Hydrangea – Square 4 of Blaithin Blanket Stash Busting CAL

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Welcome to the 4th Flower Square pattern of the Bláithín Blanket Stash Busting CAL! This crochet square is called the Hydrangea Square. This square is a little more challenging! Includes popcorns for texture, spike stitches and FPdc, and it will make a lovely addition to your blanket! You will need to make 4 Hydrangea Squares and 4 solid squares for this part of the CAL.

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.

• You can add the pattern for Hydrangea Square to your Ravelry Queue
• The next Flower Square pattern will be available here on Monday 11th November

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!

You might like to check out my other Free Patterns

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 Hydrangea 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

You will need the pattern for the Solid Square this week as well as the Hydrangea Square. The solid squares are included in between the flower squares in the blanket.

Some of the flowers squares are open and lacy so the solid ones give weight to the finished piece. You can make them in different colours as I did, or in a single colour if you prefer……have fun designing your own unique blanket!

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• Beg – beginning
• Ch – chain
• St – stitch
• SC – single crochet
• Hdc – half double 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
• Htr – half treble crochet
• Treble – treble crochet
• Dtr – double treble crochet
• Sl st – slip stitch
• Yo – yarn over

Instructions for Hydrangea 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 ch3. 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.
• Long single crochet (long sc) sometimes called a spike stitch – Insert hook in ch-1 sp indicated and in st below from previous row (in PC), pull up long loop on hook, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook.
• Front Post Double Crochet (FPdc) Yo, insert hook from back to front around post of stitch indicated, yo and pull up loop (yo and pull through 2 loops) twice. 1 dc made.

Hydrangea Square – US Crochet Terms

Using first colour, make a magic ring.

Round 1: Ch4 (counts as 1dc, ch1), [1dc, ch1] 11 times more into ring, join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch3. Fasten off yarn. 12dc, 12 ch-1

Round 2: Join next colour in any ch-1 space, make a beg PC (see special stitches), ch2, *PC in next ch-1 space, ch2; repeat from * 10 more times. Join with a sl st to 1^st ch-2 sp. Fasten off yarn – 12 PC, 12 ch-2

Round 3: Join in any ch-2 sp, ch3 (counts as 1dc), 2dc in same sp, ch1, *3dc, ch1 in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 10 more times. Join with a sl st to 3^rd ch of beg ch3. Fasten off yarn – 36dc, 12 ch-1

Round 4: Join in any dc before ch-1 sp, ch1, 1sc in same st, * 1 long sc (see special stitches) in next ch-1 sp, inserting hook into PC from previous row, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around, ending with 1sc in last 2 sts. Join with a sl st to beg sc. Fasten off yarn – 36sc, 12 long sc

Tip – insert your long sc into the back of the PC

Round 5: Join in any sc before long sc, ch1, 1sc in same st, * FPdc (see special stitches) around next long sc, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * around, ending with 1sc in last 2 sts. Join with a sl st to beg sc. Fasten off yarn – 36sc, 12 FPdc

Round 6: Join in top of any FPdc, ch1, 1sc, ch3, * [dc2tog, ch2, tr2tog, ch2, dc2tog] in next FPdc, ch3, 1sc in next FPdc, ch4, ** 1sc in next FPdc, ch3; rep from * 2 more times, and from * to ** once more. Join with a sl st to beg sc. Fasten off yarn.

Round 7: Join in any sc before a corner, ch3 (counts as 1dc), * 3dc in next ch-3 sp, 1dc in next dc2tog, 2dc in next ch-2 sp, [1dc, ch2, 1dc] in next tr2tog, 2dc in next ch-2 sp, 1 dc in next dc2tog, 3dc in next ch-3 sp, 1dc in next sc, 4dc in next ch-4 sp, 1dc in next sc; rep from * around, leaving out last dc in repeat. Join with a sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch3. Fasten off yarn – 20dc in each side

Round 8: With main colour, join in any ch-2 sp. Ch3 (counts as 1dc), 1dc, ch2, 2dc (corner made), 1dc in each st around, (2dc, ch2, 2dc) in corner ch-2 sp. Join with a sl st to beg ch3. Fasten off yarn – 24 dc in each side

You have just completed your 4th 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 ch3. 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.
• Long double crochet (long dc) sometimes called a spike stitch – Insert hook in ch-1 sp indicated and in st below from previous row (in PC), pull up long loop on hook, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook.
• Front Post Treble Crochet (FPtr) Yo, insert hook from back to front around post of stitch indicated, yo and pull up loop (yo and pull through 2 loops) twice. 1 dc made.

Instructions (UK Crochet Terms)

Using first colour, make a magic ring.

Round 1: Ch4 (counts as 1tr, ch1), [1tr, ch1] 11 times more into ring, join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch3. Fasten off yarn. 12tr, 12 ch-1

Round 2: Join next colour in any ch-1 space, make a beg PC (see special stitches), ch2, *PC in next ch-1 space, ch2; repeat from * 10 more times. Join with a sl st to 1^st ch-2 sp. Fasten off yarn – 12 PC, 12 ch-2

Round 3: Join in any ch-2 sp, ch3 (counts as 1tr), 2tr in same sp, ch1, *3tr, ch1 in next ch-2 sp; repeat from * 10 more times. Join with a sl st to 3^rd ch of beg ch3. Fasten off yarn – 36tr, 12 ch-1

Round 4: Join in any tr before a ch-1 sp, ch1, 1dc in same st, * 1 long dc (see special stitches) in next ch-1 sp, inserting hook into PC from previous row, 1dc in next 3 sts; rep from * around, ending with 1dc in last 2 sts. Join with a sl st to beg dc. Fasten off yarn – 36dc, 12 long dc

Tip – insert your long dc into the back of the PC

Round 5: Join in any dc before a long dc, ch1, 1dc in same st, * FPtr (see special stitches) around next long dc, 1dc in next 3 sts; rep from * around, ending with 1dc in last 2 sts. Join with a sl st to beg dc. Fasten off yarn – 36dc, 12 FPtr

Round 6: Join in top of any FPtr, ch1, 1dc, ch3, * [tr2tog, ch2, dtr2tog, ch2, tr2tog] in next FPtr, ch3, 1dc in next FPtr, ch4, ** 1dc in next FPtr, ch3; rep from * 2 more times, and from * to ** once more. Join with a sl st to beg dc. Fasten off yarn.

Round 7: Join in any dc before a corner, ch3 (counts as 1tr), * 3tr in next ch-3 sp, 1tr in next tr2tog, 2tr in next ch-2 sp, [1tr, ch2, 1tr] in next dtr2tog, 2tr in next ch-2 sp, 1 tr in next tr2tog, 3tr in next ch-3 sp, 1tr in next dc, 4tr in next ch-4 sp, 1tr in next dc; rep from * around, leaving out last tr in repeat. Join with a sl st in 3^rd ch of beg ch3. Fasten off yarn – 20tr in each side

Round 8: With main colour, join in any ch-2 sp. Ch3 (counts as 1tr), 1tr, ch2, 2tr (corner made), 1tr in each st around, (2tr, ch2, 2tr) in corner ch-2 sp. Join with a sl st to beg ch3. Fasten off yarn – 24 tr in each side

You have just completed your 4th 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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