63 Squares Crochet Along

[shelbyro]

Thanks everyone! The blanket is very popular with my kids (they are playing find the color games with it...), so I am happy I did it the size and way I did. Glad to have it serve as inspiration for others too! <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/spin.gif" />

 

That's a good idea, Nancy, adding more squares if I want to later. I could definitely do that and would not have thought of it myself! Thanks!!

 

Donna, please go ahead and put it in the gallery!

 

Now, on to the Ripple Along....

 

<img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/grouphug.gif" />

[craftimama]

Well....one square done and 62 to go! lol. I'm using Mainstays WW yarn and I notice I always have to use one size smaller hook to get gauge when I use Mainstays. Dunno if it's a bit thicker than normal or what. So I did Square 1 with a G hook. Came out a perfect 8 inches with the border rows.

 

I'm going to be anal and do the squares in order.

 

Hopefully I don't get too many gauge headaches. :th I looked through the book tonight at all the different squares -- this should be fun. There are a lot of stitches that I haven't tried before.

 

I'll start square #2 later tonight after the baby goes to bed.

 

Hugs!

Juli

~Craftimama~

[t1nk]

Hi all,

I didn't check the forum for 2 days and suddenly there are so many posts to read Yaayyy

 

Michelle, your afghan is sooo preettyyyy :thumbsup Love it.

 

 

Here's my update... I'm on my 32nd square now. Work is making me so stress lately because there is nothing to do!!! No projects at all for almost 2 weeks. I come home and start crocheting away. It helps me relax somehow

 

I don't follow the order of the patterns. I hate having to switch yarns everytime I finish a square. So I have been making several squares in 1 color, then change to another color when I got bored with the first color.

 

I'm working on square #40 now. Does anyone have a problem with the 7tr after skipping 3 chains? My first tr (of the 7th)seems to always make this big loop when it connects with the previous dc.

 

Maybe one of these days, I will take pictures of my squares and post them somewhere. :camera

 

Hope everyone will have a nice weekend. For anyone in souther california, hopefully this weekend will be less wet than last week

[cajunwhacko]

Well, I'm sitting here in Southern California, the sun is actually shining, and I am wishing that I had borught my 63 squares stuff to work on. Sure it's fun to work on my socks, but... <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/worried.gif" />

 

I did finish 3 and 4 before we left Wednesday. I'm starting to think that I'm really lucky, or something is going to go horribly later on, or something... I've done all 4 squares so far with an I hook, and they've all come out right on. I'm hoping this isn't an omen of things to come...

 

Lovin this ghan...

 

Anne

 

Wrapped in Chains

 

P.S. I added a gallery to my blog... I haven't gotten to upload pics of 3 and 4 yet, because the camera had gone AWOL. Oh well...

[springiscoming]

Hello everyone..I started my 63 squares in the colors shown on the book, but now I'm thinking the afghan would look really beautiful in shades of white. I'm not too far along to change - any comments from those more experienced in color combinations???

[cajunwhacko]

Hi! I think as long as there is enough contrast in the shades, that would look nice. If they were too close together it might just look like variations in dye lot and come out a little funny. As long as they're different enough though, that shouldn't be a problem... I say go for it!<img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/cheer.gif" />

 

Anne

 

Wrapped in Chains

[craftimama]

Just finished Square 3. So far a G hook has been right on gauge for me. :cheer2 We'll see if the triple square cooperates.

 

Hugs!

Juli ~Craftimama~

 

my blog

[Sleepystitcher]

I hope there's room for one more to join in. I used to have this booklet years ago. I'd planned to work on it when I was in the hospital having a knee replaced but changed my mind and did a giant granny square instead. In the meantime the booklet got wet and ruined. I just picked up a new copy when I was in Philadlephia last week for my son's wedding. I'm going to use scraps, at least that's the plan at the moment. I still have a lot of yarn left over from my "9 year Granny Square" and from the Multi-color Tier Drop I made for a wedding gift. I'll probably get started on it tonight or tomorrow.

[NancyCA]

Haven't touched my squares in almost a week. I got through 8 done and 9 and 10 half done. I know...but I got bored with 9 and started 10. hahaha

 

I have been working on my ripple ghan all week. I'll get back to stitching on this SAL next Monday.:)h

[yarngal]

Hi, I joined this crochet along a while back and have finished the first 5 squares and halfway through the 7th one because the 6th square (Trinity stitch) instructions confused me.

