For two years now I have participated in the Moogly Crochet Along (CAL). Every two weeks a new pattern is posted for a 12×12″ block. The patterns are from different designers and introduce us to new stitches and techniques.

I posted a bit about the Moogly CAL last spring. I did not complete the 2017 Moogly CAL, I’m sorry to say, but I did end up with a gorgeous blanket with half the squares.

I really love the variety these squares give. No two are the same. Color placement is sometimes tricky, but it’s fun. I finally decided to finish this blanket after a friend had a fire in their house. I think they would like something that’s not a generic blanket they could get anywhere. I hope they like it.

For the center square, I decided to use the Sophie’s Garden pattern. It was slightly bigger than twice the other squares, but it came together nicely anyway.

I used the flat braid join. It’s very forgiving when you don’t have the same number of stitches on each square and is sturdy enough to hold up to the rest of the blanket.

When I asked my husband for advice on a color for the border, he informed me, “I don’t know. Maybe purple? I’m not particularly fond of those colors.” I love them. What do you think? So, that being said, I decided to stick with the beige for a simple shell border.

Maybe it’s time to put together my 2016 Moogly CAL now. All the squares are done. It’s just sitting in a box…

I’m undecided for 2018. I love this project. I probably have enough yarn from this year to continue a new one, but my husband doesn’t love the colors, so… I’ve seen people do the squares in a single color. The texture really stands out and looks quite beautiful. Maybe I’ll try that this year.