Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links that I may get compensation from if you decide to make a purchase. Thank you for the support!
Crochet with Me!! Winter 2015 CAL.. Week 3!!

Crochet with Me!! Winter 2015 CAL.. Week 3!!

Here we are!!! Week 3 of our Crochet with Me!! Winter  2015 CAL…

This week shows some really fun Crochet progress… You can now see how this Retro Afghan will start to unfold and become more than just Granny Squares!!  I really hope you are loving this design!!  The next few weeks will have a few more fun twists..

Crochet with Me!! Winter 2015 CAL Week 3 ImpeccableWeek  3 using Loops and Threads Impeccable yarn!

This week you see the classic Chevron added to our project!!  This is an easy, fun stitch that packs a lot of punch!!

Crochet with Me!! Winter 2015 CAL Week 3 UnforgetableWeek 3 using Red Heart Unforgettable!!

If you are just joining in the fun, or have been with us all three weeks… It is easy to have some fun with this Retro Style Afghan… You can click on the Crochet with Me tab at the top of the page for previous weeks instructions and all the details of how to join in the fun on Facebook, Pinterest, Ravlery and Instagram!!  So Let’s get started with our Weekly Assignment and instructions!!

Assignment…

This week you will be making a full strip in the Chevron Pattern… Don’t worry, it is easy and goes by quickly!!  Next week we will be finishing off this strip using a special technique… So make sure you DO NOT skip ahead and edge or try to join it quite yet!!!

*Tips*

Your strip should be almost as wide as your Granny’s Circle In the Square strip… minus the edging!!  If it is way to narrow, you can adjust by using a larger hook or blocking it into shape when done crocheting this week.  If your  strip is turning out to wide,,, you will want to go down a hook size…  A little difference in with won’t hurt anything.. Your afghan will have some natural spreading once done.

For the length ,,, this will be more important!  I have crochet a specific number of rows that worked for me to get the correct length. Your new strip should be shorter than your Granny’s Circle in Square strip(approx 1″), this will allow us to do the last 2 rows of the Chevron strip next week and the edging… So Carefully compare your strip and you can add or subtract rows as needed to get the correct length for your own afghan!!

We will be using HDC instead of DC for this strip,,, You may be wondering why!!  The Chevron HDC gave a much nicer look than when using the Dc technique,,, The DC Chevron was more like a wave than the more pointy HDC Technique.

*For Self-Striping Yarn… Just keep making your rows until the correct length.

*For Traditional Color Changing, You can change as often as you like, I liked the look of changing color every 3 rows.

Stitches: 

Ch ~ Chain     Sl St ~ Slip Stitch     Hdc ~ Half Double Crochet     Sk ~ Skip

Instructions:

Ch 21

Row 1:  Hdc in the 2nd Ch from hook and the next 3 Chs, 3 Hdc in the next Ch, Hdc in the next 4 Chs, Sk 2 Chs, Hdc in the next 4 Chs, 3 Hdc in the next Ch, Hdc in the last 4 Chs. = 22 Hdc(The turning ch counts as a Hdc)

Row 2:  Turn, Sl St in the first 2 Sts, Ch 2 (Counts as Hdc now and throughout), Hdc in the next 3 Sts, 3 Hdc in the next St,  Hdc in the next 4 Sts, Sk 2 Sts, Hdc in the next 4 Sts, 3 Hdc in the next St, Hdc in the next 4 Sts, Leaving the last St unworked. ( Your 3 Hdc in one stitch should be in the center stitch of the previous rows same 3 Hdc stitch combo.This will make the peek of your chevron. So be careful to achieve this. The Sk 2 Sts will always be over the previous rows Skipped stitches too!) = 22 Hdc

Repeat Row 2 until your Chevron Strip is approx. 1″ Shorter that your previous strip. I had 105 rows in my Chevron Strip!!

impeccable week 3 close up     Unforgettable week 3 close up

You have now completed week 3!!!  Way to go!!  Let me know how you like it so far… I love to hear from you!!  AND don’t forget to hop over to Facebook on Wednesday evenings at 6 PM Est for our special Crochet with Me Show and Tell Post…

Happy Crocheting!!

