Sweet Nothings Crochet: MICQ BLANKET

Sweet Nothings crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of MICQ blanket 3

Sweet Nothings crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of MICQ blanket 4

MICQ BLANKET – 3 and 4

So as I’ve said before in my first write up for the MICQ Blanket – 1 , this event is one involving all Indian crocheters in a beautiful event – to try and make the largest Crochet blanket and enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

We have named our group Mother India Crochet Queens with the catchy acronym MICQ.

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There are so many charts on the internet, so using some of them for inspiration for the centre of the blanket, these are my notes on what I’ve done. Todays’ two creations have been inspired by a lovely set of Lindt Excellence chocolates that my son recently gifted me. So a dark chocolate and mint ; and then a dark chocolate + raspberry and dark chocolate + orange combination.. what do you think?

Coincidentally, the yarns for this set have also been sponsored by him!

Materials used : Today I’ve used our lovely Indian 4-ply acrylic yarn with a 5 mm crochet hook

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot : Here’s how you start with a slip knot. https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : This is a neat new way to start your work without a slip knot. https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a slip stitch : Here is a neat video tutorial at https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

What is a chain stitch ? Here is an easy video tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXx5ukBjKkY

Magic circle : To refresh your skill, please view this easy video https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

dc 4-tog : Double crochet 4-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp ; yo and draw through 2 lps] 4 times (5 lps on hk) ; yo, draw through all lps on hk. One dc 4-tog made.

Double crochet 4-tog as a decrease stitch : dc 4-tog : Here is an easy video tutorial for working a dc 4-tog over 4 sts at https://youtu.be/WjSNi7ithIU

Double crochet 4-tog as a decorative stitch : dc 4-tog : Here is an easy video tutorial for working a dc 4-tog all in the same stitch as a decorative stitch at https://youtu.be/_B0-ye0cClU

How to change colors seamlessly : Here’s an easy video tutorial to show you how to change from the Main color to the Contrast or second color of yarn seamlessly. View it at https://youtu.be/fRzSBja9jno

How to carry your yarn when using two colors : Here’s an easy video tutorial to show you how to carry your yarn along when working with two colours.

View it at https://youtu.be/NuascBU3pxQ

How to seamlessly crochet in rounds : When working with head wear, this is a really neat way to seamlessly end each round. Here’s an easy video tutorial to show you how to this at https://youtu.be/ISBZK7Du7yE

Whipstitch to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the whipstitch at https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the embroidery needle and whipstitch to get an invisible join at https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the single crochet at https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

Abbreviations used : (Using U.S terminology)

lp(s) : Loop(s) sc : Single crochet

dc : Double crochet sp : Space

sl-st : Slip stitch ch : Chain

st(s) : Stitch(es) hk : Hook

yo : Yarn Over sk : skip

hdc : Half Double Crochet
dc 4-tog : Double crochet 4-tog

Instructions :
I’ve used three coloured yarns for this little granny square, but one can do the whole thing in one colour. I am not going to write when we change colours, as this is where our creativity comes in… so enjoy and change when it suits you.

Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.

Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.

In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement. This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project.

MICQ BLANKET 3 INSTRUCTIONS

Start with a magic circle and 16 dc in that circle.
Join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.
Pull lightly to close the circle.

Round 1 : dc in the 1^st dc ;
* ch 2, dc in the next dc* ;

rep *to* all the way around ;
ch 2 and join with a sl-st to the 1^st dc.

Round 2 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-2 sp ;
3 dc in same the ch-2 sp ;

* ch 1, sk next dc , 3 dc in the next ch-2 sp* ;

rep *to* all the way around ;
ch 1 , sk next dc and join with a sl-st to the 1^st dc.

Round 3 : sl-st in the 1^st 2 dc ;
sc in the next ch-1 sp ;

(ch 3, sk next 3 dc , sc in the next ch-1 sp) ;

*[ch 6, sk next 3 dc , sc in the next ch-1 sp] ;
rep (to) 3 times ;

rep *to* 2 times ;
rep [to] once ;
rep (to) 2 times ,
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

For the purpose of making this square a granny square for the centre, I’ve altered the pattern per chart just a little bit. So here’s the small tweak with an additional ch-1.

Round 4 : sl-st in the 1^st ch-3 sp ;
3 dc in the same 1^st ch-3 sp ;

(ch 1, 5 dc in the next ch-6 sp ;
ch 2 , 5 dc in the same ch-6 sp) ;

* [ch 1, 3 dc in the next ch-3 sp] ;
rep [to] 2 times ;
rep (to) once* ;

rep *to* all the way around ;
ch 1 and join with a sl-st to the 1^st dc.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

We’ve completed our first square which measures 6” square.

I’ve made three more like this, and then joined them up first, before doing the outer portion of the blanket.

So let’s go off and finish that off and we’ll meet back here in a bit for the joining bit.

Now once you’ve got your four 6” squares, join them up using one of the join methods given above.

I used this new method for joining, as it gave me the neat 3 dc’s start that I needed. http://carinascraftblog.wardi.dk/2009/06/granny-square-joining-tutorial.html

Then it’s the simple case of doing the regular 3 dc in each ch-sp and (3 dc ; ch 2, 3 dc) for each corner till you get the square for the size you desire. In the case of our MICQ challenge, we’re working it till we have a 40” x 40” square.. so off we go.

