Block of The Month - January

My New Years Resolution this year was to run a Block of The Month
My plan is to post in the middle of the month around the 14th.
I am posting it to http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/k4ckals
for those who enjoy a mystery.
I will also blog here for those that want to see the block before choosing their colours.
I apologise in advance for my colour choice, I will be using mainly purple,
mainly because that is the colour I have the most of.
I will be posting pics of the blocks made using different colour choices and hints too.
The block I have chosen for January is one I made for the first time in 2012 and I love it.
It is so easy (only 2 rows repeated, I have managed to make it on the train and bus)
but effective (I have used it as a border as well) but it is hard to describe colour choices.
The block has several names, chocolate box, brick stitch, block stitch and mosaic stitch.
I cant put a name of a designer to this pattern as there are several out there.

HINT #1: I think the square looks best using a medium or dark colour as the accent
You can use 5 different colours for the main rounds (odd number rounds) or 1 colour

4mm hook
8 ply or 11 wpi
1 main colour
1 accent colour
pattern is in AUS/UK terms (ie; UK dc is US sc)

using main colour ch4 and join

Round 1 - ch3 (counts as first treble) 2tr ch2, *3tr, ch2, repeat from * 2 times
and join into top of 3ch

HINT #2; If you are using the same yarn for either the main or accent colour instead of
breaking the yarn I pull the loop bigger to stop it from unravelling and the when I'm
ready to use it I ch 2 and join with a slip stitch before starting the pattern. see photo below


Round 2 - using accent colour join to a ch2 space. ch1, ( 1dc, ch3, 1dc) into same space, ch3
*( 1dc, ch3, 1dc) into next ch 2 space, ch3 repeat from * 2 times

Round 3 - You can either use the first colour or another one. Join to any 3ch corner space,
ch3 (counts as first treble) (2tr, ch3, 3tr) into same space, ch1, 3tr into next ch3 space, ch1,
*(3tr, ch3, 3tr) into next ch3 corner space, ch1, repeat from * 2 times. join into top of ch3

Round 4 - using accent colour  join to a c3 corner space. ch1,
*( 1dc, ch3, 1dc) into corner space, ch3 (1dc into next ch 1 space, ch3) X 2 times
repeat from *3 times. Join into top of ch3.

Round 5 -  join your yarn of choice to any 3ch corner space, ch3, (counts as first treble)
 (2tr, ch3, 3tr) into same space, ch1, 3tr into next ch3 space, ch1, 3 times
*(3tr, ch3, 3tr) into next ch3 corner space, ch1, (3tr into next ch3 space, ch1 ) 3 times, repeat from * 2 times. join into top of ch3

Round 6 - using accent colour  join to a c3 corner space. ch1,

*( 1dc, ch3, 1dc) into corner space, ch3 (1dc into next ch 1 space, ch3) X 4 times
repeat from *3 times. Join into top of ch3.



Round 7 -  join your yarn of choice to any 3ch corner space, ch3, (counts as first treble)
 (2tr, ch3, 3tr) into same space, ch1, 3tr into next ch3 space, ch1, 5 times
*(3tr, ch3, 3tr) into next ch3 corner space, ch1, (3tr into next ch3 space, ch1 ) 5 times,
 repeat from * 2 times. join into top of ch3

 Round 8 - using accent colour  join to a c3 corner space. ch1,
*( 1dc, ch3, 1dc) into corner space, ch3 (1dc into next ch 1 space, ch3) X 6 times
repeat from *3 times. Join into top of ch3. Break off yarn and weave in ends


Round 9 -  join your yarn of choice to any 3ch corner space, ch3, (counts as first treble)
 (2tr, ch3, 3tr) into same space, ch1, 3tr into next ch3 space, ch1, 7 times
*(3tr, ch3, 3tr) into next ch3 corner space, ch1, (3tr into next ch3 space, ch1 ) 7 times,
 repeat from * 2 times. join into top of ch3.
Break yarn leaving enough  for sewing squares together.

Now for some photos

1 colour for 4 of the main Rounds with the accent used for the last round

A close up of the back where i carried the yarn across

5 different colours for the main rounds

Round 3 & 5  in pink, round 7 & 9 in purple, also a border that I have done using this stitch

monochromatic

after 1st row, work 2 rows in each colour