Crochet Plum and Grey Afghan

My mother-in-law is an avid knitter. Over the years, she has created beautiful items for her friends and family, but hardly ever does she knit for herself.

This year for Christmas I decided to make her an afghan.

Plum is HER color, so there was no doubt in my mind what the theme of this blanket should be. She has a grey couch, so I thought this combination would work well.

I found the pattern for this afghan in the book Modern Afghans, The Deborah Norville Collection. The title of this pattern is Circles Within.I used Jiffy yarn by Lion Brand #450 Bulky weight #5 in the colors:
Grape/Raisin #138
Purple Spray #402
Silver Heather #155
Dark Grey Heather #159

The pattern is a fairly easy one. It's a combination of 3 different stitches; single crochet, half-double crochet, and double crochet. You would also need to know how to slip stitch, sew blocks together and tuck the ends. 

The rounds are started by double crocheting in the same hole 12 times, then moving out ward with double crochets for each circle.

The square fits around the circle with increases and decreases caused by alternating single, half double and double crochets.

You continue the square with single and double crochet.

This quilt is made from 36 squares.

After all the squares were made, I laid the quilt out and decided on the pattern.

I "pinned" them together using crochet markers,

and sewed the squares into rows, and rows into the finished block.

Then I trimmed the blanket in a single and double crochet edge.

To finish, I tucked all the end pieces. I used a large yarn needle and wove the ends between the crocheting.