And though we’ve not got the centre this way, just so you can see what the 3 dc in each ch-sp and the corners look like, here’s the chart.

MICQ BLANKET 4 INSTRUCTIONS

For our next 40” x 40” blanket, we’re going to do a centre large granny square and then work the sides up as we have for Blanket 3. Ready, set .. hook on..

Start with a magic circle and 16 sc in that circle.
Join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.
Pull lightly to close the circle.

Round 1 : sc in the 1^st sc ;
* ch 3, sk next sc, sc in the next sc* ;

rep *to* 6 times ;
ch 1 and hdc to the 1^st sc.

(You are now in the centre of that last ch-3 sp)

Round 2 : sc in the 1^st ch-3 sp ;
* ch 5, sk next sc, sc in the next ch-3 sp* ;

rep *to* 6 times ;
ch 1 and dc to the 1^st sc.

(You are now in the centre of that last ch-5 sp)

Round 3 : sc in the 1^st ch-5 sp ;
* ch 6, sk next sc, sc in the next ch-5 sp* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

Round 4 : sl-st in the 1^st ch-6 sp ;
(sc, hdc , 5 dc , hdc, sc) all in the next ch-6 sp ;

*sk next sc, rep (to) in the next ch-6 sp* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

Now in this round, we’re going to do our sc’s in the space between the 2 sc’s. These are the 2 sc’s that are the 1^st and last st of each ch-6 sps. Got it? So this is what I mean in the sc-sp.

Round 5 : sc in the 1^st sc-sp ;

*ch 2, sk next 4 sts, dc in the next dc ;
ch 5, dc in the same dc ;
ch 2, sk next 4 sts, sc in the next sc-sp* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

In the following round, we’ll use our dc 4-tog.

Round 6 : dc 4-tog in the 1^st sc ;

[ch 5, sk next dc, sc in the next ch-5 sp ;
ch 5, sc in the same ch-5 sp] ;

*(ch 5, sk next dc, dc 4-tog in the next sc ;
ch 5, sk next dc, sc in the next ch-5 sp) ;

ch 5, sk next dc, dc 4-tog in the next sc ;
rep [to] once* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

Round 7 : sc in the 1^st dc 4-tog ;

*ch 5, sk next ch-5 sp,
(3 dc in the corner ch-5 sp ;
ch 5, 3 dc in the same ch 5 sp) ;

ch 5, sc on top of the next dc 4-tog ;

[5 sc in the next ch-5 sp ; sc in the next sc ; 5 sc in the next ch-5 sp] ;

sc on top of the next dc 4-tog* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

Round 8 : sl-st in the 1^st ch-5 sp, sc in the same 1^st ch-5 sp ;

*ch 5, dc in the next 3 dc,

[3 dc in the next ch-5 sp ;
ch 5, 3 dc in the same ch-5 sp] ;

dc in the next 3 dc ;
ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp ;

(ch 5, sk next 3 sc, sc in the next sc ;
ch 5, sk next 4 sc, sc in the next sc ;

ch 5, sk next 3 sc, sc in the next ch-5 sp)* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

Round 9 : sl-st in the 1^st ch-5 sp, and till the next dc ;

* dc in the next 6 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-5 sp ;
ch 5, 3 dc in the same ch-5 sp ; dc in the next 6 dc ;
ch 5, sk next ch-5 sp, sc in the next ch-5 sp ;

(ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp) ;
rep (to) once ;
ch 5, sk next ch-5 sp* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st dc.

Now in the original pattern, we’ve got a ch-5 corner sp. For the purpose of our square here in this MICQ blanket, I’m changing that to a ch-3 sp

Round 10 : * dc in the next 9 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-5 sp ;
ch 3, 3 dc in the same ch-5 sp ;
dc in the next 9 dc ; sc in the next ch-5 sp ;
(ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp) ;
rep (to) 2 times* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st dc.

Round 11 : dc in the 1^st 3 dc,
*(ch 1, sk next dc, dc in the next 3 dc),

rep (to) 2 times ;

[ch 1, 2 dc in the corner ch-3 sp ;
ch 3, 2 dc in the same ch-3 sp] ;

rep (to) 3 times ;

{ch 1, sk next sc, 3 sc in the next ch-5 sp} ;

rep {to} 2 times* ;

rep *to* all around
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

This piece now measures 12” x 12”. Fasten off and weave in ends.

So here are our options for the MICQ blanket :

a) You could continue on here with a regular blanket pattern doing a set of 3 dc in each ch-1 sp and then the [ch 1, 2 dc in the corner ch-3 sp ; ch 3, 2 dc in the same ch-3 sp] in each corner till you reach the required 40” x 40”

b) You could make 9 of these pieces which will then make this centre piece 36” x 36”, and then you could just do 2” all around (to complete the required 4”) to make the 40” x 40” blanket.

For option (B), join these centre pieces first and then do the regular stitch all around to complete your blanket. Fasten off and weave in ends.

You now have several choices for your blanket.. and whatever you choose to do, you will have one really cute project at the end of it all

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