February Cat
February Cat is the second large square in the “2022: A Year of Cats” eBook.
Interlocking & Mosaic
Each square in this year’s series of large squares can be made using one of two colorwork techniques: interlocking crochet or overlay mosaic crochet.
Learn more about these techniques at https://ashleeslint.com/tutorials/interlocking-and-mosaic-crochet/.
Size
All the squares in this series are large squares.
These squares begin with 40 windows when you use the interlocking crochet technique and has a chart size of 81 x 81.
The overlay mosaic crochet version has a chart size of 77 x 77 and begins with 79 stitches in the foundation row (to account for the chart stitches and the Joining and Ending Stitch on each side).
The eBook represents about a 50% savings compared to buying each square individually (the eBook will have 12 squares and an all-in-one blanket by December).
Maja Serec used red and white for the interlocking crochet version of February Cat.
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You’ll also have access to my Doctor Who blanket pattern!
Original Blog Entry
Personal Blurb
We are snuggled in tight with a big blizzard right now. I literally can’t see anything out the kitchen window and I can barely see the car parked just outside the living room window.
I just baked some banana bread and I am about to start some goulash for supper (that the kids won’t eat anyway – supper is the worst time of every day). Of course, by the time I publish this entry supper will be long done, but that’s where I am currently.
The blizzard has begun! We may be snowed in for a day or two.
Year of the Tiger
We have a new cat square on the first of each month, but February 1st also starts the Chinese Year of the Tiger!
Let’s celebrate with a 25% discount (expired) on Brotzell Tiger King until Feb 7, 2022!
No code needed, valid on Etsy and Ravelry. Pattern includes written line-by-line instructions and charts (mosaic has X’s) for BOTH the interlocking crochet technique and the overlay mosaic crochet technique.
February Cat
This month’s square shows two cats sitting on a branch with their tails intertwined making a heart. I use a lot of hearts in this series – just a heads up! The monthly gnomes were themed each month but this series of cats is a bit more abstract.
I have already added this square to the eBook – if you know you’re going to want all 12 cats then the eBook is the best deal for you. Each month I will add the new cat square and you will receive an email letting you know the eBook has been updated.
You can also purchase each square individually as they come out.
Please note, unlike the Gnomes there are differences in the charts for the interlocking version and the overlay mosaic version. This time I have decided to removed the interlocking mesh dots and extra border lines from the mosaic version of the square. All 12 mosaic cat squares will be the same size (77 x 77) and all 12 interlocking squares will be the same size (81 x 81; 40- window square).
I tried blocking my square. It didn’t really seem to make that much difference and it took a long time. Plus my colors started running – I suppose that’s a good thing to have happen now versus when it’s joined to other squares. I am not a fan of blocking still (does that make me unprofessional?)
CrochetCarob has used the overlay mosaic crochet technique for her cat squares. You can see the fringe on the sides where the yarn gets cut and joined for each row. You can hide those tails with an envelope border later.
Interlocking crochet sample of February Cat by cyncitycrochet. White used as the MC (Main Color).
Maja Serec bordered her February Cat square with a few rounds of red.
Chance to Win!
Come join me in the Facebook group, Two Redheads Crochet for your chance to win this eBook (expired)! I am doing a designer takeover for the month of February and there will be a few prizes!
Pattern Details for “February Cat”
As always, you have your choice between using interlocking crochet or overlay mosaic crochet. I love both of these techniques for colorwork. Both files come with your purchase so there’s no need to worry about buying the ‘right listing’.
Interlocking Crochet
The Locked Filet Mesh (LFM) interlocking crochet method uses only chain spaces and double crochets to create a mesh; two colors are worked alternately which creates the pattern.
Interlocking crochet / LFM crochet file includes:
- line-by-line written pattern
- a one-page chart
Details
- Chart is 81 x 81
- Gauge: 16 stitches x 8 rows = 4”
- 20″ x 20″ / 51cm x 51cm
- 4.5 mm hook (US7)
- Worsted weight yarn (460 – 485 yards total)
- Main color (MC) (the cat) – 230 yards plus 25 for optional SC border
- Accent color (AC) (background) – 230 yards
The wrong side of the interlocking square looks like this (our black cat, Tiger, photobombed it). I used Premier Home Cotton in black for the Main Color and Rainbow Stripe for the Accent Color. See my project notes on Ravelry.
Overlay Mosaic Crochet
Mosaic crochet uses single crochet and double crochet stitches. The double crochet stitches cover some of the other color’s single crochet stitches to create the design. My patterns instruct you to cut your yarn at the end of each row. The back is striped but often gives a faint impression of the pattern on the front (sort of like illusion knitting). See an example here.
The interlocking mesh dots and border lines have been removed for the overlay mosaic version of these cat squares.
Overlay Mosaic Crochet file includes:
- line-by-line written pattern
- instructions for optional envelope border
- instructions for reading a chart
- a two-page chart marked with X’s
Details
- Chart is 77 x 77
- Gauge: 14 sc blo stitches x 15 rows = 4”
- 20″ x 22″ / 52cm x 56cm
- 5 mm hook (H-8)
- Worsted weight yarn (550 – 800 yards)
- Main color (the cat) – 300 yards
- Contrasting color (background) – 250 yards
- Optional envelope border – 250 yards
