Make it ! The Granny Yarn Chain !!!

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS ????

SURE YOU ARE !!! I now that!!!! ;oD

So during this last week I was showing you via Instagram (see my personal feed) some colourful pictures about my new crochet w.i.p. , which I completed last night ...

... so this morning, before school/office time a couple of boys helped me with the last photos for this blog post ... TA-DAH ...

The beauty of this project resides in the fact that is adaptable to any extent, any kind of yarn and any corner of your home (in or out!) !!!

The inspiration and "creative kick" derives from two other projects I've seen around : The Chain Statement Necklace by my dear friend Miki from Set Free My Gypsy Soul and Peggy's Comfy Indoors Blanket by Pip Lincoln from Meet Me at Mike's !!! Thank you both, girls !!!

It has been a long time since I've been wanting to crochet (or even knit !) a paper chain ... I made some long paper chains for our Christmas tree back in Indonesia but I always thought that something made out of yarn will be more durable, right ?

So here I am with this colourful project, which I'm going to share with you RIGHT NOW !!!

WHAT YOU NEED :

some colourful yarn : I was using some DK acrylics from my personal stash (there is no need to buy new yarn!) and I could do my chain way longer than I did, but other projects are on the way, so...

a 4mm hook

a pair of scissors

a yarn needle 


Please remember that I follow the US crochet terminology, thank you !

Be aware that my turning chain is made of 2 chains and not 3, even though working with double crochets (= DC) ! Notice that this turning chain is never considered as a proper stitch, too !

We are going to crochet a lots of granny rectangles. If you never did one before or your memory is simply a little bit rusty, I suggest you to look at some videos on YouTube, like How to crochet a GRANNY RECTANGLE by Bella Coco or How to crochet a granny rectangle by Yolanda Soto Lopez .... there are a lot more !!!! ;oD


Pattern for the GRANNY RECTANGLE

My chain is made of 24 rectangles or links.

Each rectangle is worked in 3 rounds and every round is crocheted in a different colour.

I prefer to weave in ends all the time one round is completed, to avoid too many tails at the end of the work !!!

The picture above shows you a complete rectangle I'm giving you the pattern to crochet. Useful if you prefer to sew your rectangles together, but ... I prefer to use the join-as-you-go method, so my rectangles, instead, are never totally done, as I complete each of them while joining to the previous link : no worries, I'm going to show you how!!!

first round : choose your first colour and make a slip knot on your hook.

Chain 30+2 (= my turning chain!), wrap yarn around hook and push it in 3rd chain from hook : work your first DC. In the same chain, work other 2 DCs, so that you will have your first shell (in above chart : extreme right, you can see a small horizontal shell with a A .... sorry for the quality of my drawing!). Now chain 2, then work the first shell (1) of the long side and chain 1. Skip two chains and in 3rd chain work the new shell and chain 1. Repeat this pattern until you reach 10 shells ( you are in the second last chain of your foundation chain)! After this shell, chain 2 and work shell B in last chain. Chain 2, s you can start to crochet the second long side of your rectangle, working your 10 shells at the base of the previous shells and remembering to space them with a chain-1 space !
When shell 10 is completed, chain 2 and slip stitch in the top of first DC made. Slip stitch even in the tops of the following 2 DCs and in the corner!
Cut yarn and fasten off.

second round : choose a new colour and, in the same corner you have completed your first round, add the new yarn (insert front to back your hook in corner, pull new yarn from back to front, wrap yarn around hook and pull it trough the loop!), chain 1 and crochet 3 DCS, chain 2, 3 DCs in this first corner. Chain 1, (3 DCs in chain-1 space + chain 1) 9 times. In second and third corner : 3 DCs, chain 2, 3 DCS and chain 1. Along the other long side : (3 DCS in chain-1 space + chain 1) 9 times. In fourth corner : 3 DCs, chain 2, 3 DCs. Chain 1 and slip stitch in top of first DC made. Slip stitch even in the tops of the following 2 DCs and in the first corner!
Cut yarn and fasten off.

third round : choose the last colour and join it as done for the second round !
After the joining, chain 1 and crochet 3 DCS, chain 2, 3 DCS in this first corner. Chain 1, (3 DCs in chain-1 space + chain 1) 10 times. In second corner : 3 DCs, chain 2, 3 DCs and chain 1. Work 1 shell in next chain-1 space and chain 1. In third corner : 3 DCs. chain 2, 3 DCS and chain 1. Along the other long side : (3 DCs in chain-1 space + chain 1) 10 times. In fourth corner : 3 DCs, chain 2, 3 DCs and chain 1. In next chain-1 space crochet a shell + chain 1. Slip stitch in top of first DC made. Slip stitch even in the tops of the following 2 DCs and into the first corner !
Cut yarn and fasten off.

This is the full pattern of a granny rectangle made of 3 rounds.

Honestly, I stop mine (see above picture) when half fourth corner (3 DCs + chain 1) is done ...

