Can this square be blocked, or is it a lost cause?

[LadyBeBop]

I've just completed the 12 squares for Red Heart's "Crochet Today with Love" afghan. All are supposed to by 12" by 12". I had no problems with 11 of the 12 squares. However, I had horrible problems with gauge with the September square.

 

I think it called for a H or I hook. I ended up using a D hook, the smallest hook I had and could still work with the yarn. My square still came up to 13.5" by 13.5" (the other squares came up to close to 12 inches).

 

I've never blocked before, so I'm a little nervous. I'm thinking if I wash it, it won't shrink down to the 12" square I need. (I used the recommended RHSS for all 12 squares). Can I block it all the way down to 12 inches? Or is it a lost cause?

 

As always, many thanks.

[Swayde]

I don't think blocking will help to shrink it, but I have never tried that. What about leaving a round off of the square or if it's rows just decrease the repeats a bit? The only other thing I can think of would be to add an extra round as a boarder to the other squares you did to bring them up to the same size as your biggest.

[bgs]

It's not going to shrink down. I don't know what these squares look like so this might not work but can you frog the last round of this square to make it fit?

[magiccrochetfan]

i don't think you can do much to shrink Super Saver. Maybe if you put it in a really hot dryer it might shrink a bit.

 

I looked up the pattern, it is all rows of sc and it has colorwork for a heart within a heart, right? It calls for a G hook. I can't imagine working Super Saver with a D hook, that must have been hard work!

 

All I can think of would be to redo the square. If you measure the square you have and leave off the rows and stitches that make it bigger than 12", then use the D hook, that should work.

[LadyBeBop]

i don't think you can do much to shrink Super Saver. Maybe if you put it in a really hot dryer it might shrink a bit.

 

Thanks. I'll try that.

 

I looked up the pattern, it is all rows of sc and it has colorwork for a heart within a heart, right?

 

Yup. So I needed almost every stitch on the square. It's not like I can omit a few rows or stitches in each row.

 

It calls for a G hook. I can't imagine working Super Saver with a D hook, that must have been hard work!

 

Yeah. Hated every minute of it.

 

All I can think of would be to redo the square. If you measure the square you have and leave off the rows and stitches that make it bigger than 12", then use the D hook, that should work.

 

I'm now on a deadline. I'm making this for my daughter's Christmas present. But she's nearly 800 miles away. We're spending Thanksgiving together, so I'm giving her the afghan then.

 

I've been sewing the squares as I go, so they are almost all sewn in. The only squares remaining are this square, the November square and a filler square (I've been adding granny squares to make this into a five square by five square afghan.

 

I'll try the dryer trick. If that doesn't work, I'll try to fit it in somehow.

 

Boiling water won't work, will it?

[magiccrochetfan]

Maybe you could fold the edges under and sew them down, like a hem?

[jleinhauser]

I'm afraid it's a lost cause. If you have to, give it to her not quite finished and explain what happened. I'm sure she'll understand and wait for it to be completed.

 

Jean Leinhauser

[AuntyM]

Make another one.

You can't shrink RH since it's an acrylic yarn.

[Amyjk]

Being acrylic, a hot dryer or boiling water is essentially just going to melt the yarn, not shrink it.

I don't know these squares either, but is your daughter going to know the difference if you substitute it with a different 12" square? One easier to do?

[acraftylady]

You can see the finish here, so maybe someone can suggest an alternate square you could use. Mary

[appy_lover]

Can you re-do a chart based on the number of spaces in the psychedelic heart pattern? I notice that their charts are way off in the number of rows...what a mess. Good luck!

[LadyBeBop]

Can you re-do a chart based on the number of spaces in the psychedelic heart pattern? I notice that their charts are way off in the number of rows...what a mess. Good luck!

 

Actually, I had no trouble with the psychedelic heart. I might have used a hook several sizes smaller than what it called for (I can't remember). But if I got it to gauge, it was a success.

 

I boiled the square, and it's now in a very hot dryer. I'm sure it's not going to work, but I gotta try. If that doesn't work, I'll redo the square, except I'll make it few stitches across and with fewer rows. Unfortunately, I'll have to leave out the outline heart. But I'll still have the inner heart.

 

Thanks y'all for your replies.