Designing a Granny Square Cardigan – Round 2

Posted on April 24, 2012 | 2 Comments

No, there isn’t a “Round 1″ post; you’ve arrived at the right place as I take you on an odyssey of adventure and discovery in my attempt to design and crochet a granny square cardigan for myself.

This Wheel Lattice square motif serves as the back of my cardigan.

I had this big idea a couple of months ago to design a shrug that incorporated a big granny square in the back. The idea came to me after viewing a granny-inspired vest (I say vest instead of shrug because it’s sleeveless) designed by LazyTcrochet I saw on Craftsy.com.

Actually, now that I think about it, I tried to design a granny square sweater several years ago after being inspired by a Lily Chin design. I was able to complete the sweater and wanted to create a pattern for it, but I didn’t know how to grade patterns to fit different sizes, and the pattern never became a reality.  So here I am, at it again, trying to come up with a new design for a sweater that at least I can wear.

More Design Attempts

I love the LazyTcrochet vest, but I wanted something with sleeves that would keep my arms warm when sitting in an air conditioned movie theater or on those cool Hawaii nights during the rainy season.  All I can say is that the first attempt was a big failure, primarily because the shrug design distorted the granny square back such that it didn’t sit flat on my back the way I wanted it to, but curved under at the left and right bottom edges.

I placed a folded sheet inside the sweater so you can see the motifs that make up the left and right fronts of my Round 2 cardigan.

My second attempt is pictured above. I decided to create an actual cardigan instead of a shrug, thinking this would be a better way to show off the big granny square in the back. I adapted a really nice square motif called the Wheel Lattice Square I found during an extensive Internet search for the perfect motif. I used a larger crochet hook than the pattern calls for to create a 20-inch square that I thought (first mistake!) would be enough to fit across my back. The front left and right are created by sewing together two smaller Wheel Lattice squares which are supposed to be 10 inches across to match the 20-inch back.

After sewing the shoulder and side seams together, I double crocheted the sleeves in the round, decreasing a stitch at each end of every other row so they would taper. The sleeves are only three-quarter length because I ran out of yarn! I had just enough to do one row of single crochet around the cardigan edges and then a row of reverse single crochet. I dropped down a hook size to crochet this border to create a crisp, even edge.

Designing a Granny Square Cardigan – Lessons Learned

Never claimed to be an artist (or a photographer), but this illustrates what I intend to create in Round 3 of my granny square cardigan design adventure.

Long story short, the cardigan is too small for me. Yes, I can wear it, but I need to either crochet and attach some ties on the top edges or add a button because the cardigan doesn’t close all the way and tends to slip off my shoulders. Next time around, I will:

  • Take my measurements and add an inch or so for ease to ensure a proper fit.
  • Create a back that consists of four vertical rows of square motifs, two for the left back and two for the right back, matched by four rows to create the left and right fronts.
  • Create a tapered neckline with “half-squares”  (aka triangles).
  • Do the math calculations (ugh!) required to ensure the square motifs fit into these measurements.
  • Figure out how much yarn I’ll need and purchase enough to create a cardigan with full-length sleeves (I used stash yarn for this cardigan).

The big lesson I learned in Round 2 of my granny square cardigan design adventure is that I need to do a bit more planning at the outset before diving in and crocheting if I want wearables I crochet for myself to fit.

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Crochet Design

Tagged , ,

The Star Stitch – Basis for a Cute Crochet Cozy

Posted on April 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

Back in February, after publishing the post Crochet Coaster Crazy, I indicated that my next step after crocheting what seemed like a thousand cozies was to start lining them. One of my readers, Christie F  indicated that she was interested in seeing how I lined my bag because she didn’t feel comfortable lining the Half Medallion Bag  that she crocheted as part of a Lion Brand Crochet Along.

Star Stitch Pattern – A variation

Before I discuss lining the bag, let me say a little something about the purse itself. I used a variation of the star stitch pattern that I found demonstrated  in a YouTube video a month or so ago.

Unfortunately, the video has been removed, so I can’t include a link to it in this post. What I can do is give you a set of written instructions so that you can try this little purse out for yourself.

A closeup of the star stitch pattern I used for my crochet cozy/purse.

Most of the star stitch video instructions I’ve seen on YouTube put a row of half double crochets between the star stitch rows, but this pattern doesn’t.; each row is a star stitch row.  This creates a “full star” or “flower” or whatever you want to call it, and the resulting pattern is “reversible,” i.e., you see the same pattern on both sides of the fabric.

Long story about how I came to create these written instructions, but you can read all about it, as well as how I lined the purse in an article I published on HubPages.

