11 January 2012

PLAID GRANNY BLANKET

FRAZADA GRANNY ESTILO ESCOCÉS





Granny blankets are usually multicolored, and they are certainly very cute.  But this time I wanted to do a little twist to the granny pattern.  Therefore, I designed this blanket made with one-color granny squares arranged to give a plaid look.  Instead of sewing them at the end, the granny squares are joined together as you go.

Las “frazadas granny” son típicamente multicolores, y ciertamente son preciosas.  Pero en esta ocasión yo quería darle un toque más moderno, y a la vez clásico a la frazada granny.  Con ese propósito, diseñé esta frazada de cuadros granny de un solo color, arreglados para dar un estilo escocés.  En lugar de cocerlas al final, éstas se van uniendo en el camino.  

Here is my first sample:
Éste es mi primer ejemplar:




These granny squares are made each in one solid color.  Four colors are needed:  One is used for the background, two for the “lines”, and the fourth for the connection point of the two lines. 
Estos cuadros granny se hacen en un solo color cada uno.  Se necesitan 4 colores: uno para el fondo, dos para las líneas, y el cuarto para el punto de conexión entre las dos líneas.

This is the order in which the motifs should be placed in order to make the plaid pattern:
Este es el orden en el cual las aplicaciones deben colocarse para poder formar el patrón escocés:



A


B


A


B


A


B


A


C


D


C


D


C


D


C


A


B


A


B


A


B


A


C


D


C


D


C


D


C


A


B


A


B


A


B


A


C


D


C


D


C


D


C


A


B


A


B


A


B


A



SIZE (tamaño):
Small : 7 x 7 squares
Medium: 9 x 9 squares
Large: 11 x 11 squares

In the sample blanket, I used (Para esta frazada, utilicé):
Needle/ Aguja: 4.5 mm
Yarn / Lana: Worsted (medium) / Mediana

Caron Simply Soft:
A. White
B.  Light Country Blue
C.  Soft Blue
D. Country Blue

This is the number of squares needed for each color:
Este es el número de cuadros que se necesitan para cada color:

16 - Color A
12 - Color B
12 - Color C
9 - Color D

In case you have never made a “granny square”, here is the graphic pattern.
En caso que nunca hayan hecho un “cuadro granny”, aquí les dejo el patrón gráfico. 





There is a Video tutorial for the basic granny that you can watch in YouTube: The Art of Crochet by Teresa .  For written instructions, check here.
Hay un video sobre cómo hacer un cuadro granny en YouTube, realizado por: The Art of Crochet by Teresa . 

The granny squares for the PLAID GRANNY SQUARES BLANKET can be made as big or small as you want, as long as you follow the color arrangement and order.  I made mine with 4-row grannies (medium size). 
Los cuadros granny para esta frazada pueden hacerse tan grandes o pequeños como se quieran.  Yo los hice de cuatro hileras (una tamaño mediano).

Other color options (otros coloridos):




There is no limit for creativity…
No hay límite para la creatividad…

JOIN AS YOU GO (UNION)
There are many ways to join granny squares:
* with simple crochet (sc) stitch... but it leaves a bump;
* sewing the pieces together with a needle... but most people that crochet don´t like it;
* there is still another option...

Hay varias maneras de unir los cuadros granny:
*  con medios puntos (punto sencillo)... pero deja un filete saltado;
*  cosiendo las piezas con una aguja...pero a pocas personas les gusta esto;
* hay aún otra opción...

I find the best option for this blanket is to “join as you go along”, which is done on the last row of the motif.
A mi parecer, la mejor opción para esta frazada es la “unión en el camino”, la cual se hace en la última fila de la aplicación).


One of the best techniques I have found to join grannies is the one suggested in the blog ATTIC24.
Me parece que la mejor técnica para unir cuadros granny es la sugerida en el blog ATTIC24.

Here are some pictures I took while joining along...
Aquí hay unas fotos que tomé al "unir en el camino"...

Points where you will join along:
Puntos en los que se hacen las uniones:




How to join-along passing the needle on the top:
(Note: It can also be done from below, as explained in Crochet Cabana, but the outcome is not as neat as this way).
Cómo unir pasando la aguja por arriba:
(Nota:  También se puede unir pasando la aguja por debajo, tal como se explica en "Crochet Cabana", pero no queda tan nítido como por arriba).