Elena

Crochet with Me… Winter 2015 CAL!!!  Week 2

Crochet with Me… Winter 2015 CAL!!! Week 2

So many great Granny’s Circle In Square’s!!!  Week 1 had 5 squares to complete and now we are ready for week 2!!!  I loved seeing all the great pictures on Wednesday night over on Facebook during our Show and Tell!!  So are you ready to finish 1 Strip Segment ??

 

Here is what we will look like at the end of Week 2…

Crochet with me week 2 Collage ImpeccableMy first afghan is done in worsted weight yarn, using traditional color changing… Loops and Threads Impeccable!

 

Crochet with me week 2 collage Unforgettable

My second afghan is done in self-striping yarn… Red Heart Unforgettable!!

Week 2 Assignment and Instructions..

This week you will be making 4 more Granny’s Circle in Square to complete one full strip of 9 squares, We will be blocking the squares to get the right shape and then joining them to complete one full strip segment!!  So let’s get started!!

*If you are just starting you can refer to the Crochet with Me tab at the top of the page for all the week’s instructions!

 Week 2~ Make 4 Granny’s Circle in Square… If you need the instructions… Click Here!!

 

 

Crochet with Me week 2 Impeccable

 

Crochet with Me week 2 Unforgettable

 

 

Next… Let’s block our squares to make them even in size and shape!!  If you haven’t blocked a crochet piece before… There are 2 methods you can use, Wet Blocking and Steam Blocking, I usually use the Steam Method, but you have to be very careful not to damage your yarn!  For video tutorials on both techniques we will head over to my good friend Tamara’s site,,, MOOGLY!  She has made a great tutorial for both!!

For Steam Blocking… Click Here!       For Wet Blocking… Click Here!

Ok,, Now it is time to join your blocks into one long strip segment!  There are more than one method for this too!!

*Make sure you put wrong sides together when sewing so they all come out looking the same!

1. You can whip stitch the edges together using a yarn needle and yarn, you will do this for each block until all 9 are joined.

2. You can crochet them together with a single crochet (this is the method I used). I crochet in one loop from each square, the closest one facing me.

Or you can join with some fancy techniques… Again, You can head over to Moogly to see 12 ways to join… Click Here!

Just make sure you use the same joining technique throughout the entire project..

 

Single Crochet Join Back                     Single Crochet Join Front

That’s it… You have completed Week 2!!  Simple enough right??  Next week we will be starting our next strip segment… And… It is not squares so don’t sneak ahead and make more quite yet!!

Don’t forget to join me Wednesday night on Facebook for The “Show and Tell” Post at 6pm EST… and you can also post to our Pinterest Board, Ravelry page and those of you who follow me on Instagram got a Sneak Peak last night of this week!!!

Happy Crocheting!!

Elena

Crochet With Me… Winter 2015 CAL~ Week 1

Crochet With Me… Winter 2015 CAL~ Week 1

Beatrice Ryan Designs ~Crochet with Me… Winter CAL is now starting!!

I am so excited to share with you the first part of our Crochet with Me.. CAL Afghan design!!  You voted for a surprise design and this one will surely be that!!! I am really loving the way this Retro Style Afghan is coming along!!  So,,, Let’s go over some of the details,,, Then~ Week 1 Instructions!!

*Each Sunday I will post an assigned amount of crochet, hopefully just enough to keep you moving forward to complete our project in a timely manner,,, But not too much to discourage you from finishing!!

*You can find each weeks post in the Crochet with Me tab at the top of the page…

*Join in on Ravelry and Add your projects, add it to your favs and queue… Click Here

*To Receive an email each time I post to my site,,, You can click on Subscribe Now on the right sidebar…

*Each Wednesday we will have a Special Post on my Facebook page to show off your progress pictures,,, I love to see your work and we can chat all about the CAL each Wednesday evening between 6-7 pm PST…

*A Group Pinterest Page!  You can post your progress pictures right to Beatrice Ryan Designs Crochet With Me CAL Pinterest Page… Just email me your request to [email protected] and I will send you an invite to join the page!!