In this way I can use the join-as-you-go method to join the short sides of my rectangle (s) to form a link (s) for my granny yarn chain !

Wanna see how ?


The JOIN-AS-YOU-GO METHOD to make links

We need to have links for our chain, right ?

Nice, right ???

But how to do that???

Very simply !!!

When you have a rectangle almost done (just started half fourth corner of third round), you need to fold it in half (back sides facing each other) and make pass the short side completed, from bottom to top, inside a previous link already joined ...

... and be sure to have the rectangle and the link in the right position, as follows ...

... with the completed side of your rectangle at the top and the uncompleted side at the bottom !

Let's start the joining !!!

Insert the tip of your hook in the corner at the top (see above picture, left), wrap yarn and and pull it to the front, through the loop formed by last chain 1 : slip stitch done (joining officially started!)!

You can complete the 4th corner of your rectangle ...

... by working 3 DCs in that corner, as usual (see above pic) !

Then ...

... slip stitch in above chain-1 space (it replaces the chain 1) (see above pic) and work a new shell in next chain-1 space (see below pic) ...

.... and, again, slip stitch in the above chain-1 space, as did previously ...

Now : slip stitch in top of first DC made at the beginning of round 3 of your rectangle ...

... and slip stitch in tops of following 2 DCs and in corner, too !! Hope you can see this in the below pic ...

To complete the joining, just slip stitch in the top corner ...

Joining done !!!!!

DON'T CUT ANY YARN !!!!

We have to finish off the link properly ! In order to do that, simply turn your work from left to right of 90 degrees ...

... and work a single crochet (= SC) in the first corner at the left of the joining line.

You have to work 3 SCs into the tops of each shell and 1 SC in each chain-1 space and corner!

When the round is completed (last SC in corner adjacent joining line), slip stitch in first SC done, cut yarn, fasten off and weave in ends.

If you look closely at the above picture, you can notice how much neater looks the bottom line in comparison with the top one, not yet "single crocheted" !!!! ;oD

So, repeat the same procedure even for the bottom of your link : make a slip knot on your hook, insert it in the top corner at the left of the joined line and work your first SC.

Crochet the same pattern, but this time, when ending the round, slip stitch in the 2nd SC you made !!!

Cut yarn, fasten off and weave in all the ends !!!

LINK DONE !!!!! Go on the same way for all the other ones !!!! ;oD

PLEASE, NOTE that even your absolute first link is joined in the same way !!! The only difference is that you don't have to connect it to any link! It will be, instead, the first link to insert in the second one you will make !!!!

Nothing difficult and really addictive !!!

... and some more ...

.... Maybe with a softer yarn and a couple of tassels it would be nice as a scarf, too ....

Have a lovely weekend !!!!

xxxx Alessandra

... if you like more photo tutorials/patterns to try, just click HERE and ... have a lot of fun !!!

Make It ! The Stabby Granny Tote Bag !!!

As promised on my Instagram feed , I'm ready to show you how to make a market bag using the STABBY GRANNY SQUARE, whose pattern can be found on Miki's blog (HERE) and on Emily's blog (HERE), too !!!!!

Emily and Miki have prepared even two free patterns to make something nice and useful from the stabby grannies : a pair of STABBY GRANNY GLOVES and a STABBY GRANNY COWL !!!

I was curious to try the STABBY GRANNY SQUARE and I was so pleased with the tickness of the fabric...

... that I decided to make a bag, instead !!! I think this idea was even influenced by the JAPANESE KNOT BAG I've crocheted almost 10 days ago... But that pattern was not mine (it's from a Japanese crochet book), so I decided to make a similar one, with different granny squares, different handles and a different method of joining !!! ;oD

WHAT YOU NEED :

- a 4,5 mm hook
- a pair of scissors
- a yarn needle
- stitch markers, useful to point out the stitches (along the top of the bag) where to attach the handles!
- some colourful yarns : I was using, from my personal stash, a selection of  DK acrylics from Filati Cervinia CAPRICE, Lane Biella MARK, Filati Tre Sfere LANA LANA and some "two colour strands" from TIGER Garn/Yarn !
- follow the basic STABBY GRANNY SQUARE PATTERN by MIKI and EMILY and crochet a total of 26 stabby grannies (18 for the bag + 8 for the handles)

Remember I use and follow the US crochet terminology, thank you !!!!

I prefer not to sew my crochet pieces together (you can do that, instead, if you prefer!) and I use the "join-as-you-go" method, the same that Miki uses for her COWL !!

My grannies are made of 8 rounds (bag panels) or 6 rounds (handles), but you can choose if to crochet smaller or bigger ones !!! ;oD


FIRST PANEL

The colours for my grannies were chosen while crocheting each one of them !

Only the first square (=the central one) was completely crocheted in 8 rounds.

The other squares were completed (part of the 8th round was done during the join) while joining to the main square and/or to the other ones !

