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Four-Square Preemie
Afghan
(crochet)
© 2002 – Patti Pierce
Stone
Although this pattern is written
block-style,
since it’s square if you really hate to join squares you can just make
one big one and add the border. You won’t get the cool diagonal
grid,
but it will work. The border is also a quick and easy one to add
to machine/hand-knit squares (# of stitches on each side must be a
multiple
of 3). Per these instructions, the finished afghan is approx 20”
square.
Materials:
3 ½ ounces DK/light
worsted weight yarn
(gauge:4” = 22 st/30
r
using 4mm (US G/6 hook)
crochet hook F (US)
the square (made
granny-square
style):
ch 4, join into a circle
rnd 1: sl st
into center of ring, ch2 (count as a dc), 2 dc, *ch 2, 3dc (repeat from
* two more times). Sl st into top of ch 2. You should
have 4 dc clusters with a ch 2 space between each.
rnd 2: Sl st
into the space to the left of the ch 2 where you joined to form
the
square. Ch 2 (counts as a dc), dc in the space between the dc in
the prev round. *In ch 2-corner, make 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc. Dc
in the spaces between the next 2 dc. (repeat twice). In last ch 2
corner, make 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc. Dc in space between last 2 dc from
prev round. Sl st into top of ch 2. (6 dc between each ch-2 space)
Repeat round 2
(continuing
to dc in the spaces between the dc from the prev round) until there are
a total of 10 rounds completed. At this point, there should be 27
dc between the ch-2 corners.
Joining:
Weave the squares together,
being sure to line up the corners and the center.
Border:
rnd 1: Join yarn,
just
to the left of any corner of the afghan. Ch 1 (counts as first
sc),
sc in each dc, up to the ch-2 corner , 3 sc in the ch-2 corner.
Sc in each dc, up to the
next ch-2 (a join of the blocks). 2 sc in the ch-2 of the first
square,
1 sc in the join of the 2 squares, 2 sc in the ch-2 of the 2nd square.
Continue around, joining
with a sl st to the first ch 1.
rnd 2: Ch 2
(counts as a dc). Dc in each sc, to the corner of the
afghan.
In the middle stitch of the corner, 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc.
Continue
around, joining with a sl st in the top of the first ch 2.
rnd 3 (the slanted
shell): Sl st into the space to the left of the ch 2 where
you joined the prev round. *Ch 3, 3 dc in the same space.
Sk
3 dc and sl st in the space to the left of the 3rd dc from the stitch
where
you just worked. Continue to corner.
In corner ch-2 space
work
the following:
1 sc, 1 hdc, 2 dc, 1 hdc,
1sc, ch3, 3dc. Sk 3 dc and sl st in the space to the left of the
3rd dc from the stitch where you just worked. Continue to corner.
Continue around, joining
with a sl st in the first sl st of the round.
Finishing:
Cut 2 lengths of contract
yarn equal to the perimeter of the blanket + about 12 inches.
Using a crochet hook or
upholstery
needle, and starting after a corner and leaving a tail of 6”, weave the
one thread over and under the dcs of the row before the shell edge –
end
“over” before a corner and go “under” at the same point after the
corner.
Take the 2nd thread and
weave
in the opposite direction (basket weave-style), handling the corners in
a similar fashion.
Tie the tails in a bow
across
the corner where the weaving starts and ends. I usually tack mine
with a needle and sewing thread so it doesn’t come loose.
I find it easiest to
start
the weaving at the corner diagonal to the finished corner – doing half
each side at a time. You don’t have to pull the yarn through as
far.