Clue #4
Here’s how the completed Clue 3 square looks.
Now let’s get on with Clue #4.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF FILE OF CLUE #4
This clue introduces a new stitch that we haven’t used before – the half double crochet (hdc). For those who haven’t made this stitch before, you begin with yarn over hook from back of hook to front, insert hook under top two loops of next stitch, yarn over hook and draw a loop through (3 loops are now on hook), yarn over hook and draw through all 3 loops on hook to complete stitch. It’s very similar to a double crochet except you work all the loops off together at the end rather than in two’s as you do for the double crochet.
We’re also going to be using treble crochets (tr) in this square. A treble crochet is taller than a double crochet, so to begin the row we chain 4 to get us up to the proper height. (You may need to eliminate or reduce the gap caused by the thinness of the chain compared to the thickness of the treble crochet at the beginning of the row by working chain 3 or slip stitch and ch 3 in place of ch 4). To make a treble crochet, yarn over hook from back to front twice, insert hook under top two loops of next stitch, yarn over hook and draw a loop through (4 loops now on hook), (yarn over hook and draw through 2 loops) 3 times.
This is also the first square that uses several colors. To change colors you work to the last two loops of the last stitch in the row, drop the working color and work the last yarn over and draw through the last two loops with the new color. Be sure to clip the old color with a 3 ins [7.5 cm] long tail end so you can work over the tail or darn it in later.
Have fun making this colorful clue. I’ll be back next week with a photo of it and with Clue #5.
Until then – happy crocheting!
-Laura
YAAAAA!! Got #4 So I can start first thing in the morn! Is it bad that I sat here hitting refresh till it popped up? I think when this is over I will go in to CAL withdraws.
I totally agree! After the CAL is over, I’m going to start last year’s knit-a-long!
I wanted to try that…but I am not as good with the knitting and my edges never came out straight
That’s just what I was thinking of doing also. I already ran off all the clues!
I am doing the crochet along too. Where can I find the patterns for the knit-along you are referring to? I could only find clues 1,3,4,6 and 9 in the archives.
in the search box at the top of the blog type in mystey afghan knit-along. you will get all of the clues as well as the pictures of the finished afghans. at the bottom of the first page you will need to click the older posts link to get everything.
Thanks!!
If I had the time and the energy, I’d have been doing that too!
HAHA I did the same thing for clue 2, and I think after this is done I will be joining you in CALA(crochet-along annonnimous) I will be in need of a good recovery program lol
count me in lol
I just finished my 1st square. I love the colors. Very pretty, but I finished bigger than 8×8. Should I use a smaller needle? The TR are throwing me off. Any suggestions?
I went down one hook size on this one.
I know, if I put the last row 8 and 9 on, i would have been way over…I’ve been pretty true to size on the other squares, i was wondering if there was a mistake in this one. I don’t think I’m going to add the last two rows on these squares.
I changed my tr to a dbl to get eht 8 inches. could get the tr to work and got tired of trying.
I also left off rows 8 and 9, and my squares came out just right. I think it looks better with just the one natural stripe in the middle anyway…a little more symmetrical
I had the same trouble. Just left off the last 2 or 3 rows. It’s a bit frustrating when it doesn’t come out right. But, hey, it gives me a challenge.
I still used a J hook, but only did rows 2 through 7 for the second half of the square. It looks much more balanced, too. I think some of the directions are not clear or are just wrong. Doing just rows 2 thru 7 for the second half made me a perfect square. Any more rows and it would have been a rectangle.
I think I will do the same . I made the first square and it is much to large switched to an I hook and it looks better
I left the last two rows off of clue #4 also. My square came out a square 8 inches without it.
I also left out the last two rows and it came out perfect 8 inc.
I did my chain with the J Hook and then I changed to the H Hook. I might be doning a big no-no But I got my gauge!^_^
I know exactly what you mean! I can’t believe how excited I get on Tuesday night knowing the next clue is on its way!
It’s only 11, I think I’ll try to make one before I go to bed!
I seriously was only going to make one…but I ended up making all 4! I’ve done it with all the clues so far. I get to excited that I have the new clue that I make them all at once and don’t have anything to do until the next Wednesday…you would think I would have learned by now…but alas, I am now holding my breath until next Wednesday!
Wow, this looks way more challenging. Let’s go!!!!
I’m not quite finished clue 3 for my 3rd afghan yet but I think I will have to do at least one of this one before I start the others – just to check my gauge –
haha
ps Laura – you were being a bit tricky by telling us to take a ball of every colour with us!
I have read the directions with clue #4. When we crochet rows 8 & 9, are we to continue with color A, like in row 7?
it looks to me like you do continue with color A
I agree. I continued with color A for rows 8 and 9. I keep telling myself, ‘it doesn’t have to make sence, just follow the directions.
Yep, rows 7, 8, & 9 are all done with Color A.
Then you go back to color C when you repeat row 2, and continue…
To me it reads to continue with A. It would specify if and when to change colors. So that sounds accurate. Good luck. I have to finish working before I can start on these nifty little guys.
Happy Crocheting!!
Thats what I’m going to do. That color will have a wider stripe than the others.
It does not say Fasten off so then you just continue the next row in the same color.
Oooooooo intriguing ;~)
Love clue #4! Looks like a fun one! Love that it’s all different colors!
YEAH NEW CLUE!!!! Lots of color to this square. At least for my Chunky Afghan. My other worsted afghan from my stash is basically one color of dark green for “A” & “E”, with “B”, “C”, “D” all being a rose garden ombere. It is looking good too! AT least I only have to make 8 squares this week and not 16! Happy stitching everyone!
Woohoo!!! This one uses several colors!
Yes ! I’ve got it all rigth ! I’m going for school soon, and I know what I’ll do at lunch time ! Thanks !
Oups ! On wednesday, I begin à 9h, so I’d just time to finish the first block, and it is a plaisant one ! I’m really pleased to see it is the right size and fit perfectly with the others
Now, I really have to leave …..
YaY! Looks like fun! I love the challenge of changing the yarn colours since I haven’t done that for many years. Thanks for the challenge! Happy Crocheting everyone!
Just read the 4th clue… I knew it was coming but I’m not one to switch colors in such a small square… I think it wastes yarn.
Looks interesting though and it will probably bring the colors all together. I don’t think I’ll be fastening off each row… especially since the blog gave instructions on how to change colors… that’s they way I’ve always done it and will continue to do it. Is there a benefit to finishing off before starting a new project? Doing it the other way it’s easier to tuck in the ends right away 
Happy hooking everyone!
I still have 71/2 squares to finish from last week.
Yes, I noted the difference of how the blog and the pattern go about making the color change. I’ve always done my color change the way the blog specified. I think this time I’ll work the color change as the pattern instructs. I’ve never done it that way before and might like it!
I ment 6… LOL… I’m behind a little but they’re working up fast and then I’ll finally be able to start square 4. My fiance will be home early this afternoon so he’ll be able to watch our daughter while I crochet!
I am so excited for multi-colours! Deciding if I should start this before bed or not…
Yeah!!!!!!!
This one will be fun!
Well this looks cool! Never done stripes before. And since I don’t have to make so many, I might redo some of the clue 3 squares that I’m not happy with.
And the plot thickens . . .
Ooh yeah.
I was convinced we’d be doing diagonal stripes and was getting grumpy (sorry Bernat).
Now I’m intrigued all over again.
Except I’m doing it all one multi-colour weirdo yarn (stash) so I cant join in with all you happy chameleons.
Pretty! I’m not usually big on lots of color changes, but I love how this looks with the varying size stripes. Its also neat to finally see how most of the colors look worked together.
Whoo-hoo! It’s here! And I’ve got the first square already crocheted
I’m glad that I decided to weave the ends in as I go…now way would I want to come back and weave all, count ‘em, 24 ends of the squares en masse! If anyone has a way to nicely carry the yarn, let me know, I’m all for it!
http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/knitting-tips
This was a site someone directed to during Clue #3. Good site.
I use reusable shopping bags to carry all my yarn around! I don’t know if you even know what a Fashion Bug is, but if you do and you have one near you their reusable shopping bags are really deep so I have all the yarn for this project in one bag rather than 2 like some of my other projects. Plus, its a cute bag that folds down really nicely when you aren’t using it.
I am using my Sheryl Crow bag from Whole Foods. It is the biggest reusable bag I have.
I might follow that idea – I made one square and need to redo it – I guess use a smaller hook…. but I think I’d rather weave than fasten off….
Made the first nine rows in one color to check gauge. No adjustments needed. Thought starting with 23 wasn’t enough, but it’s perfect. Used the same hook for clues 1,3 and now 4. My almost mistake was getting so used to fastening off, that I almost did after row 7! With all this weaving, making extra work for myself is not a good idea. Much as I hate changing colors and weaving in ends, the square looks pretty cool. One down, three to go.
I did actually fasten it off OTL
right there with you. I did fasten off after row 7.
I on the other hand fastened off after row 5. Left the project for awhile and when I returned, I joined row 6 to my starting edge in error. Too bad I did several rows before noticing, lol. Oh well, at least it’s easy to undo. I love the look of this square (at least when it’s done right).
I started carrying the A yarn through the row (crocheting over it) and having it at the end to pick up for the next row – no knots or weaving in!
I thought of doing the same but am not sure if I would run out of yarn later :-/
I was worried about that too, but then I figured the tails I was weaving in were also a waste of yarn, and that 4 inches extra weren’t going to make or break it. I was still using the first ball of A (from clue #1) for my third of these.
Great idea, I think I’ll try it.
I am totally doing the same. I HATE ends, with a passion!
I think it’s a great idea to work up a square all in one color as a guage swatch of sorts. I did that this week, several times with this square, and I used this tiny bit of yarn I had that was the right weight. I threw it into the bag with the rest of the project squares I made so far so that I can use it for my test swatch yarn for every new clue.
I’m glad this one only has 4. I’m still working on last week’s. I procrastinated. I should finish the last four squares tonight, though.
I haven’t used a treble crochet yet, so this should be interesting. I can’t imagine it being any harder than a double, though. heh
I really should write down somewhere which size hook I have used on each clue, for each afghan. That way, when I get a square with similar stitches as a previous one I know which hook to start with, and I might get lucky and not have to switch to another size. ^_^ Now I just have to go back and find all my comments to see if I’ve said what I’ve used, because I have already forgotten.. haha
I keep a little pocket sized spiral notepad with my stuff to make notes on. At first I didn’t think I would use it much, but it has come in quite handy, especially now.
They are relatively cheap, around $1.
I have a small binder that I am putting each clue, a picture of the finished clue, and a copy of the tips all together. I have written any adjustments that I have needed to make ie., hook size, stitches, etc. just in case I want to make another afghan in the future.
Smart thinking.. Sadly, I’m not one for pen and paper. Instead I just open up a word document, type everything there, and save it in the same folder with my clues. heh
I have been printing the clues, so when I’m finished, I will most likely print out my document with all the hooks I’ve used, on which clue I’ve used them, and any adjustments I may have made.
Thanks everyone. You’ve all been so helpful! I’m still procrastinating so, I have one more square of clue 3 to do before I can start this one. I’m not going to be able to cut the yarn while I’m determing which size needle to use, though (I can’t seem to make a gauge swatch to save my life). I”ll just have to leave it all connected; and take it all back apart until I find the right one, so as not to waste the yarn. ^_^
I did one and was silly enough to cut the yarn before I realised I mucked up. I’m going to try a couple in one colour for the 3 different types of yarn I’m using in the 3 afghans I’m making and then when I’ve worked out the gauge for each yarn then do it in the colors. (I still have two more of clue 3 afghan 3 to do before I start. I’m getting very bored with v-stitch so looking forward to something different.)
If you are still working on figuring out the right size yarn, you could just work the square up in one color until you get closer to the correct size and then it’s easier to frog the square.
I use a page protector to store my clues.I then make my notes right on the printout. Then I keep all of the clues right in the page protector.
For each clue, I put my squares in a gallon size plastic ziplock baggie and mark on the baggie the clue number and the size hook I used to make the square. I think a notebook would be helpful because I have done some experimentation with the edges and it would be helpful to note which adjustments produced the best effect. I am also a member of ravelry, so that would be a good place to put my notes as well…maybe I should start before I forget!!
I have also been putting my finished blocks in a gallon zip lock bag (one of the many great ideas I got from reading the blog). I am taking the printed clues and making notes on them if I changed the hook size or anything else. I have been putting the clue in the baggie for now. Once I have the project completed, I plan to put all the clues (with my notes) together in a binder or something so I can refer back to it.
I am having so much fun with this CAL – thank you Bernat!
I use One Note and ‘print’ the clues there, then add a box with my notes. That way the clues and my changes are all stored in my netbook. In One Note, I have a ‘binder’ with project to do and use that to store the clues. I am considering making another afghan in baby yarn for a co-worker that just found out she is pregnant, but I want to wait to see what the final project looks like before deciding between this one and the mystery knitting project. Luckly I have until next May to finish.
I have been writing right on my printed copy of each clue any notes or changes I have made to make guage.
I also when finished with the squares weave my ends and then paperclip through the square and the clue as to keep them all together and organized. They are sitting in a pile on top of my dresser until I find a space to keep them until December. But they look all cute with the clues between them all neatly stacked.
I got all of my squares finished before work tonight, and then I ran straight to my computer after work to see the next clue. I’m so happy that I made last weeks clue right, and I want to make this weeks right too However: I’m a little confused… At the beginning of each of the rows, it says to sl st in the first sc… But some of the rows should be going into the next tr, hdc, and dc right? Otherwise they would be making wierd corners. Also I noticed the colors for the rows go ACADABAAACADABAAA, are there supposed to be three rows of A together twice in the block? I would be very thankful if ya’ll could anwser my qustion soon so I can get started! TTYL – Thanks for your time!
Yes…definitely looks like wide stripes of A with three rows together…
Yes that’s the correct sequence.
I’m confused as to the number of stitches I’m supposed to have in each row, I ended up with the 20 sc in Row 1 but, I now have only 20 tr in row 4 including the turning chain. Seems to still be a square, however – is this the correct number I should have?
For clue 4, you should have 22 stitches in each row.
I crochet the squares folowing the instruccions, but…it is a square?… why says …Rep 2nd to 9th rows once more. Fasten off…
Have I to folow crocheting or start the second square?. If I have to start the second square, why not to crochet de first row?… thanks for your help…and sorry for my english.
Adry…you repeat rows 2 thru 9 to get the right sequence of the pattern. It is still the first square. Total of 17 rows.
I think you are correct on all counts.
You’ve got the pattern correct. The slip stitch note is just to lock in the next color yarn. You are correct, row 3 should say to join to first hdc. Row 5 should be first tr. Row 7 should be first dc. I think that should do it.
Good Morning Had to stay up after work to do this clue Couldn’t wait!!! This square is pretty but I don’t care to change colors so often and working the ends in… YUK Glad there are only 8 (I am making two afghans) squares. Off to sleep so I can get up and make another one or two before work.
This is the most awesome thing I have ever done. It is very exciting. I have learned so much. The only thing is “Waiting for the next clue!!!! WOW^_^ Thanks
The instructions for how to change colors differ on the webpage and in the pattern. The pattern tells you to : Fasten off. Turn. 2nd row: Join C with sl st to first sc. However the written instructions on the webpage says that you work to the last two loops of the last stitch in the row, drop the working color and work the last yarn over and draw through the last two loops with the new color.
I’ve always changed colors according to the webpage instructions.
So which way will you be changing colors?
I’m with you on the changing colors, I think I am going to use my usual method
I will do it the old fashion way- not fastening off but joining each color as the web page says. That’s the way I have always done it.
You can use either method to change colours. Have fun!
So fastening off on each row is okay? and I’m assuming that means finish the row with a slip stitch and then cut your yarn off? I then turn and start with new color? I have done very limited crocheting with changing colors. Help please. I’m on my first square and don’t want to get too far if I have to frog!
No – you finish the row with the stitch (sc, hdc,dc or tr) that you’ve been using for that row then cut the yarn and fasten off as you normally would. Turn and join your new colour with a slip stitch in the top of the last stitch you made in the previous row and proceed with your beginning chain for the next row.
You won’t actually end the row with a sl st. You will end your row with whatever stich you were doing for that row, complete the stitch and cut off that color. Then turn your work and begin the new color with a sl st in the 1st st of the previous row. The sl st doesn’t count as a st, that is why you have to do the ch at the beg of each row (look at me type in crochet abbrevations…lol). Hope that helps!
You are correct or you can continue with the web instructions so you don’t have to finish off all the time. I usually start a few stitches previous the end of the row by crocheting over the new color so the end is tucked in right away… and then switch at the very end. Hope that makes sense. Good luck!
I decided to use your method/it seems easier and quicker and I’m working the ends in right away. Thanks.
I’ve always worked it according to the webpage instructions because it’s easier and leaves a smoother result so that’s what I’m going with.
How cool is this??!!!!! I am so excited to get started on this clue! And multi color squares…. This one should be a lot of fun but I will have to make sure to take the time to weave in all the ends.
Happy crocheting!
I always weave in my ends as I am working, that way I don’t have to do it afterwards, there is nothing I hate more than weaving in all the tails.
thats a good idea…I might try this on the second one. I dont like all that finishing either
Would you guys mind telling me how you are getting the pictures for your avatars? I couldn’t find anywhere to upload a photo, but it’s quite possible I overlooked it.
Thanks in advance! ^_^
Nevermind, someone answered this question further down. Sorry, I hadn’t made it down there yet, or I would have known already.. hehe
Woo hoo! A colorful Clue. I’ve done these stitches before but am nervous about 4 colors in one square. Well guess I’d better get to it!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck everyone!
cela devient hard… mais on vaincra !
Ooohh multiple colours! Just one thing though, in the explication, they say to add the new colour at the end of the row by introducing the new colour at the last 2 loop of last stitch before turning but in the PDF, the instruction says to sl st the new colour at the very beginning of the row…
You should NOT change colors at the beginning of your row. For a more finished look to your pattern, change the color at the end of the previous row by using the new color to wrap around the final 2 stitches, you’ll get a starting loop for the next row and it looks much better.
Is there a place we can look this up on line and see how it’s done?
She talks you through how to change colors in the last stich on the blog. I believe it is just under the picture of the tr. If nothing else I’m sure if you go to youtube has tons of videos of it but this one teaches you to change at the end of the row…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab149aTPHos
There a quite a few videos that demonstrate the technique. I think this one is very clear and easy to follow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm-OCqPaIkY
Thanks Sue. That’s the link I had found on my own! LOL. And it was very helpful and it looks much better than how I was doing it!
follow the instructions given in the blog…
Thanks guys. I found one and now I’m on row 5 and it’s going smoothly. I definitely like changing colors this way as opposed to “finishing off” each row and having all that yarn hanging. I’m changing colors this way and then working my ends in right away. So far, so good. Thanks for all the help!
