The Qualia Square

During the last swap on Ravelry I made up a square. The Qualia Square.  I wanted to have it tested as I had some problem with a round and had to fudge it a bit, so two people volunteered to help me with it.

Well, as it turned out two people did help - but much later on (two different people than the original volunteers).  I was very lucky for their help (Margaret and I think Rebby but am not sure about the second person), but we all still had some problems with what I wrote.  

9/8/14:  I will try to re-make this square and see if I can make it right and get it written up correctly. 

Rounds 1-8 re-written as of 9/8/14

More to Come 9/9

This is not written for someone who cannot crochet well, or who needs intricate directions. These are basically my notes....not formulated into good crochet instructions.

I have written this without too much instruction as to when to change colors….mainly just the crab stitches for emphasis on bright colors, however, it is up to you how to make your own square.

Qualia Square

Chain 5 - join (start with a darker color for background)

Round 1: 16 dc in loop (16 dc), join with a slip stitch; ch 3.

Round 2: 2 dc in next stitch, and in ea stitch around, finishing with one dc at bottom of beginning ch 3  (32 dc); change colors

Round 3: (sc, [fptr in stitch below in Round 1; sc in NEXT stitch])*  (in this row none of the stitches from the previous round will be skipped, all will have a sc in them - the fptr is a 'stand alone' stitch between two sc) repeat * around. Join with a slip stitch (32 sc, 16 fptr = 48) 

Round 4: ch 1, sc in same stitch; sc in each stitch around until end of round and then do an invisible join (48); change to a bright color for next round only.

Round 5: Crab Stitch in each stitch around in FLO (front loop only) (48);  

Round 6: This whole round will be in the BLO (back loop only) behind the Crab Stitch:  (48)

In first back loop (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, 1tr); skip two stitches (back loops);  *hdc in next 2 stitches, sc in next 3 stitches, hdc in next 2 stitches; skip two stitches, {1tr, 2dc, ch2, 2dc, 1tr} in next stitch (full corner made), skip 2 stitches.  Repeat from * around to beginning. Finish by doing 1tr in the very first stitch next to the ch 3 to complete the last corner. (52 stitch, 4 chain spaces); 

FYI:  It is easy to miss a BL, so you would do well to double check your work after each side is completed.  If it isn't right the whole square will be off.

Round 7:  Dc in each stitch; 2dc, ch3, 2dc each chain 2 space; change to a bright color for next row.  FYI: In row 7, be careful to go in/under the loop only in the tr and not go beneath the loop (almost sounds like the same thing!) making it between the stitches as this will cause an unsightly gap. (68 dc, 4 ch 3 spaces)

Round 8: Crab stitch around in the FLO - in using each stitch and in each of the 3 chain stitches in the corners, you end up using 80 stitches around - 19 BL available on the each side for Round 9, and one in each corner for the corner loop. (80);

Round 9:  Join yarn in BL of stitch above first dc in any side of Round 7.  Dc in each stitch across (19) , 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc, in next BLO (corner stitch). In this round you will have one loop to use as a corner stitch for the 2dc, ch2, 2dc, 19 stitches per side not counting the corner stitch. (92 dc, 4 ch spaces)

Round 10: Dc in each stitch (23 dc); 2 dc, ch 1, 2dc in each chain 2 space. (108 dc, 4 ch spaces - ending with 27 dc per side)

Round 11:  This is the V stitch round. It does not feel like it will come out right, especially when you get to the end of the row, but it always does IF you count right and skip the stitch behind the FPTR.

Corner and First V: *[1sc, ch1, 1sc in corner ch1 space; sc in next 3 stitches (be sure to count the first stitch correctly); FPTR in 3rd dc in Round 9,  always skipping st behind tr, sc in next 3 stitches; FPTR in same dc as previous FPTR; 

Second V: Skip next stitch then sc in next 3 stitches; FPTR in 9th dc from previous FPTR (12th dc in previous round); sc next 3 stitches, FPTR in same stitch;

Third V: Skip next stitch then sc next 3 stitches; FPTR in 9th dc from previous FPTR (21 dc in round);  skip one stitch, sc in next 3 stitches; FPTR in same dc as last FPTR; skip one stitch, sc in next 3 stitches] … repeat from * around ending with the last sc, join.

Round 12: sc around with 3 sc in each corner chain one space.

Makes a 9: square.