Materials:

I used an I/9 (5.5 mm) hook and worsted-weight acrylic yarn to make my purse, which is essentially a rectangle (with a few embellishments like a button hole and single crochet border around the flap and opening) that is folded into thirds to create a purse pouch and flap. Really easy to do, and you can make a million of these using different colors and crochet stitch patterns.

You might also want to have some stitch markers on hand because I use them to mark my place at critical points in the pattern, as well as a tapestry/yarn needle to weave in ends and sew the purse side seams.

Abbreviations:
Ch = chain
Dc = double crochet
St(s) = stitch(es)
Yo = yarn over

Notes:

  1. I have written the instructions for each row in “chunks” to make them a little easier to follow.
  2. Also, I have made up a name for a dc stitch called a “partial dc” to denote a dc that is only partially completed.
  3. The only time you make a finished or completed double crochet stitch is at the beginning of the row. All the rest are “partial double crochets.”

Instructions:
Ch a multiple of 3 sts plus 1
Row 1:

  • Ch 3, 1 dc in 4th ch from hook (place stitch marker in top 2 loops of the dc), ch 3, yo, insert hook in base of ch 3 (in front of stitch marker), yo, pull through, yo, draw through 1st 2 loops (2 loops on hook), [yo, insert hook in chain where the dc is, yo, pull through, yo, pull through 2 loops] twice (4 loops on hook), yo, skip 2 ch, insert hook in 3rd chain, yo, draw loop through, yo, draw through 2 loops] twice (6 loops on hook), yo, draw through all 6 loops, ch 1 to create  an“eye.”
  • *Ch 3, yo, insert hook in eye just made, yo, draw through, yo, draw through 2 loops (2 loops on hook),   [yo, insert hook in ch where the last two partial dc sts are, yo, draw through, yo draw through 2 loops] twice (4 loops on hook), [yo, skip 2 ch, insert hook in 3rd ch, yo, draw through, yo, draw through 2 loops] twice (6 loops on hook), yo, draw through all 6 loops, ch 1.
  • Repeat from * across chain to end, crocheting final petal (last 2 partial dc’s) in last chain, yo, draw through all 6 loops, ch 1 to create the eye, turn.

Row 2:

  • Ch 3, 1 dc in eye of last star st on previous row (place a st marker through the top 2 loops of this dc), Ch 3, yo, insert hook in base of dc just made (in front of st marker), yo, draw through, yo, pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook), [yo, insert hook in eye of last st of previous row, draw through, yo, draw through 2 loops] twice (4 loops on hook), [yo, insert hook in next eye, yo, draw through, yo, draw through 2 loops] twice (6 loops on hook), yo, draw through all 6 loops, ch 1,
  • *Ch 3, yo, insert hook in eye just made, yo, draw through, yo, draw through 2 loops (2 loops on hook), [yo, insert hook in base of same st, yo, draw through 2 loops] twice (4 loops on hook), [yo, insert hook in next eye, yo, draw through, yo, draw through 2 loops] twice (6 loops on hook), yo, draw through all 6 loops, ch 1.
  • Repeat from * across row, making the last petal (last 2 partial dc’s) in top of the 1st “ch-3, 1 dc” of previous row (at the stitch marker), yo, pull through all 6 loops, ch 1. turn.
  • Repeat row 2 for pattern.

You can make this purse as wide or as long as you want it, so customize the pattern to your heart’s content.

As For Lining the Bag …

Granted, I did not use the technique the Half-Medallion Bag calls for to line this purse, namely creating a fabric “pouch,” inserting it inside the bag, and then hand stitching it to the upper edge of the bag.

But I used a few of the techniques employed in the Half Medallion Bag pattern , as you will see in the article I wrote about it. I also include a link in that article to a tutorial that shows you how to make a pouch lining.

I’ve made pouch linings before, so let me know if you have any questions, and I’ll do my best to answer them. And if you need help with the star stitch pattern or, heaven forbid, you find a mistake, please let me know.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Patterns and Instructions

Tagged , ,

Help, My Granny Square Is Leaning to the Right!

Posted on March 21, 2012 | Leave a comment

THE PROBLEM – GRANNY SQUARE “LEANS TO THE RIGHT”

I received a comment the other day on my post about the granny square blanket I crocheted for a friend’s one-year-old son.

The comment was from Brenda, the co-moderator along with Joan, of the popular Yahoo Group,  Angel Wings Crocheting. Joan was having problems crocheting a granny square afghan, explaining that the granny square “leans to the right.” She asked me to help her figure out why, and I agreed.