*You can join me on Instagram for occasional #SneakPeak of the upcoming week pics!!!

Are you ready to get started??  Let’s get Crocheting!!

This surprise design afghan will be using basic crochet techniques and a beginner/intermediate level.  There will be several design elements and some really fun, colorful stitching going on!  I am making 2 Afghans… I wanted to try self striping yarn for one and the other will be traditional color changing…

Below are Week 1’s Progress pictures… What do you think??  Don’t worry,,, It isn’t a Granny Square Afghan,,, But it does have quite a few of them in the design… In a couple of weeks… You will see how this afghan design begins to unfold… I think you will be surprised and very happy with what we will be doing!!

Winter CAL Week 1 Impeccable
     This week 1 progress picture of my first afghan is a Circle in Square using the traditional color changing technique.  I used Loops and Threads Impeccable Yarn.  It is soft  and  nice to work with and I loved the color results!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter CAL Week 1 Unforgettable

For the Second afghan, I used Red Heart Unforgettable in Polo,,,  It is a self-striping yarn and is very soft!  Less weaving in the ends and it has a more gradual color change… I love this one too!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 1 Crochet with Me… Winter 2015 CAL Instructions:

Materials list ~ Click Here for last weeks post.

Stitches:

St ~ Stitch     Ch ~ Chain     Sc ~ Single Crochet     Hdc ~ Half Double Crochet     Dc ~ Double Crochet    Trc – Triple Crochet     Dtrc – Double Triple Crochet.    Sl St ~ Slip Stitch

Instructions:

Circle in Square ~ Make 5 Squares this week

Each Square should measure approx. 6″ x 6″.

* If using Self~Striping Yarn you will Crochet rows 1-5 with out changing colors, Row 6 will be your Border Color

*If using Multiple Color Yarns and traditionally changing, You will change color each Row 1-5 and end with Row 6 using the Border Color.

Row 1:  Ch4, 9 Dc in the 4th Ch from hook (The first 3 chains count as a Dc), Join with Sl St to top of Beginning Ch. = 10 Dc

Row 2:  Ch 3 (Counts as Dc now and throughout), Dc in the same St as Beginning, 2 Dc in each St around. Join with Sl St to beginning. = 20 Dc

Row 3:  Ch 3, Dc in same St, Dc in the next St, *2 Dc in the next St, Dc in the next St*, Repeat * * around. Join with Sl St to beginning. = 30 Dc

Row 4:  Ch 3, Dc in same St, Dc in the next 2 Sts, * 2 Dc in the next St, Dc in the next 2 Sts*, Repeat * * Around. Join with Sl St to beginning. = 40 Sc

Row 5:  Ch1, Sc in the same St, Sc in the next St, *Hdc in the next 2 Sts, Dc in the next St, (Trc, Dtrc, Trc) all in the next St(Corner Made), Dc in next St, Hdc in the next 2 Sts, Sc in the next 3 Sts*, Repeat * * around 3 more times, ending with a Sc in the last St (Instead of Sc in next 3 Sts), Join with Sl St to beginning Sc. Finish off = 48 Sts

Row 6: Change to Border Color, Join to any Dtrc with Sl St, Ch 1, 3 Sc in the same St(this makes a corner), Sc in the next 11 Sts, *3 Sc in the next St, Sc in the next 11 Sts*, Repeat * * 2 more times. Join to beginning with Sl St. =56 Sc Finish off.

Congratulations… You now have a Circle in a Square!!

Make sure to complete 5 of these squares this week…  Thank you for joining in the Fun!!!!

And… please come share your pictures Wednesday on Facebook or on our group Pinterest Page!!

Happy Crocheting!!

Elena

*** You may make and sell products from my patterns but if you do I ask that you link back to my post. Please do not copy and post these patterns and claim it as your own. Please do not re-publish photos as your own.***

%d bloggers like this: