"Crochet meets Patchwork" Afghan - Pink Granny Square Pattern Round-up

You know when you've been fiddling with a project for so long you're no longer sure whether you like it? You start it and you rip it out and you change it and you rip it out again and you redo do it and... finally, after a long time, it thankfully all comes together and you fall in love with it again. Very thankfully, that's what's happened with my "Crochet meets Patchwork" blanket :-)

I've always loved the individual squares and colours, but given my total lack of planning of the overall design I've had many doubts about how and even IF they would all work together. But this is where I've got to now, and I think it will all be okay:

The pink squares are all done, which features my own "Lily Pad" design as well as some fabulous other free patterns (all links below).

I've finished the blue section too, and I love how it looks next to the pink and green.

Now I've still got the fuchsia squares to join, and a second strip of yellows to make. Yes, fuchsia and yellow! I think the grey and white "binding" for the patchwork-style blocks is my saviour! I like how it's allowed me to tap into the current "Rainbow Colours" trend in a grown-up way. I can have lots of colours, but there is still an understatedness about the whole. Which is kind of making me want to keep it for myself rather than give it to the Bean, as originally planned! (I'm working on a properly bright ripple blanket for him instead - much more toddlerish :-))

"Crochet meets Patchwork" Afghan - Pink Granny Square Pattern Round-up

Wherever possible, I’ve linked to the original patterns and their designers. As you’ll see, however, there are a couple that I can’t track beyond Pinterest. If anyone knows who owns the copyright to these pattern, I’d be very grateful if you could get in touch. 

Notes: 

2.5 mm (C) and 3.5 mm (E/4) hooks 

Natura fingering cotton yarn 

Colours: Topaze, Ivory, Gris Argent, Aswan

individual square size: 10 cm x 10 cm (ca. 4" by 4")

1. "Lily Pad" Granny Square by Eline at Pasta & Patchwork 
2. Standard Crochet Granny Square - goodness knows who came up with this pattern first (!) but I used this step-by-step photo tutorial by Allison at Dream a Little Bigger to learn how to make granny squares.
3. Unknown (at least I can't read it!) by domihobby - Just a photo and a diagram on this Russian site, so you'll need to be able to work it out from there.
   
4. Standard Granny Square - see no. 1
5. “Sunburst” Granny Square - no idea who came up with this first, but I used this photo tutorial by Jenny at Nittybits to learn.
6. Unknown - I found this as part of a set of four diagrams on Pinterest
7. Square in a Square by Debi at DIy's Hooks and Yarns
   
8. 9 rows of pineapple stitch - I found instructions for this stitch in a crochet dictionary, but unfortunately I haven't come across any good online tutorials. Let me know if you see one!
9. Mandala Flower Coaster by Nata at Nata's Nest - isn't this gorgeous?!
   

So that's all the pink squares! To join them I used this tutorial by Carina at Carina's Craft Blog, though note that I went for Half-Double crochets instead of Doubles. I then finished off the whole square with a a few rounds of Double Crochets (Trebles if you're in the UK). 

Do continue to show me your work on instagram or the Pasta & Patchwork facebook page - it's been amazing to see how you've been inspired by these patterns! Remember that you can also find pins of all the patterns and tutorials mentioned here on my Crochet meets Patchwork pinterest board.

---

This post is my submission to the Deramores Craft Blog Competition 2015. Deramores is the UK’s number one online retailer of knitting and crochet supplies. Visit www.deramores.com for more details.

---

Come say hello: