Back on the road to a thousand crochet squares

Leslie Stahlhut

This past Christmas, I fell into what has become my crochet raison d’être: the rehabbing of the many and myriad crochet bits, remnants, and squares that populate what I think of as my “crochet empire.” My goal is to transform these previously unpurposed pieces into one thousand useable five and six-inch crochet squares for Project Amigo, and after a brief interruption toward my goal, I am back on the road to working on this crochet dream.

I started the task with what I thought of as “easy pickings.” Squares that I had crocheted, but which were either just under five or just under six inches. I would simply add a round of single crochet or double crochet, weave in a couple of ends, and more on to what was next.

But after having gotten through the readily available “easy pickings,” I found myself working with crochet bits and pieces that were more work. Sometimes it was a simple crochet circle from the Crochet Circles Throw design that I sold to Red Heart Yarns:

A three-round orange crochet circle
An orange crochet circles leftover from my 2006 state fair crochet project

Other times, I was seaming four-patch two-round granny squares which I then decorated with a slip stitch border and a coordinating appliquéd flower:

three five-inch crochet squares with a crochet flower applique
Three new five-inch crochet squares made from my seemingly endless supply of golden two-round granny squares

or I was seaming four patches of granny square rosettes which I then bordered as needed to reach the required size:

three five-inch crochet squares made from crochet rose granny squares
A second five-inch four rose crochet square posing with the first

But I eventually ran out of these as well, and I was left with crochet remnants that were a bit more complicated. However, after working out the bugs with one of the many leftover crochet hearts from the memorial service for my cousins, Robert and David, I decided to try my hand at a second one, and after a few missteps on the final round of this new square, I finally had it done:

Another five-inch crochet square with a crochet heart center

I was pleased with how it had come out, and even more pleased with the way it looked with the square that inspired it:

two five-inch crochet squares with crochet heart centers
Two five-inch crochet squares with crochet heart centers

Buoyed by my success at using the remnants I have, and knowing that I am already two crochet squares closer to my goal of one thousand, I found one more heart in my crochet travel bag that is ready for rehab:

I get back on the road to a thousand crochet squares with two more crochet heart squares and the center of a future motif
I get back on the road to a thousand crochet squares with two more crochet heart squares and the center of a future motif

I have no idea how long this journey to one thousand crochet squares will take, but I do know that I can only reach it by moving forward one stitch at a time.