63 Squares Crochet Along

[galalto]

I am now on 44 I think. I stepped away from this for a while, but I am back. I have learned so much from doing this CAL. My skill level has definitely increased, and you all have been so much help.

 

Amber:cat

[Chatty]

I've always wanted to try one of these. I have the booklet and some yarn I didn't know what to do with. Got #1 done today except for the border and it was really challenging. The H hook gave me a 6-1/2" square and the I hook gave me an 8" one. I finally went back to the H and loosened my tension and finally got a 7" square.

 

[Sleepystitcher]

I finally got the #5 Trinity stitch square done, and I finished #6, the Alternate Puff stitch. I'm struggling now with #7, the Chevron Relief stitch. I feel really stupid too. This shouldn't be this difficult for someone who's crocheted for nearly 30 yrs.

 

When I go to do row 2, and it says to make a hdc in the first sc......does the turning ch count as the first stitch so that I actually use the second sc?

I tried it just exactly as written, not counting the turning ch as the first st....and my fpdc's weren't staggered. Instead the entire piece started working up at an angle. Then when I went to do the fpdc rows in reverse order nothing was right. I'm ready to scream. This really shouldn't be so hard for me to understand, but it's like I'm banging my head against a wall. PLEASE HELP!!!!!

 

I think I'm going let this sit and work on a simple hat that I'm knitting until I can get this figured out.

[TxCrochetGranny]

I had a lot of trouble with this one until tink asked me if I was "around the post of st below next sc"

 

I had been going around the wrong post! It is the post of the stitch in the row below.

 

I also seem to have a lot of trouble determining if the turning chain counts as the first stitch, etc.--that's why I have a dummy skein which I use to practice every square until it is right. Only then do I use the "good" yarn because I was just wasting so much yarn!

 

Hope this helps.

[springiscoming]

With Donna's tutorial I conquered the trinity stitch - liked it so much I made it in all the colors! Now I thought I'd try the Bushy Stitch. Row 1 went well - but not sure I understand Row 2. Can anyone help?

I understand 2 dc, ch 2 sc in first chain. not sure what I do next.

[Sleepystitcher]

I had a lot of trouble with this one until tink asked me if I was "around the post of st below next sc"

 

I had been going around the wrong post! It is the post of the stitch in the row below.

 

I also seem to have a lot of trouble determining if the turning chain counts as the first stitch, etc.--

 

I've double and triple checked and I am going around the correct post. I finally got it to work out properly by fudging a stitch here and there. But wouldn't you know, it's not working out to the correct gauge. So now I have to frog it again. I'm seriously considering leaving this one out and making some other one twice.

[yarngal]

When I go to do row 2, and it says to make a hdc in the first sc......does the turning ch count as the first stitch so that I actually use the second sc?

I tried it just exactly as written, not counting the turning ch as the first st....and my fpdc's weren't staggered. Instead the entire piece started working up at an angle. Then when I went to do the fpdc rows in reverse order nothing was right. I'm ready to scream. This really shouldn't be so hard for me to understand, but it's like I'm banging my head against a wall. PLEASE HELP!!!!!

 

The turning chain doesnot count as a first stitch - you also should not work into the top of the turning stitch from the row below. An easy way to know if your FPDCs are coming the way they should is that in the rows 6,8 10 and 12 you should work your first FPDC around the post of the second FPDC from the previous even numbered row and the second FPDC should be done around the post of the HDC next to the second FPDC of the previous even numbered row. You should then skip the 2 SCs which are being hidden by the two FPDCs you just did and do a HDC in the next SC. And in rows 14,16,18,20 - your first FPDC will be done around the post of the HDC just before the first FPDC in the even numbered row below and the second FPDC will be worked around the post of the first FPDC in the even numbered row below.

 

I hope all this makes sense to you and I have not landed up confusing you.

I got the pattern right yesterday when I worked on this - and the gauge was right when I was working on the first few rows. But when I measured it again after doing Row 14, the square was off gauge (bigger by a solid .5 in) - so I have frogged it now and need to redo it.

 

-Subha

[Sleepystitcher]

It's making perfect sense to me, and I do know that it's the way it's supposed to happen. But it just isn't working out that way for me. The only way it did work out right is when fudged a bit and added a stitch on one end or the other. I finally got it to look right and wouldn't you know the d*** gauge was off! So, in the interests of my own mental health, I've put this block to one side and I'm moving on. I'll come back to it later. Maybe working on it with a fresh mind it won't be so difficult. I've already done the next block and it turned out fine. So, I'll just leave it for now and keep going with the rest. Thanks for the help.

[Swayde]

Woot first square is complete! I will be posting pics on my website soon =) Thanks for the help with the edging questions I posted on the help forums, I felt so stupid for having to ask, but realized I have never done squares before hehe. Just doilies, ripples, bookmarks, purses, coasters...no squares! So now I know and it looks really good, I was worried the colors I picked would be too dark, but they are actually perfect and look real nice together, hopefully when I take pics the colors come out right =)

[evelyn]

Is this the new 63 squares, or the one everyone has been doing?

 

And where can you buy the new book I have the old one.

 

Isnt there a 63 squares that is called scripture afghan or something like that?

[Sleepystitcher]

I've completed up thru and including #12, except for #8 which I'll attempt again later.

