Crochet Scrappy Log Cabin Throw / Afghan Directions / Pattern

 

Like many Multi crafters, I have a craft room that is filled to the brim with my hoarding of (ahem .. collection of) craft material.  Since my passion lies in the needle arts, my yarn stash quite impressively rivals many ancient monoliths.  (Yarn – henge is in my craft room)

 

This over amassing of yarn has caused me to restructure my priorities.  While I do deeply desire to be victorious in the “she who has the most – wins” competition; I also recognize the distinct possibility that I might fall victim to a yarn avalanche the next time that I open my yarn closet.  (but can’t you just imagine how great it would be to be rescued by an alpaca who has circular needles in his rescue kit?)

 

Of course the solution to this overcrowding is to find a project that will allow me to use the currently amassed skeins, partial skeins, balls and assorted tid bits of yarn henge.  And, of course, there is a plethora of patterns that will enable the yarn addict in this endeavor.  Many of these patterns range from the mile a minute strips to motifs, which are perfect for busting through stashes.  Unfortunately, as I perused the piles of patterns that call my craft room home, I did not find a pattern that gave me that “new project anticipatory tingle.”

 

Personally, I happen to love quilt designs.  I am NOT a good quilter, but I love to recreate quilt motifs and designs in crochet.  I DO NOT like to sew motifs.  I want a project that “grows as you go.”  So the log cabin seemed like a perfect project. 

 

As fortune would dictate; I found quilting log cabin patterns, knitted log cabin patterns and crocheted strip and seam log cabin patterns.  Among this pyramid of patterns was not one crochet “grow as you go” log cabin pattern.  My quick look on the internet yielded much the same results … I still couldn’t find THE Log cabin pattern.

 

Since necessity and impatience are the parents of design creation, I created my own pattern to meet my needs.   Please note that I am sure that these instructions are not new.  Their simplicity pretty much assures that they are a re-invention of a previous creation.

Also note that this creation is more of a set of directions instead of a traditional pattern.  Each crocheter can adjust the directions and create a pattern that can become a one of a kind personal creation.

 

Directions

 

It is my understanding that, in traditional log cabin quilts, the center square reflects the heart (or hearth) of the home.  I chose a burgundy red as my center.  Also like a traditional log cabin quilt, each subsequent square or strip is built around this central hearth.

 

Feel free to use the picture as a reference.

The center square began as a ch 10.

Rw 1, Sc in the 2^nd ch from the hook and in each chain across (9sc)

Rws, 2 through 9, Ch 1, sc in each sc across.

Do NOT cut the yarn at the end of row 9, but join a new color (in the picture this is yellow)

 

(you can adjust the start square to any size that you choose. I prefer working in odd number stitch counts and subsequent odd number row counts) 

 

Turn center (red) square clockwise so you will be working along the side of the center square.

Rw 1, Ch 1, Sc in the side of each row of center square (9) (working over the yarn tails of the new and old yarn will decrease the tails that need to be woven in. Cut center square yarn color when desired)

Rws 2 through 9, Ch 1, Sc in each sc across.

Join new yarn  (in the picture this is green)

Turn work clockwise (so you will working along the side of the 2^nd square and along the bottom of the center square)

Rw 1, Ch 1, sc in each stitch across (18 sc) (with the addition of each strip or block, you will increase the amount of stitches across in increments of the beginning stitch count.  Since I began with a 9 sc block, I will increase 9 stitches with the addition of each new block / strip.)

Rws 2 through 9, Ch 1, sc in each stitch across (18)

Join next color (rose in the picture)

 

Repeat the last sequence

Add next color (blue in the picture)

Turn Clockwise

Rw 1, Ch 1, Sc in each stitch across (27)

Rws 2 through 9, Ch 1, Sc in each sc across (27)

 

Repeat the sequences of directions as you add to your log cabin throw until you reach the size that you want.  Work border as desired. 

 

2013 Karen Glasgow Follett