Crochet Blanket Square – Steampunk Cyanide
If your crochet blanket square smells like almonds…run.
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Moogly Afghan CAL
I designed this crochet blanket square for the Moogly 2021 afghan CAL. In fact, it’s the last pattern of this year’s CAL! If you haven’t been crocheting along, go check out all the other squares. There are 24 in total, enough to make a beautiful blanket.
Be sure to take a look at the block 24 post to see how Moogly’s version of this square turned out.
Red Heart With Love Yarn
Yarnspirations was kind enough to send me the Red Heart With Love yarn for free for this design. I love how soft this yarn is to work with! I went for fun jewel tones, with a neutral shade to tie them together. My color choices were Boysenberry, Jadeite, and Tan.
Working into the Third Loop of HDC
In round 15 of this pattern, the stitches are largely worked into the 3rd loop of half double crochets. This third loop is from the yarn over and is hidden behind the top of the stitch.
Working into this loop does 2 things. It pushes the top of the stitch forward, creating a decorative, raised ridge. It also leaves those top loops exposed, so you can work into them later!
For a more detailed look, check out this third loop tutorial.
To Carry or Cut
I did not specify in the pattern whether to carry your yarns as you change colors, or to cut them with each color change. Either way is fine, and what you choose will depend on your tolerance for carried yarns showing along the back of your work or creating a bulky ridge.
On my blanket square, I did a combination of the two. Where the colors changed back and forth with every round, I carried them. Where there was a gap of more than a few rounds, I cut them and joined again later.
Materials
- Yarn: Red Heart With Love Yarn (100% acrylic, 370 yds / 198 g per skein). 60 yds each of:
- 1652 Jadeite (A)
- 1308 Tan (B)
- 1907 Boysenberry (C)
- Hook: Size J / 6 mm hook or size needed to match gauge
- Notions: Tapestry Needle
Project Level
Complex: Puff stitches, front post stitches, working into the third loop of hdc, working into rows below, changing colors.
Size
12 inch square
Gauge
13 dc x 8 rows = 4 inches after blocking.
Use pattern as gauge swatch – after rnd 8, work should measure about 5 inches in diameter.
Abbreviations used
blo = back loop only
ch = chain
csdc = chainless starting double crochet (see Special Stitches)
dc = double crochet
NV = nested V stitch (see Special Stitches)
puff = puff stitch (see Special Stitches)
rnd = round
RS = right side
sc = single crochet
sk = skip
sl st = slip stitch
st(s) = stich(es)
tr = treble crochet
WS = wrong side
yo = yarn over
Special Stitches
Chainless Starting Double Crochet (csdc)
Pull working loop up to the height of a dc. Hold the loop in place, and in a counterclockwise motion, twist your hook around the loop, creating a “yarn over”. Holding both loops in place, insert your hook into the specified stitch, yo and pull up a loop.
(YO and pull through 2 loops on your hook) twice, just as you would finish a normal double crochet. For a more detailed look, see this csdc tutorial.
If you prefer, you can replace the csdc wherever it appears with a chain 3, or with stacked single crochets.
Puff
(Yo, insert hook into indicated st, yo and pull up a loop to the height of the working row) 5 times, yo and pull through all 11 loops on hook, ch 1 to close.
When working into a puff stitch, work into the closing chain. For a more detailed look, see this puff stitch tutorial.
Nested V (NV)
Behind the indicated ch-1 sp, there is a skipped chain (ch-3 or ch-1) from the row below. Pull that chain forward, through the ch-1 sp so that it is at the front of your work. Working into that ch sp from the row below, dc, ch 1, dc.
If you’re following the colors per the pattern, the NV stitches will always be worked into chain spaces of the same color that you are currently working with. In the stitch counts, the NV counts as 2 dc stitches and a ch-1 sp.
Instructions
See the full video tutorial here.
Center Bearings
All rounds are worked on the RS, do not turn your work. Join rnds as indicated with a sl st in the first st of the rnd. To change colors after a join or other sl st, use the new color to complete the sl st. See this changing colors tutorial for more details.
With color A, ch 2 or make a magic loop.
Rnd 1: 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook or in magic loop, do not join. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in blo of each st around, join and change to color B. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: With B, ch 2, puff in first sc, ch 3, sk next sc, [puff in next sc, ch 3, sk next sc] 5 times, join with sl st in top of first puff and change to color A. (6 puffs, 6 ch-3 sps)
Main Gear
When working a stitch into a row below, always work in front of any sts or chains that are above it, unless otherwise specified.
Rnd 4: With A, ch 1, sc in first puff, (dc, ch 1, dc) in the skipped st below the next ch-3 sp, [sc in next puff, (dc, ch 1, dc) in the skipped st below the next ch-3 sp] 5 times, join and change to color B. (6 sc, 12 dc, 6 ch-1 sps).
Rnd 5: With B, ch 1, sc in first sc, ch 1, sk next dc, NV in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, [sc in next sc, ch 1, sk next dc, NV in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc] 5 times, join and change to color A. (6 sc, 12 dc, 18 ch-1 sps).