Is it just me, or does the picture of square #3 look more like a rectangle than a square?
I thought the same thing. I’ve been fighting clue #3, but after redoing the square 3 times, I found that I made my stiches a little looser and the square, err rectangle is stretchy, I was able to pull it into a square. All though I wish my square looked more like the picture, mine is lacy looking.
I’m with you, not a square in that pik.
It is because the V stitch pulls in. Once it is blocked and then stitched to another block it will pull out to be a perfect square.
Do you block acrylic yarn? When I knit, I use natural fibers, which I always block. Didn’t realize you had to blocked acrylic.
Oh no! Half double crochet and multiple colors in one square! Yikes! This will be a challenge!
I am with you on this! I don’t like changing colors and I haven’t had much experience with hdc. I guess there’s a first time for everything!
Oh, I am so looking forward to seeing how this square turns out. The changed colors in striped form will be so pretty.
I finished the square and it’s prettier than I was expecting. Although I’m not a fan of lavender, I decided to stick with the suggested colors and I’m glad I did.
I’m using different colors but LOVE the way they worked into the square. I’m using the natural color as color A but pumpkin, emerald, and dark mauve for the contrasts for a more autumn looking vibrance. They sound like a weird combination but end up looking absolutely wonderful together.
Laura – the clue says to fasten every colour off and encorporate the new colour with a slip stitch but you’ve said in the tutorial to work it in. Which method is better (aka easier aka less stressful)
When working with changing colors I’ve always found it easier to do it as described in the tutorial. That way you can work over your ends as you crochet the next row and you don’t have lots of weaving to do once the squares are finished. And it seems to blend better as well. Just my humble opinion.
I must be reading the tutorial wrong, I read that you fasten off. ” Be sure to clip the old color with a 3 ins [7.5 cm] long tail end so you can work over the tail or darn it in later.”
I left my ends out because the pattern never specifically said to finish it by darning the ends in. It actually looks very cute that way.
Either method will work – you can still work over your ends as you go if you begin the new colour at the beginning of the row instead of the end of the previous row.
Oh goodie! This one will be fun! This is my first CAL and I’m loving it!
MGM
Yippee!!!! A new clue! I can’t wait to get started.
On Clue #4, are the 8th and 9th rows both in Lavender, or should row 9 be in Natural?
Row 7 says to attach A which is natural. It doesn’t say to fasten off at the end of row 7 or 8 so I just continued with the natural until the end of row 9. Hope that’s right.
I was wondering the same thing. Rows 8 and 9 do not mention a color change. Last color used is A (natural), on row 7. So I guess rows 7, 8 and 9 should all be in color A? Is that correct?
Rows 7, 8, and 9 are all worked in Color A. Then you repeat the directions beginning with Row 2. Your color pattern should be 1-A, 2-C, 3-A, 4-D, 5-A, 6-B, 7-A, 8-A, 9-A, 10(rep of 2)-C, 11(rep of 3)-A, 12(rep of 4)-D, 13(rep of 5)-A, 14(rep of 6)-B, 15(rep of 7)-A, 16(rep of 8)-A, 17(rep of 9)-A
I am very disappointed with the directions being posted one week and then having to wait for the next week to see what the finished square looks like. I think the directions and the finished square should both be posted together.
I’m with you Joanne, I think the finished pik should be with the clue. Not a pretty site if we have 8 squares to rip
Would kill the mystery-don’t you think???
I agree, if you did it wrong, you just did it wrong 8 times and now what, start over or leave it wrong!!
This is a mystery CAL. It can’t be a mystery if the pictures are posted at the same time. If you’re worried about making x-number of squares that are incorrect, you can always work a week behind.
I personally don’t need or want a picture when the clue is posted. Really, the diagram shows you what it looks like anyway.
Just my 2 cents!
For those of you that would like to see pictures of the clue before the week is up, go to Ravelry. Hope this helps.Look under groups for the Bernal CAL.
If you would like to see samples of the clue before the next clue comes out join ravelry.com. Under groups search bernat crochet along. People usually post pictures fairly quickly. That way you can check your work and the “mystery” won’t be spoiled for someone else.
Excellent idea! We have a CAL going on at Crochetville, too and do the same thing.
I guess it’s just us beginners that are a little unsure that would like to make sure we are doing the right thing. I’ll check out the ravelry site, thx.
I know it’s hard when you are learning because you want to do everything “right”. Try to remember that, even if you make a mistake or your final square doesn’t look exactly the same, you have still learned from the experience. All long-time needleworkers have early projects that contain “beginner’s mistakes” like missed stitches, wrong stitches, uneven tension, or mismatched seams, in addition, as you may have noticed in the answers here, there are often several different ways of doing something. The way you choose may be different from the designer, but it personalizes your work. In the future you will be able to look back at this afghan and see how far your skills have improved. Meanwhile you will have a warm, cozy afghan to enjoy. Remember, you are making a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind piece of art. It is not possible to make an exact replica of someone else’s work (even your own). No matter haw many times you make this pattern, no two will ever be identical. Unless you keep a photo of the of the designer’s project pinned to your afghan no one will know if the designer used 8 V’s or 9 V’s or a wide green stripe instead of a white stripe. Needlework is about doing your best, not being perfect. Getting too worried about “doing it right” will just add to your stress and take away from the enjoyment of creating something unique.
Nicole, I checked out Crochetville for a CAL, all I could find was a sock in April 2009. Should I be looking somewhere specific??? I have never been to this site. Thanks in advance.
Just scroll down the page some on the Crochetville home page. You were in the “sponsered CAL” sub folder. You want to click on the link that says “Crochet-Alongs”. Here’s a direct link – http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=118663
If it’s a problem that I posted that I suppose my comment will be moderated first.
Thanks for the name of the website. I had never heard of it before and definately going to check it out and probably, gasp, become a member!!!
I have now joined both revelry and crochetville. Thanks guys as I didn’t know these groups existed!
thanks for this tip!
I agree with Donna, I think it would kill the mystery- I like the surprise effect of this CAL
I like the mystery, and if I did do all eight wrong, then I would just leave them as long as it was 8′ square, no one else will know, it wasn’t right unless they are participating too.
On row 8… what color is it supposed to be? Row 7 is Contrast A, Row 9 is also Contrast A.
Or is Rows 7-9 supposed to be all Contrast A?
Continue contrast A Rows 7, 8 and 9
If it doesn’t specify to change colors then you would continue with color A.
7,8,and 9 are all natural A
Sweet! I thought I was reading it off. Head colds have a way of making me feel stupid at times. Wasn’t sure so had to ask. Thank you all!
Back to cranking out 1 of 4 then, Happy Stitching!
Wow! Now we are getting into some serious crocheting ladies and gents! I am sure none of you out there are as absent minded as me, but I’ve written down my colors (A<B<C<D<E) on a note card and stuck it in my wallet so I don't forget which color I am using for which letter! Now back to work! Lovin' every minute of it! Hope everyone has a good week with Clue 4!
Deneen, I actually put a sticky note on the bottom of the first clue so I wouldn’t lose the “combination”. I put all the printed clues into page savers, so they don’t get lose or dirty. Now that I have the 4th clue printed, I can’t wait to see how pretty these squares are going to be.
Oh, and here I thought I was the only one that did that. The horrible thing was I ordered my yarn online and never wrote down which color I used for each substitute and then had to refigure it out when the yarn came and we were finally able to start. But it all worked out I supposed. Just had to use more of my memory than my poor brain enjoyed. HEHE.
I did the same thing! When I finally figured it out, I wrote it on the packing slip next to each color, and keep it with the clues. For this square, I lined up a skein of each color in order, A-E, so when the clue called for C, I knew which to grab. I wish the rows had been set up in multiples of 2 , though, as it would have made it easier to carry yarn along. The way it is, you can’t do that, because the repeat color rows start on the opposite side of the block.
I did the same thing. And what’s more, I pencilled in the correct color next to each row on this week’s clue so that I don’t mess it up! : p
I had to write down which was which for me too. But, I took the invoice that came with my yarn order and wrote the key down there. That key is then placed as the first sheet in the book that I am keeping all my clues in. So far it has been working for me!
I have actually been pinning little slips of paper to one of the squares each week, with the letter on it. Sadly, I think I still messed up and used the wrong color with clue 3 on my second afghan. Luckily, that one was the cheaper yarn, so I can go buy more if I have to.. hehe
I have it right next to me written down on a small card next to my laptop so I don’t mix up the colors. I changed the colors and didn’t want to mix them up. once the CAL is done I’ll be printing them up and putting them in a binder with those clear things, along with a pic.
Me too. I’ve got a laminated note card in the box with my yarn (my different projects are stowed in boxes now so I can keep them out of the way of the little one who is into every drawer and cabinet door imaginable). It has the color used in the pattern, the letter in between, and then the color I’m using next to it. That way I can remember which one is substituting for which.
Hurrayy!! We just moved from Idaho to North Dakota (we got in last night). All my crochet is packed, I will be busy to unload and put everything away, at least until I get to my crochet…..then it will be break time
Where in North Dakota? I live in Fargo.
Welcome to North Dakota! Crochet is an excellent winter activity, and winter is only 8 months long
I am loving it here! We are in Minot. This is just like a paradise. It is so beautiful. Thank you! I am looking forward to the winters full of crochet. My stash was carefully filled and organized to be easily used!
Lesli Ann,
May your new home be blessed with much love and happiness, as well as lots of crocheting time!
Still have some squares from last week to make. Have to fix ends and block. Glad only 4 this week so will be able to catch up with all my squares. Looking forward to working on this multi colored square. Crocheting between running after my 15 month old Granddaughter.
Good luck with that. I am chasing around Grand babies ages 1 1/2 and 3. No way can I even think about getting out crochet hooks and scissors and yarn. They would have me tied to a chair with the yarn and then commence chasing each other around the house with the hooks and scissors.
and if they are girls they would then cut each others hair and if they are boys they would be using the scissors as guns, swords or sabres. I have to smile as my boys always stole my scissors and at 11 & 13 I still find them chasing each other with them every now again and then and I remember when I was 15 babysitting a little girl who cut off her locks with one of the 10 pairs of scissors she had secreted in her room. Boy did I ever feel guilty!
This is my first CAL and I am having so much fun. I love that I get excited for Wednesday to come. I am already finding myself wondering – will there be another CAL not too far down the road after we finish this one? I really hope so. Good luck to everyone on clue #4. Happy crocheting. : )
I hope there is, they had a KAL last year and I found all the clues and doing that one between the CAL. I have to say the CAL is more fun, less stressfull and easier to do fwith kids around then the KAL
Amen to that. It will take me forever to get the KAL done. I am waiting to see if my three squares in Clue #1 will resemble each other.
But it is still fun! Figure an easier way to learn how to knit.
Whewee!!! Okay, Laura, Now I understand why you couldn’t say what color this clue would be and instead said for travelers to take 1 ball of each color. So, for my trip in November I guess I will be taking 15 balls of yarn (5 colors for 3 afghans) and very little clothes in my carry on. I feel like such a dummy making 3 afghans at the same time now. Thank goodness I can wash my clothes at my daughters!!!!
I am so excited about this new clue- multi color and such fabulous colors too ! Wednesdays almost feel like Christmas- I couldn’t wait to open up the blog to see what’s next.
Wow this one may be a challenge to focus on in the office this morning – good thing I got that extra espresso shot!!! I think that the squares from clue 3 may appear a little rectangular like because ofthe type of stitch, but will work just fine as a square when stitched in, especially if steam ironed out to square beforehand
Yay a new clue! Wish I could get started now, but I have to work
:’( Maybe on my lunch break…….
How do you manage to have a profile image?
Nicole51 ~ I got this from Rosey in Clue 3…..
“go to http://en.gravatar.com/. Load up a picture and it’ll attach itself here, because it recognises your email address.
Some kind soul told me that on Clue#1″
Thanks for the tip. Rosey sure knows her stuff. Went directly to the Gravatar site, joined, and put my tools on. Loving it.
Thanx jetimp01.
I’d like to know as well — how did some people get a pic at their post here??
I just started last week. I finished the squares for clues 1& 2. I have 2 more to make for 3. I am doing another pattern which talks about switching colours by using the new colour to finish off the last stitch. It worked fine there so will do the same thing here. Love this. Trying to figure out how it is all going to go together but loving it.
So excited to begin! Hopefully all of the colours look good together, only I used “Kimono” instead of a plain colour. I’m sure it will turn out lovely.
I have to finish last weeks squares but will have to stop and make one of these right away! Such fun.
Way too excited about this clue can’t wait to start. Now if only the rest of my yarn would show up so I could start it
I LOVE this square-seeing my colors all together and they are beautiful.
Thought I would pass my tip: I am using 2 balls of A (one on each end) and carrying them instead of fastening off. Less weaving and it looks great.
OOOPS! My tip only worked for a little bit–stitch, snip, weave and repeat seems to work better!
I am totally in love with you right now. LOL. I did my first square before I saw this post. And have following the carryig of Color A through the second square. So much fast and so many less ends. THANK YOU!!
I tried that too! I thought I was being all sneaky having less ends to weave in
imagine my surprise when I realized that it didn’t change anything!
I wish I could see this done, I am have a hard time conceptualizing it. As color C doesn’t reappear again until 9 rows later. You just bring up all the colors along the edge. I want faster and easier so I am very interested in this.
The only color I carried was the Color A as it is used between each other color. However when you get to the colored tc it looks funny on the side when u carry up the Color A. So you can carry it through most of the block, however, not the whole entire thing.
As a note I did however carry Color A through the whole block as when we go to block I am sure it will be covered up.
Go to Ravelry.com and join the Bernat CAL under groups. There are several beautiful finished squares.
Very pretty square with four colours. Was surprised as I read along the instructions and the colour changes didn’t reverse after row 8, i.e. A, C, A, D, A, B, A, A, A, B, A, D, A, C, A. The other thing I thought (too late) as I was crocheting, was that it would have been awesome if row 4 had been treble crochetted in the front loop only of row 3′s stitches, and then row 5 crochetted in the back loop only, so the lavender treble crochet row would have been framed, and kind of stuck forward. I’m hoping we get into some really interesting and textural patterns, like front and back post stitches. All of the colours look well together, and textured stitches would enhance that.
I thought the same thing. After I finished one square I really didn’t like the way it looked so I pulled half of it out and went back and reversed it like you said. It looks much better.
I also found that while 22 stitches across was 8 inches for the hook I’m using, I couldn’t fit the last two rows of treble crochet and single crochet in, and so after the single crochet row did just a double crochet row in colour A to make the 8 inches. I suspect my treble crochet rows are tending to be a bit looser and thus bumped up the length of the block on me (each treble crochet row is almost an inch tall.) The colours are quite lovely together. Very excited to see what next week brings
I also had to leave two rows out. I just left at that so it could measure the 8 inches.
I would have had 8″ right after the second treble row but it would leave a large space of light color with the stripes all on the other end so to balance it out and center the stripes I put a row of double on either end instead. I liked the way it looked better and it still turned out 8″.
I thought about changing the order also, but then what if the way these squares go into the mystery afghan then is messed up? So I’m going with the way it is written.
I am never ever selling anything on Ebay ever again. I’m going to keep all my used junk to myself and just pile it in the garden.
Thank goodness I have crochet to chill out with tonight. Otherwise I’d explode.
And that’d be messy!
oh no what happened?
I’m sorry to hear. What happened? I hate having to get rid of something and then later needing it.
Stupid woman that bought (used) pram wouldn’t accept replacement axle for (she said) bent one. Wouldn’t accept new axle, wouldn’t even accept whole new wheel assembly (at large expense to me, none to her). I am £50 down, having sold a £500 pram for £92. She insisted on sending it back. Cow.
Now I have a pram I dont need and a HUGE attitude problem.
Luckily I have bits of string and a hook.
Wow
To get a 500 pound pram for 92, she shouldn’t be minding going out and buying her own replacement bits for things she wants to fix up. I love Ebay but don’t expect to get stuff for nothing. Hope the rest of your week goes well 
Oh Rosey!!! You are why I come on to the blog. You brighten my day.
Thats sweet. Thanks!
Yay! I am Excited, I still have 2 more squares to do from last week. I made a few then decided I didn’t like the color, so I put them aside (not ripping yet!) and picked a new one. Set me back a little, but looks like I will have time to finish them up this week. I am so glad we are getting more squares now
Wednesdays are officially my favorite days now! See y’all next week.
I was so excited to see we are using so many colors this week – so I got right on it and did half a square to make sure it would turn out the right size. I followed the pattern exactly instead of doing the normal way of changing colors and it does not look good; I am not pleased at all. I’ll try the normal way when I get back – hopefully it will improve.
Doing my first square and it is way too big. I’m at second row 7 and it is more than 8 inches. I will check the gauge and probably change hook.
Quelqu’un a-t-il rencontré le même problème?
Yes, I have the same problem. Did not have to change hook for 1, 2 &3 but will have to for this clue. Will try going down .5mm
I just quit after the row of single corchet and didn’t do the last two rows. Ilike it better with the big row in the middle by itself anyway. My square would have been a very big rectangle if I aded the last two rows.
I also thought about reversing the colors in the second half of the block. I think I would have liked that better. Oh well! Maybe on the 2nd afghan I’m working on I will give that a try!
I did the same thing.
Me 3..I had to go down a hook but now I am not sure i will make my 8″ in the pattern.
Me 4 – I just left off the second row 8 and row 9 in order to make this a square instead of a rectable. I also liked it better with the one wide stripe of natural in the middle too. I did change my last row 7 to a row of HDC rather than the SC so the top matched the bottom.
After reading the instructions more closely, I found what I was doing wrong. Contrary to what I normally do, it says to crochet under both loop of chain. And the HDC is different from what I learned before. So the
Got a busy day today, but had to take a few minutes to think about this one. Decided that since some of the other clues have required “adjustments” – I crochet very tightly… I’m working one repeat (rows 1-9) in a single color. Thought it would be better to get an idea of whether the size was going to come out OK before I cut the various colors of yarn!!!
Don’t forget to take into account the different thicknesses of light and dark colored yarns.
Great Idea! I think I had better try one with one color also to make sure the gauge is right. It will be stressful enough frogging it in one color, let alone 4!
Boy! This clue is really taking me out of my comfort zone — color changes UGH! Triple crochets DOUBLE UGH!!! This project is definitely getting more challenging.. which also makes it fun.
