It’s week 2 of the Block a Week CAL 2014 and this week’s block is Popcorn Parade by Melinda Miller from MoCrochet. If you don’t know anything about the CAL, please take a moment to read all the information HERE.
Update: This square does not have a photo tutorial because we had not decided to do photo tutorials when we did this square, and so hadn’t obtained permission to do so. If you would like to start with some of the squares that do have photo tutorials, I suggest starting from Week 5 onwards.
My final photo isn’t that great because…
Even though Christiaan was working today and that would (and did) mean a solo trip to church with the three full-of-beans masters, I braced myself and went. By the time we got back, had lunch, threw some tantrums and just generally faffed around, the light was beginning to fade. I entered into a race with the sun…which, unfortunately, I lost. And I was so close too. The sun literally set as I made the last stitch.
This square is fairly easy to make. The only “speciality” stitch is the popcorn stitch (which I hate making but LOVE the look of). Lou Mander from Tea, Crochet and Me has done a quick photo-tutorial for the popcorn stitch and you can find that HERE.
I did have to read some of the instructions a whole bunch of times, but that is only because there are repeats inside repeats and my brain seizes the minute there’s a repeat inside a repeat.
Below is the central flower of the square, formed by the first 4 rounds. I love it. It makes me happy when I look at it :)
Right. Let’s get to the nitty gritty.
Popcorn Parade Crochet Square
Pattern
- You can find the pattern HERE on Melinda’s blog
- Add it to your Ravelry Queue
Materials
- 4 mm crochet hook (US G/6 UK 8) – I recommend Clover Amour Crochet Hooks
- Stylecraft Special Dk (Double Knit/Light Worsted Weight/#3) – You will need 1700 g (5100 meters) of yarn, not including the border and joining.
Specific Colours
- Saffron (Rounds 1, 2, 10 and 12*)
- Shrimp (Rounds 3 and 13*)
- Turquoise (Round 4)
- Sherbet (Rounds 5-9)
- Meadow (Round 11)
- Wisteria (Round 14*)
*Please Note: I changed the last 3 rounds to suit my needs for the afghan. The colours I ended up using were: Pomegranate (Round 12), Magenta (Round 13), and Clematis (Round 14).
Size
Using the hook and yarn specified, your square should be a nice even 12″ when you are done. Using a 4 mm crochet hook (US G/6 UK 8) and Double knit yarn, your finished square will be about 8.5″ big.
Helpful Links
If you have trouble with your stitch counts, see this tutorial on corners and the elusive “hidden” stitch to make sure that you are not missing the first stitch right after making a corner.
If you need a little bit of help with the popcorn stitch, see this tutorial by Tea, Crochet and Me. It is very clear and to the point!
Some More Notes
At the end of Round 9 the square will curve up slightly. This is nothing to worry about! As soon as you work Round 10 it straightens out again. I don’t even think my square will need blocking.
The popcorn round gave me a bit of grief, but luckily I only had to frog one side.
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Happy Hooking!
Carolyn Rancourt says
Re Popcorn Parade:
I’m probably blind but where are the instructions for row 14. It looks like single crochet to me, but I am concerned about the corners.
Your assistance would be appreciated!
Jenny Lowman says
Dedri provides a link to the full pattern
HERE
:)
Florence Boutard says
What does that mean at Round 3 : ” in between posts ” ?. Your pattern is gorgeous
Thank you for your replay
Dedri Uys says
Hi Florence. Instead of inserting your hook into the loops at the top of the stitch, you will insert it UNDER both loops, which will mean that you insert it in the big space between the posts (legs) of the stitches.
Jo says
Block 2 Popcorn Parade – I am sure the CAl members have worked this out already and I have left the same message on the comments under the pattern itself This is a lovely pattern, but, there is an error in row 11 (the popcorn round) which, if you follow the pattern as written, causes you to have four DCs between the popcorns and to end up with five popcorns per side instead of eight.
I think round 11 should read:
Rnd. 11: Join color A with sl st to middle sc of 3 sc corner, ch 3, in same st work (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc), dc
in next 2 sc, *popcorn in next sc, ch 1, dc in next 2 sc, rep from * to corner, in corner st work (2 dc, ch 2,
2 dc), rep pat around square, join with sl st to beg ch 3. Fasten off Color A.. (8 popcorns on each side
Dedri Uys says
Thank you, Jo.
My eye completely missed that double 2 dc. I will be updating this post a little bit today, so will make a note then. Have a good day!
Patricia says
Please can you help me with Block 1 – stuck at Round 4 – what is stitch tc – or what does it mean?
Thanks
Patricia
Linda says
It means Tripe ( Treble ) Crochet check out you tube LionBrandYarn shows September 1/7/2009 she shows you how to do
Mary Sheets says
Okay, just finished block two!! I had just a little problem with following the pattern for the popcorn stitch round. Glad I had a close up view of your block. Was back on your site again most of the day. As I said on my previous post, not new to crocheting, but I am really learning new ways from 40 years ago when I learned (at a young age). Again, your site has sent me out to research new methods in addition to your tutorials….love it. I am new to facebook, blogs and flicker so I am also learning how to use these tools too with this project. Once I figure out flicker I will post some pictures. You said something about “poking you” but I do not know how to do this yet. I will try their help menu once I get signed up on flicker. Thanks so much again.
Dedri Uys says
Bless you, Mary, for making me giggle. Did you manage to share a photo of your block yet?
Mary says
Hello, yes I did. They are under my name Mary Sheets. I am on today making block three. It is going pretty good so far but I am very glad for your pictures and additional explaination. Round 4 could have been a little tricky without them.
Rhondda Mol says
SO pretty!!
Carrie says
I love love love that last picture of it! Gorgeous
Dedri Uys says
Thank you, Carrie x
San says
Ohhh lovely! Can’t wait to get started on mine :) What do you have against the popcorn stitch? I love that one, bullion is what drives me nuts! ;) xx
Dedri Uys says
I hate anything where I have to remove my hook to finish the stitch…so those braided joining methods won’t see me ANYTIME soon. Plus you have to make 5 stitches to progress one stitch, which makes me sadface.
Sherry says
Dedri…Love your block…still waiting for my yarn to come in, but figure I will knock them out quickly…just love this new project…will be making one set of blocks in a brushed worsted weight yarn and the other in the DK yarn sold on Etsy that was suggested…so it will be interesting to see the difference between the two with different yarns…
Dedri Uys says
Hi Sherry. I would be interested in knowing what your sizes are like too, so if you let me know then maybe I can add that to the info on the post? Good luck and hurry so’s I can see :)