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.
