First-ever crochet project. Needed something I could do it little bits (on plane, in car, with toddler) when knitting a sweater would be too cumbersome or fiddly. And, needed a good-looking afghan for our vaguely mid-century-modern living room, which would be long enough to cover spouse when he sleeps on the sofa for a nap.

Using a worsted weight yarn to generate more square feet faster than a DK weight would.

Big circles measure about 3.5 inches in diameter; big squares are 4.5 inches.

I made some test squares to approximate how much yardage I would need, and to calculate how many squares to make for the desired dimensions. Currently planning for 17 squares (77”) by 11 squares (50”) for a total 187 squares. Zowie! That’s 94 big circles and 372 little circles.

Since this is my first crochet project, I found this helpful: Youtube tutorial on crocheting the same size circle as needed for this pattern: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukrrfXc8_Cw

Starting each circle with a ‘magic loop’ instead of a chain, and weaving in that end by laying it along the top of the loops around the innermost tier as I crochet the second tier, like the black vein down the back of a peeled shrimp. :) Can you picture it?

January 2013

Circles are basically all finished. I have one remaining to do in each of the sizes and colors, but decided to wait to see how this thing measured once I started stitching them together. I’ll complete the final circles if I need them.

Beginning work making all of the circles into squares. Love how this is working out so far.

Additional skeins of the background “Smokestack” gray color have been graciously provided by blackgambit, who had enough of the same dye lot to help me complete the project. I had dithered about what color to use for the background/border. By the time I decided to go with Smokestack, my local yarn store had run out and Berroco is holding up production until they change mills or something.

June 2013
Still working on this, from time to time. Perfect project for squeezing in a few minutes of hooking or sewing. All of the circles have been squared off, and I’m stitching together the groups of four small circles.

Final Report
Abandoned. I did a terrible job stitching the square together. I thought I had figured out a good approach (this is the first crochet project I’ve done) but the squares got pulled out of shape a bit. This made the whole blanket look pretty rough. After stitching half the squares together I gave up. Thanks for the great pattern idea, Frankie Brown. I’ll have to improve my joining technique before trying this again.