<a target="_blank" href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=2293858&u=1733354&m=59159&urllink=&afftrack="><img src="https://static.shareasale.com/image/59159/Reflections_300.png" border="0" /></a>Make an afghan along with tons upon tons of your yarny friends you've never met in person. ;-)
I call it 'Year in Reflection'.
But I know it'll be more widely known as Traveling Crochet Afghan square number 9. (PDF copy available on Ravelry for a buck.)
This project ~ the bigger one ~ #mylifeinyarn2020 brings designers from all over the world to create squares that will create one afghan. A project to get our yarny community juices flowing and the conversation brewing around what one's life in yarn is like. Why you play with yarn, when you play, what you make with yarn, etc.
Yarn and the sticks used to manipulate yarn is a big part if my day to day. It gets me out of myself and the daily nuisances and allows me nurture my creativity which I in turn share with all of you. This square is a symbol of that ~ notice it doesn't read 'Yarn Life' but both words stand alone and are inverted which was purposefully done to represent the reflection of our lives IN yarn and yarn IN our lives.
To me, the best part of my design in this square is the addition of the Roman numeral for 2020 (MMXX) [side note: Roman numerals account for century and year so two thousand (MM) and twenty (XX)] I love what this addition serves to now represent given the times we are all now living (#athometogether ) and the way playing with yarn has undoubtedly stepped up in priority in many to help ease stress and keep us stable. This year is huge for creatives, as well as the rest of the world! Anyway, the added bonus of having this time stamp on your completed afghan is that down the
line, somewhere in the future somebody can pick up that afghan and have an instant connection to the past, specifically the year 2020! How stinkin' cool is that?! I so LOVE the face that somewhere down my generational line, should my kid keep this afghan, they would be able to know the exact year when great-great-great gran made!
OK, to the pattern! The pattern actually starts with the Roman Numeral - well, on Row 2. AND, OF COURSE I have created a video that will hopefully assist you with replicating the MMXX on Row 2. (this video does NOT have sound - nothing is wrong with your speakers or ears - it was made many moons ago when I thought it was the best way for tutorials - sorry in advance!)
I think that's the most challenging part of the square (at least it was for me). The rest is a series of double crochet stitches and bead stitches - worked back and forth. Here's the big picture, in chart form.
After you get your gauge of 13 sts and 7 rows at 4" (10 cm) You'll want to ch 34. Remember, what you are looking for is a final square size of 10x10".
Year in Reflection: Traveling Afghan Crochet Square #9
Ch 34
Row 1: Dc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in next ch and in each ch across, turn. -32 dc
STOP, READ: This is the starting stitch for each row [NOT the ch 2 up you are used to] once you learn this stitch, you'll thank me as you realize how straighter your edges are) Linked first double crochet (Linked first-dc): Pull lp on hook up to slightly taller than the normal lp, ch 1, insert hook into bottom bump of first ch from hook, yo, draw up lp (2 lps on hook), insert hook into first st of the row, yo, draw up lp (3 lps on hook), [yo, draw through 2 lps] 2 times.
Row 2: First linked-dc, dc in next dc and in each dc across until reach last 13 dc, [bptr2tog over next 2 dc, dc in 2nd dc of bptr2tog group, working around base of bptr2tog just worked, bptr2tog] 2 times, [sk next dc, bptr around post of next dc, working in front of bptr just worked, bptr around post of skipped dc] 2 times, dc in each of last 3 dc, turn.
Row 3: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 5 sts, [bead {See Chart Key Above} in next st] 4 times, dc in each of next 5 sts, bead in next st, dc in each of next 2 sts, [bead in next st] 3 times, dc in each of next 2 dc, [bead in next st] 4 times, dc in each of next 5 sts, turn.
TIP: The bead st will produce what looks like an additional st, be mindful of this and remember to ignore it when you are working along your row. (Take a peek at the photo below: the blue pointer is pointing to the 'extra stitch' created by the bead of the previous row. you'll notice that this "stitch' does not have, the technical term, 'legs' - this is how you can keep track of what's a double crochet, bead or just something that should be ignored. Bottom line - you'll be working 32 sts each row, this number won't change. If you find that you suddenly have more stitches than 32, you know HOW you went wrong, you'll just have to figure out WHEN!
Row 4: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next st, dc in each of next 6 sts, bead in next st, dc in each of next 3 sts, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 sts, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 9 dc, turn.
Row 5: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 8 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 6 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 dc, turn.
Row 6: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 6 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 3 dc, [bead in next st] 3 times, dc in each of next 3 dc, [bead in next st] 3 times, dc in each of next 7 dc, turn.
Row 7: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 8 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 6 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 dc, turn.
Row 8: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 6 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 9 dc, turn.
Row 9: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 5 dc, [bead in next st] 4 times, dc in each of next 2 dc, [bead in next st] 4 times, dc in each of next 2 dc, [bead in next st] 3 times, dc in each of next 5 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 dc, turn.
Row 10: First linked-dc, dc in next dc and in each st across, turn.
PHEW: You've completed 'MMXX' and 'LIFE' - Take this time to admire your work thus far!
Row 11: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next dc, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next dc, dc in each of next 3 dc, [bead in next dc] 2 times, dc in each of next 3 dc, [bead in next dc] 4 times, dc in each of next 2 dc, [bead in next dc] 2 times, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next dc, dc in each of next 4 dc, turn.
Row 12: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next dc, dc in next dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 3 dc, turn.
Row 13: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 3 sts, [bead in next dc] 3 times, dc in each of next 3 sts, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, [bead in next st] 4 times, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in next dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 4 dc, turn.
Row 14: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next bead, dc in next dc, bead in next dc, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 4 sts, bead in each of next 2 beads, dc in each of next 2 dc, [bead in next st] 4 times, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 dc, turn.
Row 15: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in next st, bead in next st, dc in next 3 dc, bead in next bead, dc in next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in next dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 4 dc, turn.
Row 16: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 3 dc, bead in next bead, dc in next dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in next 2 dc, bead in next st, dc in each of next 2 sts, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 5 dc, turn.
Row 17: First linked-dc, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 4 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 2 dc, bead in next bead, dc in each of next 3 sts, bead in each of next 2 sts, dc in each of next 4 dc, turn.
Row 18 -19: First linked-dc, dc in each st across, turn.
Finishing
Steam block. Weave in ends.
Hope you enjoy making 'Year in Reflection'.