We meet on the third Thursday of the month at Thame Town Hall
Crochet Along Block 4
Well here we are, one third the way through our year long journey and hopefully everyone is finding the blocks interesting and inspiring. It's certainly lovely to see so many Belles coming every other week to share progress and tips, and especially lovely to see more experienced members giving new starters help. Warms the heart! This month's block uses front post stitches on each side the create verticle ridges running up the block and makes the block reversible (very useful when joining, you can pick the neater side!). Don't forget to read our tricks and tips and this one is a bit tricky to start but once you've got the rythm of the stitches it goes along easily.
PLEASE NOTE, ALL PATTERNS ARE IN US TERMINOLOGY,
CLICK HERE FOR CONVERSION GUIDE.
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Hook
H/8 - 5.00MM, or size needed to obtain 9"x 9" square
Yarn
Colours A and B
Stitch
st: stitch
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
fhdc: foundation half double crochet
fpdc: front-post double crochet
CONSTRUCTION
Row 1: Working in Colour A, ch 37, hdc in third stitch from hook and each ch across OR 35 fhdc; 35 stitches
Row 2: ch 1 (does not count here and throughout), turn, sc, fpdc, [sc 3, fpdc], repeat within [] 8 times, sc; 35 stitches
Row 3: ch 1, turn, [sc 3, fpdc], repeat within [] 8 times, sc 3; 35 stitches
Rows 4 - 48: repeat Rows 2-3 each FPDC should be stitched into the FPDC two rows below, (see tips and tricks below) 35 stitches each row
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. Fasten off, and weave in ends.
Repeat with Colour B for a second, separate square.
Tips and Tricks
It seems an obvious tip, but read the pattern all the way through so you can get an undertanding for the mechanism of the ridges. Rows 2 and 3 set up your 'anchors' to create your ridges using the FPDCs in to the rows 1 and 2 respectively. When you get onto row 4, you do your FPDC into the previous FPDC of row two, then row 5 into row 3 and so on.
As with our very first block, this one has a tendency for the last stitch of each row to get a bit hidden when you try to work that last sc into it, so keep an eye on that. Putting a stitch marker in can help if you're really struggling to find it. If you're feeling unsure, do a stitch count every now and then to make sure.
You may also find, as with block one, that you get to a 9in square before you get to 48 rows or you may find it's still not big enough so you need to add more rows. This is all down to your tension so don't panic. Keep going until your square is the right size rather than keeping to the row count.
You may also find, as with block one, that you get to a 9in square before you get to 48 rows or you may find it's still not big enough so you need to add more rows. This is all down to your tension so don't panic. Keep going until your square is the right size rather than keeping to the row count.
Have you got a nifty tip you could share? Let us know on our Crochet Belles Facebook page!
