Granny's no square bag. Help, please?

[EssenceRose]

I've decided to try out the pattern for the "Granny's No Square" Bag from the stitch n' bitch crochet book. It's a pretty simple and straight-forward pattern. I'm only confused about one part (so far). I was hoping somebody could shed some light on this for me.

After you've made the 'granny square', the pattern then says to do the "Trim Rnd" -- the pattern states:

With WS facing, join matching color around the post of any sc in rnd 5, sl st around the post of each sc around. sl st in first sl st to join.

Now that all sounds pretty easy, EXCEPT for the fact that rnd 5 was completed... um... 3 rnds ago. So how do I crochet around the post of rnd 5 when I've already finished rnd 8 and fastened off?? And does "join matching color" refer to the color that matches what what used in rnd 5? I'd assume it does, but I just want to be sure. I'm a tiny bit confused... At first, I thought it meant to sl st around the post of the outer edge (the fastened off edge) with the color used in rnd 5 for each one, but now I'm not so sure.

I hope all that rambling on has made some sense. Can anyone help?

[Riss]

While I don't have the book, it sounds like it wants you to work one round outwards, as in 3d. So you're going to work in round 3, as described, and its going to put a ring around that round on the front of your work. By "trim round", think of it as trimming your tree for christmas. You're decorating it, making it stand out a bit. :)

[EssenceRose]

I thought that, but then I thought perhaps I was going nuts. I've never seen things worked outwards before. Thanks for that. I can always try it on one of the squares, and if it doesn't look right I can just frog it. That's the beauty of crochet vs knitting - it's easier to rip out. LOL :)

Is there anyone who has the book or has tried this pattern before just for clarification?

[PamJ]

Hi Rose,

Did you do the little trim, and how did it turn out? Does it look like the photo in the book? Since it's just a slip stitch, it does sound like the point was to make that part of the granny square stand out a bit. I'm curious now...

[EssenceRose]

I haven't attempted it yet. I'm too afraid of messing it up. However, I did get a friend to attempt it and she confirmed that yes, the aim is to make it like a 3D double thickness... I've read the finishing instructions and I believe the double thickness is for sewing the motifs together once they are finished.

[lissie]

I'm interested to make this too. Are you using the recommended yarn?

[EssenceRose]

No, I'm not using the yarn suggested in the book -- only because I live in NZ and that particular yarn is hard to find (and if I do find it, chances are it's expensive). So I'm using a substitute yarn of different colors, but the gauge is the same.