It's time! Square 3 (March) of the Crochet Along Afghan Sampler is Baby Bubbles. Not to be confused with bobbles or popcorn, these tiny bubbles hook up in a lovely rhythm.
SHARE YOUR PROGRESS
*tap tap taps on microphone* Is this thing on? Are you out there? Can you hear me? The Flickr Group, where anyone working on the 2015 Afghan Sampler can share and discuss their progress, has just one other set of squares so far (shout out to SassySeamstress!). Join us! And don't forget to use the #afghansampler hashtag on Instagram -- right now it's just me and that's kind of lonely.
SQUARE 3, MARCH
At this point you should have four finished Squares in three colors. If you're just joining us, don't panic! The squares work up quickly and you can easily catch up: be sure to START HERE.
March's Square is what I'm calling the Baby Bubble stitch. I learned this one from Daneen St Amour's Bubble Baby Blanket. To create the stitch, work one single crochet and two double crochet into one stitch, then skip two stitches and do it again ...all the way across. It creates a lovely, squishy, reversible fabric; the original Bubble Baby Blanket pattern is worked with two strands of yarn and I'm sure is even cuddlier squishy. Here we'll work with one strand and an H hook. Formally written up like so...
Hook
H/8 - 5.00MM, or size needed to obtain 9"x 9" square
Yarn
Colors C and A -- For me that means Caron Simply Soft in Country Blue (Color C) and Grey Heather (Color A)
Stitch
st: stitch
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
CONSTRUCTION
Row 1: Working in Color C, ch 38; 38 stitches
Note: When I chain 38 I somehow end up short a stitch, however the math says you should start with 38. I have started each of my blocks for Square 3 with ch 39 -- clearly I can't properly count chains or "chains from the hook" (that should instill confidence in those of you following along, right?). The important part is to have 12 sets of stitches at the end of Row 2.
Row 2: In second ch from hook [sc and 2dc in same st; skip 2 st]; repeat within [] 12x; skip 2, sc, turn; 36 stitches
Row 3: ch 2, 2dc in first st, skip 2 st; [sc and 2dc in same st; skip 2 st]; repeat within [] 11x; skip 2, sc, turn; 36 stitches
Rows 4-31: Repeat Row 3; 36 stitches each row
Border: *work 38 sc along one side of the square, ch 1 (does not count as stitch); repeat from * on each side of the square. Yarn off, and weave in ends
Repeat with Color A for a second, separate square.
HOMEWORK
Get hooking! You now have three stitches and six squares to complete by Tuesday, April 28 (release date for Square 4, April)! Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Don't forget to label your squares! Then upload your progress to our Flickr Group and tag your Instagram shots with #afghansampler (please, please, pretty please).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Looking for the rest of the squares? Click on the Crochet Along tab a the top of this site!Other questions? Size? Rows? Border Count? Visit Frequently Asked Questions!
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| Label the crochet squares as you go and you won't get confused when we finally put them all together. |
Note: Edited 5/29/15 to correct Row 3 in the pattern.
PS -- If you finish fast and need another project, be sure to check out these crochet planter covers; quick little projects that don't take a year to finish, unlike a certain sampler afghan.
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