It's time, my hooking peeps, for Square 9 of 10, September, of the Crochet Along Afghan Sampler. Cables; what more can I say?
Welcome back! I don't know about you, but I always crochet on my couch in the evening while listening to TV (there are very few shows I put down the hook to actually watch). I refer to it as my "couch craft." No matter the time of year it's not perfect until I'm cozy with a blanket, and my favorite blanket to cuddle under is my navy Crochet Cable Afghan. So, of course, I had to include a tribute to it here.
If you're just now finding us, we are crocheting a contemporary afghan sampler; hooking one stitch into two separate squares each month. Of course you can join in at any time and finish a blanket on your own schedule. You can stitch the squares in any order, but be sure to read Square 1, January first -- it explains the color scheme and overall process.
SQUARE 9, SEPTEMBER
This month we are working square 9 of 10 (only one more after this! whee!!!). Cables. I learned to work cables completing an entire Cable Throw by Michele Maks. Here I've worked a single, center cable with two accenting raised ribs on one side of the square, and two cables with four ribs on the reverse. As with the Vertical Ribs of Square 4, the cables and ribs fall in different locations on the front and the back -- if you read the pattern carefully, you'll notice the odd rows have one four-row repeat and the even rows have a different four-row repeat. The cables are worked in Rows 7 and 8 by skipping two front post double crochet, creating two front post double crochet in the next two stitches, and then going back and working two front post double crochet in those first two skipped stitches.
NOTE: You can choose to stitch a one-sided square this month. If you would like the single cable with a flat back: beginning row 3, hook only the ODD rows as per the pattern, and single crochet across all even rows. Likewise, if you'd prefer a two cabled square with a flat back: beginning row 3, single crochet across all odd rows, and hook only the EVEN rows as per the pattern.
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| Front (left) with one cable; Back (right) with two cables. |
NOTE: You can choose to stitch a one-sided square this month. If you would like the single cable with a flat back: beginning row 3, hook only the ODD rows as per the pattern, and single crochet across all even rows. Likewise, if you'd prefer a two cabled square with a flat back: beginning row 3, single crochet across all odd rows, and hook only the EVEN rows as per the pattern.
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 (in US crochet terms)
st: stitch
sk: skip
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
fsc: foundation single crochet
fpdc: front-post double crochet
sk: skip
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
fsc: foundation single crochet
fpdc: front-post double crochet
CONSTRUCTION
NOTE: The first time you work rows 3 and 4, work the fpdc by hooking a dc around the sc below. All remaining fpdc will work into the post of a previous fpdc.
NOTE: The first time you work rows 3 and 4, work the fpdc by hooking a dc around the sc below. All remaining fpdc will work into the post of a previous fpdc.
Row 1: Working in Color C, ch 39, sc in second stitch from hook and each ch across OR 38 fsc; 38 stitches
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, sc across; 38 stitches
***
Rows 3: Ch 1, turn, sc 13, fpdc, sc 3, fpdc 4, sc 3, fpdc, sc 13; 38 stitches
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, sc, fpdc, sc 4, fpdc 4, sc 4, fpdc, sc 8, fpdc, sc 4, fpdc 4, sc 4, fpdc, sc: 38 stitches
Row 5: Repeat Row 3; 38 stitches
Row 6: Repeat Row 4; 38 stitches
Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc 13, fpdc, sc 3, sk 2 fpdc in next 2, fpdc in previously skipped 2, sc 3, fpdc, sc 13; 38 stitches
Row 8: Ch 1, turn, sc, fpdc, sc 4, sk 2 fpdc in next 2, fpdc in previously skipped 2, sc4, fpdc, sc 8, fdpc, sc 4, sk 2 fpdc in next 2, fpdc in previously skipped 2, sc 4, fpdc sc; 38 stitches
Row 9: Repeat Row 3; 38 stitches
Row 10: Repeat Row 4; 38 stitches
***
Rows 11-50: Repeat within *** five more times; 38 stitches each row
Row 51: Repeat Row 3; 38 stitches
Row 52: Repeat Row 4; 38 stitches
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.
Rows 3: Ch 1, turn, sc 13, fpdc, sc 3, fpdc 4, sc 3, fpdc, sc 13; 38 stitches
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, sc, fpdc, sc 4, fpdc 4, sc 4, fpdc, sc 8, fpdc, sc 4, fpdc 4, sc 4, fpdc, sc: 38 stitches
Row 5: Repeat Row 3; 38 stitches
Row 6: Repeat Row 4; 38 stitches
Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc 13, fpdc, sc 3, sk 2 fpdc in next 2, fpdc in previously skipped 2, sc 3, fpdc, sc 13; 38 stitches
Row 8: Ch 1, turn, sc, fpdc, sc 4, sk 2 fpdc in next 2, fpdc in previously skipped 2, sc4, fpdc, sc 8, fdpc, sc 4, sk 2 fpdc in next 2, fpdc in previously skipped 2, sc 4, fpdc sc; 38 stitches
Row 9: Repeat Row 3; 38 stitches
Row 10: Repeat Row 4; 38 stitches
***
Rows 11-50: Repeat within *** five more times; 38 stitches each row
Row 51: Repeat Row 3; 38 stitches
Row 52: Repeat Row 4; 38 stitches
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.
[Edited 10/16/15 to include missing stitches in Row 8.]
[Edited 10/16/15 to include missing stitches in Row 8.]
HOMEWORK
We're getting super close now! Square 10 will release on Tuesday, October 27. The last Tuesday in November will be for joining and bordering so you'll have the month of December to finish your blanket before the New Year. The last Tuesday in December I'll open a link party here on the blog so you can share finished pictures of your afghan from Flickr, Instagram, or a blog post. Should we have a chance for a prize if you complete in time to join the link party? Of course! The link party will stay open until the last Tuesday in January -- so really you'll have two months to finish the joining and bordering, YAY!
Don't forget you can now subscribe to The Inspired Wren to get new posts delivered right to your in-box -- no need to search out the next square, it'll come right to you. Remember to upload your progress to our Flickr Group and tag your Instagram shots with #afghansampler so we can all cheer each other on and answer questions as they come up.
Other questions? Size? Rows? Border Count? Visit Frequently Asked Questions!
Don't forget you can now subscribe to The Inspired Wren to get new posts delivered right to your in-box -- no need to search out the next square, it'll come right to you. Remember to upload your progress to our Flickr Group and tag your Instagram shots with #afghansampler so we can all cheer each other on and answer questions as they come up.
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!
MORE CROCHET ON THE INSPIRED WREN
Ren Murphy writes for The Inspired Wren.
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