A crochet afghan by Betty McKnit
This afghan is inspired by the character Lafayette on the HBO Series True Blood. In season 2, Lafayette is seen curling up in a granny-square afghan after his adventures in the basement of Eric’s bar.
There is nothing original about this pattern. It is a basic Granny Square afghan, you can use any granny square pattern you like. I used Heirloom Stitches Traditional Granny Square, found online at https://www.deepsouthfibers.com/pages/free_patterns. Used with permission.
Each square consists of five rows, the fifth row is always black.
Abbreviations indicate the order of colors from the center round, out. The abbreviation RYBP means the first row is Red, the second row is Yellow, the third row is Blue and the fourth row is Pink. The fifth row is always Black.
The Squares:
Make 8: YRYR, RYRY, PRYB
Make 7: RYBP, YRPB
Make 6: BPRY, BRBR
Make 5: PRPR, BRYP
Make 4: RPRP, BYPR
Make 3: BRPY, PRBY
Make 2: PYRB, BPBP
Make 1: YPRBm PBPB
With color 1, Ch 6, join with a slip stitch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in ring, ch 2. (3 dc, ch 2) 3 times, join with sl st to top of starting ch. Fasten off.
At this point in each round I will run the yarn around the top ch of the next dc, and weave it backward through the tops of the previous 3-5 stitches. On the next round, I work my dc’s over that end.
Round 2: Join color 2 in any ch-2 corner, ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, I always work those 5 dc’s over the loose end of the yarn (ch 1, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp) 3 times. Ch 1, join with sl st to top of starting ch. Fasten off.
Round 3: Join color 3 in any ch-2 corner, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, working over yarn end, *ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, in corner work 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, repeat from * twice. Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1, join with sl st to top of starting ch. Fasten off.
Round 4: Join color 4 in any ch-2 corner, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, *(ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp) twice, in corner work 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, repeat from * twice. (Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp) twice, ch 1, join with sl st to top of starting ch. Fasten off.
Round 5: Join black in any ch-2 corner, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in same sp, *(ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp) 3 times, in corner work 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, repeat from * twice. (Ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp) 3 times, ch 1, join with sl st to top of starting ch.
If you are not going to do the optional 6th row, fasten off now and weave in all your ends for the square.
Optional Round 6: You may choose to add one more row to your square, either sc or hdc. hdc will make a slightly wider black border than the sc row, it is entirely your choice. It looks like Lafayette’s squares might be edged, but I’m not sure. Edging the squares will make them a little easier to join.
hdc row: ch 2. Work one hdc in each dc and ch1 sp around the entire square, working 2 hdc, ch1, 2 hdc in each corner. Join with sl st to starting ch 2. Fasten off.
sc row: ch 1, sc in same space. Work 1 sc in each dc around, working 2 sc, ch 1, 2 sc in each corner sp. join w sl st to starting ch. Fasten off.
Finish weaving in your ends, cut them off.
Although people often use up their scrap yarn leftovers to make granny square afghans, there is nothing random about Lafayette’s afghan. There are repeated squares that are lined up diagonally across the afghan. After studying the scenes with the afghan as carefully as I could, I came up with this arrangement for the squares. It may not be exact, but this arrangement will look an awful lot like Lafayette’s.
Connect the squares:
Arrange squares in the order shown in the chart, and sew together using whip stitch, or single crochet the squares together.
My preference is to whip stitch my squares together. I line them up and stitch them from the wrong side, catching the back loop of the top of the sc or hdc border stitch along with the loop below it. I’ve done lots of experimenting, and this is the method that makes my squares lay down flat. My mother always single crochets hers together from the right side, and she makes it look great. I could never quite get it to lie flat. Experiment and find the way that works best for you.
Edging: B, P, R, Y, Black
Row 1: Join Blue in any ch-2 corner, ch 1, 2 sc in same sp. Work on sc in each dc and each ch-1 space across to the next corner. Work 3 sc in each corner. Join to starting ch.
Row 2: ch 1. Work 1 sc in each sc around. Work 3 sc into center sc of each corner. Join to starting ch. Fasten off.
Row 3. Join Pink to any stitch. Work 1 sc in each sc around. Work 3 sc into center sc of each corner. Join to starting ch.
Row 4: ch 1. Work 1 sc in each sc around. Work 3 sc into center sc of each corner. Join to starting ch. Fasten off.
Row 5: Join Red to any stitch. Work 1 sc in each sc around. Work 3 sc into center sc of each corner. Join to starting ch.
Row 6: ch 1. Work 1 sc in each sc around. Work 3 sc into center sc of each corner. Join to starting ch. Fasten off.
Row 7: Join Yellow to any stitch. Work 1 sc in each sc around. Work 3 sc into center sc of each corner. Join to starting ch.
Row 8: ch 1. Work 1 sc in each sc around. Work 3 sc into center sc of each corner. Join to starting ch. Fasten off.
Row 9: Join Black to any stitch. Work 1 sc in each sc around. Work 3 sc into center sc of each corner. Join to starting ch.
Row 10: ch 1. *2 sc, ch 2, sl st in second ch from hook. Repeat from * around, working 3 sc in each corner st. Join to starting ch.
Fasten off. Weave in all ends. Wrap up in it, fan yourself, and wait for Eric to show up.
Disclaimer: This project is not affiliated in any way with True Blood. It was created as a guideline for the discussion group Knit One, Dead Too on Ravelry.com. If you have any questions about this pattern, have suggestions for improving it, or find mistakes in it, please email Betty McKnit.
Thank you Cheryl Stewart (MissInga on Ravelry) for testing this pattern, and publicizing it by submitting photos of her finished afghan to True Blood fan blogs and websites.
© 2009 Beth Elliott aka Betty McKnit
