I'm hijacking this week's granny square sampler choice in order to satisfy my own selfish desire to do a rectangular granny square. A rectangular square. You read that right. Apparently granny squares don't always have to be square and I am completely okay with that (and it just so happens this one is Ian's favorite so far). I've been wanting to do one of these since starting this project and I just hadn't sat down to figure it out until this week. Which is silly, because these are easy. Using only double crochet (dc) and chain (ch) stitches, which you've by now done a bazillion times for this sampler, the trick is simply getting that first round right. Get that part right, and Bob's your uncle.
Rectangular Granny- Make 2, in any combination of 5 colors you want.
Using your first color, ch 16.
Rnd 1: Into the 4th ch from your hook, work the following stitches all into the same chain [2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc]. (This forms one short side of the rectangle). *Ch 1, sk 2 ch; 3 dc in next ch st**. Rep from * 2 more times, ch 1, sk 2 ch. Create opposite corner: Into the last ch [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc]. *Ch 1, sk 2 ch; 3 dc in next ch st**. Rep from * 2 more times, ch 1, sl st in beg 3rd ch. End off yarn.
Rnd 2: Starting in one of the ch 2 corner spaces from the previous rnd, join new color and [ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc] in same sp. In next ch 2 space (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc). *Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp**, rep from * 3 more times, ch 1. In ch 2 sp at corner, *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc)**, ch 1, rep from * at next ch 2 sp. *Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp**, rep from * 3 more times, ch 1, join with a sl st to top of beginning ch 3. End off.
Rnd 3: Starting in one of the ch 2 corner spaces from the previous rnd, join new color and ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp. Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1. In next ch 2 space, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc). *Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp**, rep from * 4 more times, ch 1. In ch 2 sp at corner, *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc)**, ch 1, rep from * at next ch 2 sp. *Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp**, rep from * 4 more times, ch 1, join with a sl st to top of beginning ch 3. End off.
Rnd 4: Starting in one of the ch 2 corner spaces from the previous rnd, join new color and ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp. Ch 1, *3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1**, rep from * in next ch 1 sp. In next ch 2 space, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc). *Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp**, rep from * 5 more times, ch 1. In ch 2 sp at corner, *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc)**, Ch 1, *3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, rep from * at next ch 2 sp. *Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp**, rep from * 5 more times, ch 1, join with a sl st to top of beginning ch 3. End off.
Rnd 5: Starting in one of the ch 2 corner spaces from the previous rnd, join new color and ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp. *Ch 1, *3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1**, rep from *2 more times. In next ch 2 space (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc). *Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp**, rep from * 6 more times, ch 1. In ch 2 sp at corner, *(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc)**. *Ch 1, *3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1**, rep from *2 more times. In ch 2 sp, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc), ch 1. *Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp**, rep from * 6 more times, ch 1, join with a sl st to top of beginning ch 3. End off.
Next week will mark 15 weeks of this sampler. I'm thinking we should start joining some of the squares, what do you guys think?
Happy hooking!
Blair
