Sometimes when you tackle a task that you have been avoiding, you have to marvel that the energy it took to avoid it actually exceeded the energy needed to complete it.

Such is the case for me with the 101 Crochet Squares crochet-along.

Yesterday, after a damp walk to the bus stop and back, I had high hopes that this day would be the day that I finished all 101 squares, and I worked furiously to complete the squares that remain. With just seven squares left to work on, it seemed eminently doable, but when the day ended, I found I came up a bit short with just ninety-eight of 101 squares done.

I started with the relatively small and straight forward Square 24:

With that square dispatched (except for two ends that needed trimming), I turned to Square 49.

Square 49 had been a bit of a problem for me because I was undecided about what and how many colors to use in order to best highlight the design. In the end, I went for a retro flare with Red Heart Super Saver claret, hot pink, and gold:

With all but the finishing work done (I imagined I would weave in ends during my son’s trumpet lesson), I moved onto Square 93.

The square has, at it’s center, a pansy-like flower; inspired by the square I had just worked on I decided to continue with the Red Heart Super Saver claret for the square (which is, on its own, and interesting design), and then used CraftSmart Value sangria for the flower, and then back to my beloved Red Heart Super Saver — this time using pumpkin.

Here are the pieces all laid out with the individual elements visible:

and here they are one stacked on top of the other as they will be assembled:

At this point, I was ready to tackle the berries of Square 7 which I had put off for days. Unable to decide if I preferred the shocking pink or the cherry red, I used both:

Still under the illusion that I would get all of these ends woven in during the afternoon’s trumpet lesson, I moved on to Square 94.

When I initially looked at Square 94, I did not realize how interesting it’s construction was. Instead of being a simple four round square, it is, in fact, composed of 8 rounds, three of which provide the foundation for working the stitches of a new color that help to create the layered look that becomes evident on closer inspection:

While I still have three or so squares to complete (I am contemplating reworking one in which any design elements are lost in its current rendition), I expect that by Sunday, the 101 Crochet Squares crochet-along will be part of my crochet history, and I will be ready to take what I have learned and move forward into whatever crochet adventure awaits me.