BAKEWELL BLUE TARTAN PATTERN

Bakewell Blue CAL pattern link

HERE

The Cal will be in 3 stages, with 3 colour options, a formula to use your own colours and a new block joining stitch to give an additional narrow stripe to the tartan

6 colour block weight: approx. 80g

For each block you make you will need a total of 80g in 6 colours for the 36square block multiplied by the number of blocks you want to make, 

I am using 16 x 80g = approx. 1280g, plus yarn for the border

Link to previous 

INTRODUCTION POST

HERE

11 colour block, Weight: approx 140g  9 blocks

9 blocks @ 140g will be approx. 1260g.  plus yarn for the border

INTRODUCTION TO THE TARTAN CAL....3 TOTALLY DIFFERNT OPTIONS

Tartan CAL, with 3 colour ways and a formula to choose your own colours.
STARTS NEXT WEEK
This intro give you the weekend to think about you yarns and possible colours.

A Blue Bakewell Tartan...personal choice, to go with my new dining chairs

Blocks of 6x6 granny squares 16 blocks in this picture and it would measure approx. 44" square with this number of squares then a border will be added 

to make it approx. 50" square 

Joined together this way pale grey to the middle of 4 blocks

This will give you a dark blue outer border, and the one i prefer.

Joined with the navy in the centre is would look like this below and give you a pale grey outer edge

but it really does depend on how many blocks of 36 squares you make and join

OPTION 2: Red, orange and pink...softer blend but basically the same formula

Ivory to the centre

Dark outer edge with 36 blocks of 36 granny squares

Darker squares to the centre of 4 blocks, lighter outer edge

 But the same 16 granny square block

Option 3: modern Pink brights

and again another formula but different from the first 2.

YARN

2 strands of Merino yarn worked as one for each mini granny square.
But you could use any favourite brand of dk, a finer dk works best or you might need to use a 6mm hook.

Approx. 100g of each colour but more if you want it bigger

NUMBER OF COLOURS

6 colours needed for the first 2 options
OPTION 1. BLUE: Navy, pale grey, Soft Lime, and 3 graduated shades, dark teal, 
blue/grey and pale aqua =6
OPTION 2. ORANGE/PURPLE: purple, cream, plum, and 3 graduated shades, orange, apricot, and pink

OPTION 3. MODERN BRIGHTS: 11 colours needed for option 3.
Soft orange, Lime Green, cerise, brown, pale blue, pale Aqua, camel/tan colour, very pale lemon or soft lime, shocking pink, Oatmeal/stone colour, 
light jade green = 11 colours

A full explanation will be give with the pattern next week,
 about colour choice and how to choose you own colour combinations

5mm hook

US TERMS

NOTES:

I have used Merino, it fills spaces well as the square, although small, are only joined at the corners.
I will also give you a full explanation of the 'join as you go' to keep the squares closely packed
AND 
THE BIG WORRY, for lots...ENDS!
Use my technique and you will only have one end to sew off for each square. 

PATTERN AND CHOOSING YOUR OWN COLOURS MONDAY

UPDATE: 
PATTERN LINK
HERE

BLUE TARTAN CAL: Sample progress

Progress on the Blue Tartan CAL... 

i'm using blues and greys for this Tartan, its to go in my kitchen. 

THIS POST IS A PRE-CAL POST 

nothing cast in stone yet...

I've chosen 10 COLOURS and I'm using Merino. dk and 5mm hook

Merino is a springy yarn and fills the gaps well but Acrylic or wool or a mix can be used.

I've had a yarn sort out earlier this week, ready for the workshop at the end of November and found I have 3 boxes of Merino so plenty of choice for the new tartan samples.

 As it's still a WIP, the 10 colours might change

This is what the repeat would look like if i stopped at 5 colours, but there are at least another 4 shades to go.....and it will change quite a lot..

its actually teal than the picture looks and at the moment it looks more like a check than a tartan lol.

TARTAN COLOUR FORMULA

I am hoping i can give you a Colour formula, so you can use your choice of colours, if that doesn't work then I will give you my Blue chart and another new one and the bright pink/green sample i showed you last week...

