A variation on a theme.....

Today's square is a variation on one of my favourite simple stitches - the alternating double crochet and chain stitch used on days 8 and 39. Instead of going backwards and forwards it goes round and round with a new colour started on each round:

This creates a lot of ends so it is useful to weave them in as you go!

A square from a book.....

Today's square is another fairly traditional one:

The pattern came from a book I've had on the shelf for a while - 'Handbook of Crochet Stitches', this book contains a wide range of stitches including squares, patterns and edges.

A simple(!?!) square......

I wanted something simple for today's square as I didn't have much time, I found a pattern that seemed to fit the bill and was described as 'easy'. However it wasn't as straight forward as I anticipated, mainly because I didn't see the bit at the bottom of the pattern explaining how to start each round until I'd completed 5 rounds - by which point I wasn't going to go back and unpick it!

This is not the easiest of patterns to follow, and I found my square didn't sit flat initially, nothing that a bit a stretching into shape didn't cure though.....
http://www.crochetpatty.com/patterns/squares/plutosq.html

It really is the perfect sphere.....

I'm really pleased to have found this pattern, the sphere I have made uses a 3.5mm hook, standard double knit wool and the 10 round pattern. This has created a 4cm sphere:

As a chemistry teacher I can see me making a large number of these to form into various molecules - the question is whether I am brave enough to try a Bucky Ball? This would involve 60 spheres in a football arrangement!! It might have to wait until the long summer break....
The original pattern can be found here:
http://mspremiseconclusion.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/the-ideal-crochet-sphere/

Another twist on the basic granny square.....

Today's square is very similar to the basic granny squares I completed at the beginning of this project, however instead of working groups of 3 triple crochets a pineapple stitch is worked in each space. This gives a puffier effect:

The original pattern can be found here:
http://yarnchic40.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/crochet-hawaiian-granny-square-pattern/

And another circular square.....

This is another square that uses to front post treble crochet to good effect:

The original pattern can be found here:
http://www.coatsandclark.com/NR/rdonlyres/73826811-2FA1-4DF8-B9C7-57373C9635E8/123469/CTFeb0869.pdf
I have added and extra round of double crochets to make it the same size as my other squares.

A twist on the African flower.....

This started off as an African flower square, but for some reason it wouldn't sit flat so when I added the white round making it square I missed the middle 3 stitches on every other 'petal', this has given it a ruffled effect:

A pattern for an 8 petaled African flower can be found here:
http://www.crochettoday.com/how-to/how-make-african-flower
Maybe this pattern would give a flat flower!!