Sweet Nothings Crochet: MICQ BLANKET

Sweet Nothings crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of MICQ Blanket 5

Sweet Nothings crochet free crochet pattern blog, photo of MICQ Blanket 6

MICQ BLANKET – 5 and 6

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If you’ve been following my blogs, you’ll know that there are a group of us Indian crocheters who are trying to break the Guinness World Record for the largest crocheted blanket.

We’re all going to make one metre blankets that will then be joined up to make this humungous blanket. These are my fifth and sixth blankets for that event.

If you are an Indian crocheter and wish to join in, do come on over to https://www.facebook.com/groups/468779636631544/?fref=nf

So for these two blankets, I’ve decided on asymmetrical patterns. Both use the same ‘granny square’ pattern but with an off-set or off-centre start, which is then worked in rows rather than the traditional rounds ; and for the next one, I’ve adapted the lovely Log Cabin pattern using the traditional granny square design.

In an event of this magnitude, we usually purchase a lot of yarn, and always end up with stray bits of end pieces that do not seem to be sufficient for another full project – so in both these above patterns, let bust that stash ! J

These are my notes on what I’ve done.

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

Abbreviations used :

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

dc : Double crochet sp : Space

sl-st : Slip stitch

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

yo : Yarn Over ch : Chain
fdc : Foundation Double Crochet

bphdc : Back Post Half Double Crochet sk : skip

sc-blo : Single crochet back loop only

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 5

The beauty of this is that it’s the regular pattern used for all granny squares, just used in a different manner and the only thing that holds us back is our colour combination – so the eventual results are unbelievable and limitless.

Start with a magic circle and 12 sc in that circle.
Join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 1 : dc in the 1^st 3 sc ;
*ch 2, dc in the next 3 sc* ;
rep *to* 2 times ;
dc and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

The dc makes is that last ch-2 sp, and we will start working in this ch-2 sp in the next round.

Round 2 : 3 dc in the 1^st ch-2 sp ;
*(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-2 sp ;
ch 3, 3 dc in the same ch-2 sp) ;
rep from (to)* ;
rep from *to* 2 times ;
ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the last ch-2 sp ;
ch 2, and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

From here on, we’ll make our square asymmetrical.
For this we will be working in rows and not rounds, which is how this becomes asymmetrical. I have decided to change colours at this point, so I’ve added my new colour at the corner ch-2 sp.

Row 3 : 3 dc in the 1^st corner ch-2 sp ;

(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
[ch 1, 3 dc in the corner ch-2 sp ch 3, 3 dc in the same ch-2 sp] ;
rep from (to) 2 times till the next corner. Turn

We leave one side un-done from this row on.

Row 4 : dc in the 1^st dc ;
ch 1, sk next 2 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp

(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
[ch 1, 3 dc in the corner ch-2 sp ch 3, 3 dc in the same ch-2 sp] ;
rep from (to) 2 times ;
ch 1, sk next 2 dc, dc in the last dc. Turn

Row 5 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-1 sp ; 3 dc in the same ch-1 sp ;

(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep from (to) once ;
[ch 1, 3 dc in the corner ch-2 sp ch 3, 3 dc in the same ch-2 sp] ;
rep from (to) 3 times till the next corner. Turn

And this is our pattern. So rep Rows 4 and 5, changing colours as often as you want to emphasize the asymmetry of our square.
Continue till we have the required square of 40” x 40” for this present MICQ project.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

MICQ BLANKET 6

For my sixth blanket, I thought I’d try and adapt the Log Cabin Crochet pattern.

Usually the Log cabin pattern is done in solids, i.e all dc in each little log bit. For our pattern here, I thought I’d use the (3 dc ; ch 1, 3 dc) pattern through and try to use the Log cabin idea for the logs.

Once again, for the Log pattern to show, one must use at least two colours, and once again, as the color choices are what differentiates us all, let’s leave the colour change(s) optional.

Start with a magic circle and 12 sc in that circle.
Join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 1 : dc in the 1^st 3 sc ;
*ch 2, dc in the next 3 sc* ;
rep *to* 2 times ;
dc and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

The dc makes is that last ch-2 sp, and we will start working in this ch-2 sp in the next round.

Round 2 : 3 dc in the 1^st ch-2 sp ;
*(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-2 sp ;
ch 3, 3 dc in the same corner ch-2 sp) ;
rep from (to)* ;
rep from *to* 2 times ;
ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the last ch-2 sp ;
dc and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

The dc makes is that last ch-2 sp, and we will start working in this ch-2 sp in the next round.

Round 3 : 3 dc in the 1^st ch-2 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
[ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-2 sp ;
ch 3, 3 dc in the same corner ch-2 sp] ;
*rep from (to) once ;
rep [to] once* ;
rep from all around ;
ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the last ch-2 sp ;
dc and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

The dc makes is that last ch-2 sp, and we will start working in this ch-2 sp in the next round.

Note : I’ve changed yarns now and make our first rectangular “log”

Row 4 : 3 dc in the 1^st ch-2 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep from (to) 2 times ;
ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the corner ch-2 sp. Turn.

Continue using the same yarn as for Row 3.

Row 5 : dc in the 1^st dc ;
ch 1, sk next 2 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep from (to) once ;
ch 1, sk next 2 dc , dc in the next dc. Turn.

Continue using the same yarn as for Row 3.

Row 6 : Sl–st into the 1^st ch-1 sp ; 3 dc in the same 1^st ch-1 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep from (to) 2 times. Turn.

Attach the next colour of yarn and start working on our next “log”.

We will now turn our work 90˚ and work along the sides of the 3 rows (i.e Rows 4 – 6) and then back along the stitches of Row 3 for our next “log”.

So we’re at a corner square, so when we turn, we’ll work 3 dc in the same corner square bit.

Now which is the corner ? Look at your work.
We’ve done three rows in the 2^nd colour , and we’re at the corner on the 3^rd row. There’s a corner just below on that 2^nd row, and that’s the corner we’ll start working into with our first corner stitches. Easy enough? Let’s get to it.

The other thing to remember on this first new row with the new colour, is that as we’re working at 90˚, the new rows that we’ve just done (i.e Rows 4-6, the dc’s will face a different direction. Do not worry too much about that.. so when the instructions below say ‘sk the dc’, I mean just that.. sk that full dc set even if it facing the ‘wrong’ direction

Row 7 : 3 dc in the corner ch-sp ; ch 1, sk next dc set ;
3 dc in the next ch-sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep from (to) once ;
ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 1 dc in the corner ch-sp. Turn.

Continue using the same yarn as for Row 6.

Row 8 : Sl –st into the 1^st ch-1 sp ;
3 dc in the same 1^st ch-1 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep from (to) 2 times ;
ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 1 dc in the corner ch-sp. Turn.

Continue using the same yarn as for Row 6.

Row 9 : Sl –st into the 1^st ch-1 sp ; 3 dc in the same 1^st ch-1 sp ;
(ch 1, sk next 3 dc , 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp) ;
rep from (to) 2 times ;
ch 1, sk next 2 dc , 1 dc in the next dc. Turn.

Now let’s put our work down and see what we’ve created.

Our first square, then we added on 3 rows to one side of it, and then using the sides of this 3-rowed-rectangle, we’ve added 3 more rows along the other side of that first square.

Now as we work on the 3^rd side, we will once again change colours and work rows at 90˚ along the side of these newly constructed rows and the third side of that first square.

Rep Rows 7 - 9, increasing the number of repeats (to) till you have rectangles all around, ensuring you change colours with each change of direction.

Slowly watch your beautiful afghan or in our case our MICQ square grow, till you have the required 40” x 40” square we need here.

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