Snow and Ice CAL - first instalment

Winter is coming and it's time to crack on with our exclusive Snow And Ice Blanket CAL. The very first stage of our CAL is the Italian square. This is a lovely pattern that looks very pretty but is straight forward to crochet. You can download the pattern here:

Part 1

For this CAL you will need Sirdar Cotton DK (100% cotton).

Buy the yarn here >

2 x 100g (212m) balls of Sirdar Cotton DK (100% cotton) in each of Mill White (501), Vanilla (502), Light Taupe (504) and Grey Dawn (520). You will also need a 3mm hook. 

Snow And Ice Crochet Along Exclusive Colour Pack

As always we've done you a step-by-step guide to help you on your way. So let's get started on our first square.

Using the yarn in your kit and with 3.00mm crochet hook, make slip knot on hook.

Pull loop tight, take yarn over hook and pull through loop on hook, this creates a stitch.

Bring yarn over the hook and pull through to make a chain stitch (ch).

Repeat until you have made 4ch.

To join with a slip stitch (slst), insert hook through the first chain, and take yarn over hook, pull through loops to make a ring.

This is the ring you will be working into.

Now it's time to start your first round. Begin by working 3ch.

To make your first treble stitch, place yarn over hook.

Insert hook into ring, yarn over hook and pull through, you will have three loops on hook.

Yarn over hook and pull through two loops.

Yarn over hook and pull through remaining two stitches so only one loop remains.

Repeat a further ten times making 12 sts in total. 11 trebles and one 3ch.

To join with a slst, insert hook into top of the 3ch, yarn over hook.

Pull through all loops on hook.

The second round uses half treble stitches (htr). Begin with 3ch which counts as your first htr.

Next you will be working three half treble stitches and then combining them together (htr3tog) to form a cluster. Begin by placing the yarn over your hook and inserting it into the base of the 3ch.

Then bring yarn over hook and pull through. Rather than completing your half treble stitch in the usual way you repeat another two times. By wrapping yarn over hook inserting back into the same space.

Bring yarn through two loops.

Repeat this once more so that you have 7 loops on your hook. Place your yarn over and bring through all seven loops.

You have completed a htr3tog. Next you will work htr4tog in your next stitch, twice. This is the same as the htr3tog except you work into the stitch 4 times before pulling through 9 loops on your hook.

Repeat round referring to the pattern and finish with a slst.

Begin your third round with a slst in the first chain space (chsp).

Work 3ch.

Htr3tog in same place as slst.

Complete as before.

Do ch and then work your htr4tog in next 1-chsp

2ch.

Then you come to your corner where you place the yarn round your hook and insert it into the 5-chsp and pull through.

Complete your treble stitch.

You are ready to work your next one.

Do five in total.

Finish the corner with 2ch.

Complete round referring to pattern. Join round with slst.

For the fourth round slst in next 1-chsp and 3ch.

Htr3tog in same space as slst.

3ch, miss next htr4tog and 2-chsp and work tr in the previous round of tr stitches. Work a ch in between for the next 2tr. 

Then in your "corner" you work 1tr, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, and 1tr all into the same tr.

Finish corner as in pattern.

You will then work 1htr4tog in the space between the two htr4tog clusters of the previous round.

Complete htr4tog as before.

Continue round referring to pattern. Join with slst.

For the fifth round you will be working normal trebles in a sequence outlined in your pattern.

Then it will be basic double crochet stitches on the final round with extra stitches in the corners to keep the square shape.

Repeat round referring to the pattern. Join with slst

And that's it! Your first CAL square finished! Don't forget to weave in the ends and make another 16 squares in assorted colours.

Please share photos of your blankets in progress over on The Knitting Network Facebook page, we always love to see how you're getting on!