Aster – Square 9 of Bláithín Blanket Stash Busting CAL

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Welcome to the 9th Flower Square pattern of the Bláithín Blanket Stash Busting CAL! This crochet square is called the Aster Square. This flower square is richly textured and colourful, like the beautiful Aster flower, and it will make a lovely addition to your blanket!

You will need to make 4 Aster Squares and 4 solid squares for this part of the CAL. You can find the pattern for the solid square at this link: Bramble Square and Solid Square.

The Blaithin Blanket CAL is over now, but all information and patterns for the squares will always be available for Free on my Blog.

• No need to sign up, no worries about keeping up! Feel free to make the patterns at your own pace – they will always be available for Free on my blog.
• Share your progress on Instagram using #blaithinblanketcal

• Introduction – Bláithín Blanket CAL
• Square 1 – Bramble Square and Solid Square
• Square 2 – Ragwort Square
• Square 3 – Cosmos Square
• Square 4 – Hydrangea Square
• Square 5 – Primula Square
• Square 6 – Bellflower Square
• Square 7 – Queen Anne’s Lace
• Square 8 – Love-In-A-Mist Square
• Square 9 – Aster Square
• Square 10 – Forget-Me-Not
• Final Week – Joining and Border

I have included the patterns in US crochet terms and UK crochet terms. You will find the Instructions below in written form, and also some helpful photo tutorials.

Stash-busting Blanket Information

I wanted this CAL to be relaxing and friendly and be a real Stash Buster. You will need a few balls (approx. 1000m) of your main colour for joining and border. You have creative freedom to choose your own colours, and I want to encourage you to do so, and have fun!

Need more inspiration? You can check out my other Crochet Blanket Patterns here.

Notes

• As such, gauge is not critical in this project. What is important is that all your squares are the same size.
• My blanket is made using DK weight yarn and 4.5 mm hook and each square is 6.5in. If your tension is very loose you could use a 4mm hook
• It’s generally best to stick to the same yarn brand if possible, to avoid drastic changes in the yarn’s thickness (which can affect the size of your squares)
• You could use worsted weight (aran weight) if that is what you have. Your finished squares will be approx 8in
• The squares are designed to be all the same size after blocking. Your stitch count for final round of every square ,will be 24 dc (tr) each side of square
• Blocking will even out any minor differences in size. I pin them to my ironing board to the same size template each time, and steam them. After they cool down they will be a beautiful polished square!
• Use the same hook size throughout the CAL and block your squares to keep the size consistent.
• Check your stitch count at the end of each round to make sure you are on track.
• I suggest you use the Invisible Joining method to finish rounds of the Solid Square, and all rounds of the Aster Square, for a neat consistent finish. I have provided Instructions on how to do an Invisible join in this post.

Photo Tutorial for the Invisible Needle Join

Invisible Needle Join

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• Beg – beginning
• Ch – chain
• St – stitch
• Sc – single crochet
• Dc – double crochet
• Tr – treble crochet
• Sl st – slip stitch
• Yo – yarn over

Abbreviations (UK Terms)

• Beg – beginning
• Ch – chain
• St – stitch
• Dc – double crochet
• Treble – treble crochet
• Dtr – double treble crochet
• Sl st – slip stitch
• Yo – yarn over

Instructions for Aster Square (US and UK Crochet Terms)

Read through Special Stitches for the version you will follow.

Special Stitches (US Crochet Terms)

• Beg Popcorn (beg PC): Ch 3, work 4 dc sts in space indicated in pattern, remove hook from the last loop and insert into the top of the beg ch 3. Now insert hook back into the last loop and pull this loop through. Pull tight.
• Popcorn (PC): Work 5 dc sts in space indicated in pattern, remove hook from the last loop and insert into the top of the first st. Now insert hook back into the last loop and pull this loop through. Pull tight.
• Double crochet 2 together (dc2tog) cluster: In indicated space or st, work (yo, insert hook in space/st, yo and pull up loop, yo and pull through 2 loops on hook) twice, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook.
• Treble crochet 2 together (tr2tog) cluster: In indicated space or st, work (yo hook twice, insert hook into space/st, yo and pull up loop, yo and pull through 2 loops, yo and pull through 2 loops) twice, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Instructions (US Crochet Terms)

Using first colour, make a magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 15 dc into ring, join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 16 dc

Round 2: Join next colour in any st, ch 3, 1 dc in same st (counts as 1 dc2tog), ch 1, [dc2tog, ch 1] in each st around. Join with a sl st to beg dc2tog. Fasten off yarn – 16 dc2tog, 16 ch-1  Pic A

