (the CAL doesn’t count as it’s not finished yet!).

I knew I wanted a pattern with a fairly repetitive rhythm that I could work on in an evening whilst watching TV but something that wasn’t compromised on the prettiness. I have loads of crochet books so I had a look on my shelf and picked a block from The Granny Square Book by Margaret Hubert called ‘Butterfly Garden’. My husband brought me this book a couple of Christmas’s ago and I have made a few of the blocks in it for different things, its a great book.

I picked five colours to make my blanket and for the yarn I decided on Stylecraft Special Aran which is a 100% acrylic yarn in 100g balls. The colours I chose are Cream, Camel, Gold, Copper and Dark Brown and I must confess I adapted the pattern slightly to suit myself just because I wanted to get in my colour repeats!

I love Stylecraft yarn, it’s definitely one of my go to yarns. The Aran in particular is chunky, smooth and squidgy. Its lovely to work with as it comes in a wide range of colours, it’s not too expensive when making a large blanket in multiple colours and it doesn’t split when you are working with it. I used about 10 or so balls in total to make my 3 x 4 square blanket only because of the multiple colours and I used some colours more than others (a lot more brown for joining and the edging).

The blanket seemed so much bigger in real life than I’d imagined it would be and it certainly kept me nice and cosy in an evening as I was hooking it up – I quite missed it when it was gone.

I joined my squares using the flat braid join and the edging was from another book from my shelf called Around the Corner Crochet Borders by Edie Eckman (another fab Christmas gift from my husband from a different year – he knows what I like bless him!).

And so this is my final tah dah moment! The British weather was so obliging when I did my photo shoot providing me with a brilliant blue sky which made the blanket colours really pop.