It’s time for another sampler afghan! This time I’m working freestyle-- only squares of my own choosing. I’ll list the patterns (below) I use as I select and crochet them.

I have lots of red yarn, but didn’t want to make a seasonally-restrictive Christmas-themed blanket. Observing that the popular “Cath Kidston-inspired” afghans tend to use plenty of red, I decided to give that a try. The palette is one of bright, happy, cheerful colors-- red, pink, white, sunny yellow, greens, and sky blue.

Yarn:
Red Heart Super Saver--
Lt. Blue
Baby Pink
Spring Green

I Love This Yarn!--
Hot Yellow
Limelight (I think…)

Caron One Pound--
Scarlet
White

Unmarked--
pink (v. similar to RHSS “Baby Pink”)
kelly/emerald green

Individual blocks:

1. Center Heart Square
2. Floral Accent
3. BH&G Rose Granny
4. Blooming Granny
5. Heart to Heart
6. #62 from Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs
7. Grandma’s Heart Square
8. Irish Rose Square
9. Lacy Valentine
10. 10-Petal Afghan Square
11. Coasters
12. Field of Dreams
13. Sunflower Square
14. Veronica’s Rose
15. Happy Hearts
16. Rose Garden
17. Lavender Blossom
18. Sunflower Throw Square
19. Crocodile Flower
20. Cheerful Tussy-Mussy

I’m joining using Muggins’ Flat Braid Crochet Join tutorial, but I’m doing the 4-way corners a little differently:

Sc into starting corner. Ch 2. Remove hook from loop. Insert hook into “butt join” square’s corner. Pull loop through. Ch 1. Remove hook from loop again. Skip corner of diagonal block. Insert hook into the adjacent square’s corner. Pull loop through. Ch 2. Sc into starting corner to close.

For the border/edging, I’m using Robin Sanchez’s Pom Pom Edge. It’s lovely and perfect for this sort of blanket, but it does feel a little time-consuming to crochet. On the bright side, even though I’m getting ready for this to be finished, the pom-poms are still fun to make. :o)

I ran out of the partial (almost whole) skein of red I was using for the edging-- with only eleven pom-poms to go! (Doh!) I have plenty more red, and it’s almost a perfect match-- but only almost. (I can just barely see a difference, and I have perfect color vision ;oP according to this test.) Even the slightest difference is a little annoying, but it shouldn’t be noticeable when it’s all done. If I don’t point it out, it’s unlikely anyone will ever see it.