Owl, Redux

Yo. Owl.

This post will be shorter than Owls, Part 1, but in fact it took much longer to write because it contains the instructions I wrote for making the owl. This is the final of three versions. You saw version 2 in the previous post with a crocheted beak.

There are PDF instructions for crocheting the front and back, the eye patch and the wings, and putting it all together. The instructions are detailed (10 pages). I guess I’d rather over explain than confuse someone. Hopefully this isn’t confusing.

I believe this is just in time for that most nocturnal of celebrations, Hallowe’en, although this version is crocheted in Rice Owl colors. I am very fond of blue and brown.

I had fun writing the pattern for this cute little guy! If you try it, please let me know if you like it. Thanks!

Instructions for Crocheted Owl (2.1 MB PDF file)

Circle-in-a-Square Granny Square

I have started work on my flower afghan again.  Hard to believe, but I last talked about this afghan on March 26 of last year, as far as I can tell.  I worked on it for a solid 2 months and got 40 granny squares completed.  I thought I was done at the time, but when I pinned the squares to a wall, it was too narrow.  I had to break off from this to finish my charity project and never returned. So now, in my usual early-in-the-year-spirit of project completion, I have picked it up again. It’s no longer a lap blanket, but has turned into a queen-sized afghan.

This post is about the circle-within-a-square pattern I created for the brown squares.  It is designed to echo the circular floral motif of the colored squares.  I have not ever written down something like this before, BUT  someone once requested that I do so, so here it is.  I probably overdid the explanations. It’s only an 8-row square, after all.

**General Warning:  No one has tested this but me, about 25 times now.  I welcome you to try making it if you feel so inclined, and I might even bribe you if you try (reasonable offers involving yarn accepted) and tell me what you think.**

Circle-in-a-Square Granny Motif

H hook and worsted yarn used for the sample.  Note: The  ch-3 at the beginning of each Row in italics is equivalent to a dc.

Chain 5, slipstitch into first chain to form a ring.

Row 1: ch-3, 7 dc into ring, join to ch-3 with a slip stitch to complete row. (8 dc.)

Row 2: *ch-4 (not a dc), sc in next dc. Repeat from * around 7 more times.  Slip stitch into first ch-4 to complete row.  (8 loops of ch-4.)  Flower shape.

Row 3: ch-3, 2dc in first ch-4 loop. *3 dc into next ch-4 loop.  Repeat from * around 6 more times.  Slip stitch into first ch-3 to close row, then slip stitch into next three spaces, ending between 2 groups of three dc. (24 dc.)

Rows 2 and 3

Row 4: ch-3, 2 dc into the same space between groups of 3 dc.  ch-3.  *Skip next 3 dc and  3 dc in next space. Ch-3. Repeat from * around 6 times.  Slip stitch into first ch-3 to close row, then slip stitch into the first ch-3 space. (A total of 24 dc + 24 ch = 48 stitches total.)  Completes central circle motif.

Row 5: ch-3, 2 dc,  ch-2,  3 dc in first ch-3 space.  Skip 3 dc, then 6 dc in the next ch-3 space. *3 dc, ch-2, 3dc in next ch-3 space (corner).  6 dc in the next ch-3 space (side).  Repeat from * around to the end another 2 times.  Slip stitch into ch-3 to complete row, then slip stitch to first ch-2 space.  (A total of 48 dc + 4 ch-2 spaces = 56 stitches total.)  Completes an almost-octagon shape.

Rows 4 and 5

Row 6: ch-3, 2 dc, ch-2, 3 dc in first ch-2 space (corner). *Skip 3 dc, 3 dc in next space between stitches, skip 3 dc, 3 dc in next space (i.e. in between the middle 2 dc in the 6 dc row), skip 3 dc, 3 dc in next space, skip 3 dc (one side from *).  Repeat 3 more times: corner (3 dc, ch-2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 space, then side stitches to complete square. Join to initial ch-3 to complete row with a slip stitch, then slip stitch into first ch-2 space.  (60 dc + 4 ch-2 = 69 stitches.) Now there’s a pointy-ish square shape in a standard granny square stitching pattern.

Rows 7: ch-3, 2 dc, ch-2, 3dc in first ch-2 space.  *Skip 3 dc, 3 dc in next space between stitches, skip 3 dc, 3 dc in next space, repeat until next ch-2 space (completes one side from *).  Repeat corner (3 dc, ch-2, 3 dc) in next ch-2 space, then repeat side three more times around. Join to initial ch-3 to complete row with a slip stitch, then slip stitch into first ch-2 space. Lumpy square!

Rows 6 and 7

Rows 8 and 9: Repeat row 7 twice more around to increase the size of the granny square.  Square becomes more flat-sided as you work.

Rows 8 and 9

Square complete!

By the way, if you’d like to print this, I have a sweet CSS file that allows my posts to be printed without creating the usual enormous crapola that comes from printing web pages.  Because I really hate that, and I like adding gadgets to my blog.