Frame your Granny square!

Everyone knows that granny squares are the heart of all squares and the beginning of so much love all around world and time.. 

And as part of this granny square celebration - this year I am part of Granny square month CAL hosted by hobbycraft and knitcraft.

As everything new is well forgotten old I thought that this years NEW square should be Frame IT! as we are actually displaying and celebrating the good old granny square! :)

Here comes pattern for this square in US terms:

All patterns for Granny Square Month CAL on hobbycraft page are originally in UK terms (as are this one there) but as I myself think in US crochet terms I thought I should make it easier for people like me :D 

Frame IT

Abbreviations used (US terms):
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
long sc – sc over 2 or more previous rows creating a spike
dc – double crochet
fpdc – front post double crochet
dc2tog – double crochet 2 together
htr – half treble crochet (yarn over 2 times, pull yarn through 3 loops at the end of the stitch)
tr – treble crochet
fptr – front post treble crochet

sl st – slip stitch
ch sp – chain space
st(s) – stitch(es)

Popcorn - make 5dc, drop the loop from hook, insert hook in first of 5dc’s, pull dropped loop trough.

Instruction repeats:
[ ... ] - used for small repeats;
* ... * - used for large repeats.

Col – color
A – dark red
B – orange
C – yellow
D – background/joining color – grey

I advise you to skim through all of the instructions before you start to crochet just so you know what to expect ;)

magic circle
Round 1 – Col A (worked in magic circle) – ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc. [ch 2, 3 dc] 3 times.
Ch2, sl st in first dc. Fasten off. Tighten magic circle.
(20 sts: 8 ch, 12 dc)



Round 2 – Col B – Ch 1, 3 dc in ch sp. [Ch 1. 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in ch space. ] 3 times. Ch 1. 3 dc in last ch sp. Ch1. Sl st in first ch. Fasten off.
(36 sts: 12 ch, 24 dc)

  

Round 3 – Col C – Ch 1, 3 dc in corner ch space. [Ch 1. 3 dc in next ch sp. Ch 1. 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch space.] 3 times. [Ch 1. 3 dc in next ch sp.] 2 times. Ch2, sl st in first ch. Fasten off.
(52 sts: 16 ch, 36 dc)

  


Round 4 – Col A – all stitches of this round are made in back loops!
Start with making 1 ch.
* Sc in second ch (of any corner ch sp). Sl st in next 11sts. Sc in first ch (of corner ch sp), ch 2, Sc in corner, ch 2 * repeat from * to * 4 times. On last repeat instead of ch 2 make ch 1 and sl st in first ch. Fasten off.
(72 sts: 16 ch, 44 sl st, 12 sc)

  
  
  

Round 5 – Col B – most stitches of this round are made in back loops of previous 2 rows!
Start by making 2 ch.
* 3 dc in corner st (place your hook in corner sc from left side). Ch 3, skip 3sts. 11 dc, ch 3, skip 3 sts. * repeat from * to * 3 more times.
On last repeat instead of ch 3, make 1 ch and sl st in first ch of this round. Fasten off.
(80 sts: 24 ch, 44 sc, 12 dc)

  
  
 

Round 6 – Col C 
* Ch 3, fpdc in 3rd corner dc of previous round, ch 2. Sc in ch sp, ch 1. [Skip one st. Dc2tog, ch 1.] 5 times. Sc in ch sp, ch 2, fpdc in 1st corner dc of previous round, skip 1 st. * repeat from * to * 3 more times. Sl st in first ch of this round. Fasten off.
(88 sts: 52 ch, 8 sc, 8 fpdc, 20 dc2tog)

  
  


Round 7 – Col A 
* Ch 2, popcorn in 5th rows corner st. Ch 2, sc in fpdc of 6th round. 3 tr in ch sp from 4th round.
[Dc in back loop of skipped st from 5th round (between dc2tog), ch1] 3 times. Dc in back loop of skipped st from 5th round (between dc2tog). 3 tr in ch sp from 4th round. Ch 2, sc in fpdc of 6th round. * repeat from * to * 3 more times. Sl st in first ch of this round. Fasten off.
(80 sts: 28 ch, 8 sc, 16 dc, 4 popcorn, 24 tr)

  
  
  
 

Round 8 – Col B –
* Ch 3, 4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc in ch sp behind popcorn from 6th round. Ch 3. [2 dc in dc of 7th round (and pick up ch sp from 6th round as well) ] 4 times. * repeat from * to * 3 more times. Sl st in first ch of this round. Fasten off.
(96 sts: 32 ch, 64 dc)

  
  


Round 9 – Col C – when not working in stitches from round 8 leave them in front of your work!
* Ch 1, make 4 long sc as if from background through stitches of 8th round around 6th and 7th round chain spaces. (pic. 1-4) (last sc is actually after dc's)
Fpdc around same color fpdc from 6th round. Ch 2, sc in ch sp of 8th round. Sc in between each dc of 8th round. Sc in ch sp of 8th round. Ch 2. Fpdc around same color fpdc from 6th round.
4 long sc as if from background through stitches of 8th round around 6th and 7th round chain spaces (first sc is actually before dc's), ch 1. * repeat from * to * 3 more times.
Sl st in first ch of this round. Fasten off.
(80 sts: 28 ch, 8 sc, 16 dc, 4 popcorn, 24 tr)

  
  
  
 

Round 10 – Col A 

Ch 1.
* 3 dc in corner ch sp from 9th round (fold stitches from 8th round to back of your work). 3 sc in between 9th round dc's, sc in ch sp.
Fpdc in first tr of 7th round. Fptr in next 2 tr of 7th round. Skip 1 sc, sl st in back loops of next 7 sc, skip 1 sc. Fptr in first 2 tr of 7th round. Fpdc in next tr of 7th round. Sc in ch sp, 3 sc in between 9th round dc's.
* repeat from * to * 3 more times.
On last repeat making last sc take that first ch & crochet together, sl st in next st. Fasten off.
(78 sts: 28 sl st, 32 sc, 12 dc, 8 fpdc, 16fptr)

  
  
  

Round 11 – Col D – When not working directly in stitches from 10th round leave them in front of your work!
Ch 1.
* 2 dc in corner ch sp from 8th round. Htr in next 5 sts from 9th round. 2 dc in ch sp from 9th round. 1 dc in sc from 9th round.
Dc in back loops of 9th and 10th round 7 sc and sl sts (just like we did in round 5).
1 dc in sc from 9th round. 2 dc in ch sp from 9th round. Htr in next 5 sts from 9th round. 2 dc in corner ch sp from 8th round, ch 2.*
* repeat from * to * 3 more times.
On last repeat instead of ch 2 make ch 1 and sl st in first ch. Fasten off.
(116 sts: 8 ch, 68 dc, 40 htr)

  
  
  

I DO think the original granny square is best invention ever! Simple yet beautiful and ever-changing so I made this upgraded granny square keeping the original in it's heart. So the middle granny square gets to be framed and showcased as granny squares should! :)

I would LOVE to see YOUR granny squares under the tag #FrameITgrannysquare as well as #GrannySquareMonthCAL