japanese squares for BBB 2013

these three blocks are my contribution to the beautiful blogger blanket 2013. monday i sent them so if the post cooperates jill will receive them soon.

honestly i must tell you that these squares are actually plan b. i just can not work well with thick cotton yarn (double knit), i normally work with thinner yarn suitable for hook size 2.5 – 3 mm. 

plan a. was to crochet flower squares but the flower turned out bumpy, sloppy and stiff as cardboard. my intention was to crochet these flowers in four different colors and the squares in four different neutral tones.

on to plan b.

it are other squares with neutral shades for the centers and the colors around it.

alas, plan b. went also not quite right, my thumbs and index fingers were so painful that i could not make a fourth one. the day after my thumbs were a bit swollen, so i’m aiming not to work with thick cotton yarn anymore. it is obvious that i am doing something wrong, besides the fact that my hands are not so strong anymore. 

when i have time i make these patterns again – because i really like them – but with thinner yarn.

 

these are the patterns i used for the squares,
it are all diagrams/charts instead of written patterns:

amikomo3-23 luncheon mat by pierrot (gosyo co)

links to the page and the pattern:

• http://item.rakuten.co.jp/gosyo/amikomo3-23/
• http://www.gosyo.co.jp/img/acrobat/amikomo3/23.pdf
  

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kukka bedspread by pierrot (gosyo co)

links to the page and the pattern:

this is the pattern for four different squares but if you download the document, you’ll see which of the four i’ve crocheted.

• http://item.rakuten.co.jp/gosyo/212w-14/
• http://www.gosyo.co.jp/img/acrobat/212w/14.pdf

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2728-omo57 granny square blanket by pierrot (gosyo co)

links to the page and the pattern:

• http://item.rakuten.co.jp/gosyo/2728-omo57/
• http://www.gosyo.co.jp/img/acrobat/2627/31.pdf

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my plan a. squares are from the patterns for these dresses:

links to the page and the patterns:

• http://item.rakuten.co.jp/gosyo/212ss-19/
• http://www.gosyo.co.jp/img/acrobat/212ss/19a.pdf
• http://www.gosyo.co.jp/img/acrobat/212ss/19b.pdf

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pierrot (gosyo co., ltd)

if you like this website too (their yarns look all very beautiful) but do not know where to look for the links to the pdf documents: look at the yellow arrow on the picture below, that’s the link to download the pattern.

• but there is an easier way because on ravelry you can browse their patterns via this link: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/pierrot-gosyo-co-ltd?page=1
• these patterns are for free and all in diagram but partly the collection of patterns is available in english too via this direct link:
  http://gosyo.shop.multilingualcart.com/free1.php
  i’m not very familiar with that page but i know you can find there also video lessons.

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more information about working with japanese patterns can be found via these links: 

• http://dancingbarefoot.wordpress.com/japanese-pattern-tutorials/
• http://purlyshells.blogspot.nl/2007/11/how-to-read-japanese-crochet-pattern.html

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i hope you can use this information!

wish  you lots of fun with crocheting the patterns!

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summer blanket – episode 7

an update

it has proved a little bit more complicated project than i had previously thought. this pattern appears to be more painful for my fingers and i need to regularly put it aside for a few days, i am too distracted by other projects and, moreover, i do not have enough of two shades of the yarn… 

i then have crocheted several squares in different other shades and i liked most of them but they did not fit with what i have in mind. eventually i made a choice although i have long doubted the dark gray shade. it’s very nice – i think – but maybe it looks like a handful of liquorice that someone has sprinkled over my blanket.

it is a long term project, i will not quit but if i manage to finish it this summer …?

here are some pictures: 

i made ​​two versions, i can crochet together alternately

 

these are the squares for which i’ve used different colors of yarn

 

enjoy your weekend!

summer blanket – episode 6

it does not go smoothly, the summer blanket project. the material i work with is not the most flexible yarn so i wanted an extra row of chains between the squares: the edge around the squares and a row of chains to attach the squares together. that would give some flexibility. the problem is that i quickly find things have a messy look and that is what happened. i’ve tried different ways to crochet the 2nd row of chains but i was not happy with it: too frilly, too messy or there was a hard ridge. i don’t know you can see on the photo’s what i mean?

 

i finally found a way and -enjoying the sun in my garden – i took some pictures…

 

… and the wrong side.

as you can see there is still a lot of work to do! you can read more about it in the next episode.

summer blanket – episode 5

my hands are often a tiny bit sore thanks to my addiction on crochet. since i started my summer blanket project my thumbs are in a poor condition, that’s because the 4th row of every square needs a tight grip. so i have decided to stop with the project for just a few days. meanwhile i have completed a few smaller projects such as variations on the spring garland and the festive blanket (more about this blanket on monday).that does not mean the summer blanket is not progressing. i already have more blocks than in my previous update and more important i have a clearer picture of how the blanket eventually will look like, the final design. in my opinion especially the blueish yarn is somewhat vintage-ish and i like that a lot.

 

beautiful japanese squares, from one of these beautiful japanese books, from a beautiful country, what can i say…

 

summer blanket – episode 4

the pile of japanese squares grows slowly. each square is approximately 8.5 cm and i want to make a blanket that is about 2 by 2 meters. so wish me luck!

at this moment i have crocheted 91 squares…

and this little miscalculation.