African Sun Square – A Jam Made CAL and Crochet Bucket List Project

If you have been following along on any of my social media sites you probably already know I am a sucker for a good CAL project – especially when it is also a project I have saved to my Crochet Bucket List. The African Sun Square is one of the patterns I have ‘saved’ for a rainy day…

My friend Jen of Jam Made has organized a monthly CAL on Facebook.

You can sign-up at any time, it is free and Jen has good taste 😉 I must say this as she keeps picking projects on my bucket list…and if she has poor taste…then so do I!

Here is the link to her Jam Made Facebook page and a collaborative project I assist her with For The Love Of Crochet (where we post links to free crochet patterns).

This is the square that she selected to be our July project.  It is the African Sun 9″ Square by Edith E. Smith. The pattern is available as a free Ravelry download.

I really love the square – although I must admit I am not so pleased with my final results.  I used a 5.00 mm hook and Loops & Threads Luxury Wool.  I did end up with a 9″ square – so my gauge was ok.  I just do not like the spaces you can see between the stitches.

The pattern is perfect the way it is.  I think if I were to make the square again I would use a smaller hook size as a “personal preference” – and make a smaller square…or increase the weight of the yarn I used and see if it would give me a more solid piece.

Part of the Jam Made CAL challenge was to use the square in a project.  My intention for the square – after being challenged to use it for something – was to make my Kobo Arc a case.  I have been planning on making a case for my unprotected Kobo for more than 6-months.  Yes…6-months.  Thankfully it has been overlooked by my Littles and is still in one piece!

I sewed a little felt pocket to hold the Kobo.  I didn’t want to see through the stitches in the square (yes I am somewhat obsessed!) and I wanted there to be a bit more padding for the Kobo.  Next I took the square and wrapped it around the felt-wrapped Kobo…adding stitches to make it fit like a sleeve.  I added a button and voila! My Kobo is finally protected.

It isn’t perfect.

It isn’t stunning.

But it works for me 🙂 and my Kobo!