Joan sent me a link to the YouTube video and a photo of her afghan. The photo below shows how the center section of the afghan is “learning to the right” or “tilted.” The problem seems to correct itself the wider the afghan gets, but it’s really obvious as you move toward the center.

A granny square that "leans to the right." Photo used by permission.

As the photo shows, the upper right-hand corner dips down, “tilts,” or “leans to the right.”

HOW TO CROCHET A GRANNY SQUARE

I watched the YouTube video Joan sent and thought I knew what the problem was. But in order to see if I was right, I decided to crochet a granny square, more or less following the YouTube video (I changed how I end and begin each row), to see if I could make my granny square “lean to the right.”

The instructions I used to crochet a four-round granny square are provided below.

To start my granny squares (or crocheting anything in the round), I prefer what’s called the magic adjustable ring or magic circle method  because it creates a less bulky first round; you’re crocheting over two strands of yarn instead of chain stitches.

The following crochet abbreviations (US terminology) are used in the pattern:

  • chain (ch)
  • double crochet (dc)
  • round (rnd)
  • slip stitch (sl st)
  • stitch(es) (st(s)).

And I’m assuming you know how to read a crochet pattern.

Granny Square Written Instructions

Make a magic ring (or ch 4 and sl st to 1st ch)
Rnd 1:  Ch 3 (serves as 1st dc), 2 dc inside the ring, [ch 2, 3 dc] 3 more times, ch 2, sl st to top of the beginning ch-3. You should have four 3-dc groups in the ring, each one separated by a ch 2 (do not turn at end of rounds).

Rnd 2:  Sl st to the first ch-2 space, (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in the ch-2 space (one corner made), [ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 sp] 3 more times, ch 1, sl st to top of beginning ch-3.

Rnd 3: Sl st to first ch-2 corner, (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in the ch-2 corner space, [ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 space, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 corner space] 3 more times, ending with ch 1, 3 dc in last ch-1 space, ch 1, sl st to the top of beginning ch 3.

Rnd 4: Sl st to first ch-2 corner, (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3dc) in the ch-2 corner space, [ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 space, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 space, ch 1 (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 corner space] 3 more times, ending with [ch 1, 3 dc ] 2 more times, ch 1, sl st to the top of beginning ch 3.

**Note: I found several errors in the instructions since I first wrote them (what happens when you try to edit you own work). I believe I’ve corrected them all, but if you try the pattern and find more errors, please let me know.  Thanks in advance!

Granny Square Symbol Chart Instructions

If the written instructions are confusing, I’ve tried my inexperienced hand at creating a symbol chart diagram which I hope will give you a better idea of how to crochet this granny square.

Granny Square Symbol Chart

I know this is a lousy photo, but my printer died, and I have to take photos with my unsophisticated camera of stuff I would normally scan.  This granny square isn’t that square, but I hope it’s clear enough to use along with the written instructions.

And if you have never seen a symbol chart before, Craftyminx has an excellent lesson on how to read crochet symbol charts. Just note that she ends each round of her granny square in order to attach a new color to complete the next round.

MY “ON-PURPOISE” MISTAKES

Granny square leans, but to the left!.

I crocheted the above granny square by forgetting to do some ch-1′s  between a few 3-dc groups on the top and bottom sides of the granny square. In effect, I’ve created two sides that are shorter than the left and right sides, and this is what’s causing the lean. But as you can see, this granny square is leaning to the LEFT (upper left corner dips down), so I haven’t really duplicated the problem.

Something else that I thought  might be causing a lean is that some granny square patterns have you crochet a ch-2 between the 3-dc groups along the sides of the granny square. I find that this makes for a wobbly, loose granny square. The only time I chain 2 is at the corners because you’re fitting six dc stitches in the corner space but only three dc stitches along the sides, in the ch-1 spaces. So you really don’t need to ch-2  on the sides because the three dc stitches don’t need all that room, and doing so might cause the granny square to lean one way or the other.

It could also be that the crocheter is being inconsistent with those ch-1 and ch-2 stitches, doing some ch-1’s in the corner space and some ch-2’s along the side. Or perhaps her tension is too tight (can you tell I’m guessing at this point?).

If all else fails, there’s “finger blocking” which is a matter of tugging on the corners where the square is leaning the most.

THE REAL SOLUTION

To make a long  story short, none of the above solutions helped Joan fix the problem. In fact, she discovered a solution on her own. She found a set of videos on how to crochet a  traditional granny square that instructs you to turn at the end of each round.  A simple solution, indeed.

Turning the granny square at the end of each round eliminatred the lean. Photo used by permission.

