Attention Quilters: Am I Ready?

As you can see from the above photo, there is no reason why I can’t start making a quilt top. I want to. I really do. I have the supplies I need to get started.

Plenty of books.

Well, you ask, what’s stopping me? I guess, my 10 fingers. And the thought of going through life minus a few of them.

I have a confession. I AM AFRAID OF MY ROTARY CUTTER. Cutters, actually, since I have several. Just looking at them makes me break out in a sweat.

The one still in the packaging, unopened, was THE best, most expensive one I could find. Now I find out from someone who has one, it isn’t. Something about slippage and not cutting through the fabric cleanly. Then what the heck good is it!! I guess the best no longer means anything.

A friend told me about a glove with stainless steel threads. The kind used by fishermen. It may be cumbersome at first but at least I should feel safe. So… once I have one, I’ll get started.

Winners of Crochet Book & Squares

Congratulations to Sandy, Lakshmi and Arleen.

Comments were selected in this order using random.org.

1. #8
2. #2
3. #13

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Sandy (comment #8) wins the book, 101 Crochet Squares, by Jean Leinhauser. Plus she wins Square 3. Hope you make all 101 squares as I did.

On March 9, 2010 at 11:45 pm sandy Said:
I like number 3. I would try and make more for a blanket or throw.

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Lakshmi (comment #2) wins one crochet square.

On March 9, 2010 at 11:22 am Lakshmi Sadala Said:
Hi Donna, my favourite is no9..my favourite colours..
if I win this square probably use in one of my embroidery projects..

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Arleen (comment #13) wins one crochet square.

On March 14, 2010 at 7:09 pm Arleen Said:
I like #16. I would like to make an afghan of squares for my sister. She enjoys my crochet projects.

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Have fun creating something pretty with your squares. I hope you will come back and post a picture here for us all to see.

Thank you everyone for posting a comment. I enjoyed reading each one and visualizing what you planned to make.

Sandy, Lakshmi, Arleen… go check your e-mail. Have fun!!

Project 101 Photo Gallery

Here are photos of my completed crochet squares made from the book, 101 Crochet Squares, by Jean Leinhauser.

Squares are numbered as they appear in the book. Click on each photo to enlarge.

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20 21

22 23 24

25 26 27

28 29 30

31 32 33

34 35 36

37 38 39

40 41 42

43 44 45

46 47 48

49 50 51

52 53 54

55 56 57

58 59 60

61 62 63

64 65 66

67 68 69

70 71 72

73 74 75

76 77 78

79 80 81

82 83 84

85 86 87

88 89 90

91 92 93

94 95 96

97 98 99

100 101

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Go here to read my blog entries about each square.

http://thisyearsdozen.wordpress.com/category/crochet/project-101/

More Squares… Scallops, Flag and FP/BP

Why did I wait until now to do these!! I love each one!!

Square 20 – Scallops

• dusty purple, dusty green & cream
• hook G
• measures 8″

I was smiling the whole time making this square. Every round produced something incredible. I wanted to immediately stop and make a necklace or broach or flower.

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Square 48 – Flag

• lime (pea green)
• hook G
• measures 6″

Could also be used as a corner square for an afghan. I like it. I see potential for it.

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Square 12 – Petite

• lime (pea green), purple & cream
• hook G
• measures 3 1/2″
• puff stitch

Cute, petite. I can see this making something pretty. Though for an afghan, you would need hundreds!!

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Square 13 – FP/BP

• navy, rouge & white
• hook G
• measures 6 3/4″
• Front post/Back post double crochet

I LOVE THIS SQUARE!!!  I LOVE THIS SQUARE!!! I LOVE THIS SQUARE!!!

Here’s the Back Post Double Crochet stitches being made. (BPdc)

Front Post stitches are in the center. (FPdc)

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Patterns can be found in the book, 101 Crochet Squares by Jean Leinhauser.

72 squares completed.

Hey Look!! It’s Square 77…

If you saw my 1st attempt for Square 77, then you know the next step was ripping out the stitches.

After several nights rest, I started over. Ready to tackle it again. But it still didn’t come out right. By this time, I was mad. Mad with myself for not being able to figure out the stupid directions.

Tried again. 3rd time… Instead of looking at the pattern directions, I focused only on the photo in the book.

