Oh my gosh, I have been waiting twelve long months to share my LB Traveling Seasons Afghan Square with you, and it’s finally here!!
Angie from Whistle and Wool said it best, “I’m excited to announce a new 2021 Traveling Afghan CAL project sponsored by Lion Brand Yarn, in conjunction with Lion Brand’s ‘My Life in Yarn’ campaign. This year’s theme will be called the ‘Traveling Seasons Afghan’. This year’s Traveling Afghan will again be a collaborative effort, but on a smaller scale due to the changing times.”
“Starting in January, the 1st of 12 Afghan square designs will begin its seasonal journey to a new designer every month, spanning across the U.S. and Canada. Each designer will create a 13″x 13” square, designed with their favorite memories behind that season. As we create these squares just before the season starts we can share in all the memories we hold onto year after year. Each row represents fond memories of Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Creating with Yarn is a way for us to connect with one another and with memories built-in. A completed border will be the last destination on the journey, bringing our theme to a close.
Starting in January, the Traveling Seasons Afghan will begin its journey starting with me, Whistle and Wool, from California to a new designer every four weeks. Each designer will create and add their square to the Afghan before sending it on to the next designer to add theirs.
You can find the patterns published free online so you can follow along with us and create your own crochet Afghan! This year-long collaborative effort connects us with one another and with memories built-in.” – Angie, Whistle and Wool.
Here’s how YOU can participate:
1. Purchase your skeins all in advance or as the months go, so you have everything you need to get started with us when the first square pattern is released in January. We will be using under 1 skein of Lionbrands Woolease Yarn in Grey Heather for each square. You’re welcome to use any comparable worsted yarn you’d like, including what you may already have in your stash. All squares will be made using a J/10 (6mm) crochet hook.
2. Below is a list of this year’s designers from Lionbrand Yarn and links to their sites, as well as the Afghan itinerary. Follow the designers on social media for a new square each month, as the Afghan travels around for each season.
3. All Square Patterns will be made available on the Designer’s Blog when their square is up next in the Season. The patterns will be available there for FREE, or for purchase as an ad-free PDF version on their Website or Ravelry for $1. All links to the Designers are linked below, along with the map destinations.
Follow everyone on Instagram for their Square updates! IG links below!
- January – Whistle and Wool
- February – EClaireMakery
- March – Two of wands
- April – Pink Plumeria Maui
- May – Little Red Knits
- June – Evelyn and Peter
- July – Knits and Knots by Ame
- August – TL Yarn Crafts
- September – Rohn Strong
- October – Meghan Makes Do
- November – Capitol Crochet
- December – Coco Crochet Lee
- Border – Rain and Bolt
Read more FAQ and see the map of designers on the Woods and Wool Blog Here: LB Traveling Seasons Afghan
About the Deer Square
For the twelfth square of the LB Traveling Seasons Afghan, I was so excited to represent winter in Ontario, Canada! My family and I live 15 minutes away from this beautiful municipal forest where we go for walks every single week. Our favourite part of the stroll is seeing the deer and birds that live in the forest. Around this time of the year, the stag’s antlers are coming in and they get close enough to notice that the texture looks fuzzy and soft, like velvet! It’s so wonderful to see them, they are so peaceful and beautiful.
My square captures that winter feeling for my family and I, and features a deer in profile made with post stitches to create texture. I hope you love my square as much as I loved working on it!
Here is the pattern for the LB Traveling Seasons Afghan: Deer Square
Yarn
Lion Brand Wool-Ease (197yds/85g): 1 ball (67g) of Grey Heather.
Materials
US Size J/10 (6.0mm) crochet hook, yarn needle, scissors.
Size
13” x 13” after blocking.
Gauge
14 sts X 10 rows = 4” in hdc.
Notes
- Weave in ends as work progresses.
- Ch 1 does not count as a stitch.
- This square will need to be wet blocked to finished measurements.
Abbreviations
Bphdc = back post hdc
Ch = chain
Fphdc = front post half double crochet
Hdc = half double crochet
Instructions:
Ch 42, begin working in 2nd ch from hook.
← Row 1 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 41, turn–41 sts.
→ Row 2 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 3, (sc) x 21, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 12, turn.
← Row 3 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 12, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 1, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 21, (fphdc) x 3, turn.
→ Row 4 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 3, (sc) x 20, (bphdc) x 3, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 12, turn.
← Row 5 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 12, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 1, (fphdc) x 3, (sc) x 20, (fphdc) x 3, turn.
→ Row 6 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 4, (sc) x 19, (bphdc) x 3, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 12, turn.
← Row 7 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 12, (fphdc) x 6, (sc) x 17, (fphdc) x 6, turn.
→ Row 8 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 7, (sc) x 15, (bphdc) x 7, (sc) x 12, turn.
