CUTE
HIPPO GRANNY SQUARE
IN
THE ROUND - 9
If
you have been following my blogs, you’ll know that we’re creating some really
cute 9” x 9” squares for toddler blankets for a donation to Project Chemo
Crochet. The lovely Linda and her team
of volunteers will be joining these mitered granny squares to make blankets for donation to
children battling cancer.
How
wonderful is it that your anonymous loving square will make one little child
smile. Come along, and join the
movement. Check for details on Facebook
or Google the project.
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Thanks
for coming along and spreading smiles.
Materials used : Today I’ve used a 4-ply acrylic baby soft yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook ;
This yarn is not specific for this project.
You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.
As today's project is a donation to Project Chemo Crochet, the squares need to be 9” x 9” - going towards toddler blankets
For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red rose ; Red rose metallic or unbranded knitting cotton as well as Oswal or Vardhaman acrylic yarns
International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn ; Alize bamboo yarn ; Spotlight 4-Seasons Stallion or Marvel acrylic yarns or "I-love-this-cotton" cotton yarn from Hobby Lobby.
Abbreviations used :
sc
: single crochet dc : Double crochet
ch
: chain ch-sp
: chain space
sp
: space rep
: Repeat
hk : hook yo : Yarn over
trc
: Treble / triple crochet
dtrc
: Double triple crochet
hdc : Half double crochet
sl-st : Slip stitch
fsc : Foundation single crochet
Sizing chart for blankets : https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279839582572/
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
Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : To refresh your skill on the fsc, please view this video https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA
Half Double Crochet : Hdc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;
yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made.
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg
Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8
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
Double Triple Crochet : dtrc : wrap yarn three times around hook, insert hk into st ; yo (4 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] three times. One trc made.
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/XyPrnAtOs3U
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
Instructions using U.S terminology
For
this pattern once again I am using the template/idea from crochet granny square by
Ashleigh. Free pattern at http://www.sewrella.com/kitty-cat-crochet-granny-square/.
Using
the same basic pattern, I’ve made this cute hippo square.
As
you know, I am making squares for Project Chemo Cancer and need 9” x 9”
squares. So I’ve had to tweak Ashleigh’s
pattern just a bit.
So
here are the basic ideas of what I’ve done.
I have used the general idea from Ashleigh – the centre that you start
with will be the face colour of the animal you are working on.
Today
for our hippo, I’ve used light grey. I
then used off white for the border of the mitered granny square.
Once
you are done with Rounds 1 – 5 for the face of our hippo, you will start
creating the granny square / border rounds, still working in rounds. Keeping this in mind, here are my tweaks.
Oh
and as I have said before, if you want to just make a hippo motif, then you
just work the first section to make it into a round, and you’ll have a lovely
large hippo motif.
What I’ve done :
1.
I
worked per Ashleigh’s pattern and worked Rounds 1 - 5 in grey to create the
centre circle that makes up our hippo face.
2.
I
used Ashleigh’s pattern again, for working on the square / border rounds. Remember that you need a total of 12 ch-5 sps
all around.
3.
I
worked 5 dc in each ch-5 sp of Round 2 of the granny squares (in off white, as
against 4 dc suggested by designer) ;
and (3 dc ; ch 3, 3 dc) for each corner ch-5 sp.
4. I then worked
1 dc in each dc, and then the (3 dc ; ch 3, 3 dc) in each corner ch-3 sp. I
just continued till I had a 9” x 9”
square. Easy enough, right?
So
finish off the centre circle with the square in grey (or face color of your
choice) for our hippo and come back for the ears, snout and finishing of face
features.
For the ears :
Make
two
Row 1 :
Start (using pink) with a magic circle
and 10 dc in that circle.
Pull
the circle tight but Do NOT join. Turn.
Fasten
off pink. Leave a tail for attachment.
Attach
light grey (or whatever colour you have used for your hippo face)
Row 2 :
sc in the 1st dc and in each dc till end. Turn.
Fasten
off and weave in ends. Attach onto the
top of the hippo head.
For the snout : (using
grey) : Start with 8 fsc. Turn
In
the following row, we will work till the end, and then turn around the corner
stitch and work along the bottom of the fsc.
So at the end of this row, we will have worked a round.
Row / Round 1 : hdc in the 1st fsc and in the next 6
fsc ; 5 hdc in the last fsc ;
(turn
and work along bottom of fsc chain) ; hdc in the next 6 fsc ; 4 hdc in the last
fsc. Join with a sl-st to the 1st
hdc.
Round 2 :
2 hdc in 1st hdc ; hdc in the next 6 hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc ;
hdc in the next 3 hdc ; 2 hdc in the next hdc ; hdc in the next 6 hdc ; 2 hdc
in the next hdc ; hdc in each hdc till end.
Join with a sl-st to the 1st hdc.
Fasten
off and leave a tail for attachment
For the nostrils :
(using pink) : Start with 6 sc.
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.
Fasten
off and leave a tail for attachment. Make two of these.
Attach
these tiny pink nostrils to either side of the grey snout first and then attach
the snout onto the hippo face.
For the eyes : I’ve used two 0.75 cm buttons, neatly sewed on.
As
always, if you want to crochet them in, then work a magic circle with 8
hdc. Join with a sl-st to the 1st
hdc. Pull together, fasten off and leave
a tail for attachment.
And
that’s one cute hippo granny mitered square ready.
So how do I make this into a blanket ? That’s
easy. You just go ahead and make as many
squares as you need for the length and width of your blanket. You can choose from the many many patterns I
have on my blog – just check under labels as I said at the top of this blog.
Then
use one of the joining methods given above and Ta Da, you will have a beautiful
blanket for your cute baby.
I
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Here are some of my older creations.
