Textures Squared

Over the past couple of years I have been collecting (my other hobby!) and making some gorgeous textured squares.  Some are vintage patterns, some are contemporary patterns, but the one thing they all have in common is the gorgeous textured elements they have.  

I plan to join them all when I feel I have enough for a small, or large, blanket depending on how many I make!  I have been sharing the journey on social media but haven't collated them in any one space....until now!

They lovely Tracey Verbakel recently asked for some details on some of the squares and I though that this was the perfect opportunity to pop all of them into the one space to be easily located!  I will update the blog whenever I add a new square to the collection so they can be easily found here.

As to the yarn I used, I have used different 100% Wool for my squares in shades of cream and grey.  I have used both 8 and 10 ply but I would recommend sticking to the same ply unless you are like me and feel comfortable joining different weight yarns together (it takes a little bit of finessing to get them to join evenly including increasing and decreasing your joining stitches).

Occasionally I will look for Vintage patterns and pictures and pop them up in Yarn Me Calm Community on Facebook on ‘Flashback Friday’.  The first square that I made was one of those.  This beautiful vintage crocheted block makes up the Puritan bedspread by Cecilia Vanek.  It was first published in Star Book No. 11, Bedspreads and Tablecloths by The American Thread Company in 1940.

It was called the Puritan bedspread because it was designed using The American Thread Company’s ‘Puritan’ Mercerised Crochet Cotton.

The pattern is available at Free Vintage Crochet.

After finishing my Puritan Bedspread block I started to look around for other gorgeous textured squares that would compliment my first beautiful square!  The amazing Mel Harrison released her pattern ‘Buds of Mae’ and it has both bobbles and popcorns (my favourite stitches) and was a perfect addition.

The pattern is available at Mel's page on Ravelry.

I realised when I was writing this blog that my next completed square, the Origami Flower by ChiChi Allen wasn't shared on social media!  I totally missed this one so had to take a quick photo to share the finished square!  Whilst it doesn't have the same degree of texture as my previous two squares, it has beautiful lacy elements that look beautiful next to the others so was a perfect inclusion.

The pattern is available here on Ravelry.

Another group shot of my completed squares, you can see how well they all work together.  Despite the major differences in each square's design, using the same colour palette and all the gorgeous textures pull them together.