starburst blanket

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While the political world is burning, I need to do some non-political stuff, lest I rage-stroke out while calling every goddamn one of the congresspeople--and I mean every. damn. one.

finished blanket!

And so, I present the granny square blanket.  I'm not normally a big crocheter, but after a holiday season where I crocheted three mermaid blankets and one shark blanket for various children (it's way faster than knitting, and I needed to knock those babies out), I was left with a bunch of leftover yarn.  Combine that with the need for distraction, and the fact that the crochet hook was downstairs and my knitting needles were upstairs . . . Voila! A granny square starburst blanket was born.

The white, aqua, and grass green were left over from the littlest little's mermaid blanket, the dark blue and mint green were left over from my niece's mermaid blanket, and the grey was left over from the biggest little's shark blanket. 

Of course, because I didn't have enough of several colors, it also required me heading back to the store no less than three times.  Planning ahead! One day I will do so.

stacks of squares

I'd originally thought the blanket would be all the blue squares, but after finishing 24 squares, I realized that not only was I was out of the aqua, so were the stores.  Luckily, I had the grass green, and so switched to that for another 24 squares. 

The pattern is a pretty straightforward starburst granny square.

I used a magic loop beginning, chained 3 into that for the first double crochet, then double crocheted 11 into the chain (for a total of 12 dcs), slip stitch to attach and finished off, pulling the magic loop tight. 

center circle, 12 dc into a circle

beginning round 2, clusters of 2 dcs

Second round was the mint green.

In one of the spaces between the double crochets of the white round, I chained 3 for the first dc, then another dc into the same space, then 2 dc into each space around (a total of 24 dcs), slip stitch to attach, and cut yarn.  

final round 2

Third round, dark blue.  

Chain 3 for the first dc into one of the spaces between the 2dc clusters of the round before, then 2 more dc into the same space, then 3 dc into each space between the clusters of the previous round. Slip stitch to attach, cut yarn.

round 3 in progress, clusters of 3 dcs

round 3, finished

Fourth round, either aqua or grass green.  Now you make the rounds into squares:,

round 4.  Corners!

  • ch 3 into a space between the clusters, then 2 dc into the same space
  • 3 dc into the next space to make a regular cluster 
  • 2 dc, chain 2, 2 dc into the next (3rd) space to make a corner 
  • 3 dc into the next (4th) space; 3 dc into the next (5th space) 
  • Another corner into the next space (6th) 
  • Regular clusters into each of the next 2 spaces (7th and 8th spaces) 
  • Another corner (9th space) 
  • 2 more regular clusters (10th and 11th spaces) 
  • Last corner (12th), slip stitch to your beginning and fasten off

round 4, finished.  Note wonky square.  

The last round of clusters is grey, and it helps square off your somewhat wombly square by using half double crochet clusters on the sides, and double crochet for the corners. 

round 5, even out the wonkiness of the square with hdc and dcs.

  • ch 2, 2hdc  into first space; 3 hdc into each of the next 2 spaces (this is one flat side)
  • 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc into the corner space
  • 3 hdc into each of the next 3 spaces
  • another dc corner
  • another hdc side
  • another dc corner
  • last hdc side
  • last dc corner
  • slip stitch and then...

round 6, the sc round

At this point, I could have done another round around of dc clusters, but I worried that would be too much grey, so I ch 1. I decided to single crochet around each square (using 3 sc into each corner space to turn the corners), slip stitched to join and fastened off. 

finished square, not blocked

I wove in the ends as I went, because I hate nothing more that 1) weaving in ends in crochet and 2) doing it all at the end.  By weaving them in as I made the squares, I was able to secure them a bit by also working the next round over the ends as well as weaving them into the work.  I've had a granny square blanket come apart because ends worked themselves out and never again. 

For ease of use and maximum mindless distraction, I did all the centers first, then all the first rounds, etc.  Except for when I ran out of aqua--I finished all the aqua ones with the grey, and took stock of where I was.

Layout is always tricky and where I am no good.  So I asked the internet whether they preferred rows/columns of the two color or alternating.  Unfortunately the internet was split, so I made my husband decide.  He went with columns.  Thus, columns.

alternating squares (also, clearly I was not yet done with the green ones)

columns

I joined the squares together by flat slip stitching through the back loop of the edging.  I held the squares to be joined together, wrong sides together, and then put the hook through the back half of each of their edge loops.  I'm not explaining it well, naturally. Luckily Craft Passion has a great tutorial.  

halfway joined.  the squares are all slip stitched together in vertical columns, and are halfway attached by rows (from the bottom up)

If I hadn't done the sc around the edge, I probably would have used dc clusters to join the squares, as that's my preferred look.  But I was running short on grey, and was not about to rip out that last line of sc around the squares at this point. 

Finally, I did a border around the whole thing of hdc, then a round of sc.  

And done!

Back to yelling as loud as I can, as often as I can, at my elected reps.