Sampler Square #10

Hi friends!  It's been so wet and rainy here, holey moley!  We were taking flowers to my mother's grave yesterday (for 'Decoration Day' as she always referred to it) and drove through a crazy-sauce storm!  We were seriously worried our windshield might break!  My husband and I were disagreeing on whether it was sleet or hail.  The road was a slushy slippery slope in no time.  We were glad to get through it with our windshield still intact and find the sun shining at the cemetery!

Right, now onto business.  If you're just joining in, WELCOME!  Click on the following links to get caught up: Introduction, Square #1, Square #2, Square #3, Square #4, Square #5, Square #6, Square #7, Square #8, Square #9 You can find links to all of them on pinterest here.  

May's colorwork square uses a stitch that is commonly referred to as a moss, granite, or linen stitch.  If you search any of those terms on pinterest (include the word crochet too) you will find all sorts of beautiful crochet goodness that you can make using this stitch.  It uses single crochet and chain stitches to produce a relatively solid fabric that has much more stretch to it than you would have from a solid basic single crochet fabric.  I have made scarves with it with some fun colors.  My most recent project with this stitch was a rather large afghan.  I admit I had intended for it to be a smaller lapghan, but was in the car on a road trip when I started it and it somehow ended up queen size.  I do love how it turned out though.   It's called the Cambric Comforter.

 

Cambric Comforter moss, granite, linen stitch afghan

taraduff sampler afghan square #10

 Square #10

For this block, begin with color A.  Color changes occur at the end of each row.  The color pattern is A-B-C-A-B-C-A-B-C... etc.  When a color change is indicated simply switch to the next color in the pattern.  Do not cut the ends when changing colors.  The old color is simple dropped and the new color picked up.  Only fasten yarn off when the square is complete. 

Pattern

Foundation Chain: With color A, chain 34
Row 1:  Sc in second chain from hook.  *Chain one.  Skip next chain, sc in next ch.  Repeat from * for remainder of row, switching colors in last sc.  Ch 1, turn.
Row 2:  Sc in first sc.  Sc in next ch sp.  *Ch 1.  Sc in next ch sp.  Repeat from * until 1 stitch remains.  Sc in last stitch switching colors.  Ch 1, turn. 
Row 3:  Sc in first sc.  Ch 1.  *Skip next sc, sc in next ch sp. Repeat from * to last ch sp.  Ch 1.  Skip next sc, sc in last sc switching colors.  Ch 1, turn.
Rows 4-34:  Repeat rows 2 & 3, ending with row 2 and color A.
Fasten off and weave in ends.

close-up of crochet moss, granite, or linen stitch

You're all caught up on your squares right?  We now have 10 out of the 24 squares done.  We'll be finished in no time!

I shared my road trip afghan with you.  Do you craft while traveling?  I'd love to hear about what you do to keep yourself occupied while traveling! 

Sampler Afghan Square #9

It seems I'm getting a bit of a late start here this month!  May has so far been filled with Mother's Day, flower beds and gardening, end of school activities, and preparing for our newest venture of starting an in-home therapy program for our daughter.  Today happens to be rainy (I'm very thankful for May showers) - so the gardening is currently on hold and I had some time to finish up the first square post for May.  Hopefully I didn't keep anyone waiting ;-)

If you're just joining in, WELCOME!  Click on the following links to get caught up: Introduction, Square #1, Square #2, Square #3, Square #4, Square #5, Square #6, Square #7, Square #8.  You can find links to all of them on pinterest here.

This particular block features the waffle stitch.  It's obviously not hard to see why it's called that ;-)  This pattern utilizes post stitches to creat the pattern - similar to the basketweave square we did a few months ago.  I will say the waffle stitch is slightly simpler than the basketweave square as it only uses front post stitches and the basketweave stitch uses both front and back post stitches.  Post stitches are an excellent way of adding texture to crochet.  I used the waffle stitch in a set of placemats I just finished up and love the result!

waffle stitch placemats

Ok - on to the square #9!

waffle stitch block #9

Square #9

Special Stitches 

front post double crochet (fpdc):  Yo and insert hook from the front to the back around the post of the dc on the previous row.  Complete as for regular dc.

Foundation ch and row 1:  Ch 32.  Dc in 4th ch from hook and in each remaining ch.  (30 dc)

Row 2:  Ch 2.  Skip first dc, dc in next stitch. * Fpdc in next 2 stitches**, dc in next 2 stitches.  Repeat from * Ending at ** with  one stitch and turning chain remaining.  Dc in next dc, hdc in top of turning ch.  Turn.

Row 3:  Ch 2, skip first stitch.  Fpdc in next stitch. *Dc in next 2 stitches**, fpdc in next 2 stitches.  Repeat from * to last 2 stitches ending at **.  Fpdc in next stitch.  Hdc in top of turning ch.  Turn.

Rows 4-22:  Repeat rows 2 & 3, ending with row 2.

close-up of waffle stitch pattern

So how are your squares coming along?  I'd love to have you share your progress?  And please contact me if you ever have questions on any of the patterns I post.  Oh - and come join me on facebook.  That's a great place to keep up to date on when the new blocks are posted!