Finally….

I figured out what to do. What I was doing wrong and where I was making my mistake. I still think the directions are either wrong or unclear.

If you make this square, the Chain 10′s mentioned in Round 2 are NOT the very beginning starting chains. It is referring to the Chain 9′s created in Round 1, the loops made to form the center circle. You go in between these to create the 2nd set of loops.

I wasn’t too fond of this square anyway but had to make it since I am making all 101 squares. I made a couple changes. I stitched around the center circle with single crochet stitches and added an extra single crochet row around the edges. Hubby said mine looks better than the one in the book.

Whew!! Now I can move on. So glad I didn’t have to admit defeat and look like an idiot.

6 Jeweltone Squares: Puffs & Popcorns

Working my way through the puffs and the popcorns.

Well, actually, me and the popcorns are still getting acquainted. They are growing on me. I am liking them much better. Though I wish they would stay in place and not try to turn as I am making them.

I purposely went through the book (101 Crochet Squares by Jean Leinhauser) and picked out the squares with puffs and popcorn stitches. Wanted to get as many of them out of the way as possible.

Here are six of them. I am calling them the Jeweltone Squares because of the bright colors.

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Square 27

• honey
• hook G
• measures 6 3/4″
• popcorn stitch

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Square 41

• magenta (fuchsia)
• hook G
• measures 6 3/4″
• puff stitch

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Square 43

• rouge (looks red but color is a burnt peach)
• hook G
• measures 8 3/4″ by 9 1/4″ (made up huge)
• popcorn stitch

This one took FOREVER!! And it was weird working from the front with the actual design developing on the backside. Made changes to Round 6, added extra dc’s for a fuller look. Nice design the popcorns make.

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Square 55

• dusty green
• hook G
• measures 8 1/4″
• picot stitches in the inside corners
• worked in the round

Another challenge. Another square not starting off with a ring. It took awhile for the design to come together. I was skeptical the whole time and went slowly. But I think it came out beautifully!! Probably won’t make it again though.

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Square 56

• purple
• hook G
• measures 8 3/4″ by 8 1/2″
• popcorn and cluster stitches

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Square 80

• navy
• hook G
• measures 6 3/4″
• popcorn stitch

Did not like making this one at all!! It flopped around in my hands, had no control. And seemed like I was on the wrong side the whole time. Came out pretty but won’t make again. The 4 popcorns are hard to see. In the middle around the circle.

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Well, that’s it for now. 66 squares done. BTW, my book is starting to fall apart. I have tape on just about every page. Hmmm. May be buying this book again after I finish.

Square 77… What the… ??????

Uh, oh!! Looks like my Project 101 just became Project 100.

With no instructions on WHERE inside this puzzle to go, this is what I ended up with for Square 77. And I followed the pattern to the letter!!

I can clearly see the design developing. Half the stitches are where they are supposed to be. Just don’t see how to fix the bottom half.

There is a middle circle in there somewhere. Just have to find it. Back to the drawing board. Rip it!!

9 More Crochet Squares Finished=60

I am moving right along. Addicted to making crochet squares. I may just finish with all 101 sooner than I thought.

The squares I bypassed when I first started aren’t that bad. The book gives clear instructions on how to make the special stitches. Such as popcorn, puff, back/front post, double triple crochet, clusters. All of these were new to me.

As to the new stitches, I like clusters best.

If you saw my last post, then you know popcorn stitches are not very high up on my likable list. But I guess, as with anything new, they have to grow on you.

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Here are my latest squares.

Square 2

• dusty blue, lime & olive
• hook G
• measures 7 1/4″
• stitches: FPsc (front post single crochet) & dtrc
• added extra sc row around edges

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Square 28 – Christmas

• forest green, cranberry & mustard
• hook G
• measures 7″
• cluster stitch

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Square 29

• mustard
• hook G
• measures 8″
• cluster stitch

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Square 38 – Yuck!!

• dusty blue, lime & olive
• hook G
• measures 6 1/2″

Spent an hour trying to get this one right. Here’s THE END LOOK per the book. Looks unfinished to me.

So.. I ripped out the last row and added a row of double crochet. Made some changes to the “corners”. Looks OK now but won’t make this one again.