To add to the challenge, the yarn for afghan #3 still hasn’t gotten here yet, so I’m behind on Clue #3. Aaaahhh!!! Stress! LOVE IT!!!
For sure Audrey I’m with you on that one…Taking a bit longer to make a SQUARE…LOL
Couldn’t sleep for wanting to get up, turn on my computer to get clue # 4. Great clue. I love doing 1/2 dc, and tr. Starting my first square as soon as I get my fingers off of this keyboard.
Happy crocheting all.
This is so much fun. I was actually up late enough to peak at the instructions before bedtime last night. Just finished the first one while reading the posts and now it’s time to walk the dog!
Happy hooking everyone!
OH BOY!!! Lots of frogging….
Confused! the 1st, 2nd and 3rd rows have 22 stitches because the ch2 in row 2 does not count. When we get to row 4, the ch4 DOES count as the first tr, but then tells you to tr in next and each sc. Doesn’t that make for 23 stitches in row 4? Row 5 says to sc in each, which would mean all, in addition to the first ch4 that counted as a tr.
Help?
On row 4, you are to join D with a sl st to the first sc and ch 4 (counts as 1st tr) then tr in NEXT sc. So, your ch 4 is in the first sc, and you do 21 more tr – 22 sts.
If you join the previous row by finishing the last stitch with the new color, you either sl st into the first st before you ch 4, or you skip the first st.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! You explained perfectly what I needed to do to stop getting the extra stitch!! Now I’m starting to like this square….
I am SO GLAD!!!
I aim to please!
You will end up with 22 in the row. By starting with next sc, you are really skipping one.
The chain 4 is a triple crochet. Just single crochet in the top chain like it is the top of a triple crochet. If you don’t do it this way your block will bow out on those rowas and you will gain a stitch.
No the CH 4 is in your first sc so you go in the next one
When your turning chain counts as a stitch, you skip the stitch at the base of the turning chain (the last stitch from the previous row). That way you will still only have 22 stitches in each row.
You should have 22 sts in every row. The ch 2 does not count as a stitch so you work the first hdc into the same stitch as the turning chain. This still gives you 22 sts because the turning chain is extra and doesn’t count. On the dc and tr rows, the turning chain counts as a stitch so you work the next dc or tr into the next stitch (and the next 20 sts.) for a total of 22 sts.
You should have 22 sts in each row because the ch 3 and ch 4 at the beginning of dc and tr rows count as a stitch so you work your next dc or tr into the next st (and into the next 20 sts) for a total of 22. The ch 2 does not count as a st so you work the first hdc into the same st as the turning ch and into the next 21 sts, for a total of 22.
Thanks for anwsering my question about the color changes, I’m ready to start now… I slept in this morning so late start today, but I think I have tomarow off if no one calls in so I will have plenty of time, as I had no days off last week it was really hard to get that big clue done in time! I might even have time to finish my pineapple afghan that I need to get done by x-mas (Im making it for my grandma so it has to be perfect as she taught me how to crochet and she’s not ashamed to point out my mistakes LOL) TTYL Ya’ll happy hooking!
Pineapple afghan?? I am intrigued. I must look for a pattern of this nature. I love pineapple and it would be great for another blankie around the house. I’m always cold. I swear I’m like a reptile LOL.
And finished with work. So now for fun. I have to set aside my “Dude” sweater I’m knitting and have a nice break for this beautiful afghan.
I found my pattern at Annie’s Attic. It is a green and white one. $5.95 paid download
Hi Debbi, I looked for the pattern of the pineapple afghan and couldn’t find one, they have kits, which I won’t buy just for a pattern. Do you have the pattern number?
I found it! It’s beautiful. I am not experienced enough to attempt it, unfortunetly. They have a kit for beginners that is a pineapple pattern, that’s more my speed.
If you run a search through the internet for free pineapple afghan patterns you should come up with quite a few. That’s how I find a lot of patterns. Also, free-crochet.com has a couple different pineapple afghans. Just follow the link. http://www.free-crochet.com/list.html?criteria=pineapple
You may have to make a free sign in though to access it.
That is so pretty. I wish you much luck and enjoyment with this project.
Made sure to stay up to get the clue last night, and started right away. I wish I had of thought to try the pattern with just one color first, but nooooooo…ended up frogging it a couple times as I adjusted hook sizes. Let me tell you, not that much fun with changing colors every row. Oh well, one square done, 11 more to go, as I am working on 3 afghans. Can’t wait for next week already. Am loving this.
A post earlier stated they had done one square in a solid color to check hook size. I found this worked well for me and didn’t use up the other colors while doing trial and error. Maybe this would work better for you in the future.
I saw those posts this afternoon, and wished I had saw them b4 I started my 1st square last night, oh well, live and learn. Considering I have been crocheting for nearly 30 years, I guess I still have things to learn, lol.
This clue sure has slowed me down. Started with a K because pattern was similar to #1, way too big. Went back to J, still too big. So, ended up using J and tighter stitches. Final result is great payoff. It is beautiful. It is on my blocking frame. Now on to square 2.
I had to go down a hook size as well. Not sure why, unless it was the triples. They seem to come out a bit looser than the othe stiches. Not a big fan of changing colors, but when i started to weave in as I went through the second square I liked it much better and the ends are hidden better. I have finished 3 of the squares for the first afghan, still have to get 4 done for the second afghan. Going on a short car trip this weekend, so I should be able to get them done.
Thanks to the ladies that replyed to me about posting pictures at ravelry.com, thanks for the info.
I am excited to go start the new square, looks colourful.
Happy crocheting everyone.
Here’s a suggestion, instead of fastening off color A, carry it under the stitches of the next row. For me it didn’t change the size of the square and the best part is it’s less ends to weave in. Two things I dislike doing, joining squares and weaving in ends! Also, for the gauge, I had to substitute Dc’s for the Tr’s. It’s not because of carrying the yarn, before I decided to do that, I worked up one square and it was about a half inch too big with the Tr stitches.
This is a good idea. I don’t like weaving in a lot of ends or tieing off, it looks messy to me and carrying the yarn on the end is so much faster too.
Good suggestion! I was getting 8″ across but at least 8 1/2″ long doing the trebles. I’ll try them as doubles and see if that lets me maintain the general pattern while achieving the right size. I’m afraid if I drop down to an I hook it won’t measure 8″ across anymore.
Mel, I was worried about the same thing, but I found that, if I did the starting chain loosely with the next size larger hook, then switched back to the smaller hook, I still got 8″ across.
Okay, so I’ve experimented a lot with this block, trying to decide which technique I like best for changing colors and trying to get the 8″ square without sacrificing the proposed pattern. The winning formula for me has been to change colors the way the blog photos suggest and to drop down from my J hook to an I hook just for the treble rows. Being able to share problems and solutions with all of you is so much fun…et comme prof de francais j’aime beaucoup lire les commentaires en francais aussi!
I have had to drop a size for my treble rows too.
I did that exact same thing with my squares and it looks good. A lot less ends to weave in and you can’t even tell it’s been carried throughout.
I had thought about carrying the yarn, but was worried that I would run out of A before the afghan was finished.
This is my first time to do this type of thing. Are all the “squares” supposed to be the same size. GRRRRRR if they are. I may need to start all over :~(
Yes Connie they should be 8″ square or at least very close to that. So sorry. If you have many of them done, like # 3 then use that one to match up the others, as long as it is close to 8″. That way you dont have to frog many.. GL
Instead of starting over. If they are all similar in size or close to the 8″ square mark you can use a jig as Rosey left a link for last week and stretch them out or steam iron them all to the same size. As long as they are all within roughly a half inch to inch they should be stretchable to the size of your largest square.
Ashley and Linda, thank you so much for the advice, I was ready to scrap the whole thing and was so frustrated. whew!
Your very welcome, anytime!!
Just completed my first square for clue # 4. It’s beautiful, folks. Wait until you see the great colors.
Also, by fastening off on each row, except rows 8 & 9, it’s not too bad. Just merge the yarn tail into the next stitch.
Fun, fun, fun!!!
I was scared to try this technique on this square as I just learned of if yesterday I believe. However, one of my least favorite things to do is weave in the ends. I usually pay my son to do it for me on my projects. HAHA. Anyways. I will get brave and try this soon and probably be kicking myself for sewing in all of the ends on these blocks.
One down and three to go. These ones actually took me a bit to do. Might not actually finish today so woohoo something to do tomorrow as well. Not that I need something to do, I’m a a perpetual project starter and always have at least three going at once.
Wow! its so fun to read all the comments and realize I’m not the only one totally addicted to CAL! This is so much fun.
I agree! Fasten off each row is best. I tried the other way and the ends look uneven and sloppy. This is not a square you want to frog. I tried the K hook and was an inch too big. I’m using the J and it still is a little too big, I can block it to size though. I am not frogging it! I will tighten my tension and that should solve it, we’ll see. It is a pretty square, but I hope there isn’t too many more like it!
I sure am enjoying the blog!
yuck, I hate changing colors every row, it is such a pain. I will fight through this square, but I am not enjoying it at all.
Me too, ripped it out once already. Putting it off until the weekend maybe. Not too excited about this one. I’m sure it will look nice when I get it done though.
I am with you on this one. I have not started these squares yet. I guess I have never really learned how to properly change colors, so I avoid it as much as possible.
I completed first one of clue #4 and I love how it looks! It brings almost all the colours together. Hope we get to do a blended one with the E colour in it as well!!
4 hours til I can warm up the hook and get at it!! This one’s going to be fun!!
I’m a little behind as I just got to check out Clue #4. It should be interesting seeing what all those colors look like together. I will have to find something for the “Forest” color though since the stores around me don’t have it yet. Can’t wait to get going, but first need to head to Michael’s. Happy crocheting everyone!! : )
where do u live in michigan verna? would like to chat w/you about crocheting.
I am in the Metro Detroit Area, about 15 minutes from Comerica Park and Ford Field. Love going to those Tiger baseball games!!
My stores didn’t have the forest or the topaz so I switched to a blue denim and antique rose. Really looks nice with the other colors.
Have the first one completed and can’t decide if it looks like a pot holder or a blue plate with neopolitan ice cream on it! I do not like to make squares or sew them together so finishing this may be a real challenge. I also went down to an “I” hook to get the guage. No withdrawal for me when this is finished. Too many projects just begging to be started and/or completed.
I think I will try an “I” hook too, And I agree with you about putting all these squares together. I started one similiar to this and it is still in a box, unfinished! I am not good at sewing things together. I used to knit, and all the sweaters that I made were ugly because of the sewing of the sides together, it ruined them. The recipients were nice enough to say that they liked them. I knew better.
I also dislike sewing squares together. When I was expecting, I made a granny square baby blanket to get rid of my stash. When I finished the squares, I had a ton of little bitty things to sew together. YUCK! So, I crocheted them together! I did sc and made the squares into strips, then I single crocheted the strips together. It made ridges on the top side. I have gotten more compliments on this blanket than on almost anything else I have done!
I hate sewing up so much that I have started knitting top down sweaters which are all done in one piece or working out how to do other patterns in one piece. I’m hoping that we are crocheting all of these together rather than sewing.
I’m so nervous I still haven’t started. Ready, set, go………
IMHO This has to be one of the ugliest squares I have ever seen.
If I had wanted to make a “sample square” afghan… I would have used the scraps that I have, iinstead of spending $60+, on yarn.
I like the look of this square, its different from the plain ones we’ve done so far, I just have to weave in the ends and voila its done, I finished 1 so far
I couldn’t agree with you more. I think I would do one in all the colors solidly… still though I’m not crazy about the pattern as well…it is costly to waste so much yarn.
I kind of agree… I was thinking it was a yarn waster. But then if it was at the end of the project it would be wise use of bits and bobs. Although it does seem a bit disrespectful to the price of this yarn. Still thrilled to be crocheting with all of you around the world. It is also funny that we all seem to think alike. LOL
LOL! I kind of agree with you. When I finished my first square I thought it looked kind of like a dish rag.
This is also for learning new techniques. Thats the way I look at it. I haven’t done a lot of crocheting with stripes and so this is teaching me how to do it right, when and if I ever decide to do it again. I like the dishrag look!!
Really? I Love the look of this square. It ties everything together so nicely and with the colors I chose it gives a nice southwestern type look to it.
Finished the first of square #4. It’s really pretty. I like the contrast of colors and stitches. I work over the ends of the yarn for the first 3 sts when I change colors. This way the square only needs a minor amount of trimming off of excess yarn from color changes. I started working on last years KAL in b/t the CAL clues and will keep you posted. Bye for now.
I’m doing the KAL from last year as well. I’m being a purist about it, and while I printed all the clues, I haven’t peeked at the last ones or looked at what the end result will be so I’m doing two projects at once as well. On Clue #3 of the KAL and it’s really pretty. These are awesome. Wish there were more of these. Great way to complete big projects without it feeling like work.
Just got my first one finished. It sure seems to have alot of fringe….LOL You know I’m just kidding. Just need to cut um as I went over them in the next row.
Looks really pretty. Thank You Bernat
got 1 square done today, came out perfect 8 inches without frogging. Whoo Hoot!!! Good luck everyone.
I have been “quietly” following along and doing the squares. This week I couldn’t wait to get home from work to download #4 so I can start working on it tonight. When I chose my colors, I wasn’t sure how they were going to work, but it turns out they are very Autumn-y colors. I plan to give the finished product to a friend at work who has admired and encouraged me on all my projects ( I currently have 4 going along with CAL). This is really quite fun!
WOW ! I wasn’t expecting multiple colors ! This looks like it will be fun!
Love this weeks square! Stayed up late last night to get a peek at the pattern, made myself go to bed and not crochet a square. Had to look after 2 grand-daughters today 1 and 2 1/2, so just finished dinner and am ready to start the squares tonight. I love the look of different colours in the same square, and trying 2 new stiches this week. Have fun everyone!
Oups! De plus en plus difficile, mais je vais y arriver!
I have GREAT news
really happy with this one
I did my first square, followed the directions from the main page, not the clue(didn’t fasten off) and it looks great! I really like it, I’m glad cause I changed the colors and mine match well, I have natural, dark mauve, walnut and aqua. I stitched in some of the strands while I was crocheting but left some, when I finish these 4 squares I’m going to hunt down a wool needle to sew in all the ends. OH and the best part is I only had to frog it once!!!!! I did the first 2 rows and it wasn’t wide enough so I added an extra chain and now measures just like my other squares.
looking forward to clue 5
1 down… 11 to go — I’m make 3 afghans at once. Also changed my mind on a couple of colors on one of the afghans once I received the yarn, so have to redo a couple of squares, basically starting that one from the beginning. So… “real” status is:
Afghan #1: 3 squares
Afghan #2: 4 squares
Afghan #3: 16 squares
And, then… I’ll be all caught up!!! That’s only 23 squares in the next week – totally doable, right?!?!?!
of course its doable, if you don’t plan on sleeping much or having a big social life lol hey its only 23 squares, the granny squares only take a few min to do so those will be done in a snap, same with the first clue, the 3rd clue can be a little tricky but still works up fast, its this last one that may take a little while to do, good luck to you
I did that too. Which is why I am still doing clue 3 on afghan 3. And now that I’ve got clue 4 I’m doubting the colour combination of Afghan 2 …..and thinking about doing Afghan 4.
Doable-yes, 23 squares divided by 7 only equals 3 each day and 2 leftover (so 4 on 2 days). Some of the squares will take no time to do. You maybe able to add 4 addition squares and be able to include doing Clue 4.
Good Luck. I redid all of them (doing 3 afghans) last week.
It’s Sunday and I’ve only got 12 squares to go to be all caught up! Clue 4 is going faster now that I’ve finished it for 2 afghans… sort of got a rhythm going!
Here is a great explanation for joining yarn at the ends:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-join-yarn-in-crochet.html
It looks real nice!!
One of the best learning books. I keep it by my side as I crochet. Although I’ve been crocheting for over 50 years, you never know it all, otherwise, you have nothing to learn.
My grandmom’s silk n’ satin words to me as a youngster.
Yes a great book!!
Linda! Thanks for the Dummies tip on joining new yarn! The pictures were very, very easy to understand – wonder if I’ll need to buy the book for the rest of this project?!
Pat your very welcome. No i think you can just use the net if you need more help. The book is great if you dont have the net though. Happy Hooking !!
I am on my 3rd frogging! I just figured out why it is called frogging, it’s because you “rip-it” like a frog. Right? I have bullfrogs and that’s what they sound like.
I’m going to try the Dummies method on this, the fourth try, and I hope it works. I absolutely hate the bulky ends and I know they won’t be good when I go to putting these all together, If I get that far.
Thank YOU! I was about to give up! I have frogged so much that I feel like a frog, “ripped”. The site for Dummies did me good! I did a square twice as fast and now there are no ends to weave in. I can’t thank you enough.
I used a J hook to cast on the 25 base stitches and then used the “I” hook to do the pattern. It made that horrible first row go so much easier. The changing colors was my biggest problem but the Dummies site solved all my woes. I will never have trouble with that again. My square was perfect! I will survive to do square #5!
Your very welcome…
Linda, I am a newbie and went to this site and tried this method. It makes it so much easier to work in the old end and makes a much neater edge. One less end to weave in later. Would never have thought of this. Thanks for the site.
Your very welcome, anytime….8)
I hope we don’t have to wait to the end to start sewing them together. I am afraid I am going to end up with 48 potholders!
LOL….no way you will finish it
My husband is already confused about the pile of potholders I appear to be accumulating while doing this CAL!
I got “How many more of these have you got to do?” when blocking. The answer that I am only a quarter through didn’t seem to go down to well.
LOL
Hi everyone! I love reading all of your posts and being a part of this cal. I can’t wait to see how this clue turns out! Thanks for all the great tips!
Want to clarify my comment about showing the finished square along with the instruciotns each week. You still wouldn’t know what the finished piece would look like, you only would know one square at a time as the directions are given. This is supposed to be a mystery finish not a blind challenge each week. I still think we should have the sample shown with the instructions.
To clarify my comment about having the ;picture of the finished squaare shown with the directions, how could a ;picture of one square ruin the mystery. It won’t be clear until the end when they are assembled but at least you know if you are doing each one correct. You get it the next week anyway. What’s the difference with the directions or 1 wk later. You still get the official picture.
It would absolutely kill the mystery for me. I am sorry you don’t like not having a picture. However, several people gave you an excellent idea to check Crochetville or Raverly before making your second squares.
Before the CAL started, there was an FAQ page that said pictures wouldn’t be posted until the next clue was issued.
Seriously, look here http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=118663. You don’t even have to be a member to look at the pictures.
Where the heck is that darn prince?
Well – the first 3 clues worked up perfectly with a K hook, so, naturally, I thought I should use a K for clue 4. WRONG! I had to go back to a J for this one. As long as I do the starting chain with a K, my gauge comes out right.
