............Beatrice Ryan Designs............

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Welcome! I’m so excited to start this years 9th Annual Crochet with Me! Mystery Winter Afghan Crochet Along! This year it is a 10 week project, not including the Material Post from last week or the finale post.

Each year I have done a Mystery Winter Afghan CAL they have come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, stitching techniques, colors and all sorts of fun crochet… This year, it is a Mile A Minute Style, with a special floral/granny square theme. I am using Red Heart Stripes for part of it and complimenting solid colors to set it off and make the flowers pop!

I hope you will join me for this fun, whimsical afghan project… You can find the Material List and CAL info post by clicking here or heading to the Crochet with Me tab at the top of the page for all the CAL posts past and present.

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This week, we will start the stitching for the 1st Mile A Minute Strip… I have included lots of photo tutorials to help and if you are in my Beatrice Ryan Designs Facebook CAL Group… Everyone there is super helpful and lots of progress pics shared.. If you haven’t joined yet… CLICK HERE.

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Also, don’t forget to add this project to your Ravelry favorites for easy access! CLICK HERE

Don’t forget the other fun, there will be a Grand Prize at the end and weekly prizes too! Details at the bottom of the post!

For sneak peaks, join me on Instagram.. I sometimes show off early pics!

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Now for some of the Week 1 details:

This year the project is worked in strips that are in rounds then attached(Mile A Minute). It is a Rectangular Afghan approx. 70″ x 60″ . You can make it in your choice of worsted weight yarn #4. Stashbuster, Ombre’, Self- Striping or even a color theme… At least 2 colors are recommended. I am making mine using the self striping yarn and complementing colors, but you can change colors each row or do yours in your own color scheme.

Let’s get the stitching started!

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Tips:

If using self striping yarn, it will change sometimes in the middle of the row… This is ok

If changing colors,(not using self striping or ombre’) The instructions don’t say to when to change color due to the use of self-striping/ombre being used, but you will change every row after the flowers are joined and you will join in the space you joined in unless otherwise stated.

Work your ends in with a yarn needle as you go…This makes it much easier in the end…

Week 1 size 7″ x 63″… (This is not a complete strip yet)… Different yarns and tensions may make your slightly different.. Don’t let it be to much of a variance or your project will be way to big or way to small

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Week 1 Stitches:

• Ch – Chain 
• St – Stitch  
• Sl St – Slip Stitch 
• Sp – Space 
• Sc – Single Crochet 
• Dc – Double Crochet 
• Hdc – Half Double Crochet
• Trc – Treble Crochet
• Drtrc – Double Treble Crochet
• Beginning Cluster – *YO, pull up loop, Yo, draw thru 2 loops*, repeat *to* 2 more times, YO draw thru 4 loops
• Cluster – *YO, pull up loop, Yo, draw thru 2 loops*, repeat *to* 3 more times, YO draw thru 5 loops
• RS – Right Side

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Colors

A – White B – Pumpkin C – Yellow D – Pink E – Self Striping Fruity

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Week 1 Instructions:

Flower Squares (making 15)

Square 1:

With color C

Round 1: Ch 2, *sc, ch 1 in 1st ch*, repeat *to* 7 more times, join to beginning sc. = 8 sc & 8 ch 1 Finish off

With color A join in any ch 1 sp

Round 2: Make a beginning cluster, ch 1, *cluster in next ch 1 sp, ch 1*, repeat *to* 6 more times, join with sl st to top of beginning cluster. = 8 clusters & 8 ch 1 Finish off

With color D, join in any ch 1 sp

Round 3: Ch 3(counts as dc now and throughout), (2 dc, ch2, 3 dc) in ch 1 sp, ch 1, * 3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in next ch 1 sp, ch 1* repeat *to* 2 more times, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3. = 12 3dc groups, 4 ch2 & 8 ch1 Finish off

Square 2(includes auto join) * This is easy once you get the hang of the join. There is a photo tutorial below.

**If joining this way seems to difficult.. Just sew or crochet the squares together

Repeat rounds 1 & 2

Join Color B in any ch 1 sp

Round 3: (photo tutorial below) … Ch 3, (2dc, ch2, 3dc) in sp, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1, ch 1, (3dc, ch2, 3dc) in next ch 1, ch 1, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, 3dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, (with RS facing of both the previous square & square 2), sl st in any ch 2 sp corner of previous square, ch 1, 3dc in same sp of working square, ch 1, sl st in next ch 1 sp of prev. square, 3 dc in next ch 1 sp of working square, ch 1, sl st in next ch 1 sp of previous sq, 3dc in next ch 1 sp of working sq, ch 1, sl st in ch 2 sp corner of previous square, ch 1, 3dc in same sp of working sq, ch 1, 3dc in next ch 1 sp, ch 1, join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3. = 12 3dc groups 16 ch1 & 4 sl sts

Squares 3-15

Repeat rounds 1-3 of square 2 but use color C for round 3 in square 3, ;the color B for round 3 of square 4. Continue alternating colors D, C & B for round 3 until you have all 15 squares joined in a strip

Ends of Strip

With RS of the strip facing, join color D to the Righthand ch2 corner sp of the 1st square(this square should be color D also) with a sl st

