Sweet Nothings Crochet: OWL GRANNY SQUARE : IN THE ROUND

OWL GRANNY SQUARE

IN THE ROUND - 10

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 lil kids battling cancer. These squares go off to Project Chemo Crochet. Do check their page on Facebook and the website under the same name for more details on how to send them the squares.

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Materials used : Today I’ve used a 4-ply acrylic baby soft yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook ; embroidery needle ; fabric glue to seal ends

This yarn is not specific for this project.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

For this project (squares for Project Chemo Crochet), the squares need to be 9” x 9” squares.

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros e ; 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 and Alize bamboo yarn.

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

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

Please check the top of this blog for free video tutorials of all the stitches used in this pattern.

We will once again work off the crochet granny square by Ashleigh. Free pattern at http://www.sewrella.com/kitty-cat-crochet-granny-square/

I however found that for my requirement for Project Chemo Cancer (which is for 9” x 9” squares), I needed some tweaks.

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.

Once you are done with Rounds 1 – 5 for the round face bit, you will start creating the granny square or border, still working in rounds. Keeping this in mind, here are my tweaks.

Please read through all my instructions before you pick up your hook. Thanks.

Oh, and if you just make the grey round portion and then add on the eyes, beak and ears, (without the off-white border portion I mean), you'll have yourselves a lovely owl motif!

What I’ve done :

1. I started with grey (my owl face colour) circle and then worked the off- white as my border.

2. In Round 5 we work in our owl ears. I worked 39 hdc ; I then worked 1 sc in the next dc. I continued then to make 5 chain stitches for the ears.

3. So work a ch-5 (for ears) and then turn and work a hdc in the 2^nd ch from hook ; then work 1 dc, 1 trc and 1 dtrc in the remaining chain. (Check trc and dtrc in “Stitches used” above)

4. I skipped 4 sts along the head/body of owl, and worked an sc in the next st ; sc in the next 10 sts. We will work the next ear now.

5. Make the next ch-5 (for next ear) and turn and work a hdc in the 2^nd ch from hook ; then work 1 dc, 1 trc and 1 dtrc in the remaining chain.

6. Once again skip 4 sts along the head/body of owl, and work an sc in the last st. With this you are finished with the face of your animal, and need to continue on to the creation of the granny square.

7. When starting on the square instructions, remember there should be one corner space each behind the ears (ie the 3 dc , ch 3, 3 dc bit) ; and two 5-dc sets in between the ears. You need a total of 12 ch-5 sps all around.

8. I worked 5 dc in each ch-5 sp of Round 2 of the granny squares (in white) ; and (3 dc ; ch 3, 3 dc) for each corner ch-5 sp.

9. 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?

In case your ch-5 sps do not fit exactly, and your lil owl is slightly ‘off centre’, it really does not matter. The owl will look really cute cocking its head to one side, and will spread smiles anyway.

Come along then.. go create. Please visit the link given on top for the basic square pattern and then come back here for the eyes and beak ideas.

For the eyes : (Make two)

Round 1 : (using black) : Start with a magic circle and work 6 sc in that circle. Join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Fasten off black. Attach white yarn.

Round 2 : (using white) : 2 dc in the 1^st sc and in each sc all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Round 3 : (using white) : 2 hdc in the 1^st dc and in each dc all around.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Fasten off and leave a long tail for attachment.

For the beak :

Using yellow embroider in a small triangle just under the eyes. Then fill it in with straight stitches.

And that’s one cute hootin’ owl for you. I hope you enjoyed working on our project today.

How do I make this into a blanket ?

Well, pretty simple - just make as many squares as you want, using this pattern and the many many more on my blog here. Then using one of the joining methods given above, make yourself a cute animal inspired afghan or blanket.

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Here are some of my older creations.

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2019/02/b-is-for-crochet-motif.html