The 2014 Moogly Afghan Crochet-a-Long: Block #21!

We’re down to the last 4! I’ll have some joining ideas for you next week, and I guess I’d better get to the ends on the ones I skipped weaving in… and blocking… But I can’t wait to see all your finished afghans! And thank you to those who filled out the survey as well – I’ve got a good idea of what we’ll be doing in 2015, so I’ll be planning that out over the next couple of months. Remember too that the very last square will be released a day early, on a Wednesday, due to American Thanksgiving. But if this is the first you’ve heard of the 2014 Moogly Afghan Crochet-a-Long, then start HERE to read how it works – and plan on joining in next year!

Need to catch up? Here is the CAL schedule, with links to the previous blocks (click on the date to go to that blog post):

BLOCK #21: Manny Ann’s Square
by Kimberly Biberstein

(Click the name of the pattern above to go to the Ravelry page for this pattern.)

Above is the original, made with 2 colors. It’s got some great geometric shaping, but the center is just a little bit floral! It coordinates with the past squares that were more… well, squarish, and has lots of back loop only stitches to connect with the ones that used that as well! Below is mine, made with 4 colors:

Now for my notes!

• Moogly tutorials that might help you: Back Loop Only (BLO); Treble Crochet (tr)
• Printing this pattern is a little difficult, as the second page of the pdf is turned sideways, and I found that the Round 7 got cut off on my printout. So be sure to write that line in before you close the pdf window – don’t worry, it’s a pretty short one.
• Be sure to read all the notes – some are hiding here and there.
• There’s no instruction to “ch 1” at the beginning of the sc rounds, but I did so anyway. Also, I used the magic circle to begin rather than a ch 9 – just don’t pull it all the way closed if you do the same, you want that open circle in the middle! Be sure to weave in that end too, so your circle doesn’t come undone.
• And as always, be sure to measure your work as you go! I found that my square was coming out far larger than the designer. So for Rounds 8, 11, and 14 I used hdc instead of dc – and it was perfect!
• My color pattern was as follows: Round 1-4 Red; Round 5-7 White; Round 8-10 Blue; Round 11-14 Green.