← Row 9 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 12, (fphdc) x 9, (sc) x 12, (fphdc) x 7, (sc) x 1, turn.
→ Row 10 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 7, (sc) x 4, (bphdc) x 17, (sc) x 12, turn.
← Row 11 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 11, (fphdc) x 29, (sc) x 1, turn.
→ Row 12 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 30, (sc) x 11, turn.
← Row 13 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 11, (fphdc) x 30, turn.
→ Row 14 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 30, (sc) x 11, turn.
← Row 15 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 10, (fphdc) x 31, turn.
→ Row 16 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 31, (sc) x 10, turn.
← Row 17 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 10, (fphdc) x 31, turn.
→ Row 18 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 31, (sc) x 10, turn.
← Row 19 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 10, (fphdc) x 31, turn.
→ Row 20 [WS]: Ch 1, (bphdc) x 31, (sc) x 10, turn.
← Row 21 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 10, (fphdc) x 30, (sc) x 1, turn.
→ Row 22 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 3, (bphdc) x 14, (sc) x 6, (bphdc) x 8, (sc) x 10, turn.
← Row 23 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 10, (fphdc) x 7, (sc) x 13, (fphdc) x 6, (sc) x 5, turn.
→ Row 24 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 25, (bphdc) x 6, (sc) x 10, turn.
← Row 25 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 10, (fphdc) x 6, (sc) x 25, turn.
→ Row 26 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 26, (bphdc) x 8, (sc) x 7, turn.
← Row 27 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 6, (fphdc) x 9, (sc) x 26, turn.
→ Row 28 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 26, (bphdc) x 9, (sc) x 6, turn.
← Row 29 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 7, (fphdc) x 8, (sc) x 26, turn.
→ Row 30 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 25, (bphdc) x 8, (sc) x 8, turn.
← Row 31 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 8, (fphdc) x 8, (sc) x 25, turn.
→ Row 32 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 23, (bphdc) x 12, (sc) x 6, turn.
← Row 33 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 5, (fphdc) x 14, (sc) x 22, turn.
→ Row 34 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 21, (bphdc) x 5, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 4, (sc) x 4, turn.
← Row 35 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 4, (fphdc) x 3, (sc) x 2, (fphdc) x 1, (sc) x 3, (fphdc) x 1, (sc) x 2, (fphdc) x 4, (sc) x 21, turn.
→ Row 36 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 21, (bphdc) x 3, (sc) x 2, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 3, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 2, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 4, turn.
← Row 37 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 7, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 5, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 25, turn.
→ Row 38 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 23, (bphdc) x 4, (sc) x 5, (bphdc) x 4, (sc) x 5, turn.
← Row 39 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 3, (fphdc) x 4, (sc) x 1, (fphdc) x 1, (sc) x 5, (fphdc) x 1, (sc) x 1, (fphdc) x 4, (sc) x 21, turn.
→ Row 40 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 20, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 1, (sc) x 11, (bphdc) x 1, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 2, turn.
← Row 41 [RS]: Ch1, (sc) x 2, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 1, (fphdc) x 1, (sc) x 11, (fphdc) x 1, (sc) x 1, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 20, turn.
→ Row 42 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 20, (bphdc) x 5, (sc) x 9, (bphdc) x 5, (sc) x 2, turn.
← Row 43 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 2, (fphdc) x 7, (sc) x 5, (fphdc) x 7, (sc) x 20, turn.
→ Row 44 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 21, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 1, (sc) x 9, (bphdc) x 1, (sc) x 1, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 3, turn.
← Row 45 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 4, (fphdc) x 1, (sc) x 13, (fphdc) x 1, (sc) x 22, turn.
→ Row 46 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 22, (bphdc) x 3, (sc) x 9, (bphdc) x 3, (sc) x 4, turn.
← Row 47 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 4, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 11, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 22, turn.
→ Row 48 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 23, (bphdc) x 1, (sc) x 11, (bphdc) x 1, (sc) x 5, turn.
← Row 49 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 5, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 9, (fphdc) x 2, (sc) x 23, turn.
→ Row 50 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 24, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 7, (bphdc) x 2, (sc) x 6, turn.
← Row 51 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 41, turn.
→ Row 52 [WS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 41, turn.
← Row 53 [RS]: Ch 1, (sc) x 41, turn.
Fasten off, weave in ends.
Chart Code
Blue = Sc
Red = bphdc
Green = fphdc
Want to have some virtual maker fun?
Host a virtual CAL with your maker friends! Get together online to share your favorite memories along the way as you create your squares. Tag @MyLifeInYarn and @LionBrandYarn on your Instagram posts and use the hashtags #mylifeinyarn #travelingseasonsafghan #lbtravelingseasonsafghan and #seasonsafghan2021.
