Uni Sampler Aran CROCHET-ALONG? One square at a time....

Here's for an idea I suddenly had: how about you join me for a fun exploration of aran crochet stitches whilst making a sampler throw or afghan?
I am making a throw for my eldest who is off to Bath University very soon, I promised her a throw to cuddle into for studying on chilly nights- something from home you know?
Then two or more years ago I started one- she chose the colours and it was a ripple blanket  but now  her tastes have changed and she does not like it anymore.... Too loud. Too colourful?
You see Miss E is a very chic young lady, very elegant so it's those neutrals for her: pale pink, cream, grey ,black or occasionally some navy...
And admittedly her new abode in Bath is all chic and minimalist with white chairs and an accent wall in acid green or lemon yellow..... So she has now chosen a dark grey for her Uni throw. ( USA readers read mini-afghan)

Now grey is a ''non colour '' for me , with black it's a colour I'll never use by choice nit by itself anyway. Reminds me of John Major, depression, grey clouds, rainy days, granite houses and dull pavements, dull , dull , dullness all the way....? So to keep it interesting we have agreed I can make it in squares and I will play with different relief patterns on almost all the squares , bobbles, cables, interlocking lines that sort of thing.
YARN:
She's chosen Stylecraft Aran Special for ease of laundering and general smoochie softness as she tends not to like wool- too scratchy.

So here's the idea: I am planning to do a square a week and will post the pattern on here and then you can crochet-along if you would like to do so?


The initial plan is for a size of about 100 cm wide by 150 cm long  which translates to about 70 squares : 7 along the width and 10 along the length. I will crochet them together at the end and then agree with her ladyship what kind of border she might like to have ....

Or no border because then we can increase it over time if that's what she'd like.

I'm using GRAPHITE which is colour 1063 and I ordered it online from Wool warehouse who sent it the next day for my trial samples. It's a mere £1.79 a ball of 100 g so you can play to your hearts content AND it's super smoochie soft. I've said that already haven't I? And I am usually a natural fibres fan/ addict. My choice would have been DROPS NEPAL but Miss E did not like it so I sent it back. That's what I love about woolwarehouse, you can return unused balls if you have over estimated like I often do!

I would post the link but the website keeps crashing today so maybe later....

Here's a bit of play I did with my first 3 squares:

As you can see the design possibilities are many indeed! And that's just with the first two types of square.

COME JOIN ME? IT SHOULD BE A FUN JOURNEY across relief and cable- stitches in crochet.

First pattern in the next post.

You will need a 6 mm and 5 mm hook and aran thickness yarn.
All terms used will be UK crochet terms with USA terms in brackets.

There are also links via RAVELRY.

It will be called BATH UNIVERSITY  SAMPLER    ARAN  THROW CROCHET ALONG .
or BUS AT CAL