If I gain weight, I am blaming Bernat! I am using different colors:
A – Pale Antique Rose
B – Taupe Twists
C – Natural
D – Tawny Rose Twists
E – Soft Taupe
My square looks like Neapolitan ice cream!!! (drool)
LOL. I would get hungry too! I used to love to eat those little coconut candies that were striped the same way. I did a recent afghan that was in colors that reminded me of raspberries, cream, and chocolate. I could almost smell the chocolate in the air. And here I thought that crocheting would help keep hands busy so I wouldn’t snack so much. I’ll have to avoid food related colors from now on.
I still have yet to finish clue 2 and 3 but I am looking forward to working on clue 4. I will be learning something new since I’ve never switched colors in a project before.
Where do I find the last CAL? I keep reading about it and how you are doing it again and enjoying it. Can I get the pattern?
Lue it is KAL (Knit Along) from last year. You can type it in the search at the top of this page and you should find it. GL
It is a KAL (Knitting along) I found it in the archives on the side under Oct. 2009. or simply type in KAL in the search
are you talking about the knitt-along they had last year, if so go to the top of this page in the search type “mystery KAL” all the clues are there
I am doing it between the CAL its really pretty too, I’m on clue 3 so far
Thanks Laura, Linda, and Dania, for your help on clue #2. I decided to redo the granny squares with a smaller hook. It worked out fine. 8″ exactly. Clue #3 I worked without a hitch. Now for clue 4! Stripes? Very interesting, I’m curious to see how this all comes together. Especially, when every square is so different!
Your very welcome
Yes me too!!!
What is the purpose of the ch 2 that isn’t first hdc? Makes that row look strange. Enjoying this CAL (my first) but not enjoying sewing in ends. lol
The ch 2 at the beginning is to bring the yarn to the proper height for the hdc.
The Ch 2 raises the work for the hdc. I just snug up the first chain and then it is fine.
I love this square. The colours I chose for this were inspired from the Bernat “Country Kitchen” rug pattern that I loved. Instead of natural I went for linen, kept fern and used rouge and dark mauve. I had to use a different yarn for my dark blue as ther was none in the softee chunky.
Anyway, I was a little worried that the colours wouldn’t go together, but after doing one square they look great together.
Started first square following the pattern but after a few rows I had to go back to my way of adding colours without fastening off.
Which is in the instructions but I didn’t see that till later. Oh well still looks good.
A little disappointed in this week’s clue. I like how the colors work together, but it would be better if you worked rows 2-9 in reverse the second time around. that way, the top and bottom of the square would be the same. hope it works out in the end!
I had to laugh at this , because that is how I did it.
Just go backward from 8-2 rather than starting over.
I had to go from treble back to double to get the right size, but it produces the same effect.
I did that on my second square of Clue 4. I think it looks more symmetrical. Once I finished the first set I just went backwards on the pattern. I have 3 that are the same and that will be the odd ball in the group. makes the afghan more unique.
I did Mirror the image. And think it looks better. I did not like the other way, However my problem is that the pattern keeps coming out more than 8 inches. I also used the southwestern ombre in place of the natural. Really like how it comes together.
Sharon,
I am also from the St. Lousi area. I live in western Warren County, but I’m in Overland babysitting the grandkids at least once a week. Nice to hear from a fellow St. Louisan.
What I ended up doing as far as the color change is finish off each row of color as stated, but then instead of slip stitch and chaining the appropriate number of chains for the type of stitch in the new row, I joined with the appropriate type of stitch – e.g., for the DC row, I join with a DC instead of chaining 3, for HDC I join with HDC instead of chaining 2. I had never joined with a triple before, but found that it was easy enough. I think this gave the edges a neater appearance and also made it much easier for me to make sure I had the right number of stitches in each row. You can still crochet over the ends so you don’t have to weave them in later with this method.
Sharon, did you also begin your trc row with a trc? I’m trying it, but it doesn’t work.
Yes, I did start with the triple row by joining with a triple for the lavender row. I hadn’t done that before, and it ends up with a straight piece of yarn along the side of the stitch, so I don’t think it looks as nice as the other stitches, but I figure I can incorporate that easily enough when I sew the blocks together. When I did the three rows of natural where the triple is in the same color as the previous row, I chained 4 for the first triple, but there is a way to start the row with a triple. In case you are interested, here is a link to that technique. You could also use this to start the row with a triple if you wanted. This would probably look better than joining with a triple.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyVLL8bi5yI&feature=related
If your not famliar
I did the trc on mine. I did 2 times around the hook and then went into stitch,yo pull through 1 loop, yo pull through 2, yo and pull through last 2…..I had to go back and pull the bottom of it down a little cuz it was very tight. I did all mine that way and looks great!!
I love that idea! I’m all done with my squares and the edges do look kind of funky, but I really don’t want to undo it all and start over because I’ve already woven in the loose ends. But I definitely will do it next time I do triple crochet. Thanks for sharing!
Laura,
Okay, I need your HELP. Clue #4 says: row 9, ch 1. 1 sc in ea tr to end of row. Turn
Rep rows 2-9
I changed the hook size, frogged the entire square, twice, and cannot come up with the row 9 as a sc to measure 8″. If I omit the last sc row, I come up with a perfect 8″.
What to do?????
Others have had the same problem and what some did was a dc in place of the treble.
I have the exact same situation. Putting on that last sc row has made the square slightly over 8 inches. I have left it that way, but if we hear differently from Laura will redo it. I will make my stitches just slightly tightet on the next squares.
I omitted the last SC row and also had to make row 8 a DC row. Perfect 8″ then. I figure the last 3 rows were all the same color anyway, and it IS our creation, so if it’s a bit different it shouldn’t matter! I was NOT going to rip it out. One down 3 to go!
Finally finished my 1st square on clue #4. I had never made a hdc or tr and never changed colors every row, so I am learning so much already. My gauge was right for clues 1,2,3, but not on this one I had to leave off the last 2 rows , the width was 8ins. so I think it will be ok. I am having so much fun with the CAL .
I am excited to see how my colors turn out! I changed to red, black and greys, with grey rag and red as the main colors. Great idea to do one square in one color for gauge.
Hi Allison:
I’m using the same colors as you, but the grey ragg & black are my main ones with the red as an accent. I’d be interested to see how yours turns out.
Susan
Hi Allison:
I’m using the same colors as you for my aghan only black and grey ragg are my main ones with red as the accent along with true grey and heather. I’d like to see yours when it’s done.
Finished my first square and it was 3/4 inch to big! rip had to make the Stitches tighter and it worked fine.
It’s SO FUN changing colors and doing new stitches. And, I’m really falling in love with crochet, because it goes so FAST!
Please…I need HELP?? I can get the 8 in. length but the height keeps coming out too big. I have gone down to a size G hook and it still comes out a 1/2 in. too big at the midway point. If I did the whole thing, it would measure 8×9. All my other squares came out 8×8. I have an average stitch tension and usually get my guage using the patterns stated hook size or going up or down one as needed.
I would like to stay true to the pattern, but the only other thing I can think of is to replace a Tr row with a Dc row or a Dc row with a Sc row. Any ideas??
I was having the same problem with my gauge. What I did was go down a hook size on the tr rows and it worked out perfectly.
oops realized that i may not have been clear. For the square I used a K and for the tr rows I used a J.
Thats what some have done.
I think replacing the triple qould be fine. Consistancy is the most important thing. They need to be 8 square.
Here is a thought, I had to use a larger hook for the chain to make it 8 inches across, but then changed to a smaller size to do the rest of the afghan. I did this because I didn’t like the lacy look made with the larger hook. But, it could make you stitches tighter thus smaller in height. It may work for your height issues.
I had the same problem. So when I did my second square I changed row 8 to a double crochet row. That gave the wide natural stripe a sc row, dc row, sc row pattern. Worked like a charm. 8″ square. Frogged the first block and changed it as well.
I had to substitute double crochets for the treble crochets in order to make it “square”. Otherwise, I had a perfect 8″ across, but almost 10″ in height (using an N hook!)
I have same problem. I saw some were using a smaller hook on theTr crochets I think I will try that and see how it goes
Wow… square four and no lily pad in sight….yeah.
What a concept to be crocheting along with people around the world. Yarn really does knit people together. and keeps you in stitches.
Cheers
Went to my moms yesterday to start #4, as I am pretty much beginner at crochet, and she has been doing this for years. (she taught me)
What a great way to spend a rainy day, think we did more laughing and visiting, then crocheting, but really enjoyed the day and did manage to get some work done.
Thanks mom, any plans for next Wednesday??
Ok I did a square. On second row I could only do rows 2 thru 7, even with a smaller hook. i couldn’t keep it at 8. Has anyone else had a problem keeping this square to 8 inches? I guess I have no choice but to leave it, it looks fine this way. Any ideas?
Davida, I have the same problem. Though I have ripped and ripped, I’m now ripped. Never had any problems before # 4, but I’m going to stay with it. I posted the square on my Facebook wall and my blog page to show what it looked like before ripping it out again. I’m trying to see my problem at a different angle than looking down at it on my lap.
I’m going to use a “k” hk for the base chain, skip to the “i” hk, and , keeping my sts. tight, I’m going to switch to my “J” hk and see what happens.
Wish me luck guys.
Good Luck, I think I will leave mine the way it is.
I left off the last row also, and the 2nd to last row I had to do DC instead of triple. I don’t think it will matter as long as the square is 8″. Just remember, we are doing this for US, and all the imperfections make it just that more special!
terminé le 4, très joli
combien faut-il en faire ?
merci
allo Françoise, indice 4 X4 Effectivement, le carré est très joli,
il faut en faire 4 carrees, ses tres jolie
vous devez faire 4 d’indication *4
Well I started my first square last night, got to the 2nd repeat of row 7 and was already at 9″ the width was pretty close to 8″ so will pull it all out tonight and start over again back down to a H hook I guess…..although I am not a big fan of color changing I do like the look of the stripe pattern and am really enjoying this CAL ….and I love reading everyones comments….some really great tips too!!!
Love reading other comments but now that I have I feel like I’m already behind (it’s only Thurs morning). Looking forward to starting this when the kids go for a nap today
I only finished one square last night (had to watch my DVR of Glee – the number at the end was fabulous) I continued to use my trusty K hook, and reached 8″ at the first single crochet of the repeat of the 3 white rows together. I wasn’t thrilled with the way it looked, so I ripped out the repeat and reversed it so it is a mirror image of the other side (sounds like Shirley did the same thing) and it is looks great.
Rosey: I am with you on ebay. Everyone else seems to have great luck, but the one time my daughter tried to use it she bought a camera with her hard earned money that never arrived. I’ll donate my old stuff to charity and take the tax deduction. Do you get a tax deduction in the UK?
Dont think so.
Just put it down to experience and move on.
I finished one square for each of the 3 afghans (Daughters, mothers and mine) after much frogging. Now my only problem is that I like my daughter’s the best and not mine. Oh well, I guess I should buy new furniture and make another afghan to match her’s. Just a thought
Happy Crocheting!!!!
Have started these squares and found that I, too, carry color A instead of cutting and weaving. I also carry my additonal colors for about an inch before cutting to avoid weaving later.
Am loving the CAL (it is my first) and hope they have another one soon!
Way out of my confort zone changing colors so much. Got a little confused over which method to use. Ended up just using the pattern color change method. Very fun though.
Have finished 3 of the squares. After looking at the first one, I decided I didn’t like the line up of colors so took it all apart and started over. I have now made it mirror image and I really like the way it looks. I too hope it doesn’t mess things up in the final scheme of things. I had to go down a hook and then really tighten my stitches to get the 8″ in height. Width was fine though. It still kinda looks like a pot holder or neopolitan ice cream on a blue plate. My colors for this are natural, antique rose, tan and dark blue.
I really like the look of this square, definately not a boring square. The only thing I hate about this square is all the strings left over, AHHHH I hate weaving those in but figured I will do them as I go now so I don’t hate the afghan at the end when I have to do all the squares, I’m just leaving the beginning tail so I know which side is which.
I know how you feel about those strings! I have been trying to think of some way to make them less boring, so now I keep the square, scrissors and needle with me when I’m doing other things. When I need a break from paying bills, reading, working on the computer, etc., I weave in a few ends. By the end of the day I have at least one square done this way, and have my crocheting time for – well, crocheting.
I’m with you… I’m weaving now. I don’t like to work the ends in while I’m stitching. It seems to add bulk and isn’t as tight as when I weave.
I try to work over the ends as I go. The one thing I don’t like about weaving them in at the end is that when I go to put the squares together they tend to come out while I’m stitching. If you work over them the ends are at the bottom of your stitch rather than the top and should stay woven in.
I usually leave a long enough end to work over for a few stitches, then leave some of it to weave back the opposite way to have the ends at the side. I then work over them when doing the border. This seems to keep them well woven in.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why would anyone in their right mind get a puppy!!!!! I have two 21-month old Shih-tzus. When I finished my morning chores today, I walked through my bedroom and discovered a skein of my yarn stretched across the room and ending in the puppy crate. I tried to fuss at them, but they think they are really, really cute! (Someone – I don’t know who – told them they were cute once, and they believed it.)
It’s weird – my cats have left the yarn alone (at least, they have left it alone when I am not working with it.)
LOL! I had to chuckle! I have a 6 1/2 yo Shih-Tzu and she KNOWS she is cute! LOL! It is amazing the facial expressions she does! When she was younger, she loved to chew the wrappers off and stretch the skeins around the house! She does like quality because it was always a higher price yarn! LOl!!
WOW! Two of them? May God have mercy on you , because those pups will not
. Especially if someone mentioned the C word.
Enjoy those puppies, just lost my mother yorkie and she left me with 2 pups, and yesterday we found out the female we gave to daughter in-laws was killed by their lab. This cal has helped me get my thoughts else where.
I am so sorry, Sue.
So sorry! Yes working hands keep the mind busy. o:)
My 2 Shih Tzus are about 8 1/2 months old and are definitely into everything. Of course, they think anything within reach is theirs. They’re worse than my 22 month old baby!
Shih Tzu’s and crocheters must go together. My little one is 1 and 1/2 years old. His girlfriend (my daughter’s shih tzu) turned 1 yesterday. We plan on breeding next year. Can’t wait for puppies. My Puci is brindle and white, Hers is grey -actually a blended black and white.
I love my shih tzu. Does any one have a pattern for a sweater than also covers his little legs? He loves to play in the snow.
Right! Shih-tzus LOVE snow.
I am in Texas and it never snows here – except last winter when we got 12 inches!!!!!!
The puppies came in with little balls of snow all up and down their legs – looked like poodles! I had to use a blow dryer to melt it off their legs! Anyone know a better method?
I agree. When my husband suggested I get a puppy for my birthday (he knew I missed the “most perfect dog that ever lived”, my Shih-Tzu, Chii-sai) I said, “no, No NO!” I didn’t need anything else to take care of (I had 9 cats at the time.) He insisted that I at least go look at the puppies. Foolishly, I gave in – just to look.
Naturally, I came home with TWO puppies!
They are nothing like my Chii-sai, but they are pretty adorable in their own right. (Now if I could just get them to stop stealing!)
That seems to be the way it always has to go. My mom spent an entire day reminding her husband that they were only going to get one puppy and when they got there she fell in love with two. Then when I went to pick up our puppy (we planned on only one) we fell in love with both. I think it’s good for them to be together though because it lets them have another furry companion to play with when we’re all busy.
My dog is the only one that has ever thought yarn was a tow as well. And she was a very large 6 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy when she decided to play. The worst thing was I was actually using it when she wanted to play with it and then it carried over to the point where I would have to set all yarn up high or in cupboards or she would tear through the house with it.
My version of this square came out beautifully! I am using A-True Grey, B-Topaz, C-Natural, and D-Stillness Ombre (which looks AWESOME in treble crochet, and in the granny square in Clue #2). My E is Heather Grey. I HIGHLY recommend these five for a mid-century modern twist on the CAL pattern colors, for anyone who is thinking about starting another one. I am having so much fun with this CAL and am exhausted at work every single Wednesday because I wait for the clue on Tuesday night at 11:00 pm and cannot fall asleep until I’ve made my squares! I do not know what I am going to do when this is over!
Just making a post to see if my picture shows up now… LOL… 4 down 4 more to go on clue 3 and then onto #4
It did! Very nice picture!
I was thinking (Oh No!) about all those who are having a problem with the height of their squares. I have seen people do DC and TC without keeping the loops equal size. They make the first loop, and then the second is longer and the third even longer still. Wish I could draw a picture, hope you understand what I mean! Maybe this is why some people’s squares are too tall. Try making all the loops the same size. For what ever reason, all my squares are coming out 8 inches with the K hook. For this I am very grateful!!
Opps — meant J hook!
I haven’t had a problem either getting the squares to come 8×8 using the hook size recommended…for whatever reason. maybe I’m just getting the tension right and doing the TR a bit tighter so they don’t go so tall. I don’t know. I like the way the colors are coming together also…I’m using White (A) Buff (B) Wine (C) Walnut (D) and Rouge(E). I’m also working over the ends for four or five stitches so I don’t have to weave in ends later (which I HATE!) and it seems to lock in the ends so they don’t pull out like they do if I have to weave them in. Gives a more finished look also.
I am just loving this new way of doing the dc and tr in the beginning of the row. It makes it look so much nicer than the chains. So happy with this CAL project.
May I ask what this new way is? I always do the chains and dislike it’s extra little bulge it leaves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyVLL8bi5yI&feature=related
This shows a treble crochet but there is also one for the dc. This is the best…8)
Here you go –
For the double:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LxYpo-tyi8
and for the triple:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyVLL8bi5yI&feature=related
Are there any written instructions available for these instructions? We only have dial=up, and trying to pull up something on you tube takes literally all night. Thanks.
I had to go to a size “I ” hook and double crochet on the Natural colors instead of triples. I did it the way it says on the pattern and ended up with a 10″ length. So I ripped it out and it turned out fine by make those minor adjustments,
How do you do a gauge swatch for a square like #4? Sc I get but not when the rows are all different stitches. Thanks
You shouldn’t need to do a gauge swatch each time – just look for the 8 inches – that’s the magic number. Get as close as you can and all will be wonderful.
Try just doing the pattern with a solid color.
I am falling behind, I have still 2 squares from clue no.3 to make but I had to try this new clue. Wow! Nice! a challenge, at least for me. I never used multiple colors in a square before. . First square I forgot to weave my ends. ouch! there is a lot of ends sticking out. But I learn as I go!! and I really enjoy this
Did anyone else notice that the instructions for clue 4 will make a 8 x 9 inch rectangle. It has 28 rows instead of 24. How are you adjusting this pattern?
