Block 23 of the Block a Week CAL (hosted by Kimberly Slifer) is Margaret MacInnis’ See How They Run Square.  This cute pattern uses spiked stitches, so if you haven’t used spiked stitches before, you’re in for a treat.  Because the spiked stitches are simple, and few, it is the perfect square for learning this technique.

I have not done a photo tutorial this week.  Gasp!

This is the first time in the CAL that the pattern already contains a photo tutorial, so I feel a bit redundant.  But what a nice surprise to get a “holiday” smack bang in the middle of the CAL.

See How They Run Crochet Square

{Pattern © 2013 Margaret MacInnis}

Pattern

You can download the pattern here on Ravelry.

Suggested Materials

• 5.5 mm Clover Amour Crochet Hook (US I/9  UK 5)
• Worsted weight yarn

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, as I have done, your finished square will be about 7.5″ big.

My Yarn and Colour Choices

I am using Stylecraft Special DK.

• Saffron (Rounds 1 and 11)
• Magenta (Rounds 2-5, 12, and Optional 13)
• Pomegranate (Round 6)
• Sherbet (Rounds 7-8)
• Turquoise (Round 9)
• Meadow (Round 10)

Notes

• The initial ch st’s in each round are counted as a stitch, except for the initial ch st in Round 3, which doesn’t count as a stitch.
• US Crochet Terminology used.  (See this comparative chart if you need help transcribing from US to UK)

Useful Tutorials

• Standing Single Crochet
• Corners and the Elusive Hidden Stitch

My Version of See How They Run

Round 4

At the end of Round 4, the traditional sl st join in replaced with an hdc join.  We have used this method once before, but I wanted to emphasize it again.  This is such a brilliant way to place your join in the center of a chain space.  It negates the need for slip stitching your way to the next applicable chain space.

You will be using this same join in Round 7.

Round 5

…just because I like the photo :)

Round 6

In Round 6 you will be using spiked clusters.

Rounds 7 and 8

Round 9

In Round 9 you will be using spiked clusters again.

Round 10

Where it says:  “3 hdc around sp between corner sts and next SSHLL”, it should say:  “3 hdc IN sp between corner sts and next SSHLL”.

Round 11

When you have completed Round 11, your square will curl up into the foetal position.  This is just because of the ch-1 spaces.  Do not worry about it!  If you tug at it a little bit, it will uncurl again.

Round 12

In Round 12 you will be using spiked hdc’s.

And Voila!  All done!

I have added an Optional Additional Round 13 to get my square to the same size as the other squares.  You can find the instructions for that HERE.

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Happy Hooking!