Pondering Square Tutorial

I am in the process of designing a new blanket, consisting of overlay squares. This little square was meant to be part of it, but now I am just not sure wether I should use it or not, or save it for something else. it would make a lovely shawl I think.

Hence where the name came from, because I have spent quite some time pondering about it.

So for now I think it's a shame to keep it tucked away in my crochet box of tricks unloved. So I thought I would share it and see if anyone wants to make something with it.

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Tutorial of Pondering Square.

Size of Square after blocking 15cm x 15cm square

Yarn used Stylecraft Special DK

You can use any combination of colours, but for my design I used the following colours

Shade 1820 Duck Egg

Shade 1218 Parchment

Shade 1824 Cypress

Shade 1080 Pale Rose

Shade 1123 Claret

Shade 1722 Storm Blue

Shade 1832 Mushroom

Other items needed

4mm Crochet hook

Tapestry needle for sewing in ends

This Tutorial is written in US terminology

Abbreviations

sl st = Slip Stitch

dc = double crochet

ch = chain

sc = single crochet

pc = popcorn stitch

yo = yarn over hook

ps = puff stitch

FPsc Front post single crochet

BPtr Back post treble crochet

I also like to start a round of sc with a standing sc, there is also a tutorial on here for that, under tutorials. Or if you wish you can replace the standing sc by attaching yarn and crocheting 1ch to count as a sc.

Note .. A pc Popcorn Stitch can have any number of dc , for this pattern I crocheted a pc with 7dc. I also always close my pc with 1ch. There is a tutorial for a popcorn stitch on my blog.

Using colour 1218 Parchment Start with a magic circle

Round 1 Colour 1218 Parchment 8pc into the circle, Note your first pc will consist of 3ch, (counts as 1dc) and 6dc. Fasten off

This sewing part is optional, I felt it added a little more colour but it is your preference.

Colur 1123 Claret Take a tapestry needle and contrasting yarn approximately 15” long. Attach at the top inbetween any PC. Take your needle through front of hold in the middle and bring through to the back so the yarn lies in between 2 pc.

Push needle through the back of pc

Bring thread down in between next pc and through front of circle. Sew through back of next pc as previously.

Carry on around sewing in between each pc.

End of optional part.

Round 2 Colour shade 1123 claret Attach yarn in between any 2pc. 3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc into same place. *1ch, 3dc into space between next 2pc* repeat from * to * around 1ch, sl st into 3^rd ch of beginning 3ch. Fasten off (24dc) (8 Petals)

Round 3 Colour 1820 Duck Egg attach yarn to any 1ch space, 3ch, (counts as 1dc) 5dc into same ch space. *1ch, 6dc into next 1ch space* repeat around. 1ch, sl st to 3^rd chain from first 3ch. Fasten off (48dc) 8 petals.

Round 4 Colour 1080 pale rose 1 standing sc into any ch space. Yarn around hook 3 times and insert hook from right to left into top of pc on 1^st round that lies just below your standing sc.

Yo pull up a loop (5 loops on hook)

Yo pull through 2 loops (4 loops on hook) yo pull through 2 loops ( 3 loops on hook) yo pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook) yo pull through remaining 2 loops sl st into 1^st sc.

6sc across top of petal from round 3

Yarn around hook 3 times

insert your hook into top of same pc as before and pull up 2 loops at a time .

sl st to next ch space on row 3

Yarn round hook 3 times and insert hook into next pc from round 1

Yo pull through all 5 loops 2 at a time as previously. And sl st into same ch space.

6sc into each dc of next petal from round 3. sl st into next ch space.

Hopefully you are getting the hang of it now, carry on around in the same way to where you started. sl st to first standing sc and fasten off

This is how Round 4 should look when finished, and actually I thought this would make a lovely brooch or a keyring.

Round 5 Colour Shade 1824 Cypress Attach yarn into any ch space from round 3 3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc, *6ch, 3dc into next ch space, 12ch, 3dc into next ch space* repeat around from * to * twice more, 6ch, 3dc into next ch space, 12ch, sl st into 3^rd ch from beginning 3ch. Fasten off

Round 6 Colour Shade 1832 Mushroom attach yarn to any 6ch space just after the 3dc on last round

3ch (counts as 1dc) 5dc into 6ch space. *3ch, 6dc, 2ch, 6dc into next 12ch space. 3ch, 6dc into next 6ch space* repeat from * to * twice more , 3ch, 6dc, 2ch, 6dc into next 12ch space. 3ch sl st into 3^rd chain from first 3ch. Fasten off.

Round 7 Colour Shade 1124 Claret Attach yarn to any corner space between 6dc.

Pull up a loop, wrap yarn around needle 3 times and insert hook from back to front into top over overlay stitch on round 4

Yo pull through 2 loops, repeat pulling through 2 loops at a time until 1 loop left on hook (this is the same as the stitch you did on Round 4)

Repeat to opposite corner. sl st into top of first overlay stitch

FPsc into next 6dc

3sc into next 3ch space.

6FPsc 3sc into next 3ch space. You will now be at the next corner. sl st to space in between each 6dc. 6FPsc, repeat the corner overlay stitches as before. sl st into 1^st overlay. 6FPdc

Repeat in this way around the square, you will have 4 pairs of corner overlay stitches.

sl st into where you attached your yarn and fasten off.

Round 8 Colour Shade 1824 Cypress attach yarn to where you started on round 7.

1ch, 1ps into space between each 6dc on round 7 which will be where you started and joined your overlay stitches on round 8. sl stitch into above 3ch on round 6.

Round 9 colour Shade 1722 Storm Blue Attach yarn into 1^st sc of a group of 3sc from round 7. See pic

3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc, 6BPtr. This is little bit fiddly, you will have to insert your hook underneath where you made your FPsc from round 7. See pic I have shown picture here of 3 BPtr completed from back of work

And here is a picture from the front

3dc into corner 3ch space from round 6 (work either side of sl st created from ps) 6BPtr 3dc into 3sc from round 7 continue around in this way sl st into 3^rd chain from first 3ch. Fasten off.