SECOND PANEL

Nothing difficult, as I followed the previous method, used for the first panel!

I only put one big safety pin on the bag's "top-to-be", just to remember not to join that side, too, as the bag needs an openining to put in and out your own stuff (grocery, books, crochet, knitting, etc...)!

Each panel measures : 44 cm x 44 cm

The lovely thing about this joining method is that you don't really need to block your squares, as they are stretched into the right shape while joining them !

Just look at the above picture : the pink square and the black one have slightly curved sides, but when the green square is joined, the sides become straight !!!! Really good !!!!


TOP BORDER of the BAG (two rounds)

Pick up your bag-to-be and, keeping it in front of you with the opening upward, insert the hook in the right top corner of the first square and join the new yarn. Chain 1 and make 1 DC (=double crochet) in the same corner.

The idea is to make a complete round of "stabby shells" (may I say that ??) in each space between couples of shells of the stabby squares : easy peasy, right? (look the above pictures)

How to behave into the adjoining corners of two squares ?

Very simple (look above pictures) : work 1 DC in last corner, 1 DC in space between the two corners, 1 DC in new corner !!!

The pattern is repeated around the entire opening of the bag.

When you work your last DC (= the one in the space between first square and last square !), slip stitch in the top of the first DC of the round to complete your first round !

After the slip stitch, with the same yarn chain 1 and work 1 single crochet (=SC) in the same stitch.
Crochet 1 SC in each stitch of the first round. When you reach the last stitch, make a slip stitch in first SC made.

Cut yarn, fasten off and weave in all the tails : your border is done !!!

BAG HANDLES (make 2)

Differently from the Japanese knot bag, the handles in this tote bag are symmetrical and each of them are made of 4 stabby squares.

The other difference is that we are going to work a smaller stabby square : instead of 8 rounds, this time we need squares of 6 rounds each !

Another important thing to note is that each side of the squares (6th round completed) is made of 20 stitches. From corner to corner you will count in : 1 chain, 3 half double crochets, 4 shells of 3 stitches each (total stitches = 12), 3 half double crochets and 1 chain.

Knowing this, you have to place your stitch markers along the bag border in the stitches where you intend to attach your handles. A couple of stitch markers for each handle end, positioning the first marker in the 1st stitch and the 2nd marker in the 20th stitch ! ;oD

Even this time I'm using the "join-as-you-go" method, but you can simply stitch the handles along the bag border, if you prefer.

1- attaching the square along the border

You have to put the bag upside-down, with the opening towards yourself.

You need even a stabby granny with 5 rounds completed.

Start the 6th (and last ) round of your square (in any corner) : 3 half DC, chain 1 and start the joining, as follows :

slip stitch in first stitch of the border (where you have your stitch marker, mine is gone, but you see an arrow on the right of the above picture), work 1 hDC (=half double crochet) and slip stitch in the correspondent stitch along the border, work 1 hDC and slip stitch in the correspondent stitch along the border, work last hDC and slip stitch in correspondent stitch along the border. The first corner of your square is done !
Work the following 4 shells (= 12 stitches) in the same way : after each stitch of the shells are done, remember to make a slip stitch in the correspondent stitch along the border !
When the shells are completed and all 12 stitches are joined to the border, work the first 4 stitches of the second corner :  3 hDC (work one stitch, then make a slip stitch in the correspondent stitch along the border, 3 times!), then 1 slip stitch in last correspondent stitch along the border, where you have the other stitch marker!!! JOINING DONE !

To complete the corner, just : chain 1 and work 3 hDC ! Continue to crochet the last round as usual!

2- attaching the following two squares of the handle

This time the joining is much more simpler, as you have only to slip stitch in the spaces between two shells, as Miki already described in her COWL pattern.

You need other 2 stabby squares, with their 5th round completed.

You start the 6th round as usual : 3 hDC in any corner, then chain 1. Crochet a slip stitch in the opposite corner of the square already joined (see above picture), then work the other 3 hDC in same corner, with no extra slip stitches! Slip stitch in space between corner and first shell and crochet an usual shell, with no slip stitches !!! Repeat this simple pattern until you reach the 2nd corner, where you work 3 hDC, slip stitch in second corner of previous square, chain 1 and work 3 hDC in corner.

Continue your square as usual!

Repeat the same joining for the 3rd square, too !!!

3- attaching the 4th square

You have to use both joining methods this time !

First you use the simpler one to join the two squares together, while to join this last square to the other side of the bag, just follow the first method showed to you !!!

You have to repeat all this work for the 2nd handle, too !!!! ;oD

Black edging around the handles and top border

Simply crochet a round of single crochet, along the outer and inner sides (plus the top borders left out from the joining) of the handles, just to complete your beautiful bag !!!!

TA-DAH :

xxxx Alessandra

P.S. : if you liked this photo tutorial (thank you!), please feel free to check my other free patterns right here, on the MAKE IT ! page !!!!