Joan crocheted the lovely “baby girl” granny square afghan above, using the “turn your work” method. As you can see, the exaggerated lean to the right has been eliminated.

The video  below is the first of the five that she watched to learn this method. View it on YouTube to see the other four videos in the set.

Two good things came out of this assignment: (1) Joan found a solution to her problem (Yeah!) and (2) as a result of all the research I had to do, I was inspired to write an article about the various ways one can end and begin granny square rounds. 

Thanks to Joan for providing the photos of her afghans so that I could show the “before” and “after” afghans and also because I’ve had the hardest time trying to use words to explain what was going on.

UPDATE; 4-5-12 – SOURCE OF “THE LEAN”

A member of the Crochet Guild of American (CGOA} Member Yahoo Group reported having the same problem as Joan. Another member, Amanda Pace,  gave an excellent explanation of why the “tilting” or “leaning” occurs.

It has to do with the fact that crochet stitches don’t stand perfectly upright. There’s a little lean to them which gets accentuated when you crochet in the round (the lean is in the opposite direction for left-handed crocheters.).  Furthermore, crochet stitches don’t exactly stack one on top of the other like they do in knitting, so that causes even more “lean.”

This is why the “turn your work” method works well; the stitches on one row will lean in the opposite direction of the stitches on the preceding and following rows, cancelling out the lean.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Patterns and Instructions

Tagged , , , ,

Hooking for Cash – 10 Ways to Make Money with Your Crochet Blog

Posted on March 12, 2012 | Leave a comment

Hooking for Cash: 10 Ways to Make Money with Your Crochet Blog

If you’re like me, you’re probably looking for ways to make money from your crochet blog. After all, what better way to bring in some extra dollars than by doing what you love?

Many of you may already have a link on your blog to your Etsy shop where you sell physical products and/or patterns. Or you may be taking advantage of ad networks like Google Adsense and displaying ads on your blog.

However, there are many other ways to monetize your crochet blog, and Sara Duggin, aka Mom with a Hook   reveals 10 of them in her new ebook, Hooking for Cash: 10 Ways to Make Money With Your Crochet Blog.

In addition to exploring such monetization strategies as selling information products, accepting paid advertising, and creating membership sites, Sara discusses the importance of using keyword research, article marketing, and on-page search engine optimization (SEO) of your blog’s content as part of your overall money-making plan. Implementing these SEO strategies ensures that your blog gets the traffic it will need in order for your monetization efforts to bear fruit.

One feature of Hooking for Cash I especially enjoyed was reading about the experiences of four crochet bloggers who have implemented many of the strategies Sara discusses in her ebook and have begun earning money with their crochet blogs.

Finally, the resource section is chock full of information and, by itself, is worth the price of the ebook. I am especially grateful for the three-page list of crochet designers and companies who have given permission to crocheters to use their patterns to create items for sale. So you don’t necessarily have to be a crochet designer to start earning money from the items you crochet, thanks to these generous individuals and companies. You have a ready-made source of patterns to help you get started.

Every crochet blogger serious about making money from their blogging efforts should have a copy of Hooking for Cash in their crochet reference library. Click here to get your copy today.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Blogging and Blog Monetization

Tagged , , , ,

Baby Beanie Breastfeeding Cap – Free Crochet Pattern

Posted on March 8, 2012 | 3 Comments

I was shocked to hear that, in this day and age, there are still states in this country that do not protect a mother’s right to breastfeed her baby in public. And while most states do have laws on the books, few actually enforce them with punitive sanctions, which means women, like Nirvana Jeannette, are often harassed or otherwise discriminated against for doing what comes naturally.

To bring awareness to this issue, Teresa Richardson, aka the Crochet Geek, created a video with instructions on how to crochet the Baby Beanie Breastfeeding Cap.

A photo of this cap has been making its rounds on the social media sites, and when I first saw it on Facebook, I wondered if there was a pattern for it. The answer is a resounding “Yes!”

In addition to the video instructions, Ms. Richardson provides a PDF copy of the instructions at her website.

As you can see, the beanie simulates a naked breast, and even though the colors used in this pattern are pink and white, other colors can be selected to match the skin color of the breastfeeding mom.

The size of the beanie can also be adjusted to fit securely on the baby’s head, or, for the more discreet breastfeeder, a little larger, to cover the baby’s suckling mouth.

Why not combine the celebration of Women’s History Month, International Women’s Day (March 8), and National Craft Month and make a statement by crocheting one of these Baby Beanie Breastfeeding Caps?

→ 3 Comments

Posted in Current Affairs, Patterns and Instructions

Tagged , , ,