Designed by Lucia Dunn of Lucia's Fig Tree, hosted in our magazine!  

Part 3 is out now in issue 29!  

Every issue, we are bringing you 2 squares to create your own beautiful and colourful sampler blanket, with each issue designed to challenge you with a new skill, and allow you to relax with, or build upon, a more familiar skill. This might be a stitch you are familiar with (such as regular double crochet), or it has you build on something you've done previously in the CAL.  

Because some squares are designed to challenge your skills, it does require some new techniques, so we hope this article will help you to understand some of the techniques needed, and every issue we will bring you blog posts and videos to help you! If you haven't already, make sure to join our Facebook group for helpful hints, support, and a great place to simply chat to other readers about how you are getting on with the CAL! And if you have a specific question about the CAL or the magazine, please email contact@crochetnow.co.uk and someone will get back to you.

Puffed Shrimp

An easy and repetitive stitch pattern eases us into our squares this month with the Puffed Shrimp - quite simply, repeat your puff stitches until you have your square! We have included special stitch instructions in the magazine, but if you need a helping hand with the puff stitch, take a look at our step by steps below.

How to crochet puff stitch

Step 1: [Yrh, insert hook in indicated st, pul, drawing loop to height of tr] 3 times*  

*In our CAL, the instructions are to repeat this 3 times, but you will find that in many patterns this could be 5 (pictured) or even 7

Step 2: Yrh, draw through all 7 loops on hook*  

*This may be more if you have worked more yrh in step 1

Step 3: 1 ch.  Stitch is complete.

Pink Basket

Using Spike Treble crochet with colour changes is an affective way to create a woven basket effect in your work, and we love Lucia's colourful take on this technique in the magazine. Worked pretty much the same as a regular treble crochet (US double crochet), the only difference being that you count down the rows indicated in the pattern. We hope our instructions will help you through if you are struggling.

How to crochet spike treble

Step 1: In this month's square, the Spike Treble (spike tr) is worked over the 3 chains from the previous row, but your stitch is worked INTO the row 2 down. The pale blue is the previous row, and the dark blue is 2 rows down.

Step 2: Yrh, insert hook in st two rows below, working to enclose the ch-sp.

Step 3: Yrh, pul, drawing loop a bit longer than usual (about the height of a regular treble worked as normal)

Step 4: [yrh, draw through 2 loops] twice. Stitch is complete.

Want to join in?

Join the conversation in our Official Facebook Group, and make sure to use the #riseandshinecal when sharing your pictures online so we can see how you are getting on.  

You can buy Crochet Now issue 27 (part 1), issue 28 (part 2) and issue 29 (part 3) online here, or subscribe digitally and never miss an issue here! And if you want to be the first to read Crochet Now, never miss an issue and always receive fabulous free gifts, why not subscribe today?

Rise & Shine crochet-along: Part 1

Rise & Shine crochet-along: Part 2