If you read the previous 325 posts you will get lots of answers to that question.
Just curious, how do you get 28 rows? Or even 24? I only get 17!
Adjust it as you need to to match your individual gauge – some people may need the 28 rows and others will need fewer. I just eliminated the last 2 rows on mine. It looks good regardless. Others have done dc instead of tr- make it yours!
This is exactly the size it turned out. I’m thinking I may leave out rows 7 & 9 the first time through and then either row 7 or 9 the second time through. I hope that will make the square an inch shorter
Hey guys, I feel happier than a Phillie cheesesteak and they are happy to eat, once every other month.
I just got the perfect 8″ square, after ripping it apart at least 6 times. I am a very, very patient person. Also, I do not sweat small things or allow something like crochet stitches to frustrate my last nerve. As I was watching one of my favorite shows, Judge Judy, I used the K hook for the base. Measured. used the J hk for R2. Measured. Row 3 – 5, I used I hook, measured. Row 6, J hook, measured, rows 7 – 9, I hook, BAM!!! Just posted on my blog and Facebook wall.
I am in northern NJ, otherwise I would meet you at Pat’s Steaks and we could enjoy a cheese steak and do our crocheting!!!
It looks good Katherine !!
Stripes are not my favorite item to crochet, but they have turned out ok. Hopefully we don’t have too many for clues with stripes in.
These stripes are easy! I recently made a baby sweater for my new grandson – used baby yarn and changed color every row! What a pain! But, the finished sweater was gorgeous.
I don’t like weaving in ends if I don’t have to. After completing a sc row, I carry theat yarn back to the other side while crocheting the half doubles, doubles and trebles by crocheting over the yarn. It probably uses more yarn, but then I don’t have to weave in that end and it’s at the right side to work another row of sc. I hope that makes sense.
I was wondering if it’s possible for the designer of the afghan to post a diagram of where each of the clues will be placed in the afghan. Just squares with “clue # 1″ printed in it and so on. I’m using worsted weight Bernat yarns from my stash and I’m trying to decide which colours I want to use for each square. Seeing a diagram of how the clues relate would help me decide which colours to put where. Right now, I’m kind of winging it…
I apologize if this has already been mentioned; I haven’t read all 300 posts yet…
Thanks.
I agree with you Debbie. I would love to know where the placement of the squares in the afghan go as well. This would help with colour choices of those who are using yarn they have on hand.
I just completed Clue #4 squares, and blocking the first two of them. I like them. The colours I choice look good together. I picked colours that match my living room furniture. Now back to some cross stitch for a couple of baby quilts I’m working on as well. Happy Crocheting everyone.
But that would spoil the mystery, wouldn’t it? Trust your instincts – if you like the colours together, everything will be OK.
It’s not so much liking how the colours go together but to plan how to arrange the colours in a pleasing way – especially since I’m not using the same colours as the original. Mine are mostly darker colours and I want toI want to “spread them around” appropriately, for lack of a better way to describe it.
I don’t mind waiting for each new square, I think it’s kind of fun. And I won’t be putting it together until all the sqaures are done. But it would make it easier to decide what colour to do each clue in.
Or you could just wait until the CAL is over and you have the square placement grid and all the clues. But that kind of defeats the purpose of the “Mystery Afghan” CAL now doesn’t it?
I wouldn’t worry about carrying the yarn across the square using more yarn than cutting it. If you leave a 3 inch tail as recommended on each end you only use an extra 2 inches of yarn by carrying it. For me personally I always leave at least a 6 inch tail as it makes waeving it in so much easier, so by carrying the yarn I actually use less!
And done. WOO Feeling good. Now back to the “Dude” sweater. Oh me, oh, my. So happy to be done. Worst thing about crocheting is weaving all those dang ends in.
Got one done- it is very interesting and I don’t mind changing the colors so much once I got on a roll. Thank you Laura, for showing that color changing method – I have never used that one and just love it. I was able to crochet my ends in as I went – so one less thing to do at the end. The square looks nice.
can someone tell me how to fasten off. Or where i can go to see someone to show me how to fasten off…..Im still working one #3 only have to more to do,,, and #4 looks little more challenging…
You fasten off just like you were ending the square. Clip your yarn, pull the end of the yarn through the stitch on your hook, and tighten. Remember to leave a tail of about 2 to 3 inches so you can either weave it in later or work over it when you start the next color.
You fasten off by clipping the yarn and pulling it through the last loop on the hook. Be sure to leave enough tail to sew in or work over.
Here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDC98PFnEJU&p=CFA59C16CAB53234&playnext=1&index=14
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-join-yarn-in-crochet.html
This seems to work well for me. When I pulled the dropped end of old yarn through the stitch(#8&9) this is where I take the end and wrap it around 4 or 5 stitches on one side or the other of them. I do this with a smaller hook by going into the top of the stitch (the V) and pulling the end up and over. Then I start with the new yarn and crochet next row over last end. I do this the same on both ends. Hope this helps. GL
I would assume you would fasten off like when you are finished with a square or project. And then to start the new color slip stitch the new color into that last stitch and follow the row along.
I hope I didn’t mess up the reason they said to do the colors but I changed it a little. I did the block the way I’m supposed to and it’s got a wide area of natural and then again at the top. I couldn’t make it smaller than 9 inches and it bothered me that natural was wide in the middle and the top but not the bottom. I hate being a perfectionist when it comes to crochet but sadly I am. I did the first part 1 – 9 the way the pattern said but when I had to repeat the 2nd through 9th rows i changed it. 2nd row: I used the forest in dc. 3rd row: natural sc. 4th row: lavender trc. 5th row: natural sc. 6th row: topaz hdc. 7th row: natural sc. I stopped there. Now the top matches the bottom with the wide strip of natural in the middle. Maybe I read the pattern wrong, I don’t know but I like this so hopefully it works.
The square might looked balanced now, but what about when we sew the squares together? If you line the squares up, it makes a continueous line. We don’t know how we are going to sew them together.
I too will be carrying: however, I rolled my yarn into a two end ball, so working one skein from both ends, which keeps one completely intact. That’s just me though
I personally do not like back and forth squares, as, unlike the Granny or other similar squares that are worked around, the sides are raw and unfinished. This does not leave much room for a nice, smooth, clean joining once all the squares need to be sewn or crocheted together. It will be interesting to me to see the tutorial on joining these particular squares.
I am having trouble with the #4 square. I usually have trouble with crocheting too tight but this square is turning out to be more like a 10 by 10. Is anyone else having the same problem. I am going to try a smaller needle. Have wondered if there is a mistake in the instructions–seems like too many rows, especially with all of the double, triple and half double rows.
I crochet tight. I used a K hook for the foundation chain and then a J hk for the rest and I’m just a tad under 8″. I followed the pattern as it read. Katherine from Philly stated what she had to do (scroll up) and it was to change hooks for each different stitch. You might try that. GL
mine was also 10X10, so I switched to an H hook, now its about an 8X9. lol
Mine was 9×9 at first, I have used a K hook so far but, on this one I ended up with a J, holding the yarn a little snugger. 1 less ch on the ends (except sc rows) and made sure to crochet over the ch spaces because the rows were too high. Ended up with a hair over 8″ square.
I’m so excited, my yarn is finally going to be delivered on Monday! I’ve been able to start on the first three clues but couldn’t find all the colors locally. I have 3 more clue #3 blocks to do, then I can start clue #4 on Monday, I can’t wait! I’m really glad to be able to learn from all of your experience on this block before I start. I think I would like the colors arranged to mirror each other too, I may do it that way. I am looking forward to seeing the colors together in a block.
I’m loving reading all your comments! This is such great fun – getting together to make a beautiful and useful item that’s a sharing and learning experience at the same time. I know I have a big advantage because I’ve seen the finished afghan (no mystery for me!) and I truly believe you’re going to be amazed at and thrilled with the final result. For those of you who are more experienced and are finding the clues a bit too easy – hang in there because the final result is worth it. For those of you who are new to crochet and are finding this very challenging – this is how you get better at the craft and you can always find help from this marvellous and generous group of people who are working along with you. We’ve tried to provide a good mix of stitches and techniques (more to come yet!) and we’re sorry that we can’t please everybody with evey stitch or square. There’s always going to be someone who’s ‘been there, done that’ or just plain doesn’t like this particular stitch or way of doing things.
One of the important things to remember with crochet (and many other things in life) is that there isn’t necessarily any ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to do things. We all do the basics the same way and after that – well – that’s where the artistry comes in. Andy Warhol/Coco Chanel (fill in the blank here) didn’t become famous by slavishly following all the rules about what made ‘good art/fashion design’ after all. So learn the basics and then add your own twist – that’s what takes your project from ho-hum to WOW!
Keep up the great work – we’re looking forward to seeing your finished afghan photos. And some of the colour combos you’ve chosen sound awesome!
As I’ve read somewhere, this is our project and no-one will know how we have changed it from the original unless they are doing it as well or we attach a final photo from Bernat to it. So make it yours! I am enjoying this so much and I may change my colours again along the way but who cares but me! Thank you Laura and Bernat for giving me something to look forward to on Wednesdays……and can we do another sometime soon?
I loved your statement that Coco Chanel didn’t become famous by designing her clothes like everyone else. That goes for all kinds of creativity. So we can be different with our design and be proud of it! So enjoying this pattern. My husband really likes the colors as well. Thanks for the fun!
I’ve discovered that I dislike frogging a multi-coloured striped square more than just regular frogging.
I followed some of the suggestions here and used a J-hook for all of the stitches except the treble ones, for which I used an I-hook. Even with that, I ended with a row 8 which is hovering just above 8″. I may leave it at that.
Also, just want to check, everyone is getting 22 stitches across, right? (Please say yes).
First attempt had some 22 and some 23 stitches across; now have 22 stitches across for the different stitch types, but somehow looks a bit uneven at times at the edges.
I am not doing 22 stitches across. I counted my granny square and (doing 3 afhgans, only one with Bernet others with stash) 1 has 25 stitches and the other 2 had 29 stitches. So I ended up redoing clue 1 to have the same amount of stitches and have done 3 and 4 with these amounts. This way I will have the same # of stitches on all squares when I stitch them together.
It has worked out for me with 8 inches across.
It sounds like you are doing just fine!
YES…..8)
Thank the yarn spirits I’m not the only one having to switch my needles with every square! lol I thought this one would be the easiest one so far, but no, I had to drop my needle size from a N to a J. And then I’m still struggling with the size. The treble’s are trouble! And does anyone know if we are suppose to weave all of our ends in now or wait? I would like to do them as I go. I hate doing them all at once! Having a lot of fun and the blogs have been great help.
Go ahead and weave in your tails if you want to. It won’t affect the final outcome.
My square was too tall also – sigh. After careful consideration, taking my laziness and other factors into account, I just ripped out the last two rows and it was the perfect size, so I’m not doing the last two rows on any of the squares. They look good but of course, I don’t know what the end result will be. I can live with imperfection.
Thanks all for the helpful hints. I ended up replacing row 8 with a Dc and I got the 8×8 square. I can usually figure these things out pretty easily, but for some reason this one stumped me. Thanks for the challenge Bernat.
I just finished my squares for clue #4. I replaced row 8 with dc in order to get an 8 x 8 square. I like the look of the stripes, but disliked weaving in the ends. My colors on this square were linen, emerald, pumpkin and wine. My fifth color is dark taupe. Beautiful fall colors. Looking forward to the next clue!
I have been able to use the same hook through out. sq. #4 i changed my last row to a double insted of the triple & it looks just fine to me.
Finally completed first square of clue #4! Whew! It was not the patterns fault, it was all mine! Changing colors and stitches seemed to be too much for my tired brain last night! Yes I dislike ripping back multi-colored squares too! But I plugged along and now have a beautiful 8″ striped square! The next 3 should go smoother right? LOL!!
Done with the first 4, yippy!! They look pretty with the pile. Now on to the 2nd one. This will be challening due to the fact that I am using many different ply’s of yarn from my stash. (4 types) Oh what fun! Enjoy all, hag1.
it will most definately be a great looking blanket! As long as your squares are all 8×8 it won’t matter what ply your yarn is.
I am working with the differnt plys and it has been a challenge. But I think it is looking good. One done and it only took me about a day to get it right….. Thats alot of frogging!!!!
Hi, After reading comments on the blog, I am weaving in the tail end at the start of the square into my crocheting. I hate darning ends. But what about the tail at the fasten-off end? How do I weave that in?
You can wait until you seam them and weave it into the seam as Sue S. suggested or you can weave it under the row ends down the side of the square.
Just like you do at the beg. I loop it through the final stitch once before I weave it in just to “make sure” it doesn’t weave itself out.
I have been doing that…. oh what a fun evening for me just threading the needle, weaving the needle… and then on to the next thread…. LOL I am getting very intrigued as to what it might look like when finished. Cheers to everyone.
Thank you Bernat for this project! This is so much fun, I am loving the mystery of it all! I hope you do another one soon!
I am with you on this
My squares are not quite the same size. Clue 2 squares are bigger than clues 1 and 3. I wonder if this will be a problem? Thanks. They are all 8 inches long but not all eight inches wide. I did the gauge and have been using the same pin. Does anyone else have this problem? Thanks.
Yes….and I will block them to help it. They said a 1/2 inch or so was ok.. not sure.
Thanks.
If they are close and you can easily stretch them to 8″ your squares will be fine. Blocking will make them the right size for stitching and, once stitched, the tension of the surrounding squares will keep them at 8″.
While I’m working on Clue #4, I want to block the other squares. I read somewhere to pin the square and cover with a wet towel and let it dry. Question: How can I get the towel down to the square with the pins sticking up? Hope I don’t sound to stupid!!!!
I’m anxious to see how my afghan looks when completed.
Some of the things I have read, have said to wet the squares, roll those up in a towel to absorb most of the moisture, then pin them to dry. That’s what I plan on trying, but there are several different ways to do blocking, according to some of the things I’ve read. Maybe do a google search and see which one you think would be better suited for you.
Good Luck! I hope this helps.
I like to pin mine to my ironing board then the pins go all the way through and I can set a wet towel over them. However this time I’m going to try something new. Someone suggested putting the squares in the dryer on the steam/refresh cycle for 10 minutes then pinning them. I don’t have a steam cycle, but tossing them in with a damp towel creates lots of steam. Hope this helps.
There are several ways to dampen your square for blocking. First, you can use a wet washcloth or folded lightweight handtowel. Either of these can be easily tucked inside the square made by the pins. Second, you can dampen the squares by putting them briefly in water (under a running faucet, for example) before putting the square on the pins. Finally, you can spray them lightly with water from clean spray bottle once they are on your mounting board.
Sue,
What about pinning square to your ironing board and steaming it with the iron(holding the iron above the square)? It dries fairly quickly and you can block several of these a day.
Steaming works great as long as you are careful not to get too close to the yarn. Some acrylic yarns will melt if they get to hot.
You can mist the square with water instead of using a wet towel if it is easier for you.
Try to angle your pins outward so they lie a bit flat instead of standing straight up then press the towel gently down over the square.
I used large straight pins and put them all around at an angle that was pretty flat. The damp from the towel will transfer to the yarn, so just make the best contact you can. This should work. *smile*
Use each pin like you would use a safety pin, poke it through the fabric you are pinning to, over a corner of the square, and then through the fabric again. The pin should lay flat enough that way.
The best thing I’ve found to pin things to is my ironing board.
Please let me know if this helps!
I put my pins in on an angle and it works pretty well. Hope this helps.
I am so loving the colors that I picked! It’s one thing to place them together as skeins to see if they will work together, but when they are crocheted together, it’s amazing how pretty the combination is. I don’t mind the ends. I listen to audio books while I do my crafts (that way I get my reading done, too!), so the small tedious tasks that go along with the project just seems to get done without much thought. Can’t wait for the next clue.
And, Laura, thanks for your encouraging words!
I listen to audio books while I crochet too!
Just a comment. My husband & I had never heard the term “Frogging” until this blog. My husband always has called me Penelope (of the Ulysses & Penelope fame) because I am always crocheting and then ripping things out just as she weaved all day long and then ripped it all out during the night.
That’s okay Donna…I never heard the term “frogging” until this blog either…so you’re not alone. Guess you’re never too old to learn something new.
Love the Penelope reference!
I’m enjoying the 4th “clue” – changing the order of colors in each one, but leaving the main color the same. This is turning out to be a really fun project…and I’ve already selected the holiday gift recipient of the completed afghan!
so i got the first of clue 4 done and love the colors i chose,teal,natural, aqua and wine.But put it next to my clue 3 color,buff (which i thought would be more tan but is more pinkish)and hate it.So am thinking of changing that color but i’ve already done the 8 in it.Ugh i’ll have to do the 8 all over but i really want this afghan to be pretty.I wish i could have bought the yarn locally but had to get on line and it’s hard to see how colors go together.Oh well maybe i’ll get really good with all this extra work!Well got to order more yarn.
I agree – it is hard to match up colors on-line because you can’t see them next to each other.
Bernat – is it possible for you put a feature on your web-site that will allow us to put the colors next to each other for comparison? I know that certain mixed colors “expand” to show what solids go with them. Could you do something like that except allow us to choose which colors are side-by-side?
Great idea! We’ll definitely get that on the list.
I had to order my yarn online too. I actually copied and pasted every square and put it into Word and then played around with the squares to see what I liked together. A lot of work, so a feature that allows you to see what they look like together, would have been great.
You might want to wait before you redo Clue #3 because it may not be necessary. Since we don’t know the finshed design of the afghan, it is possible that the sClue #3 quares may not be next to the Clue #4 squares. The colors may look fine in the finished afghan if they are separated by a row from a different clue.
Just call me the SMUG queen.
I discovered the trick. Get the clue on Wednesday. Chill out. No rush. Wait until all you lovely people figure out the modifications. Really get going Thursday/Friday.
No frogging for me this week. Only a TINY tadpole to check width. Add two more stitiches per row and an extra dc row at the end and voila one 8″ square and a smug Rosey.
Easy peesey lemon squeezy, and no more flipping Vs !
TADAAAAAAH !!
I”M giggling….YOU just crack me up!!! You go Rosey
I totally agree Rosey! That’s what I”ve been doing too. It’s Sat and I’m almost done with square #2, no frogging, and I have 2 left to get me through til Wed! Pace yourself, that’s the key! LOL
I am with you. I usually wait also. Love doing this project. Learning a lot.
That will be so hard to do as Wednesday is my day off. But it is a good idea as I had to redo square #4 three times
LOL
Wow! Two blogs I posted a few hours ago aren’t here. I’ll do this one again.
