Book Update for anyone following the progress......

Granny Squares 2......colour and shape

Thank you for all the congratulations on the new book, it is well on it's way, after 4 months of planning, deciding and playing with ideas from the last twelve months,

plus quite a few new designs.

In total I submitted about 80 designs and 2 different options of book for GMC to look at back in early February.
They went for the 20 projects again, with may be the second option as book 3!!! wow i am going to be busy.

Not that the cover will be my decision but a fun project to play with.

I promise there will be lots and lots of colour and new shapes,

I'm also hoping to include a few felted designs....I promised Vogue Crochet and Knitting I would try to include a couple of ideas.

The Title is still to be decided but the 20 projects are almost in the bag, they liked the 80 I sent and I was asked to pick my favourite 20 designs.

So now I am just waiting on the final go ahead from the GMC Team.

The Contract is signed and the work begins.......

MANDALAS AND GRANNY SHELL CORNERS..

Mandalas and how to turn them into a square....By adding granny corners

True Meaning of Mandala far more than just a circle!

 Always lots of new stitch combinations to use in the round....

Fair Isle Mandala above.....can be made into a cushion or place mats works a treat..

MANDALA TO MAKE

PATTERN:

Limited edition or your own selection of dk

4mm hook

US Terms in black, UK Terms in red brackets

Change colour every round

Finger was of 10 wraps for padding.

Round 1: 12dc [12tr], into circle, sl st to complete.

Round 2: 2sc [2dc], in every st, sl st to complete.

Round 3: (4tr [4dtr], clusters over 2 sts), 2tr [2dtr], in the first 2sts, clustered tog, ch3, repeat for all petals, sl st to complete, repeat for 12 petals

Round 4: 4dc [4tr], in each ch3 sp, sl st to complete.

Round 5:start in the first dc [tr], of a group of 4, dc [tr], in each st, ch5, dc [tr], in next set of 4dc [tr], ch5, repeat to end, sl st to complete.

Round 6: att. yarn in middle sp, of 4dc [4tr], 4dc [4tr], ch3, 4dc [4tr] in next ch5 loop, sc [dc] in middle sp, of next 4dc [4tr], repeat to end, sl st to complete

Round 7: att. yarn in any point, sc [dc], in ch3 point, 5dtr [5ttr] into sc at dip, sc into point, repeat to end, els st to complete.

Round 8: att. yarn in the 3rd of the 5dtr [5ttr],  dc [tr], ch2, dc [tr],  dc [tr], in next 2sts, dc [tr] spike st into point of round 5, dc [tr], in next 2 sts, repeat to end, sl st to complete.

Round 9: att yarn in ch2 point, 2dc [2tr], ch3 2dc [2tr], in point, dc [tr], in next 3sts, miss a st (dip), dc [tr], in next 3 sts, repeat to end, sl st to complete.

Round 10: att. yarn in point, 2dc [2tr], ch3, 2dc [2tr], in point, dc [tr], in next 4 sts, miss 2sts, dc [tr], in next 4sts, repeat for all points, sl st to complete.

Round 11: att. yarn in point, 2dc [2tr], ch3, 2dc [2tr], dc [tr], in next 5sts, miss 2sts, dc [tr], in next 5sts, repeat for all points, sl st to complete.

Round 12: att. yarn in point, 2sc [2dc], ch3, 2sc [2dc], sc [dc] in next 7sts, ch 9, sc [dc], in next 7sts, repeat for all sides, sl st to complete.

Note: last round optional if you want to join the motifs together and make a throw you can use this round with the extra joining loops

How to turn a large circle or Mandala with a solid stitch edge, into a square using Granny Square corners

GRANNY SQUARE CORNER PATTERN TO MAKE A LARGE CIRCLE INTO A SQUARE

NOTE: To see how many rows of granny shells you need to add to create each corner place Place your circular motif onto a basic granny square made in the same yarn as the motif to give you an idea of what needs to be added.

Divide the circle into 8ths and mark with a length of yarn

It's not an exact science but it will give you an idea of what you need to add to the corner markers 4 times.

looking at the picture the first row of granny shells need to cover about 6 sts either side of the marker.

ROW1: Att. yarn 3 sts away from the corner marker, miss 2sts,

3dc, ch3, 3dc in the corner marker, pulling out the marker.

miss 2sts, sl st, into next st.

ROW 2: ch 3, miss 2sts, sl st into next st, turn,

2dc into sp between circle and last dc of row1.

3dc, ch3, 3dc into point of corner, 3dc in the sp between the circle and the first dc of row1, miss 2 sts, sl st,into next st.

ROW 3: ch3, miss 2sts, sl st into next st, turn, tr,2dc into sp, between circle and last dc, of row 2, 3dc, in next sp, 3dc, ch3, 3dc in point, 3dc into next sp, 2dc,1tr into sp, between circle and first dc of row 2, miss 2sts, sl st into next st.

ROW4: ch3, miss 2sts, sl st into next st,

HERE YOU SHOULD BE 3STS FROM SIDE MARKER

Turn, tr, 2dc into sp between circle and last tr of row 3, 3dc in next 2 sps, 3dc,3ch,3dc in point, 3dc in next 2 sps, 2dc,1tr in sp, between circle and first dc of row 3.miss two sts, sl st into next st. This completes the corner.

HERE YOU SHOULD BE 3STS FROM SIDE MARKER.

The corners were added to a circle of 9.5" and a corner of 30sts total number of sts was 120 all the way around

Repeat for the next 3 corners.

The next round will be all the way around the now GRANNY SQUARE with a mandala in the middle.

This should work on similar circles of similar size, with a few sts or half an inch of diameter more.

If you have a lot bigger circle then add as many granny row corners as you need using the pattern.

If you love to make mandalas or circles but don't know what to do with them make a square and join together in blocks