Row 1: (photo tutorial below) Ch 1, sc in same ch 2 sp, hdc in next 2 sts/sps, dc in next 2 sts, trc in next st, dtrc in next st, trc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts/sps, sc in next ch2 corner sp, sl st in same ch 2 sp. Finish off. = 1 dtrc, 2 trc, 4 dc, 4 hdc, 2 sc, & 2 slst

Working on the opposite end RS facing. Join color B in in the righthand corner ch 2 sp of the square(this should be a color B square)

Row 2: Repeat row 1

Now you will work around your flower strip working in rounds with the RS facing

Join color A with sl st to either ends dtrc st

Round 1: Ch 1, 3 sc in st, sc in next 5 sts, 3 sc in next st, sk the sl st, beginning in this ch 2 sp- evenly sc 209 sts in each st, sp, ch2 sp, and the st that is the side of each sq join(see photo tutorial), the last sc should be in the ch 2 sp where you started row1 of the top of strip, 3 sc in next st(this is the sc of that row), sc in next 5 sts, 3 sc in dtrc st, sc in next 5 sts, 3 sc in next st, evenly sc 209 sts as before ending in the ch 2 space at the end where where you began row 2 of the strip end, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts, join to beginning sc. = 456 sc. finish off.

RS facing, Join color E with a sl st to the top left corner st(middle of the 3sc),

Round 2: Ch 3, 4 dc in same st, ch 1, *sk 3 sts, 3 dc in next st, ch 1*, repeat *to* 51 more times, sk 3 sts, 5 dc in next st, ch 1, repeat *to* 1 time, sk 3 sts, 5 dc in next st, ch 1, repeat *to* 1 time, sk 3 sts, 5 dc in next st, ch 1, repeat *to* 52 times, sk 3 sts, 5 dc in next st, ch 1, repeat *to* 1 time, sk 3 sts, 5 dc in next st, ch 1, repeat *to* 1 time, sk 3 sts, join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3. = 108- 3dc groups, 114- ch 1 & 6- 5 dc groups

Round 3: Sl st in next 2 sts, ch 3, 4 dc in same st, *ch 1, 3 dc in next sp*, repeat *to* 52 more times, ch 1, sk 2, 5dc in next st, repeat *to* 2 times, ch 1, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, repeat *to* 2 times, ch 1, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, repeat *to* 53 times, ch 1, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, repeat *to* 2 times, ch 1, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, repeat *to* 2 times, ch 1. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3. = 6- 5dc groups, 120- ch1 & 114 3dc groups ** the 5dc groups act as 3 corners on each end of the strip

Round 4: Sl st in next 2 sts, ch 3, 4 dc in same st, *ch 1, 3 dc in next sp*, repeat *to* 53 more times, ch 1, sk 2, 5dc in next st, repeat *to* 3 times, ch 1, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, repeat *to* 3 times, ch 1, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, repeat *to* 54 times, ch 1, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, repeat *to* 3 times, ch 1, sk 2, 5 dc in next st, repeat *to* 3 times, ch 1. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3. = 6- 5dc groups, 126- ch1 & 120 3dc groups

Whew.. That’s it for this week… More to this strip next week.. Congrats you made it through the hard part! You have now completed Week 1 of our CAL! Congrats! I can’t wait to see all of your color choices! See you back here next week for the next set of instructions!

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More about the weekly prize drawings and Grand Prize:

Grand Prize – There will be a $50 Amazon Gift Card for 1 lucky winner at the end of the CAL. The grand prize will be drawn on Sunday April 17th 2022. To be eligible, you must email a picture and permission by Friday April 15th, 2022 to [email protected] showing your completed project. Entries will be numbered by the order they arrive and the number will be drawn using a random number generator.

Weekly Prize – Each Saturday starting Feb. 5th 2022 – Saturday April 9th 2022 a $10 Amazon Gift Card will be given away to one member in the Beatrice Ryan Designs CAL Group on Facebook. Each Saturday, a post will be made explaining the rules to enter on this group Facebook page. The entry time will only last part of the day and be at random times so every timezone has a chance throughout this project… so stay tuned in the group!

Are you ready to have some fun?? Grab your yarn and hooks and meet me back here next week for the first set of instructions!!

If you post on Twitter or Instagram.. Use the Hashtag #2022CrochetWithMeMysteryAfghanCAL

I post sneak peeks on Instagram… So follow me there to see those!

Don’t forget to follow me on my social media sites for more fun!

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, My CAL Facebook Group, and Pinterest

I hope you love this project!!  Make sure to share your finished projects on my Beatrice Ryan Designs Facebook Page and make sure to share around social media too! Why share?? Because it shares our Love of Crochet!!

Happy Crocheting!!

Elena

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©Copyright 2022 Elena Hunt/Beatrice Ryan Designs.  All of my patterns and posts are my own work. Do not copy them in any way. If you want to share this information with someone, share the link to this post. If you want to share on your own blog, website or social media, then you may use the first photo in this post and link back to this post. You may not give away printed copies of this post. Thank you. This post may contain affiliate links/ads. If you purchase something from a link in this post, I may be compensated.