I am so loving the colors I picked! It’s one thing to place skeins together to see if the colors work together, but it’s another when you see them actually crocheted together. The colors are really pretty together.
I listen to audio books while I’m crafting (that way I get my reading done, too!) Weaving in ends and sewing seams don’t seem so tedious then, because my mind is otherwise occupied.
And, Laura, thanks for all the words of encouragement!
What are your colors?
teal, shadow, soft taupe, aqua, and dark taupe
ohhh ..sounds so pretty and vibrant
What a great idea ! I’m working with the colors that Bernat is using and I’m very pleased with this combination. I’m not too concerned about the difficulty, I know from the KAL that some new stitch combinations are coming. I AM really looking forward to a GREAT looking project, that’s why I started in the first place. Now, I’m going to order me a book to listen to, thanks !
Of course, after I posted a repeat, the other ones I posted magically appeared! Sorry…
What is the best way to block each square, without buying any equipment? I live in CA and am barely surviving this recession. So glad I had yarn to do this project, this has been such a blessing to read all the comments, makes me feel part of something special. I no longer feel all alone.
Measure each block to 8″ and pin your blocks to your ironing board. Mist them and let them dry.(You could also try cutting an 8″ square template out of card board to use for size.)
I’m not blocking at all….
You go girl!!!!!!!!!!
Me either…
awww You are special…
They said to use thick cardboard such as a diaper box, cut some batting for the top, then cover with material and duct tape down. I suppose you could use an old towel under it also. Then you pin your block to it every inch, dampen it with a folded wash cloth and let dry. Hope this may help…..GL
Blocking synthetic fibers isn’t really necessary. I have never blocked afghans before and I have made many that are beautiful. Just sew the blocks together carefully so that the corners and centers match, some blocks you stretch a little and some you squish a little. Then throw the whole thing in to the washer and dry as recommended on the label and the aghan will do the blocking for you. If you really MUST block so that you know you did the very best job possible then you really don’t need any special equipment beyond some pins, I prefer T-pins, and a ruler. Get your piece damp and squeeze as much water out without twisting it and pin it to the dimensions required. You can pin it to a couch cushion, your ironing board, a folded up towel, a foam poster board, whatever you want. Then let it dry. Some prefer to pin a dry block and then place a damp towel over it and let it dry. Some take advantage of their steam cycle on their dryers and then pin the piece after it has been steamed.
You can get them damp and pin them to an ironing board.
I don’t bother to block acrylic yarn, myself.
There are several ways to create a blocking board fir little or no cost. If you have pins and styrofoam, or finishing nails (no heads) or small headed nails and a scrap of wood, you are all set. If you do not have styrofoam or wood, a firm pillow (like a couch pillow) and pins can also be used. Just make sure the colors in the pillow do not bleed. Ohterwise, it will ruin your crocheted square. Mark an 8″ square on the styrofoam or wood. If you are using a pillow, mark the square on a piece of scrap fabric or aluminum foil (Paper will also work, but the water may cause it to tear or stretch. You will have to keep checking the measurements and make a new square whenever it starts to lose its shape.). Place the pins or nails evenly around the square making sure to put one in each corner. If you prefer, you can place the pins as you are fitting your crocheted square to shape. Depending on how tight your stitches are and how much it needs to be stretched, pinning as you go is sometimes easier. (Note: Since stryfoam and pillows are not always very strong, angling the pins so the heads are slightly outward will help to keep them in place.) Either dampen your square or have a spray bottle of water or a damp cloth available. Place your crocheted square over the pins or nails, gently stretching it to size. If you did not dampen it first, spray with lightly water or cover with the damp towel. Leave in place until dry. Then remove from the frame. If your styrofoam or board is large enough, you may be able to make several squares on it, enabling you to block more than one crocheted square at a time.
It doesn’t require spending money on a blocking board.
A soft, flat, but firm surface is all you need. An unused corner of carpet, bed, sofa or chair cushion, an ironing board, etc. A few pins (t-pins work well, but anything you have as long as it won’t rust is good), a measuring tape/ruler and a damp towel.
Pin square to size, cover with damp towel and let dry.
Hope things get better for you soon.
I’ve always pinned out my yarn projects to the shape I want, steamed them with an iron held off the surface and left them to dry. If you don’t have an iron, dampen the square by folding it in a wet towel until evenly damp. If you don’t have an ironing board, use a cushion or any other pinable surface that won’t fade onto your yarn when it gets wet. If you lack pins — well I’m out of ideas! For these little squares I cut a piece of white paper to the 8×8″ square and put it down first, and then pinned the crocheting on top of it. Do block them. The yarn gets softer and nicer, and the squares and the individual stitches look much more even
I bought some foam children’s play mats that interlock for about $10. They cover an area of 4′ x 4′ when they’re all together. And they take pins wonderfully (be careful about making sure you have rust proof pins).
Having said that, if your budget doesn’t allow for the play mat, try some towels. I used to pin squares onto towels and pat them flat. Folding the towels gives more depth to pin into. This only works however, if you’re not having to stretch your squares out too much to get the right size. The pins will slide out. The play mats hang on to the pins a little better. You can probably find them at a Target or Walmart or something. I got mine at Canadian Tire.
Pin (rust proof pins) it to something soft, but flat (I use the spare bed) and lay a damp towel on top of it. Leave till towel dries. Cheap and Easy
I have just measured out an 8 x 8 square and marked it out with pins on a towel. I then have the towel over a piece of cardboard and I pin the pieces out and spray them with water and let them dry for a day (i am doing two at once). I asked my Hubby for him to work out something and he suggested a piece of cardboard from a pizza box lid or just an old box.
I made a blocking box using Rosey’s directions given earlier. For the wood I used a wine crate from the local liquor store (free) and some nails I had on hand (originally about $2 from Home Depot). Very inexpensive and works great. I just wet the square, press out excess moisture in rolled towel, stretch on the box and it is dry when my next square is ready to go on.
I am greatly saddened by the looks of my square for clue #4. I actually hate what I am seeing. It almost seems as if my colors don’t look good together – buff, lavender, rustic, pumpkin, and grape. What a waste of yarn (19 skeins)!
I have stopped crocheting for now and will see if there are any suggestions from fellow bloggers. I am a newbie to crocheting so I know it won’t look perfect, but I do want to be able to leave it out and not hide it after all the hours put into it already and the weeks to follow.
Help, please!
Hi Lynette,
Your colors sound great! I’m sure many of us were not sure of our our choices when we saw the four colors together in this square, I know I was! I’m sure when we get all the clues and put the squares together our afghans will look wonderful!!
Can you subsitute a color that might make it more warm?
I have been reading how others changed the original colors, maybe look at their color scheme. I think I would switch out the buff for a natural. Maybe you can exchange what you havnt used.
I know on my 2nd one I picked colors and have changed them 4 or 5 times, now from my stash. And that happens to all of us. GL
or you can switch out the pumkin to a natural….
If you really hate this square so much that you don’t want to include it in the final product, you might consider just skipping this one clue, continue on with the others, and once you see how the whole thing is put together, make four more squares of your choice to substitute for these four. Hang in there and don’t give up – I bet you’ll be glad you stuck it out.
Your colors sound as if they would go together. Why don’t you finish the project and see how it turns out. We really don’t know how this is going together!
Just a note – I made an afghan for my disabled brother out of scraps. I thought it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen, but all the people who saw it at the nursing home thought it was wonderful! My mother actually caught someone stealing it!
Since only 4 of the 5 colours are being used in the square, I’d use ‘artistic license’ and pick the 4 that best go together. I, like some others, don’t like how this square turned out. Because you start and end at opposite sides, you HAVE to weave in the ends. I’ve stuck to the stitch pattern, but I’m using my own colour pattern. Remember, you’re the artist, and this is only a guide. Good luck.
L.
Remember, these squares may not be next to each other in the finished afghan. However, if you really don’t like your color combination, the first thing to try would be replacing one of the colors we have not used much of yet. I looked at your colors (I could not find “buff”.) and noticed that you have a lot of deep, fall colors, except for the lavender, which is more of a spring color. Perhaps the lavender is too bright to blend in attractively. There were 3 colors that only required 2 skeins, so consider replacing one of these. Take at least 6 to 12 inches of each of your current yarns with you so you can compare how they look without having to rely on your memory. Pulling out one of your Clue #4 squares (which you will have to do anyway) should give you plenty of yarn. If you cannot get Bernat yarn near you, you can use any smooth chunky (not super chunky) or size 5 yarn that looks good with your deeper colors. (The size is indicated on some labels by a small picture of a skein of yarn with a 5 on it.)
You should continue. My last two afghans gave me the same feeling when I started them and at the end I was happy with the results.
Sorry to hear your colours are disappointing you. Perhaps you could redo your stripey squares using only 2 or 3 of the colours you’ve chosen. You could make all the stripes one colour if you like against a main colour background or use one colour for the middle stripe bordered by another colour you like.You should still have enough yarn to complete the afghan.
Lynette,
It looks to me like you picked fun colors. If you are truly not happy with your square, why don’t you try rearranging the three 2-skein colors. You could also get the honest opinion of a friend (one who can actually see the colors together).
Hard to picture your colours, but if you really don’t like it you could trying changing one colour. Sometimes changing just one colour changes the whole look. If it is only one of the contrasts that is 2 balls it wouldn’t cost too much to change. You could then use the couple of other balls to make a small project. Perhaps a hat??
join this group on ravelry and post a pic – lots of great helpers there. I bet your colors are fine, but maybe a different order is needed in the square?
What’s the group name on Ravelry?
Which are your main colors, if you don’t mind my asking? I know we have 5 do which sequence are you working in?I can almost picture your square in those colors using the Buff as a separation with the lavendar/grape on top or bottom and vice-versa for Pumpkin/Rustic. Does that make sense? Sometimes even though the colors together in one square seem less than satisfying, once worked into the whole they look quite stunning, so hang in there.
Don’t give up, try different patterns of stripes till you get one you like. I really hated my first one, even though I was sure my colors went together. So, I changed it up. I did a replacement of the tr to dc, also. I folded my first in half so that I could judge where to put my A this is how mine looks now:
A sc
C hdc
D dc
A sc
B dc
A sc
C dc
A sc, dc, sc (A Block)
Then reverse (C,A,B,A,D,C,A)
——Beautiful–Think the framing the A block made my favorite color C look really great. I liked it so well, that I repeated the pattern for the other 2 afghans I am making as well.
Could just changing one of the 2 skein colours help? I have had the same thing with one of my afghans and have thought of swapping colour C & D so that the trebles are in a different colour to what I originally planned and what I thought would be a great contrast in the square is now the hdc, and I will now have to redo 2 squares of clue 2 but if it makes a difference it is worth it. Try doing your square 4 in different combinations of the yarn to find the one that looks best and you can try to mirror one as well to see if your colours look better with symmetry rather than asymmetry.
Your colours sound good together so maybe it may just take a bit of tweaking to find the best look for this square.
I was trying to look up your colors to see if I could make a suggestion and was wondering what the buff color was? I couldn’t find it listed as buff.
if you click on the picture of native ombre is is listed as one of the contrasts it is a neutral color with a hint of beige.
It sounds like you received a lot of great suggestions! I think I would switch out one of the colors that has two skeins. Since I’m not sure which two are your main colors, maybe the pumpkin out and put in an earthy green? As a general rule purple and orange are contrasting colors and opposite sides of the color wheel. Maybe that is why it is not looking quite right. However, what you have now may work out when you have finished the afghan.
Since we don’t know what goes where at this point, I would not consider this a waste of 19 skeins!! I think your colors will work well together once they are put together. You will probably be most pleasantly surprised!!
I too am second guessing my color pics.Love my natural(the 6 skeins),teal,aqua and wine.But It’s the darn buff i used for the 3rd clue(and already made 8 of them that doesn’t seem to go.I ordered from knitting warehouse for those who can’t find buff listed.I am trying to figure whether to change that color or just continue and see if it looks better later.I can’t find bernat chunky or any other chunky yarnin my town.It would be the one i ordered the most of(7) idon’t like.Those color charts are off sometimes. The buff looked like a dark tan but is more peachy pink when you get it.If you could just change one of the colors in the 2 skeins to make yours better that would be easier.Good luck.
I’m not the only one! I too am not loving my color choices. I thought they would look warm and fall-like, but instead they are coming out like a 1970s ‘grandma’ couch afghan. You know that ripple pattern afghan in brown & orange ombre that EVERY grandma did in the 70s? My colors are Walnut (6 skeins), Topaz (7 skeins), Natural, Bronze, and Redwood (2 skeins each). I’m going to just do the afghan with the colors I bought and if I don’t like the end result, I will give it to a women’s shelter or something. Just because I don’t like it, doesn’t mean someone else won’t. And hey, maybe I will like it after it is all put together! (fingers crossed!)
I loved the colours of the first afghan that I did and don’t mind clue 4 with that but the others……YUK! I think that for the 2nd one I am just going to use one colour….or remove A and make it another colour. It seems to be the natural or ivory that is making it look wrong. I think you may just need to wait until the end and then decide what to do with this square.
don’t give up, Lynette! it was only 4 squares, and once spread out over an entire afghan if will likely look quite lovely! that’s what i find the trickiest part of ‘patchwork’ afghans…you really do have to wait to the end to see the magic come together! (i feel the same way about my granny square ones: just don’t think the colour matches the rest, but i think the little punches of navy – the other colours are pastel – will look sharp in the end) have faith!!
So it could just be that I am more avanced in my crochet skills than I give myself credit for but I was under the impression that the clues would be getting harder. I know that a lot of people on here have never done some of the stitches yet, and that clue #4 introduces changing colors. However none of the clues have been higher than an easy. Again I am not trying to put down any beginners, I understand that we are all at different levels of skill, this is a purely curious question.
I think this has been really easy so far, also. The FAQ say that this will start at Easy and progress to Intermediate. By that I assume that we will be doing stitches like shells, popcorn, clusters, etc. – things I still consider easy, but I have been doing this for 40 years.
I joined this CAL so I could work with my crochet students. I saw this as a wonderful learning opportunity for them.
The clues are supposed to gradually move up to the intermediate level. We’re not even halfway through the clues yet, so it may be a few more weeks before you notice the increase in difficulty.
Patience
….it is only #4 after all. Who knows how many squares there will be? I’m sure they will get more challenging, just when the newbies are just getting comfortable…..
I have had no problems either….but I have also been crocheting for at least 30 years so most of the stitches are familiar to me. I know there are many here who must be beginners and I understand how frustrating it can be when tackling new skills, so I am patient and figure maybe we’ll find some tougher stuff later. I also have had to deal with being a lefty so my stitches all start from the opposite direction. I am now just waiting for the next clue.
I am a quite accomplished crocheter and do not find the simplicity of these squares an issue at all. While I have had to play switch the hook, I have not had to alter the number of rows in any way.
There is much beauty in simplicity.
I finished all four squares using k hook. I really liked the colors. I made each square different by alternating the four colors, starting each square with a different color. Each square looks amazing.
I went on Ravelry and someone has already posted a picture of the square in the colors set out by Ravelry.
This CAL is alot of fun I enjoy reading everyones comments.
Crystal
I can’t figure out how to find the pictures , and I really would like to compare it with what I have. I only have half of one done and my sides look awful.
Michelle
This is the group on Ravelry that has discussions and pictures of each clue.
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/bernat-mystery-afghan-crochet-along/topics
It is free to join.
Thank you very much Debi! My ends look exactly like the one on ravelry, now I can get to work finishing clue 4. I am so happy to be learning with so many people who are willing to help.
I am so frustrated with my square for clue 4 (have ripped it out 3 times) as the J hook made a huge square, the I hook was still too large, and the H hook is perfect for the width, but my square will be 1.5 inches too long. I guess I will do what someone else suggested, and just quit the length at 8 inches so my square will be the right size. I wish it had been posted that a much smaller hook would be needed to get the right gauge, as the other squares were perfect with the J hook. Thank you, Bonnie
I am not a very experienced crocheter, I always crochet too tight, so pretty much gave up crocheting until about a year ago when I realized what I was doing while working on an afghan. The pattern was on the cover of a magazine and caught my eye. Anyway, all my squares are coming out 8 inches square, which amazes me. Maybe you could get together with someone on the blog who lives near you to see what is going on. I’m in northern NJ, so let me know if you are also in northern NJ! Just an idea for everyone on the blog.
Bonnie some people have had to use 2 or 3 different size hooks for each different stitch row. Some have change the treble row to a dc, and some just left off the last 1 or 2 rows. We have all been frogging on this one a bit…… GL ;-D
I’ve use the H hook for all my squares except the last one (v stitch). That one I used I. But I still had to end this square one row short and make the last TC row a DC row and it came out to a perfect 8″. I feel your pain!
Everyone has a slightly different tension when they stitch. Some people have to go up a hook size for certain squares to be the right dimensions, others have to go down a hook size, and some will have no problem getting with the dimensions and may never need to change their hook size. It all depends on how you make the indidivual stitches and chains. From your finished dimensions, it sounds like you make your mid-stitch (yarn over) loops loosely while you make your last loop (the one that is on the hook by itself at the end of the stitch) and your chains tighter. In an all-over pattern this would not probably not be noticable, but this pattern uses a variety of tall stitches so your stitching tension is causing you some problems. Your stitches will be taller than average, making your finished piece taller than it is wide. (Note: a typical double crochet is twice as tall as it is wide and a typical triple crochet is 3 times as tall as it is wide.)
Are you using the recommended chunky yarn? I am for my first afghan, and have made each square to the 8″ with the J hook.
My second afghan is with worsted from my stash, and I have to use a H hook.
I didn’t have to change clues 1 – 3, for either afghan, but for clue 4, I had to leave off row the last 2 rows for the worsted one.
The worsted one does look balanced with only the one large area of the same color in the middle, so I am leaving it as is.
Both afghan squares look very nice with the stripes, and while all clues so far have been on the easy side – I’m glad as life has been stressful lately, and this has been FUN and relaxing!
I am curious as to how you are using a smaller hook for a lower weight yarn and getting the gauge. I would think the squares would be smaller??????
I am doing the exact same number if stitches and rows for both afghans, so yes, the worsted squares done with a “H” hook are 6″ by 6″, but since I am making it for my granddaughter, that is a good size since there are 48 blocks total in the afghan.