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Square 39

• forest green, mustard & white
• hook G
• measures 5 3/4″
• puff stitch

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Square 44

• dusty blue, lime & olive
• hook G
• measures 5 3/4″
• grill design

One of the few squares not to start with a ring. Nice change of pace and I learned something new. Looks like a game board.  I like it, will make again.

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Square 74 – My 1st Popcorn stitch

• dusty blue, lime & olive
• hook G
• measures 6 1/4″
• popcorn stitch

Verdict is still out on popcorn stitches. These were my first. I wasn’t happy with the result so I made a second square. It came out a bit better.

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Square 90

• navy, lt blue & white
• hook G
• measures 6 1/2″
• cluster stitch (my favorite)

I got a bit confused when starting off.  At the end of Round 1, it said to “turn” but I ended up with Round 2 stitches facing the wrong way. Ripped them out and restarted. So, if you make this square, watch for that.

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Square 99 – Bear

• brown cotton AND brown acrylic, cream
• hook G
• measures 5 3/4″

This square has a bit of history. The face was made May 2009 when I was just beginning this project. I made it into little girl’s purse instead.  Circling back to it now, I used acrylic yarn to finish. Face was made with cotton. I still have the eyes and mouth to do.  Cute, but doubt will make again.

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Now, I move into TOUGHER TERRITORY. Some of the ones left seem complicated. I will give a shout out if I need help.

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Squares are being made from patterns in the book, 101 Crochet Squares by Jean Leinhauser.

No Love For The Popcorn Stitch

Don’t know about you but I am not loving the Popcorn Crochet Stitch. It reminds me of “the girls”. A pair of ta-ta’s.

I just learned how to make them yesterday. Following the instructions in my crochet book, 101 Crochet Squares by Jean Leinhauser. They are easy to make, I just don’t like how they look. Thinking I might be doing them incorrectly, I checked YouTube for videos. Found 3, all with different ways to end the stitch. All started off the same with 5 dc’s, remove hook, go into the 1st dc to pull the stitch closed. I tried all 3 ways with the same result. They seem to collapse, spread out at the bottom. And they look like they are on the wrong side.

Oh well, what a big disappointment. I waited until I had over 50 squares under my belt before trying it and it’s no big deal after all.

Don’t think I will be using this stitch much after finishing my project, Project 101.

How do you close off the top of a popcorn stitch? Chain stitch or single crochet?

Zig Zag, BABY & Giant Flowers: New Crochet Squares

I am happy to report, I have completed 43 squares from my Project 101. 58 to go!!

Here’s the latest. No color explosion this time. I am all over the color map. Trying to mix things up and use some of my yarn just sitting.

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Square 89 – Zig Zag

This looked interesting so thought I would try it. Yuck!! The square is all single crochet. Took forever. And placing the zig zags to zig zag just so also took forever. Even with a guide from the book, I still ended up redoing the zags about as often as the zigs.

Will I make this square again? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

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Square 19 – BABY

Have you tried the new BABY yarn line from Lion Brand, Vanna’s Choice? Very pretty colors. This pink is called Pink Poodle.

Cute, petite. I would make it again.

In fact, I DID make it again.

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Square 69

Looking for a quick and easy square to make? This is it. Kinda plain. Kinda dull. But it’s in the book. So had to make it. I added an extra single crochet row around the edges.

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Square 17 – Love it!!

Love this flower!! It came out perfect. Will definitely make this square and flower again. There are 3 layers of petals. And pattern uses Back Post Single Crochet stitches. They are easy. Just have to determine which stitch they go around.

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Square 32 – Another Uh, Oh Moment

Switched to earthtone colors for this one. Used cream, toffee and espresso dark brown. Espresso almost looks black.

Starts off with this flower.

Round 8. Uh, Oh!! Not again!! I am making a square. Not a CIRCLE!!

Still smarting from the flying saucer, I was hesitant to go past Round 8. BUT.. I rechecked all the steps and was pretty certain I hadn’t missed, messed up or skipped anything. Kept going.

Whew!!

I added an extra round of double crochet stitches before the final single crochet row.

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Squares are being made from patterns in the book, 101 Crochet Squares by Jean Leinhauser.

Yarn used for the above squares:

• Lion Brand, Vanna’s Choice
• Loops & Threads, Impeccable
• Red Heart Soft Yarn

Hook G for all.