Round 3: Join next colour in any ch-1 space, make a beg PC (see special stitches), ch 2, *PC in next ch-1 space, ch 2; repeat from * 14 more times. Join with a sl st to 1^st ch-2 sp. Fasten off yarn – 16 PC, 16 ch-2  Pic B

Round 4: Join next colour in any ch-2 sp, ch 1, 1 sc in same sp, ch 3 * 1 sc in next ch-2 sp, ch 3: repeat from * 14 more times. Join with a sl st in beg sc. Fasten off yarn – 16 sc, 16 ch-3  Pic C

Round 5: Join next colour in any sc, ch 1, 1 sc, * ch 3, skip next ch-3 sp and next sc, [2dctog, ch 2, 2trtog, ch 2, 2dctog] in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, skip next sc and next ch-3 sp,  1sc in next sc, ch 4, 1 sc in next sc; rep from *  3 more times, ending last repeat by joining with a sl st to beg sc. Fasten off yarn.  Pic D

Round 6: Join next colour in any sc before a corner, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), * 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 2dctog, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, [1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc] in next 2trtog, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, 1 dc in next 2dctog, 3 dc in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next sc, 4 dc in next ch-4 sp, 1 dc in next sc; rep from * around, leaving out last dc in repeat. Join with a sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 20 dc each side  Pic E

Round 7: With main colour, join in any ch-2 sp, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc (corner made), 1 dc in each st around, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in corner ch-2 sp. Join with a sl st to beg ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 24 dc each side  Pic F

You have just completed your 9th square! Now weave in all those ends, you will thank me later I promise!

Special Stitches (UK Crochet Terms)

• Beg Popcorn (beg PC): Ch 3, work 4 tr sts in space indicated in pattern, remove hook from the last loop and insert into the top of the beg ch 3. Now insert hook back into the last loop and pull this loop through. Pull tight.
• Popcorn (PC): Work 5 tr sts in space indicated in pattern, remove hook from the last loop and insert into the top of the first st. Now insert hook back into the last loop and pull this loop through. Pull tight.
• Treble crochet 2 together (tr2tog) cluster: In indicated space or st, work (yo, insert hook in space/st, yo and pull up loop, yo and pull through 2 loops on hook) twice, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook.
• Double treble crochet 2 together (dtr2tog) cluster: In indicated space or st, work (yo hook twice, insert hook into space/st, yo and pull up loop, yo and pull through 2 loops, yo and pull through 2 loops) twice, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Instructions (UK Crochet Terms)

Using first colour, make a magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr), 15 tr into ring, join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 16 tr

Round 2: Join next colour in any st, ch 3, 1 tr in same st (counts as 1 tr2tog), ch 1, [tr2tog, ch 1] in each st around. Join with a sl st to beg tr2tog. Fasten off yarn – 16 tr2tog, 16 ch-1  Pic A

Round 3: Join next colour in any ch-1 space, make a beg PC (see special stitches), ch 2, *PC in next ch-1 space, ch 2; repeat from * 14 more times. Join with a sl st to 1^st ch-2 sp. Fasten off yarn – 16 PC, 16 ch-2  Pic B

Round 4: Join next colour in any ch-2 sp, ch 1, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3 * 1 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 3: repeat from * 14 more times. Join with a sl st in beg dc. Fasten off yarn – 16 dc, 16 ch-3  Pic C

Round 5: Join next colour in any dc, ch 1, 1 dc, * ch 3, skip next ch-3 sp and next dc, [2trtog, ch 2, 2dtrtog, ch 2, 2trtog] in next ch-3 sp, ch 3, skip next dc and next ch-3 sp,  1dc in next dc, ch 4, 1 dc in next dc; rep from *  3 more times, ending last repeat by joining with a sl st to beg dc. Fasten off yarn.  Pic D

Round 6: Join next colour in any dc before a corner, ch 3 (counts as 1 tr), * 3 tr in next ch-3 sp, 1 tr in next 2trtog, 2 tr in next ch-2 sp, [1 tr, ch 2, 1 tr] in next 2dtrtog, 2 tr in next ch-2 sp, 1 tr in next 2trtog, 3 tr in next ch-3 sp, 1 tr in next dc, 4 tr in next ch-4 sp, 1 tr in next dc; rep from * around, leaving out last tr in repeat. Join with a sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 20 tr each side  Pic E

Round 7: With main colour, join in any ch-2 sp, ch 3 (counts as 1 tr), 1 tr, ch 2, 2 tr (corner made), 1 tr in each st around, (2 tr, ch 2, 2 tr) in corner ch-2 sp. Join with a sl st to beg ch 3. Fasten off yarn – 24 tr each side  Pic F

You have just completed your 6th square! Now weave in all those ends, you will thank me later I promise!

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You might like to check out my other Free Patterns

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