Berries Granny Square
Firstly, let me apologise for being so long in bringing you the latest instalment of the 2023 blanket. Towards the end of this years, events have rather overtaken me. At the start of December I went to America to meet my niece and care for her a few weeks, while her Mom went back to work. It was such a wonderful time with her, but there was not much time for crochet apart from little mitts and booties as needed. And then when I got back, I was hit by Covid after managing to dodge it for nearly 3 years…. So not much going on with my hook either. But now I am back with square no.11 – the Berries Granny Square. (Daisy was also glad to have me back crocheting).
One of my favourite things about autumn is the appearance of all the berries on the trees; food for birds and seeds for next spring. So this square pays hommage to these glorious berries.
Materials
Stylecraft Special DK in A Hint of Silver
Stylecraft Special DK in Pale Rose
Stylecraft Special DK in Parma Violet
Stylecraft Special DK in Violet
Stylecraft Special DK in Raspberry
Tapestry needle and sharp scissors
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Pattern notes
The pattern is written using UK terminology, for a conversion chart to US terminology click this link.
The squares are worked in the round. You do not need to turn your work after each row and you continue working in the same direction as before. Join each round with ss.
[Stitches written in brackets like this are all worked into the same stitch.]
For the first stitch on each row: Chain 1 to move up to the next round if the round starts with double crochet. Chain 2 if the round starts with a half treble crochet, and chain 3 if the round starts with a treble crochet. These chains count as the first stitch in the row
Special stitches
Ch – chain
Dc – double crochet
Htr – half treble
Mc – magic circle
Ss – slip stitch
Tr – treble
Popcorn stiches are worked in this pattern as follows: Join yarn with ss, ch 2, then work 4 tr into the same stitch as the joining ss. Then ss the final treble to the second ch and fasten off.
Start crocheting here:
Foundation: Use Sage. Work 8dc into mc.
Round 1. (2dc), (1dc, ch15, dc into second ch from hook, 5dc, then ch7, dc into second ch from hook, 5dc, then ch 7, dc into second ch from hook, 5dc, 2ss to bring you back to the main stem, 8dc). 4 times. Fasten off. (4 stems each with 3 arms).
Round 2: Use Hint of Silver. Join to the left of any stem, 2dc, skip 1, ch 3 behind the stem. 4 times.
Round 3: 2dc, (1dc, ch 2, 1dc) into ch-3-sp. 4 times.
Round 4: 3dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 1dc. 4 times.
Round 5: 4dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 2dc. 4 times.
Round 6: 5dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 3dc. 4 times.
Round 7: 6dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 4dc. 4 times.
Round 8: 7dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 5dc. 4 times.
Round 9: 8dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 6dc. 4 times.
Round 10: 9dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 7dc. 4 times.
Round 11: 10dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 8dc. 4 times.
Round 12: 11dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 9dc. 4 times.
Round 13: 12dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 10dc. 4 times.
Round 14: 13dc, (1dc, ch2, 1dc) into ch-2-sp, 11dc. 4 times. Fasten off
Round 15: Use Palma Violet or Pale Rose. (htr, ch2, htr) in ch-2-corner sp, 26 htr. 4 times.
Round 16: ss to corner ch-2-sp, (htr, ch 2, htr) in ch-2-corner sp, *ch 1, skip 1, htr, from * 13 times, then ch 1, skip 4. 4 times.
Round 17: ss to corner ch-2-sp, (3dc) in ch-2-corner sp, dc in each stitch and ch-1-sp across. 4 times.
Berries
At the end of each “arm” use Violet or Raspberry to make 1 popcorn stitch. When fastening off, leave a long tail so that you can sew the berries into position while sewing in the ends. The branches of trees twist, so try replicate it when sewing the berries onto the square. You may also wish to use Sage to secure the stems to the square.