I must say, that although I've been crocheting for about 30 years, I'm learning a lot as I complete these squares. I appreciate how I'm improving my skills and broadening my horizon. I'm really happy I've joined in on this. I'll probably get one or two more done in the next day or two.

[Kimberly]

Okay, I'm in! What am I thinking I have yet to finish my star afghan ( ), but since my 63 Squares booklet finally came in the mail....and I have the discarded yarn that just did not work for my star afghan....that is ironically enough in the pink, green and cream....Sign me up for this CAL!

I am still working my way through all of my ideas for my crochet blog, but it is up and starting to come together, so I'll be sure to post updates there!

http://cityofcrochet.blogspot.com

Cheers!

[TxCrochetGranny]

Am I the only one to have trouble with #17? It seems so easy, but it is eluding me something fierce. If I get it right, it is too small; if I use a bigger needle, it doesn't look right--the center circle is too large; the first row clusters don't show up or the cluster pattern is off.

 

I bet that, if I had kept track, I've stitched it at least 17 times. I hate to say it, but I think I'll skip this one and come back later. The battle may have gone to the cluster, but the war is not yet won!

[kvinna]

#6 makes me want to scream! I keep making the chains looser and looser, but it still ends up 3/4 the length of the rest of my other squares!

 

I'm taking a 15 minute break before going at it again.

[GinaLaughed]

Update from me...

 

So far I have completed 15, 16, 21 and 34. I'm currently working on 11 and 37 (I think...it's been so long I'm judging which ones they are by comparing the pics on the book to what I have done so far). OMG! ...I get bored working on the same project from time to time so I always have a few going at once. However, since spring is here we have been working in the yard and in the garden, and I've been spring cleaning (plus we homeschool) so I haven't crocheted on anything in a while. I took out my project just now to see if had any experience with 17 and 6 and found that I don't remember what numbers I'm working on and what size hook I used to make the gauge! That is soooo not like me! I don't know what I'm going to do. So far I've used a J hook for the ones I've completed so I know I can use the J hook on one of these but which one? The thing is, the last think I remember when I was making sure of the gauge on these two I remember thinking that I was surprised to make the gauge with a small hook. Which one is it and what hook did I use? (One of them is half finished too.) *sigh* Oh well....back to the drawing board.

 

TxCrochetGranny....Sorry but I haven't tried 17 yet. I wanted to do all the 'round' squares first but somehow I missed that one. I'll try it next and see what happens. Sorry I can't be of more help to you.

 

KVinna.....Have you tried a larger hook? I'm making the gauge on most of the squares I've done so far with a J hook. I struggle with 6 too. In fact, before I worried about guage I had completed one and it was too small. I recently tried again, got the gauge down but tThe problem I'm having is that I my 2nd stitch is too tight and I get hand cramps trying to get the hook in it. I finally frogged my second attempt and moved on. *sigh* It was either that or go bonkers trying.

[t1nk]

Hi everyone...

Just want to send a little update. I have finished my afghan. I love the end result I completed it around easter and one of my friend commented that my afghan looks very eastery (due to the colors: aran, baby yellow & baby purple). I wanted to post the pictures but I'm not sure where to post them yet... maybe yahoo photos. I'll work on them soon...

 

MDS & Kvinna, hang in there... The squares will come out great eventually

Most of my squares are a bit different in sizes from each other, but after I combined them together, you can't really tell anymore which one was a bit too small or too big...

 

[TxCrochetGranny]

Great to hear from you t1nk and :cheer can't wait to see your finished product!

 

To tell the truth, I went onto 18, but I'm not having any more luck than I did with 17. Maybe I just need to find a really easy one to get my confidence back.

[allimac]

An older lady at my church Ladies Fellowship group last night said she had done this afghan 17 years ago and that the pattern must be at least 20 years old. I just thought that was interesting, here it is becoming so popular now. Does anyone remember exactly when it first came out?

 

-Alli

[JulieKay]

Hi Alli

I have no idea when it first came out, but it seems to have been around for a long time. I tried looking up the copyright date in my book and it says 1997, but that must be a second or 3rd printing maybe .

[candygoode]

Is this an ongoing project? Is it to late to join?

[cajunwhacko]

Join right in! This is one of those projects that just keeps going... and going... and going... lol

 

Some of us will probably still be working on this CAL ten years from now when other people are asking if they can join... lol Least, that's the way I'm feelin lately!

[evelyn]

I have 3 books:eek

scripture afghan 24 pattern stitchs published1995

63 more easy pattern stitches 1991

63 easy crochet pattern stitchs 198and all the blocks are different

Im working on the scripture blocks#1 # 2

[yarngal]

#6 makes me want to scream! I keep making the chains looser and looser, but it still ends up 3/4 the length of the rest of my other squares!

 

I'm taking a 15 minute break before going at it again.

 

You might want to try going up hook sizes - I usually do all my squares with a H -hook and they come out the right size - but for this no.6 trinity square I had to use a J hook to get it to size.

 

Hope that helps.

[unicorn37757]

I tried to figure out which book or where your getting your patterns for these squares from, guess I missed it somehow. I would enjoy starting this one if it's alright.

[cajunwhacko]

Dive right in! There's a link with a pic of the book on the very first post, if you still aren't sure which one it is.