Comments on: Crochet-Along: Stepping through Block 1 and Block 3

By: Feriel Irwin

Feriel Irwin — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:31:07 +0000

wow. i forgot to write and say I finished my blanket… I had a great time making it for a friends birthday in Virginia, so it got to her in time for winter, which she’s very happy about.
Looking at the photos, i had no difficulties with any of the stitches, though i did add a few more rows of blocks, to make it that little bit bigger, but that’s ok.
It took me a little over three weeks from start to finish with this project, much better than my personal worst of over 4 months for another blanket i’ve made!! I thoroughly enjoyed the project, and the pattern is now in my books for use another day and another colour!

By: Karla

Karla — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:21:59 +0000

I am so glad you posted this tutorial. I have been struggling with Block 3. Thanks I think I’ve got it now. Well I hope so anyway. Happy crocheting to you too.

By: Cathy S

Cathy S — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:12:25 +0000

I teach crochet classes at our Community College. I have looked over the pattern for my intermediate class but have not actually started this afghan. It sounds like the biggest problem with Block 3 is a basic rule which applies to turning chains. I have a chart which I give to my students which explains turning chains and where to start the next stitch. http://www.crochet.org/lessons/lessonr/rchains.html I had to refer back to this chart myself when I started working on the Two for the Road Scarf. My students love my finished scarf and several of them will be starting their own.

I have really enjoyed reading all the comments and will be checking back periodically.

Happy crocheting!!!

By: Linda C

Linda C — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:14:32 +0000

Thanks to the ongoing input from everyone on the blog.Haven’t attempted an afghan before. Decided to do all of one block at a time, and finished all of block 3 while away for afew days in Ottawa. Started block 1, but not sure I like it with block 3. Think I’ll try the alternate that Donna S has posted (thanks for the pattern Donna!). Also using a much smaller hook than the original pattern called for (J-6mm), so decided to make more blocks so the finished size of the afghan will be close to the original. My version takes 16 of blockes 2 and 3, and 17 of block 1. I’ll make up all the blocks and then have decided to wait till my cottage vacation in July ‘09 to put the whole thing together. I love to have a project along to do while on vacation.

By: Lion Brand Notebook

Lion Brand Notebook — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:01:27 +0000

[...] Crochet-Along: Stepping Through Blocks 1 and 3 [...]

By: Donna S

Donna S — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:26:52 +0000

oops…i just reread my pattern and it’s wrong…

chain 26,
row 1 sc in 2nd chain and is all sc (for 25 stitches)
row 2 ch 2 (acts as double), sc in second stitch (like in block 3), dc, sc, dc, repeating until last stitch (ending on dc)

row 3 is
ch 1, dc in second stitch, sc, dc, sc (repeating until last stitch, ending with sc)…the easiest way to do this is put a double on top of a single from the previous row, and a single on top of a double from the previous row

row 4: chain 1, sc in 2nd stitch and across to end
repeat rows 2, 3 and 4 until you have 28 rows.

Sorry, first time writing down a pattern! DOH!

By: Donna S

Donna S — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:20:46 +0000

i started out doing one of each block for guage/sizing issues…but, i didn’t like the end result for block 1, so started with block 3, then did 2…am working on block 1 now…

i am done with all 10 of block 3 and muddled through the correct way to stitch it, in the second stitch and dropping the chain at the end…ironically, i did the first block correctly then got hosed up on the second one which was what prompted me to go back and take a hard look at both the pattern and my first block…

but, if you start your cluster in the first stitch and add the chain at the end of the row, you’ll end up with the right amount of stitches, it’s just not symmetrical. so, for those of you that didn’t get it just right, NO SWEAT!

i have 9 of block 2 finised (ran out of yarn in a skein and didn’t feel like pulling out a new one until i was done with block 1…)..no problems at all with that one…very simple pattern…

for block 1, i toyed around with doing regular single crotchets instead of the back loop only…but that was kind of plain…someone on flickr had a block that was alternating single and double crochets, which i tried and loved! i ended up separating the rows with a single crochet to make the block the right size, so it ended up with 28 rows…

here it is:
chain 26
row 1: ch 2 (acts as double), sc in second stitch (like in block 3), dc, sc, dc, repeating until last stitch (ending on dc)
row 2: ch 1, sc in second stitch, dc, sc (repeating until last stitch, ending with sc)…the easiest way to do this is put a double on top of a single from the previous row, and a single on top of a double from the previous row
row 3: chain 1, sc in 2nd stitch and across to end
repeat rows 2, 3 and 4 until you have 28 rows.

the single crochets are hard to see unless you stretch the yarn out, but they add just enough height to make it match block 3, plus it makes keeping track of the rows easier…you end up with 9 ‘groups’ of rows, just like in block 3

i just signed up for ravelry and will try to post pics tomorrow…

By: Louise S

Louise S — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:20:25 +0000

Donna, don’t worry. You won’t be alone. I’m less than half finished with mine and I know there are plenty of others. For once, being slow to get going has been an advantage since we’ll get the benefit of Cecily’s posts and the comments from the other folks who were able to really jump on this.
Enjoy.
Louise

By: Trish

Trish — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:35:57 +0000

Donna, if I finish the first one(30 blocks and going bigger) I will work the second one with you,you won’t be alone:) We will have the advantage of all the others expertize!
Have a nice weekend, off to watch the debate.

By: Donna

Donna — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:27:05 +0000

Well I am more than woefully behind–I haven’t even started! I was waiting till I was done with hats that I had to make for my kids and then I ordered the yarn. According to the tracking service it isn’t even due till the 1st of Oct. (!) So I guess everyone will be done when I’m just starting. So guess I’ll hardly be crocheting along with everyone, but oh well, at least I’ll have these posts and helpful comments to refer to!