A.k.a. The “So Ugly It’s Cute” Afghan… or the Leftovers Afghan. ;o)

I’ve been saving scraps for a while. I think it’s time to start what will probably be a very long-term project-- an afghan inspired by cauchy09’s “Not a Square to Spare”. (ETA: But because of my wide variety of small scraps and my decision to add a row of single crochet to each square, there will likely be very little resemblance between the two.)

Nothing fancy, here. I’m using worsted weight (or light worsted) acrylic in completely random colors-- just whatever scraps I have left over from other projects.

I plan to make simple two-round “classic” granny squares (edged in a round of single crochet) and save them up for a long while before joining them. When I do join them, I’m thinking about setting them “on point” (seams on the diagonal).

Note to Self:
In case there’s variation among classic granny square patterns out there, I’m following the instructions for the one in Margaret Hubert’s The Granny Square Book. Refer to that one, if needed.

September 29th, 2012--
I’ve made 100 squares! I have enough scraps to make several more in a very limited range of colors, but I’m going to put this project into hibernation while I save up more leftovers.

October 7th, 2012--
Added 20 more squares to the bag! Total = 120 squares.

December 8th, 2012--
Added 20 more squares! Total = 140 squares.

December 9th, 2012--
Added 10 more squares! Total = 150 squares.
(Need to figure out a rough estimate of how many I need for the whole blanket… Maybe it’s time to lay them out on the bed again.)

Note: Maybe join them with “raised”/“right side” sc? Or… just through the corners and center spaces? Can’t make up my mind. How will having them “on point” affect joining?

December 16th, 2012--
Added 20 more squares! Total = 170 squares.
(I think I want to gather at least 300 of them before I consider joining… probably even more.)

March 10th, 2013--
20 more squares! Total = 190 squares.

March 11th, 2013--
10 more squares! Total = 200 squares.

October 6th, 2013--
10 more! Total = 210 squares.

October 8th, 2013--
10 more! Total = 220 squares.

May 16th, 2014--
40 more! Total = 260 squares.

May 21st, 2014--
10 more! Total = 270 squares.

June 5th, 2014--
34 more! Total = 304 squares.

I’ve made a few extras to use in the place of any older squares that are a bit too large. I seem to remember that there were at least a couple that stood out from the rest.

I guess I’ll start joining them, next. I suspect that 300 squares will make a smallish one-person afghan, but I’m ready for this project to be done, and I can always add more later, if it seems necessary. I’ll probably not bother to set these on the diagonal. Less fuss this way.

June 23rd, 2014--
300 squares was just fine!

I joined with slip stitch through back loops, then used a hodge-podge edging. One round of sc (dark brown). Five rounds (I think) of (sc in next st, ch 1, skip next st), arranged so that in subsequent rounds, the sc is placed in the ch-1 spaces of the previous round. Then a scalloped round in dark brown again. (See the first round of border #45 from Around the Corner Crochet Borders by Edie Eckman.)