I’ve never been particularly drawn to “basketweave”-type patterns in the past, but this afghan block may have changed my mind. It was fun to make, and the texture really jumps up at you.

This is the easiest block of the CAL so far, I think. I crocheted it in a spiral, like the previous two blocks. Doing it that way, there’s a little “blip” in the last round-- especially because I don’t really block my finished afghan squares, but just gently stretch and nudge them into an approximation of “flat and square”. I feel confident that joining and laundering will even things out nicely.

I’m working this one again in “Lilac” (since I’ve decided I want a bigger afghan). This time, I’m joining rounds in the corner, and I prefer the results. I’ll probably make all the blocks from this point on with a corner join.

This pattern works up even faster the second time around!

Finished the second block on May 29th.