Rnd 6: With A, ch 1, sc in first sc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, NV in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, [sc in next sc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, NV in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp] 5 times, join and change to color B. (6 sc, 12 fpdc, 12 dc, 18 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 7: With B, ch 1, 3 sc in first sc, sk next fpdc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, NV in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, sk next fpdc, [3 sc in next sc, sk next fpdc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, NV in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, sk next dc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, sk next fpdc] 5 times, join and change to color A. (18 sc, 12 fpdc, 12 dc, 18 ch-1 sps)
Rnd 8: With A, ch 1, 2 sc in each of first 3 sc, sk next fpdc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, sk next dc, 3 sc in next ch-1 sp, sk next dc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, sk next fpdc, [2 sc in each of next 3 sc, sk next fpdc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, sk next dc, 3 sc in next ch-1 sp, sk next dc, fpdc around the skipped dc below the next ch-1 sp, sk next fpdc] 5 times, join with sl st in blo of first st, and change to color B. (54 sc, 12 fpdc)
Cyanide Bath
Rnd 9: With B, ch 1, sc in blo of each of first 8 sts, 2 sc in blo of next st, (sc in blo of next 10 sts, 2 sc in blo of next st) 5 times, sc in blo of last 2 sts, join and change to color C. (72 sc)
Rnd 10: With C, ch 2, puff in first sc, ch 5, sk next 3 sc, [puff in next sc, ch 5, sk next 3 sc) 17 times, join and change to color B. (18 puffs, 18 ch-5 sps)
In rnd 11, when working into the row below, work around the chains so that they are completely hidden within the dc stitches.
Rnd 11: With B, sc in first puff, working around the chains, 3 dc into the 2nd (center) skipped stitch below the next ch-5 sp, [sc in next puff, working around the chains, 3 dc into the 2nd skipped stitch below the next ch-5 sp] 17 times, join. (18 sc, 54 dc)
Shape Changing Section
Rnd 12: With B, csdc in first sc, [ch 3, sk next dc, dc in each of next 3 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, sc in each of next 5 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, dc in each of next 3 sts] 3 times, ch 3, sk next dc, dc in each of next 3 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, sc in each of next 5 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, dc in each of last 2 sts, join and change to color C. (24 dc, 24 hdc, 20 sc, 4 ch-3 sps)
In rnd 13, when working into the row below, work around the chains so that they are completely hidden within the tr stitches.
Rnd 13: With C, csdc in first dc, [working around the chain, (2 tr, ch 1, 2 tr) in the skipped dc below the next ch-3 sp, dc in next st, hdc in each of next 3 sts, sc in each of next 9 sts, hdc in each of next 3 sts, dc in next st] 3 times, working around the chain, (2 tr, ch 1, 2 tr) in the skipped dc below the next ch-3 sp, dc in next st, hdc in each of next 3 sts, sc in each of next 9 sts, hdc in each of last 3 sts, join, sl st in each of the next 2 sts of this rnd, sl st in first ch-1 sp of this rnd and change to color A. (16 tr, 8 dc, 24 hdc, 36 sc, 4 ch-1 sps)
Containment Area
Inner retaining wall
Rnd 14: With A, ch-1, (hdc, ch 1, 2 hdc) in first ch-1 sp, [hdc in each st across to next ch-1 sp, (2 hdc, ch 1, 2 hdc) in next ch-1 sp] 3 times, hdc in each remaining st, hdc in same sp as first st of rnd, join, sl st in first ch-2 sp and change to color C. (100 hdc, 4 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 15: With C, ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in first ch-1 sp, [sc in third loop of each st across to next ch-1 sp, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-1 sp] 3 times, sc in third loop of each remaining st, join, sl st in first ch-2 sp and change to color B. (108 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)
Support posts
Working in the third loops leaves the top 2 loops of each stitch exposed. Use these loops in rnd 16 and 17, when working into the rnd(s) below.
Rnd 16: With B, ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in first ch-2 sp, {sc in each of next 3 sts, [dc in the st 1 row below the next st, sc in each of the next 3 sts] 6 times, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp} 3 times, sc in each of next 3 sts, dc in the st 1 row below the next st, sc in each of the next 3 sts] 6 times, join, sl st in first ch-2 sp and change to C. (92 sc, 24 dc, 4 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 17: With C, ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in first ch-2 sp, {sc in each of the next 6 sts, tr in the st 2 rows below the next st, [sc in each of next 3 sts, tr in the st 2 rows below the next st] 4 times, sc in each of the next 6 sts, (sc, ch 2, sc) in the next ch-2 sp} 3 times, sc in each of the next 6 sts, tr in the st 2 rows below the next st, [sc in each of next 3 sts, tr in the st 2 rows below the next st] 4 times, sc in each of the last 6 sts, join, sl st in first ch-2 sp and change to B. (104 sc, 20 tr, 4 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 18: With B, ch 1 (sc, ch 2, sc) in first ch-2 sp, {sc in each of next 5 sts, fpdc around the dc 2 rows below the next st, [sc in each of next 3 sts, fpdc around the dc 2 rows below the next st] 5 times, sc in each of the next 5 sts, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-2 sp} 3 times, sc in each of next 5 sts, fpdc around the dc 2 rows below the next st, [sc in each of next 3 sts, fpdc around the dc 2 rows below the next st] 5 times, sc in each of the next 5 sts, join, sl st in first ch-2 sp and change to A. (108 sc, 24 fpdc, 4 ch-2 sps)
Outer Perimeter
Rnd 19: With A, (csdc, ch 1, 2 dc) in first ch-2 sp, [dc in each st across to next ch-2 sp, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch-2 sp] 3 times, dc in each remaining st, dc in same ch-2 sp as beginning of rnd, join, sl st in first ch-2 sp and change to B. (148 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)
Rnd 20: With B, ch 1, (sc, ch 2, sc) in first ch-1 sp, sc in each st across to next ch-1 sp, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch-1 sp] 3 times, sc in each remaining st, sc in same ch-1 sp as beginning of rnd, join, fasten off. (156 sc, 4 ch-2 sps).
Weave in all ends. Wash and block.
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