Today was a good day to get some housework done and then tackle the afghan-that-has-eluded me.

After I was done with breakfast and all the attendant chores of the morning meal, I started a load of laundry, unloaded the dishwasher, and was then ready for my crochet day to begin.

I had been putting off Square E-5 because the close-up picture of the square that is on the cover of the book is not clear enough to tell exactly what stitches are used, while the little bitty picture in the book is clear enough to see that the directions given for E-5 (Work same motif as in directions E-3; E-3 Work 5 rnds as in directions for E-1 except work each rnd in a different color) will not result in a square that remotely resembles the picture.

After carefully examining both available pictures and counting the number of stitches in the rounds where it was possible to make a determination of what constituted a stitch, I found that Square C-3 has much more in common with Square E-5 than any of the other E squares did.

When all was said and done, this is what I came up with:

To make this square, I did the following.

Beginning with color of your choice, chain 4, join with st st to first chain made to form loop.

Rnd 1: Ch3 (counts as first dc), work 11 dc into loop. Join with sl st to first dc. (12 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch4 (counts as first dc and ch 1), *dc in next st, ch1; repeat from * 10 times more. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of ch-4. Fasten off. (12 dc, 12 ch-1)

Rnd 3: With new color work 2 sc into any dc, working around the ch-1 sp, work 1 long sc in same st as the previous dc, *2 sc in next dc, working around the ch-1 sp, work 1 long sc in same st as dc, repeat from * 10 times more. Join with sl st to first sc made. Finish off. (24sc & 12 long sc).

Rnd 4: With a new color, work a sc into the back ridge of each of the sc and long sc of previous round. Join with sl st to first sc made. Fasten off. (36 sc)

Round 5:With new color and in the back ridge of any stitch, work *(sc, ch2 sc), sc in each of the next 8 sts; repeat from * 3 times more, join with sl st to first sc made. Fasten off. (40sc, 4 ch-2 sp).

Round 6: With new color in any ch-2 sp work *(dc, ch 2, dc), dc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 4 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 2 st, repeat from *3 times more. Join with sl st to first dc made. Fasten off. (48 sts, 4 ch-2 sp)

Round 7: With a new color and in any ch-2 sp * work (sc, ch2, sc) , work 1 sc in each of the next 12 sts, repeat from * 3 times more. Join with sl st to first sc made. Finish off. (56 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Round 8:Round 1: With new yarn and in any ch-2 space, *work (3dc, ch 3, 3dc), [sk 2 sts, work 3dc in next stitch], repeat from [ to] 3 times more; repeat from * 3 times more. Join with sl st to first dc made. Finish off.

After today, the squares that remain to be finished are C-, D-5, and I-2. Then all that will be left to do is piece together of the squares and complete the border.

Related post: Better Homes and Gardens Crocheting & Knitting Granny Sampler blog posts