9 square block to make this modern look, pink/green tartan

another round makes a big difference. 

PATTERN LINK HERE

PATTERN: RAINBOW ALTERNATIVE SOLID GRANNY SQUARE

ALTERNATIVE SOLID GRANNY SQUARE 

We all know and use the solid granny square but have you ever tried working the stitches into the spaces instead of the stitches? 

Looking for a different look to a solid granny square then give it a go, its gives a more vintage feel to your solid squares. And for a real beginner its easier than finding the stitches to work into.....

I'm suggesting random/space dyed yarn but each round could be in a different colour and you can use the original granny square concept of using up left over yarns.

Pattern Link: HERE

IMPORTANT NOTE: please read.

Always look for the patterns and repeats in pattern, it will help.

If you have a go at this granny square, you will notice that the increase goes up by a different number of sts, on each round and alternates between odd and even numbers. 

This is important as just doing [1dc, ch3 1dc], in the corners, for every round will make your square cup slightly. 

And doing [2dc, ch3, 2dc], in every corner will make the square wobbly and not sit flat. 

By doing the alternate corner increase you will have a completely flat square and means you can do a large square blanket if you want. 

This alternating odd/odd/even number of sts, could open up lots of possibilities for adding different stitches to the outer edge when your throw is completed. Depending on if you finish with an odd or an even row. Personally i would choose an odd number to finish on as this is a more versatile number to work edging stitches into.

 For Example: any stitch that needs 2 base sts needs the extra st to balance the st. So an odd number is better, any finish stitch worked into every st, doesn't matter if there is an odd number or an even number. 

Worked continuously the first and last st, moves along the join side.

Number of squares

Decide on the size of your square and if you want an odd or an even number of sts to finish with. Measure you square and work out the size of throw you require 

Make lots of smaller squares and join as you go using a sl st, into the spaces after completing each st, on the side being joined.


YARN:

For my blanket i am aiming for 6 x 6 squares 
Each 8 round square measures approx. 8"/20cm, so with out the border it should measure approx. 48" / 122cm

Each square weighs approx 20g so a 50g ball of the Stripes wool mix from Wilko's should give me around 2.5 squares so I will need 14 x 50g balls plus 2or 3 for the border or an alternative yarn to finish it off. 

UPDATE: I am actually getting almost 3 squares from a 50g ball.
 If you want to get 3 squares from one ball to make the usage smaller then make a 9 round square instead of a 10 round square.
This should give you 3 squares from one 50g ball making the body of the throw 12 balls of yarn instead of 14 balls then all you need is a couple of balls plus for the border yarn.
This change will only make the throw a tiny bit smaller.

This is a mock up blanket to give you an idea of what will look like but as it's random dyed yarn each square will be slightly different from each other.

GRANNY SQUARE TARTAN

GRANNY SQUARE TARTAN HOW TOO

HERE

A simple 8 round granny square with colour changes in some rounds to create this granny Square tartan blanket, make as many of the squares as you want to create a square or rectangular blanket/throw

Or make less squares to make a long 2 row wrap 

Join as you go with each granny square 

UPDATE:

Shari Henderickson who is member of my Facebook group Granny Squares 

has had a go at the tartan with her first Granny Square

Well done, see how some of the colours become dominant 

Another member has a go with her Tartan Square
Michaela Miron, well done

Keep them coming xx

A 3rd version of the tartan square from
Nettie Godfrey

 Another fabulous blanket in the making well done all 
4th square made and looking fabulous too by Anne Purdham 

Mine and the first 3 squares done side by side for you to see how they all differ

Another group members square looking great
Jackie Bifaro

FANS POST: Sue Pinner Patterns

Lulu 

made my Stylecraft 9090 pattern up.....

Love the colours everyone picks

Sharon has made a bolster from book 1

Carolyn 
has been making one or two things from the new book
Granny Squares and Shapes

Zoe 
has made my Stylecraft Pattern Tartan Throw and Cushion 
and she tells me it is going all the way to America too
Hope they love it 

Lots are starting to pop up and some have been creating their own colour combos too

pastel version