 

How many stitches will there be when you finish the first row of the trinity stitch(after the foundation chain)? The book says 25 but I get 13. I did check Donna's tutorial but there was no stitch count given there.

 

Thanks.

[Donna]

Go, Juli! :cheer2 Yes, I would say Mainstays gives a slightly larger gauge. As far as possible gauge headaches, Julie (yarngirl) and I have been recording the hook size we use in our photo albums, so that might give you a guide in choosing hook size. Julie is using Red Heart Super Saver, which gives a little larger gauge just like Mainstays. Here is Julie's album and my album.

 

 

Yay, t1nk! :cheer2 I agree, crocheting is stress-relieving. :)h I haven't gotten to square #40 yet, so I can't advise on that one.

 

 

Anne, I believe one of our members who finished the afghan, Rachel R., said she used the same size hook for all the squares. Don't know how she did that but she did! ! Your gallery looks great! I added your gallery link to the 63 squares page (the link is the little camera next to your name). )

 

 

springiscoming, I agree with Anne about the shades of white. As long as they're different enough, it would look great! :thumbsup

 

 

Hi, Elaine! There sure is room for you! I'm glad you're joining us! :woohoo I've added you to the list. I think your scraps will look great!

 

 

It's okay, Nancy! You don't have to work on your 63 squares all the time.

 

 

yarngal, you should have 25 stitches across as the book says. If you are getting 13, it sounds like you are just counting the number of whole trinity stitches across. You need to count all the loops across the top when you are done. It should be a total of 25 stitches, not 25 trinity stitches. Does that make sense?

[crochelsea]

well i finished another 2 squares...i think that makes the count 7! i did the backloop/front loop and the one with the big half circles in it..dont remember the name.

 

donna, that tutorial DOES help me with the trinity but the one i was (still am) having probs with is i think no. 3. its using Ecru and ithink its just triple square. cause the first one is singles, second is dc, and i think third is tc.

[ZingyZoid]

Ok I haven't made any moe progress since my last post but I am now motivated after reading the 4 pages of new posts. I'm going to set aside my other projects today and get back to this one.

 

Everyone seems to be moving along quite nicely. I love looking at all the photo galleries.

 

Shel- I LOVE your completed Stained Glass Loveseat blanket.

[craftimama]

Square 4 is finally done. I had to frog out my trc square twice. Finally ended up using an F hook to get the 8" gauge. The two border rows helped even it out. I was about 1/4" shy of 7" on height and that much too large on width at the end of the trc rows.

 

After the border sc rows, it was 8" square. I did my sc's in the stitches at the top and bottom of the square, and over the last trc stitch at the ends of the rows on each side. That really squared it up.

 

Is that the same problem you're having with the trc square Chelsea?? Maybe a bit of blocking would help.

 

I'm glad I didn't have to frog it out again.

 

Moving on to square 5!

 

Hugs, Juli

~craftimama~

 

My Blog

[Guest NatashaW]

OMG I didn't know it but I actually HAVE this book!!!!!

 

Holy Cow!!!! I saw it at home and wondered if that was the same book... I'm so glad I brought it in to check.

 

:woohoo I thought I'd have to go and buy it. Funny that I already own it though considering I haven't really don't much in the way of crocheting. I guess it's just strange that I already had it! I've been subscribed to this thread for a long time now but I was waiting until I could afford the pattern book. :

 

Anyway sorry about that

 

I'm very excited though so I can get started.

 

Natasha

[Guest NatashaW]

Oh no. I have 63 "More" Easy-To-Crochet Pattern Stitches Combine to Make And Heirloom Afghan.

 

Blast it all... it's not the same one. Oh well, I'm going to start with this one anyway... I'm sure I'll get it.

 

Natasha

[cajunwhacko]

Well, I finally finished my Trinity square after frogging it 3 times, then frogging it AGAIN because, of all things, you know it's coming... the gauge was too small. So I had to go up a hook... <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/blush.gif" />

 

Anyway, although it feels like I spent years of my life working on that stupid square, it is finished, completely wonky, and apparently incognito because it doesn't look much like a square. I swear it is though! The pic is up in my gallery... Now I'm starting the Alternate popcorn one and getting sick of it. LOL This project is starting to get on my nerves...

