Anticipation 12" Afghan Block Square TUTORIAL
Margaret Maclnnis (mugginsquilts) c. 2013
Start with your smaller hook. This block 'works up' big. I use a full hook size smaller than I usually do with this yarn. (I'm using a 4.5 mm here, Us G) ROUND 1: 12 dc (I work mine in an adjustable loop. If you google that, you can get tutorials on how to do that, although the standard chaining a circle is perfectly fine too). ROUND 2: 24 dc and fasten off.1 like to use the Invisible Join technique. http://mrsmicawber.blogspot.pt/2012/ 06/pardon-me-but-your-slip-stitchis.html
ROUND 3:12 Ch2Vstitches each one has a (dc, ch 2, dc) and a stitch is skipped between them. ROUND 4: 24 dc, 12 ch-3 spaces There are 2 dc in each ch-2 space of the Ch2VStitches, and ch-3 between them.
ROUND 5: 12 sc, 12 ch-3 spaces So you are just jumping from ch-3 to ch-3 and putting a sc there, while chaining 3 each time between them. Then fasten off because this colour is done.
Round 6: 84 dc, 12 ch-2 sp Easy enough.
ROUND 7: Larger Hook used for Surface Crochet Sc join (see Stitches Key) Colour C in any ch-2 sp, [ch-3, fpsc around next sc of RND 5, ch 3\*, sc into ch-2 sp of RND 6] x 11, work a 12th repeat to \*; sl st in beg sc.
ROUND 8: (24 ch-4 sp, 12 sl st, 12 sc) (ch 4, sc into 4th dc of next dc group, ch 4\*, sl st into sc at top of peak) x 11, work a 12th rep to \* only, sl st (or invisibly join) in base of beg ch-4. Fasten off. When counting to the 4th dc of a'group', count from the ch-2 space where the previous Colour C sc is worked. I like to poke my yarn needle to mark my spots as I work.
Surface Crochet for this section is completed. ROUND 9: (24 sc, 24 ch-3 sp) worked in BLO of indicated stitches. If you look at it and see the 'middle' of the stitches, you are usually pretty much right on. It's not that important to be perfect, but make sure you count and have 24 of the ch-3 spaces or the math for the next section won't work out.
This is probably the trickiest of the ROUNDS. ROUND 10. Let's figure out what we'll do. RND 10: Sl st to next ch-3 sp, ch-3 as dc, (dc, 2 trc) in same sp, ch-2 as corner, in ch-3 sps that follow, work one upcoming set in parentheses as [(2 trc, 2 dc), (4 hdc), (4 sc), (3 sc), (4 hdc)\*, (2 dc, 2 trc, ch-2)] x 3, work a 4th rep to \* only, sl st in top of beg ch-3. (16 trc, 16 dc, 32 hdc, 28 sc, 4 ch-2 sp)
DETAILEDSYSTEMATICWORKUPOFROUND10
TACK DEFINITION: Yo the number appropriate to the stitch. Then, instead of going into the indicated space with your hook, first look in front and find the nearest sc from the surface crochet. DiP the hook into the two vertical lines on the back of that, and THEN into the ch-3 space, and finish the stitch as usual. If it's a trc, you'll need to yo2 first, etc. Ch-3 space 1: slip to the next chain 3 space and chain 3 to represent a double crochet. Then right away, dc in that same space, and also work 2 trc in that same space, then CHAIN 2. (when you come back around to the next side, you'll just (2 dc, 2 trc, ch 2) instead) Ch-3 space 2: (trc, trcTACK, 2 dc) Ch-3 space 3: 4 half double crochet Ch-3 space 4: 4 sc--sc 1, sc2 TACK, sc3, sc4 Ch-3 space 5: 3 sc Ch-3 space 6: 4 hdc—hdc1, hdc2, hdc3TACK, hdc4 REPEAT this whole sequence, three more times. The last time, just work to the end of space 6 and slip stitch in the top of the beginning ch-3 (the one that acts a dc).
ROUND 10: (16 trc, 16 dc, 32 hdc, 28 sc, 4 ch-2 sp)
ROUND 11: (36 ch2Vst, 4 ch-2 sp) Fairly straightforward. If you find yourself with an extra or one two few spaces to skip, just make sure there are 7 Ch2V-St on each side, and 2 in each corner. The corner ones also need a ch2 between them. ROUND 12: (40 sc, 40 ch-3 sp) I didn't get a photograph of this one; it's pretty easy!
ROUND 13: (12 trc, 116 dc)
Again, fairly easy. There are 2 dc in all the ch-3 spaces, and a dc in all the sc, with 3 trc in the corner sc.
ROUND 14: (20 sc, 20 fpsc, 40 ch-4 sp) Again, BIGGER HOOK for SURFACE CROCHET.
Basically, ch 4 between sc. The front post sc are every second sc backin RND 12, and the alternates are on RND 13, every 6th dc. Count carefully! You also skip the trc on either side of the corner one.
ROUND 15: (40 sc, 40 ch-4 sp)
These work out to be visually almost smack dab in the middle of each and directly above the previous V of RND 14. ROUND 16: (40 bpsc, 32 ch-3 sp, 8 ch-4 sp) Again, we're working through those 'vertical back loops' of the sc from RND 15. The confusion with RND 16 came about because some people fastened off in ROUND 14. The final objective is to get chain 4 spaces on either side of the corner, and 8 chain 3 spaces along the sides._If you start with a chain 4 directly AFTER the corner, then go right into the chain 3, and finish off the side before the next corner with the chain 4.
Mine is 12 inches on the nose, so I'm not doing a Rnd 18.