How to join in the corner:
After joining in one corner, then you make a chain, and do the opposite corner, before doing the following 3-DC cluster.

Cómo unir las esquinas:
Luego de unir una esquina, se teje una cadena antes de hacer la unión en la esquina opuesta.

You can find additional instructions in the following links:
Pueden encontrar explicaciones adicionales en los siguientes enlaces:

Crochet Cabana
Sara London
WEBS Yarn Store (video for a similar joining-along technique)

BORDER/ ORILLA
For the border, I followed the granny pattern all around.  I used all four colors, and made one row of each, finishing with white (or the background color).   Finally, finish off with a row of simple crochet (sc) over each stitch all around,
Para la orilla, seguí el patrón del granny en todo el derredor.  Usé los cuatro colores, haciendo una hilera con cada uno de ellos, terminando con blanco (el color del fondo).  Finalmente, se cierra con una pasada de medio punto (sencillo) en cada puntada, alrededor.  

Are you ready to make one now?...
Ahora ya pueden hacer una...


19 comments:

  1. How beautiful! I've been crocheting for many years, but I never tried granny squares. So I think this would be a project for 2012.
    You have a wonderful blog with so many interesting ideas and projects.

    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Olga! I encourage you to try the granny. It is so classic, and fun to make.
    You are welcome to visit here any time you want.
    Happy New Year!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is gorgeous Olga!! Inspiration to get one done myself. You should join Granny-A-Day from this site...
    the blog Hooked..Crochet Addict's Blog with us.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I completely adore granny squares! And I do love this plaid look. I thought about the join as you go method for Isabels new blanket but... I really like the finished look the single crochet give each square. I may be stuck whip stitching them together to get the look I want. It will be a LONG process. But hopefully worth it! Thanks so much for sharing this link with me. I loved seeing your finished blanket and browsing through the joining methods. So nice! Happy New Year. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello!
    Thank you for your sweet words in my blog.
    Your hexagon "Flower on White" blanket is my favorite in your blog!
    And I am looking forward for your new "Ripple of happiness" blanket.
    Olga ☼

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello Ana,

    my favorite color is blue. That's why I like the blanket so much.

    Greetings from Germany

    Anke

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a gorgeous blanket - thank you for the post, I've begun making it for my son. A

    ReplyDelete
  8. What great additions to the pattern - the different color options are great.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous7/15/2012

    I have never truly wanted to learn to crochet because I often esteemed it crude in appearance. I happened upon your blanket while looking for a brioche nine patch to knit for my grandson. I am enamored with the look you have achieved. Beautiful!

    I have copied down your instructions and am looking forward to beginning this project even though I must learn to crochet. :-)

    Thank you for well thought-out and displayed instructions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your nice comments!!!
      I understand what you say about Crochet. I thought the same before, but I have learned to love it, for it is very versatile. And there are modern patterns nowadays. Some things are better knitted, and some crocheted...so it is good to know both. I encourage you to learn it! And let me know if you make the blanket!
      Cheers,
      Ana BC

      Delete
  10. I am going to try this in Purple!! So Cool :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love this...so incredibly clever! :)

    Jennifer @ Fiber Flux

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  12. Anonymous11/24/2012

    This is really nice! I'm working on my own version right now... But please note that there are only 9 of the color D (dark blue), not 12!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you SO MUCH for pointing that out!!! I will fix it immediately. Thank for the help, again.

      Delete
  13. LOVE THIS!! Thanks for sharing your pattern!
    ~Tess

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous1/22/2015

    Hello, how many clusters of each color is required at this beautiful crochet blankets? Hana (madam.net@gmail.com)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi, this is a very pretty baby blanket! Just one question; how many balls of each color are required in order to complete the medium blanket and how many for the large one? Thank you. Ioanna (joannanik@yahoo.com).

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love this pattern!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous2/06/2016

    This is a beautiful pattern. I love the blue, gray and white combination. How much of each color do you need for the Plaid Granny blanket shown? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

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