 

<img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/frog1.gif" /><img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/frog1.gif" /><img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/frog1.gif" />

 

Anne

 

<a href="http://www.peteschains.blogspot.com"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v688/cajunwhacko/wic.bmp" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com"></a>

[crochelsea]

yes, juli, thats the one! hm...i guess i will have to resort to blocking as you say. (does blocking bother any one else? what are some tips as to how to do it neatly?) i will start on my next square tonight. i never did go and get my green i need but i can't go this month- $400 is due at the end of the month and i'm nowhere close since i dont have a job now! gotta work on that, no green yarn. but i WILL get some in april.

[craftimama]

well chelsea, I figured out another way to get around the trc square being too big. lol. I looked at the one I finished the other day and it was still bugging me. My other squares came out so perfect, so I decided to try the trc square again. It needed to be shown who was boss. I fudged a bit and changed the pattern around so I could get a 7 by 7 square with a G hook.

 

I dropped two trc stitches and made the square 23 stitches across instead of 25. Then when I did the first border row, I put two sc in the first and last triple in the top and bottom rows of the square to make up for the two stitches I dropped. Then I did the 2nd border row as stated in the pattern. That way the stitch count for joining when I put the afghan together will all match up.

 

And this time, it worked. It's a perfect 8" square without having to use the border rows to fix the gauge like I did on the first one. I figured if I'm going to take the time to make 63 squares and join them, I'm going to make sure my squares look good. Although, I was getting sick of doing this one over and over again. Fourth try was a charm. Thought I was gonna have to open a frog farm there for awhile.

 

Using Mainstays yarn I just couldn't get an 8" square the way the pattern was written.

 

Maybe that solution would work for you too.

 

Square #5 is going fine for me. The back/front loop hdc makes a really pretty pattern. I'm looking forward to the trinity square though. I'm getting burnt out on making squares with ecru.

 

Hugs!

Juli ~Craftimama~

 

My Blog

[crochelsea]

thanks so much juli!!! you've definately inspired me. this weekend:

chelsea: 'there aint enough room for the both of us in this town'

(whistle "ohoh oh oh ee, wa wa wa"...tumbleweeds, uh, tumble by)

 

trc: "oh yeah? one, two, three, DRAW!"

 

and i am gonna win. lol!

[craftimama]

lol! That's the attitude! Show that square that you got a hook and you know how to use it!

 

You'll win the showdown for sure! :cg

 

Hugs, Juli

~Craftimama~

[deneen]

Aarrgh...am I the only one having major gauge problems! I've done square 1 and 2 with an h hook, g hook and am now down to an f hook (I'll do it later) and it's still too darn big! I checked Donna and Julie's pics and hook suggestions and I don't get what I'm doing wrong. Each time it comes out about 1/2" too big (before finishing). These are easy stitches!! I'm using Caron yarn.:th :th :th :th :th :th

[craftimama]

Deneen,

 

Just an idea, but why don't you crochet square #1 with whatever hook size you want to use for your afghan, and then use whatever size it comes out as your gauge for the other squares? Then they'd still all come out the same size, and you wouldn't have to pull your hair out trying to make them 8".

 

Dyes and yarn brand can really make a difference on how thick a yarn is, and can really affect gauge. I'm using Mainstays to make mine, and I had to use a G hook instead of an H. I always have to go down a hook size when I use Mainstays. It's just fat yarn I guess. Maybe the Caron you're using is the same way.

 

I had to frog out my triple square four times -- so don't feel bad about the gauge. Finally I cheated and took out two stitches and made up for it in the border rows.

 

All things are fair in love and crochet..... !

 

Hugs, Juli

~Craftimama~

[deneen]

I am so anal retentive, I have to do it the right way. Besides, I bought enough yarn for the squares to be the right size, not bigger (LOL). At least my daughter has now gotten three dollhouse blankets out of the deal!

[hamlette2002]

I busted my rear getting all of my homework for one class done for the entire semester, so I feel like I can crochet again! I know it's late in the CAL, but I'm just going to limp along as best I can to get this done. I've finished #1, and I'm about halfway through #6.