Margaret Hubert - 10 Granny Squares 30 Blankets: Color Schemes, Layouts, and Edge Finishes for 30 Unique Looks

10 GRANNY SQUARES

Color Schemes, Layouts, and Edge Finishes for 30 Unique Looks

It really takes a village to get a book from the initial idea to completion, and this book was a particularly challenging one to do.

I would like to thank Lion Brand Yarn Company, Cascade Yarns, Coats and Clark, Plymouth Yarn Company, Spinrite Yarns, and Universal Yarns for donating all the yarn used in completing these blankets. Without their support, my job would be much more difficult.

A huge thank you to Nancy Smith, Paula Alexander, Jeannine Buehler, Adrienne Cooper, Carol Dalrymple, Theresa DeLaBarrera, Grace Gardiner-Aquila, Andrea Giattini, Cathie Nolan, Deb Seda-Testut, Dee Stanziano, and Sharon Valencia, the small army of crocheters who helped me in making all the blankets.

Special thanks to Karen Manthey for her extraordinary technical editing and stitch symbol diagrams.

Last, but never least, thank you to Linda Neubauer, my editor, my friend, for guiding me through these many books, and for encouraging me to stretch my mind to embrace new technology; its a joy working with you.

I n the early 2000s I had an idea about bringing the granny square out of the 1970s, updating it, and creating new and interesting projects with all the new and fabulous yarns that we have today. I was full of enthusiasm for my idea and worked hard on a proposal, only to have it rejected as pass. I filed away the proposal and went on to other things. I met Creative Publishing international and after doing about ten books for them, my editor asked if I had any new ideas. I answered, very tongue in cheek, Im out of ideas, unless you want a ten-year-old proposal that has already been rejected once. Linda Neubauer replied, Let me see it, and The Granny Square Book was born. The book has been very successful, thanks to CPi for believing in my idea and turning it into such a beautiful book; and to all of you, my faithful readers. Not long afterward, a second book, Granny Square Flowers, bloomed. Its hard to believe, but crocheters love of the granny square has survived and continues to thrive.

Granny square blankets are a perennial favorite. They can be crocheted to fit any dcor, and they make heartwarming gifts. In this book Ill show you how any single square can be used to crochet several blankets with totally different looks. Changing color schemes, yarn types, and arrangements of the squares are only the beginning. Distinctive borders and edge finishes multiply the possibilities. A wide range of yarns and fibers have been used for the blankets, which demonstrates how wonderfully versatile the granny square can be. For every blanket, the specific brands and colors are listed in case you want to make your blanket exactly like mine. I have used everything from baby weight to bulky yarns to create really interesting looks.

Getting the exact gauge is not absolutely necessary for a blanket, and you can change yarn weight and hooks to create your own look; just be aware that the finished size of each blanket will be different if you make these changes, and you may also need different amounts of yarn.

I hope that you enjoy this book and have fun adding your own special touches to make each blanket your own.

SQUARE ONE

FERRIS WHEEL

Skill Level: Beginner

Made with 1 color.

Ch 8, join with a Sl st to form a ring.

RND 1: Ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), 15 dc in ring, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

RND 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc, ch 2), (1 dc, ch 2) in each dc around, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-516 ch-2 sps.

RND 3: Sl st in first ch-2 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 1, (3 dc, ch 1) in each ch-2 sp around, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-316 ch-1 sps.

RND 4: Sl st to first ch-1 sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, *(ch 3, 1 sc) in each of next 3 sps, ch 6**, 1 sc in next sp, rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in first sc12 ch-3 sps, 4 ch-6 sps.

RND 5: Sl st in first ch-3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, 3 dc in each of next 2 ch-3 sps, *(5 dc, ch 3, 5 dc) in next ch-6 sp**, 3 dc in each of next 3 ch-3 sps, rep from * twice, rep from * to ** once, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-376 dc, 4 ch-3 sps.

RND 6: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner, (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc) in next ch-2 sp, rep from * around, 1 dc in each dc to end, join with a Sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch-382 dc, 4 ch-3 sps.

Fasten off.

Have fun creating stripes and polka dots and mixing up colors to create this fun, lively blanket. Yarn is 100 percent washable wool, making it warm, cozy, and easy to care for.

Yarn:

Cascade 220 superwash, 100% washable wool, 3.5 oz (100 g), 220 yd (200 m): 5 skeins #887 Wasabi (A), 3 skeins #825 Orange (B), and 3 skeins #901 Cotton Candy (C)

Hook: H-8 (5 mm)

Gauge: 1 square = 5" 5" (12.5 12.5 cm)

Finished Size: Approximately 40" 46" (101.5 117 cm)

Skill Level: Beginner

SQUARES

Make 35 Ferris Wheel squares in the following color sequences.

Solid squares: Make 7 using A, and 7 using C.

Bicolor squares: Make 10 using C for Rnds 1, 2, and 3, and A for Rnds 4, 5, and 6. Make 11 using B for Rnds 1, 2, and 3, and A for Rnds 4, 5, and 6.

ASSEMBLY

Sew squares into 5 strips, using whipstitch seam (see ), following the Assembly Diagram. Dont sew the strips together yet.

ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM

Color Key

	= Wasabi