It is odd I know…that the gauge although using the same wool is a bit off for each square’s stich. Not really sure how that happens. I am out a bit in length but not to fussed about it at the moment. Just wanting the finished project to look great. As this is actually and afghan for ME…. Cheers L
Hi Bonnie, glad your are hanging in there. I know I was surprised too about needing to go down a hook size, but fortuately realized after the first repeat going to be too tall. Chained with same hook I used for other squares (to keep my width) and then went down a size to make stitches. I am a very consistent knitter/crocheter. Have never changed needles or hooks before in this CAL or the KAL.
three down and one to go !!! I have used 3 different size hooks for this “challange”…wonder what will be next ? but having fun doing it and reading comments for everyone..happy hooking from St Lawrence River !!!
Another fun knitting term, for those who haven’t heard it — TINK. This is when you take your knitting out one stitch at a time, knit reversed!
that is cool
Another clever term I learned from this site…but an action I try very hard to avoid!
finished my 4 squares. I left out row 8 and 9 the second time around. I also had to go down two hook sizes so I used an I hook for a perfect 8 inches. I really like the way the square came out, and like the colors together. I used natural, bronze, grass, and pumpkin. putting the squares against last weeks redwood it looks awsome in my eyes.
Have a good week till clue 5
this is a great project I am really a knitter but crocheting has always been a mystery to me so I am learning alot
At first, this square really took me out of my comfort zone. However, after finishing the clue for 2 afghans and still working on the 3rd, I have to say I’ve kind of got the rhythm of changing colors down! Now… it’s not so bad!
Checking this blog has become a new sickness for me. I have never facebooked, tweeted or otherwise social networked on line before, and I am surprised by how obsessed I have become with this blog. I was even wondering if something happened to Rosey when her posts were absent until today! Little did I know you were just laying in wait! Now what am I gonna do when this is over & I feel like I have lost new found friends?!?
Anyway, I have 3 squares done on afghan no. 1 for my son which is kinda boring color-wise, but it is for a guy, after all. I still have to do the one from my basement stash which I may keep for me. I think this square is going to be gorgeous in those colors: brown, beige & 2 shades of blue.
I feel the same way Tobie….I am so luvin this afghan and the communication it brings along with it…
I’m getting to be a blogging junkie too. Never thought I would, but then I never found 300 people to crochet with before.
Been a bit busy. Thanks for worrying
Got a new job !! Whoo hoooo.
Less time for crochet tho, might struggle to finish this weeks squares. But its worth it, so far I have:
1. Inflated my own job description
2. Promised to do things I cant do yet but will have fun learning
3. Invented my own working hours
4. Persuaded other half to let me have the car and to do the school run a coupla days a week (no mean feat)
Feeling pretty smiley.
Hi Rosey,
Good luck with your new job and doing the family juggle! We are all confident that .you will find time to crochet. and satisfy your blogging crave!
Our mystery afghan sample was made by one crocheter. She didn’t have problems with the gauge and made all the squares with the J hook so this gauge situation has caught us totally off guard. I’m sorry to hear that some of you are having huge issues with hook size but try to hang in there. The end result will be worth it.
Am totally enjoying this. Switching back and forth from J to K makes me a Hobbit . . . “There and Back Again” – so is totally working for me.
I have done all my squares with the j hook with no gauges issues…all squares so far are right on…
Laura – Thanks for that info. I had been wanting to ask if one person designed this afghan – or if it was designed by a group. Can’t wait to see the finished product! – S
Bonnie, I am so glad some one else has had the frustration I have had with this last clue. I don’t know how many times I ripped it out and put it back together again before I went to the smaller hook.
It will be worth the struggle I am sure- we will have something to be proud of to drape over a chair or sofa!
Just finished my fourth square then went on line to see how others did. Decided based on the postings to ribbit out the last two rows on my completed squares.
Love the stories of how peoples puppies are enjoying this project as much as the people are – mine just sits across the room looking dejected while I knit or crochet. I even encourage her to sit next to me, but she won’t.
The thing I loved the most about this square is seeing how the colors will look together and I am just loving my color combination (honey, pink, rose, cranberry, and beige).
Can’t wait for next weeks clue!!
Enjoy your puppy sitting across the room, my cat wants to sit on it or pounce on the yarn every time it moves. Gonna have to make a mini afghan for the cat I think.
Hey, Carolyn. When my cat just won’t leave the yarn alone, I quickly crochet a toy for her (or him) out of a little bit of what I am working with. Just do a few chains – 12 to 21 or so – however long you want the toy to be – then do 2 or 3 sc in each ch. One row is enough – it will spiral! I sometimes tie a bell to the end of it. This will usually keep the cat busy for 10 or 15 minutes at least!
my boyfriend is just like your puppy. sits over there looking sad because i’m paying more attention to the yarn than to him. LOL
To Bonnie-Use whatever size hook worksto make the guage. If you don’t, you’ll have problems putting it together in the end.
Has anyone figured out how to pull the yarn from the center of the skein instead of taking off label and pulling from the outside?
Lu,
This was a dilemma I had around the 2nd clue.
On one side there should be the yarn that will start unravelling from the outside. On the other side you will see what look like a mess in there. Just gently pull on some of the yarn to feel if it will come loose. Otherwise, sometimes the end knots up in there and you have to put your finger in and pull out a huge bunch of “snot” and find it in there. Some balls of yarn are wound so this is very easy, some….not so much. Try looking back at week 2, I believe. There was a big thing in there about this
I have found that if you fish around inside the opposite end of the outside end you can pull out a chunk of yarn barf. The center pull end will be there. Once you unravel it you can easily work from the center of the skein.
Sometimes the end from the center of the skein is obvious and you can just pull it out and go with it. If not you just have to pull out the very center of the skein and unwrap it until you find the end. You also need to make sure the outside end us anchored in the outside so it dies not create a tangled mess. Hope this held and good luck!
You pull the end out,that you can see. Then you go to the other end and reach in and feel for the wad of yarn and give it a tug. Sometimes you get a big ball of snot, and sometimes it comes out great! Hope this helps….
I read about a technique on one of the earlier blogs and this worked EVERY time – put an index finger in each end of the skein, twiddle the fingers tips and the piece of yarn that you feel get tight around one of your finger tips is the end of the yarn – carefully pull it out and then you don’t have the big ball that others talk about. I tried it just before starting clue #4 thinking I had nothing to lose and it worked. Happy twiddling!!!
If you are using the Bernat Yarn, Laura had a great tip a little while ago. Hold the ball with the word “Bernat” on the label so you can read it properly. then stick a finger into the left side of the ball and twirl your finger around. A little bit should kind of catch on your finger, so pull it out. For me, this has always been a little clump with the end inside.. it works great! Hope it works for you too. If it doesn’t, try putting a finger in each side of the ball and twiddling them a little until something catches.
I had an issue with the height of this square also. The width was perfect. So basically I did rows 1-9 and then 2-7 and left out the second 8 and 9 and it worked nicely.
I do have to say I wasn’t much of a fan of the treble crochets however…they seemed too tall and kind of flimsy in this square with the other stitches.
It took a couple of tries, but what I ended up doing was going down a hook size (until now, I’d been able to get gauge with a K hook) and then substituting double crochet for the very last set of triple crochet, and that got me 8 inches exactly.
Maybe you can use them to sew the squares together when they are all done?
I’m ready for Wednesday! Just hope I don’t run out of yarn. When I ripped two squares apart the yarn was too short to reuse. I’ll keep them maybe I can use it on another square. I’m enjoying this project!
Finished all 4 blocks of clue #4 and I blocked them last night. I didn’t measure them as I did them but they were a bit to long,,, so while blocking I sort of scrunch them to fit to 8 1/2. All blocks are blocked (I waited till the end of the KAL last fall and it was all over the carpet in the living room- learned my lesson) What I did last year was go to the dollar store and bought foam squares for $1.00 each. There 12″ x 12″ and I marked on one side 8″ x 10″ and retraced 8″ x 8″ for this Cal. Works great. While I wait for clue #5 I will knit a pair of mittens for my 18 month-old grand-daughter. See you Wednesday or Thursday
I’ve had trouble with this square as well, it’s just too big. My solution is to do rows 1 – 9 and then reverse the pattern. Instead of going back to the 2nd row, I redid 6 & 7, then 4 & 5 and finally 2 & 3. It came out almost perfect 8X8.
I made a blocking board out of a piece of styrafoam checked material and duck tape. I’m using the t pins and large straight pins. Getting 4 done at a time. Thank you for the info.
Loved the pattern but hated all the color changes!!!
All four squares for this clue are done, blocked and put aside. Waiting for clue #5…in the meantime I’m just trying to keep busy.
For #4, I cannot for the life of me hook one color into the next one like we are instructed to do so I just tied the one end to the other end color and hopefully this will be ok.Everytime I tried it the “instructions” way, the old yarn would slip off or the new yarn would slip out. Wasn’t too happy about this.
Hi Nancy, What I do is finish all the wayto the end of my row to the last stitch. I cut the yarn leaving a tail of about 3 inches. I use a smaller hook to go into the last stitch, where your cut yarn is coming through at. I then hook onto my next color and pull it though. You now need to pull the old one you cut off all the way though the last stitch. Now I take that tail and weave it along the top of 5 stitches so I can crochet over it. Now take your new yarn and chain 1 and turn, proceed with your pattern. Hope this helps you.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-join-yarn-in-crochet.htm
Nancy this is the method I use. You can give it a look to see if it is any easier….GL
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-join-yarn-in-crochet.html
I am working 2 so did one the blog way and 1 the instructions way ( except assumed the chain 2 does not count as first hdc was a mistake). I found fasten off. Turn, Join with sl st made a much cleaner end. I also wove in ends as I went, so when the square was completed, was ready for limited blocking and done.
I used K hook for the sc and J hook for the hdc, dc and slightly tighter on the tr. Square with all rows listed in pattern, perfect 8″.
Just finished weaving in all my ends……whew! Glad I’m not waiting to the end to do all of them. I also had to re-do my v-stitch squares because they were too small. Now I can’t wait for Wednesday!
Ugh! I like the look for this week’s clue but I did not enjoy doing it. i found it time consuming and I couldn’t get the squares neat enough.
Also, many of you are blocking as you go, should I really be doing this too? I have never blocked before (I have never made a blanket before either.)
Yes you should do it as you go. Thats what one said who did the KAL from last year said.
Clue #4 squares all done. Maybe I will use the next 2 days to block the finished squares so I don’t have them all to do at the end. Glad I wove all my ends in as I went, esp on this square. They turned out great though. Can’t wait to see what the next clue will bring!
Glad to read that others had problem with the size. I’d been using an I hook for the first 3 squares so I didn’t even think to re-check my gauge for this one. With all of the colour changes I didn’t bother to take it apart and try to re-use the yarn. I’ll just use it to put under my teapot or something.
I must admit that I’m not loving this square. The excitement is definitely diminished for me. I don’t mind the color changes (although I do find them annoying), but I really dislike the pattern of stripes. My colors have a large contrast and the repeat is to asymmetrical for them. But I need all of the rows to make the right size. So I’m going to do two of them following the pattern (since I’m too lazy to rip out the first one) and two in a reverse repeat with a VERY large middle strip (which also disturbs me, but not as much). I thought about adding a single line of single crochets in the the missing color, but again, lazyiness stops me. And I can’t think of an easy difference for the fourth block. Can’t have two that match and two that don’t.
Anyway, I’m hoping that the next block will renew my enthusiasm for my own work. I’m still enjoying “listening” to you all discuss, though. Thanks for that.
I’m with you on this one Angelain. My 1st, 2nd & 3rd square ended up to tall but the with was bang on so I did the 1 – 9 and reverse to 2 and it came out just fine. Except for the ends.
For those of you that are having issues with gauge (like me), when it is a square that uses more than one color you might try making a sample square first in one color rather than trying to redo a square with several colors and wasting yarn. The little extra time to make a sample square would probably be worth it in the long run.
HA! I read that AFTER I did my first square and decided to redo – therefore – I have now wasted yarn! I hope it doesn’t come back and ‘bite’ me!
Have finally got some photos up on my facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=241404&id=581564252
Would love some feedback. Regretfully the colours haven’t quite come up properly with a couple of the photo’s
They look great. You are a busy lady!
Love the hot pink and purple one the best
Yes I agree… they are pretty and you are doing alot..I seen the ones you posted on ravelry
I love the harvest colors!!
They are great looking-beautiful color combinations. I have mine posted on facebook as well. Mine are only pics of the 3 afghans so far with the 4 clues done. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2084541&id=1057254070
Let me know what you think.
I really like those Donna, you have a good eye for colours that go well together.
I like them too. The colours look really good together.
Got back late on Saturday from my business trip. But was ablebto check the clue on my phone. Was glad I didn’t try to take his project with me. Got two squares done and had no problems getting my 8 in squares. My mother taught me weaving in the ends was part of the project so have never had issues with it. She made it a game to se how well I could hide them. she looks at my prjects now and can not even find my weaves in ends. And yes I am a perfectionist. I am following the pattern as written, but have.noted changes I would make when making another one. Love to read all the comments and suggestions.
I am finished with three of my squares,I will finish the 4th one today, then I can work on the afghan I am making for my son’s christmas present.
I hope the next square is one color. I hate weaving my ends in, I normally just crochet over them. I hope everyone has a great day
I can’t wait till Wednesday morning!!
I forgot to add something. I am a little worried about having to sew the squares together, I have never done that before. Can anyone explain to me how to do that?
I saw some awesome crochet blankets the other day and thoses squares were sewn together perfectly and could not tell, it just looked like the entire blanket was crocheted all together.
Bernat will tell us how to join these squares for this afghan. Don’t worry about it – we will all walk you through it.
There are many different ways to sew or crochet squares together. They will give us their way for the pattern when time comes…hang in there
There are many different ways to join squares together, depending on the look you want. Some methods are smooth and hard to see, others leave a small ridge, and others are obvious looking like chain stitches or a raised line. I am including some videos that give you examples of a few of the ways to join squares.
Single crochet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WfVrXy8KBY&feature=related
Slip stitch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WH8Lb4_qts&feature=channel
Whip Stitch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtxVuyc4U2I&feature=fvw
Whip Stitch in the Inside Loops
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axUYRBBrotQ&feature=related
Whip Stitch along the sides
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfjJTnA_KjA&feature=related
Weaving or Mattress Stitch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfjJTnA_KjA&feature=related
Invisible seaming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh9koL6Cnjs&feature=related
Thank you so much I will watch these and put them on my favorites.
I went to four different stores looking for the ‘Forest’ color to use in clue #4. None of the stores carried it. The only color any of the stores had available really does not match too well. Also, I always check my gauge, but did not have enough yarn in one skein to finish the required number of blocks for clue #3.
For clue #3, I used between 1 1/2 and 2 skeins. I think everyone used about the same amount.
me 2 …I had to mail order it. It is a new color.
Quick question in row two are you supposed to hdc in the same stitch as the sl st or go on to the next sc? It says the chain doesn’t count as a hdc but it doesn’t tell you to hdc in the same st.
Yes you go into the first stitch. The ch 2 is just to raise it to the height of the hdc. The yarn is thicker on my brown so I snugged up the chains so it didnt stick out. Have a good day.
hdc in the first st – the same as the sl st
If the chain does not count as a stitch, you work in the same stitch. If it counts as a stitch, you work in the next stitch.
Thanks guys I just got a little confused since normaly it tells you to do so
All of my squares (8 of them) for clue #4 are finished. When we started this journey I, like a lot of others, was bored because it didn’t take long to finish the squares with clue #1 and clue #2. Not taking into account that the clues would become more challenging each week – I decided to do a second afgan to use up some of my huge supply of “left over” yarn. I am certainly not bored any longer. Now I find myself wondering if I will keep up. But, so far so good.
My squares for the first 3 clues are nicely shaped and all very close to 8″ x 8″ so I am happy with those. Now clue #4 is a different story. With all the color changes the sides are not very straight so I would really like to thank Rosey for her “jig” idea. I showed the picture of your jig to my husband and asked him to build one for me and he was right on it. He got it made quickly but my squares were turning out so nice I was afraid I wouldn’t need it after he went to all the trouble to build it. Clue #4 saved the day. I followed Rosey’s instructions for using the “jig” to block the squares and now ALL of my squares are nicey shaped.
Again – Thank you. Thank you.
I am looking forward to Wednesday once again. I can’t wait to see what is in store for us this week. Good luck to all of you in your crocheting adventures and thank you Bernat for hosting this CAL. I am having so much fun.
Bless. Glad you’re having fun!!
Teri and Rosey, anyway of reposting this Jig idea or letting me know where on the blog it might be this sounds interesting. Thanks so much!
No problem. Here is where you can go to see Rosey’s pictures and the instructions . . .
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roseyalexander/sets
Thanks Teri. I will def be making one of these this weekend
Rosey what a great idea!
just finished up these four , had to go out and buy the forest green, lucky to find one ball at Zeller’s, still no sign of the ones sent by Bernat, will not ever order from them again, twenty days is way too long. I think those who are adjusting the patterns and making doubles instead of trebles may have problems later when putting this together, usually the stitches have to match and be the same amount, better to change your hook size I think.
I am one of those who changed from triples to doubles and I think I will take my chances. I wanted a tighter stitch and not so lacy. (Little feet and little toes can ruin lacy afghans). I am feeling very Coco Chanel, as Laura put it. But, I really hope you are wrong after all the time I have put in.
Just want to say Thank you to Bernat for this CAL. I have been crocheting for 30+ years and when I learned there was no internet, just me, yarn, hooks and a book. I can not believe how much I have learned and how good this is for beginners as well as old timers. Thank you, looking forward to Wednesday. My new saying is TGIW (Thank God It’s Wednesday) Do you think it will catch on?????
Oh yes, I think so too, I finish the clues and I am ready for clue no. 5 and hoping for wednesday. Are we all set?
Dear Bernat.
Seeing as quite a few of us are enjoying this blog, would you PLEASE either
1) Employ a weekend moderator, or
2) Not moderate our comments.
I miss all my new buddies on the weekends when all our lovely chat is ‘awaiting moderation’.
Either do as I say or I will send the pixies over to your computers to blow raspberries at you and eat all your chocolate.
Thank you
Hi Rosey –
We definitely understand your frustration. I’m afraid we need to remain a moderated blog as the website is focused on a single brand. For example, no mentions of competitors or inappropriate language is allowed.
We do try to do some weekend moderation, though admittedly less than on weekdays. We can see about getting more frequent moderation on weekends since i know how hard it is to have a conversation with folks posting hours apart.
This is a frustration for us too, and we’re looking into better platforms to host future Knit- and Crochet-Alongs.
Hmm, trading chocolate for raspberries… not really a fair trade, but I’ll take it.
Thank you. Much appreciated xx
I really don’t think Bernat expected so many folks (excellent response) to this Crochet-Along, so were not quite prepared for the quantity of mediation that would be necessary.
The fact that many participants were back ordered on Forest was the first indicator. We can hang in there folks. This is rockin’
I agree, its so frustruating when we are all here and have time on the week-ends and the blog is moving soooo slow or not at all. That is why many have taken to another blog site. Which I think is not good for you Bernat, who is doing this CAL. Please try to fix this for all of us to work together….Thank-You
p.s. Sorry for mentioning another competitor, I didnt know this was wrong…
I normally don’t like to change colors so often but this looks really super! Now, on to Clue #5!! Love the feel of this yarn as I work with it. Is Wednesday really that far away??
Woo hoo!!! I DID IT!!! Finished all 4 clues for all 3 afghans I’m working on! And… I have 1 1/2 days to spare!
WAY TO GO!!!
Is it Wednesday yet? Have all 4 done for this week, really enjoyed them. Can’t wait to see what we will do next. Thanks Bernt and Laura, have never participated in a CAL/KAL before, but I will certainly do this again.
Wow! This was a tough one, hope the next has a better design, I feel I’m an experenced crocheter, but the whole pattern was off in alot of ways, can’t wait til Wednesday.
Wew! I finally finished these…3 afghans 4 squares each. I didn’t find this difficult just tedious and couldn’t force myself to do them. I don’t care if I ever see another stripe.
Can’t wait for Wednesday and clue 5….Please please please, don’t be another stripe
I agree, I didn’t like that clue at all. I am finished and the squares are all blocked. I did leave off the last two
rows. It’s funny though my grandson and husband like the stripes.
So how do you keep your ends from working their way out again? i’ve tried working over the strands and darning them in but they end up poking up between stitches. to those saying the clues aren’t challenging enough remember some of us are not expert crocheters.I usually knit but i’m loving this CAL.I really appreciate the help offered by more experienced crocheters.I take a lot out to redo but it’s much easier to take back than knitting if there’s a mistake!I’ve learned so much!
If you have a woven in end that won’t stay in, take some sewing thread in a matching color and stitch the end it. The thread won’t show, and the end won’t unweave.
Another way is to weave the end in and then weave it backwards (back in the opposite direction) a bit, that also helps it stay.
I weave in as I go, and then crochet over the woven end in the next row and trim off what remains sticking out, but I have to admit that ends working their way back out are the bane of my existence, so I too would be interested ot hear if anyone has any good advice on that one.
Gotta go. Work calls. (sigh .. I hate it when real life gets in the way of my hobbies)
i decided to slack.on crochet but love reading your blogs about the project. my computer has problems opening the pdf. i wanted to do this afphgan but also am right now finishing a peapod.
and lining it. usually crochet ends in as i crochet ,just holding yarn a certain way and you can do this for 3 inches or whatever. i have a blanket flower daisy that i did as a teen and 35 years later it is still being used and decorating my living room. hap. croch.
Hi Kathy, The way I do it is to bring the end up through the center of the stitch and over then pull it through the center of next stitch up and over. I use a smaller hook so I dont stretch out the stitch. I do this over about 5 or 6 stitches. Then i go and proceed with my next row and crochet over this. At this point you can then use a needle to wind the end back through some of the tight stitches. Make sure that when you wind it across you dont snug it to much to cause it to pull in. Hope this helps. Happy crocheting.
I usually draw the tails through with a needle. (darn). but I do make sure that I catch through yarn so that it grabs itself. then side cut the yarn of tail on an angle. I do not have ends working out. When the item is washed and dried they will relax into the project as well. There is a great way to join yarn too but I do not know how to explain it. You take a needle and thread yarn into the next color and I think it is called a weavers knot..(??). It works great but with all the color changes on the last square… i choose the loop and darn method.
I showed the afghan so far to my son, for whom I am making it, and he loves it. Especially this week’s square. I can’t wait for the next clue. I still have to do the squares for my second afghan, but I have a really full week at work and I am already tired just thinking about it. Maybe I’ll get them sone tomorrow night. No enegy tonight even to crochet. Goodnigt all.
Thank you so much for all your positive comments about our CAL. We’re so glad you’re havng a good time and enjoying this shared experience. A good part of the fun, of course, is the sharing via the blog – making new friends, hearing about each other’s triumphs/difficulties and encouraging one another. It’s so nice to know your’e not alone, isn’t it?
We’re so happy that you’re asking us to do this again soon. We’ll give it our best shot. See you Wednesday with Clue 5.
I loved Clue #4! Only one more day to wait. Yay Wednesday!
Finally finished clue #4. Now I am truly depressed
All my colours that looked so pretty in the box when put together in this striped square look like very poor taste. Even my 6 year old granddaughter thought it was ugly. Sure hope that the rest of the afghan pulls it together enough that the colours don’t end up looking like a 60′s men’s sweater.
April I agree I love my colors but this block just isn’t working for me. It is def an older look.
remember they are joining into a bigger piece with the colors… could look great in the end.
This is very true
Holey Moley! Would you believe I had to use a size “G” Hook for Clue #4 ? I must be about the most laid-back crocheter in the Universe! It may be just a tad narrow, but I had rather stretch it a little wider than have it be 1 or 2 inches taller. Tried a “J” Hook, got an 8X10 (Nope) Read the Blog…Tried an “H” Hook, got a 8X9 (Nope). Read the Blog…Tried a “G” Hook…Bingo! got a 7 7/8 X 8. Good Enough.
Dear Bernat,
Do I pack one of each colour for my 5 hour trip each way to Adelaide to see medical specialists or can I get away with taking only one or two colours ? We are leaving 3 hours before the clue is released but I will access it at once I arrive (and be working on the final batch of this clue while I am travelling for the first half)
Thankyou (and may all your raspberries become chocolates).
Rosey, my son and I were laughing very hard when we saw your post when we got up this morning.
Suzanne,
Our thoughts are with you, and hope that your trip is not for anything serious.
just take all five… good luck at Dr. your facebook photos look good.
If Bernat are considering a slightly different format for future CALs, maybe they should consider letting some people with exceptional circumstances get info like which colour yarn for next week by personal email, or by message. As long as they promised not to spoil the fun for everyone else it’d work.
And by the way I consider living in an enormous country and travelling hundreds of miles to the specialist exceptional.
I also consider people who start on three afgans at once exceptional, but in a WHOLE different way. Tee hee.
Rosie,
I would love, love, love that. I can keep a secret-honest. I am going away from the Wed. before Thanksgiving (USA) and not coming back for a week so that makes 2 weeks of clues.
I am making 3 afghans, -so I am going to have to take 15 balls of yarn (15 different colors total). Very little room for clothes since I only wanted to take a carry on on the plane.
That is a lot of space being taken up by yarn. Fortunately, you’re not going on holiday for an entire month worth of clues. =)
I, myself am making two afghans to start. Maybe some more to follow as stash buster/ xmas gifts. Only, I don’t want to be overly ambitious.
Yes Susanne I hope it is nothing serious and I wish you the best on your trip.
I have a barrage of medical problems at the moment. Last year I had 2 strokes and then on Nov 4 had brain surgery to remove the malformation in my brain that was rupturing….I still have 2 more but they were diagonally opposite and the neurosurgeons are wary to touch them until I totally recover from the last surgery where I had to learn to walk, eat and talk again. I will always have part of my face paralysed and my left foot and damage induced epilepsy but most is fine.
I was allowed to learn to drive again a couple of months ago. I am doing a master’s degree because I can’t work yet but next year I will be allowed to go back and teach for the equivalent of 1 hour a day for term one of our school year and gradually increasing, which my school is happy with.
On the anniversary of my operation I will be travelling the 600 km to Melbourne to have more brain scans and see the brain specialists.
This trip is because my left shoulder which did have movement has now frozen with bursitis and tendonitis and I am seeing someone in order to hopefully get it moving again.
BTW I had my first stroke in my early 30′s and I am now only 44 so strokes don’t just happen to older people.
Susanne, I admire your spirit and determination. I pray your recovery will be faster than anticipated.
Wow Susanne what a story. You are one incredably strong woman. Keep fighting and good luck with your shoulder. It’s great that you are geting your masters as well I am hoping to start mine soon. I am a teacher as well btw so hello to a fellow teacher. Good luck and God Bless
Wow! Oh my goodness Susanne I am so sorry to hear of so much you have gone through. Its seems as though you are a walking miracle. It is by the grace of God that brings you here to crochet with us, under what you have endured. Bless you, and wish you all the best. And your doing 3 of these afghans…WOW!! Happy Crocheting…..;-)
Just joined the CAL and wanted to say ‘Hi!’ I told myself I could not start until I finished my latest project. Now that it is done, I am playing catch up.
I started with Clue 2 (since it is a square) and am using it’s size as a template for all the other clues. Since I crochet like I knit (with a loose tension), I generally have to use a needle size one less than called for and so far my clues are all coming out pretty much the same size – yeah!
I am so proud of myself! I got my gravitar done and posted pics of my 3 afghans (so far) to ravelry.com. Now on to find something else to do today in my awaiting of Wednesday. I really love this!
Dear Bernat (Laura),
Thanks for a wonderful project! I love the variety, both in the stitch patterns and the colors. Looking forward to the rest of the “mystery”!
oh — darn it’s only Tuesday… LOL
hi…relatively new to crochet and having a blast with this afghan, but in reading comments have a question: what is ‘blocking’ and should i be doing it? or perhaps will one of the later clues tell us what it is and how to do it? one more day till next clue!! yaya!
Blocking is getting your work to an exact size – in this case 8 x 8. It is done in many different ways – one of which is wetting the finished square and pinning it to size, then
letting it dry.
I, personally, never block acrylic yarn, so I won’t be blocking this project. Once my afghan is sew together, all I need to do is run it through the washer and dryer and it will come out just fine.
If you decide you want to block your squares, there are MANY comments in all four weeks of blogs to tell you some other ways to block.
thanks, DonnaLynne! do you not block acrylic because it doesn’t stretch? i will have to look into this…i’ve made several baby blankets and have never blocked them…and does the shape stay even after multiple washes?
Acrylic yarn just seems to stay even. I have several baby blankets that I made 25 years ago and they still look pretty new. I still use them for lap-gans, so I have washed them hundreds of times. I also like to use fabric softener with acrylic projects – they just become softer and softer!
CIndy,
Blocking is a process to shape your work so that all squares are about the same size and shape. It sets the stitches. Some say you don’t need to do this with acrylic or afghans but I am trying it for this one using a steam iron held over the square. Only the steam touches the yarn, never the iron. This dries the quickest. You can pin your square to size using rust proof pins to foam board, thick cardboard, a spare bed any place it can be left to dry.
You can moisten the square first under the faucet, then roll and press in a towel (do not wring) or spray with a bottle.
If you Ctrl and f together you can search the comments for blocking and find different methods and opinions.
ctrl and f? thanks, Debbi!! boy, you ladies sure are a wonderful fount of information!! thankyou!!
hmmm…second try…hi…relatively new to crochet and having a blast with this afghan, but in reading comments have a question: what is ‘blocking’ and should i be doing it? or perhaps will one of the later clues tell us what it is and how to do it? one more day till next clue!! hmmm…computer is sketching out…sorry if this posts twice!!
Hi Cindy, Blocking is used to make all your squares the same size by pinning them and getting them damp and letting dry. I had never done it before but they say we will do it for these squares. People that had done the KAL last year said to do it as we go or you will have them all to do at the end. There are many different ways to do this. I got my idea from one on here.
thanks, Linda! I’d've never known to do such a thing!
Don’t worry about your comments not appearing right away. This is a moderated site which means someone looks at it to make sure it belongs and is appropriate.
Cindy,
“Blocking” is a term used in knitting and crochet. Essentially it is the process of dampening your squares and placing them on a “blocking board” by using straight pens to give your squares clean lines and a crisp look. Not everyone blocks, it depends on the project. It just gives that little extra for a more polished look. Bernat has information on their site or you can check out the “how-to vids” on youtube. There are a few different methods Steam Blocking and Blocking. I’m sure there are more I’ve not even heard of. Hope this answers your question.
thank you, England! i will check it out!
Looking forward to clue #5 ’cause this stripe one in NOT to my liking but, am sure the next will be better?? Will be nice to see what this block should look like.
Having fun yet ?
I’m having fun as well. Only, I must agree with you. I do not fancy this stripedy square.
Is everyone counting down the hours? So glad I am working tonight. Hopefully, I will be able to get started there.
I’m almost finished with my 1st square of clue#4. So far the colors look very good together. I chose; white, teal, grape, grass & aqua. I got the color idea from a scarf pattern shown on the Softee Chunky label. I just substituted teal for dark blue & added the white to perk it all up a bit!! I think it will look great when finished.
I hope to finish all my clue#4 squares by Thurs. the latest. This way I can come back & read what everybody else is saying about the new clue or get some good info as to what everyone else is doing. I’m not the greatest crocheter, so any info I can gather from someone elses experience is a plus for me (LOL)!!
Okay, it is 3pm on Tuesday and I am going thru withdrawal….Come on Wednesday
ROFL
I agree…just checking to see if time difference will help get it here faster… NOT yet… LOL
Five and half hours to go. Sure hope TV is good tonight so the time will seem shorter. :~)
Whew!!! I just finished with square #4 on clue 4 with time to spare before clue 5 is posted. Really thought I was going to be burning the midnight oil on this one. I am treating myself to a butterfinger while reading the blog. I sure hope that #5 is a solid color, I really dislike changing colors a million times in one square, I find it to be agravating. Once or twice I don’t mind, but not every flippin row. lol Oh well I am in for the long haul, and will build my crochet skills. Well its 5:51pm here in MS and I now have to wait 6 more hours for clue 5.
All my ends are weaved in on all of my squares, I am ready for clue #5 only 5 1/2 hours to wait——–hurry, hurry, hurry!!!!
Just finished clue 4. I am totally traumatized but very happy with the results. Love the colors Bernat chose. Can’t wait to see what #5 will be
What a wonderful fun block! I had done one block in a K (I had used K for the granny square and v-stitch square) and had to move back down to a J hook (like I used with the first block). Once I got one block done, I did the rest of the three in an assembly line fashion…all chain and row 1 to all three blocks before I moved to row 2, finished row 2 on all 3 blocks before I moved onto row 3, etc. That finished all of my blocks in just a few hours (all of them getting done within the same hour ;o))
Only 3 more hours!!!!
3 hours until the new clue. Like Carly said, “Anticipation is making me wait.”
the clock is ticking the count down is on…
I had to use 2 different sizes of hooks to get the right size. I used one size smaller on the trebles. Change yarn, change hook, change yarn, change hook…repeat.
Any way to know who many persons are doing this CAL? Sounds like many hundreds! Also I wonder which countries there are CAL crocheters
I have been making 9×7 crochet pieces for the Warm Up America project while I’m waiting for the next clue.
Only ten more minutes until Wednesday! C’mon clue # 5!
Wednesdays are my FAVORITE day of the week.
Clue 5 – The end of row 16 says join C and the end of row 18 says break C, however, rows 17 & 18 say your crocheting with color A. Why would we join C and not use it? I can’t figure this one out.
I think there is a misprint in the CAL Clue #5
Row 16 : (At the end ) should read —
Do not break E. Join A. Turn.
If I am wrong please let me know.
Thanks.
I have had alot of fun doing this afghan so far.I found clue number 4 to be a little tricky. I found that there were to many rows when I was finished so I left the last two rows out. I look forward to doing the fifth clue.
Well, I finally finished my clue 4 squares last evening, and they look cute! I’m using Bernal Softee Baby for my afghan, so mine is smaller. My squares are only 5 inches. I had to drop down to an E hook from a G for this one, and stretched the width to 5 inches to accomodate all the rows (esp the trebles!) in this one. I guess it took me longer this time because I decided to rework my clue 3 squares, I had gone from a G to an I hook for them, because I was not experitnced with v-stitch, Thanks for all the advice on that one, ladies. I know what you mean by it “pulling inward”. Went back to G ( the recommedned hook size for my yarn) and they’re coming along fine this time. Looking forward to clue 5. I’ve never tried mitered squares before, even though Ive known how to crochet for a long time. Again, thanks to all for your help and support. It’s great to craft as a group!
I’ve been having a great time (even on the granny squares, which aren’t my favorite) and keeping up…UNTIL Clue #4. I’ve worked in color change, seem to be having a mental block on cutting each row instead of carrying up the one stitch length. Also could not get the gauge right anywhere in the range of hook sizes. Now that I see Clue #5 is for 16 squares, I may modify the pattern for Clue #4 just to get them done. I’m having a great time, but WORK totally cuts into my yarn time!!
Since this one would have turned out way too long for the way I crochet (rather loose), I ended up modifying it a bit.
I did rows 1-9 as written, then row 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I ended up with one big band of natural in the middle of the square instead of one in the middle and one at the top. Hopefully I didn’t mess up the overall design of the completed afghan!
just finished my first clue 5 square and while doing it found a couple of mistakes I think. On step 3 it says do 18 single crochet and should be 19 and on step 16 it says to join C instead of A other than that I love this clue mitered squares are always fun in either knit or crochet.
Something is definitely amiss with clue 4. Looking at the posted finished picture you can see that the two topaz strips are different even though they are both done in hdc on an even row. It looks like in the second hdc row the sc (for row 3 repeat) was worked into the entire space for the hdc row below it. All of my other squares were true to size but not this one.
I am still working in clue number four, I had to go to size j, so it’s looking a little different, however I could not fit all the colors if I wanted 8X8, so i guess my afghan will look different…. ready to go for clue number 5….
I sincerely disliked #4. I don’t like to change yarns and this was a real thorn in my side. And I’m not crazy about the colors in that arrangement. I’ve loved the others, so I’ll just forget about this little clue.
Clue 3
I do not get 8 v’s I get 7 for it to be 8″
Clue 4
IMy square comes out to be 9″long instead of 8″. I changed hook J to I to see if it came out 8″ on my second square but it did not. I began with sc and ended with sc. My count is correct according to the instructions. Help
Many people missed out on the final row of treble and sc to drop it back to 8 inches. I had to do both that and drop a hook size on the trebles as well.
That one will stretch a bit so if it is under 8″ it should be ok….
Well, I’ve finished the first square for Clue #4 (is anyone else as far behind as me?) and it’s pretty, but I found it a bit tedious with allof the color changes.
Yes that one is but wait til you hit #5…It is a tuffy to get right. Some people had no problem with them I must say. They say to keep the center a little loose but not too much…Have fun and enjoy crocheting…
I love this afghan. The colors match my bedroom perfectly. I have been crocheting for over 40 years, since I wa sa little girl. I loved the crochet-a-long. The only thing I did not like was the fact that when I ordered the yarn with their recommendations, I came out with way too much of several colors. Now, I am a total yarn-a-holic, but the last thing I needed was extra yarn.
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