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The Fourth & Final Afghan

If you’ve been keeping tabs, I finished the third of my afghans–the crochet granny square flower–last spring. Since then, I’ve been busy working on the fourth and final installment of the afghans.

It’s with great pride I present the Solid Squared Afghan!

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This guy differs from its three sibling since its squares are solid colors, not comprised of four to six different colors. The squares themselves are working up quicker (no time joining colors) and can I just tell you how infinitely excited I am to have 75% LESS ends to weave in.

My fellow crocheters, can I get an ‘amen’?!

This afghan was designed to be 12 x 12 squares, yet I found it too small. Each square measures just under four inches, forming an afghan 48 by 48 inches. I figured why stop there? I had enough yarn and plan to keep working until it runs out.

Project Details:

Size 3.5mm (E 4) crochet hook
Over 15 different colors of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmireno
Five rows of granny squares, using the join-as-you-go method

This is also a great project to use up yarn scraps. Pick complimenting threads or random colors and join, join, join until you have yourself an afghan. It becomes almost mindless work–great while watching episodes of Arrested Develpment or Mad Men or nothing. 🙂 Enjoy!

Crochet, Pictor Granny Square, Projects

It’s Finished: The Crochet Granny Square Afghan

I’ve been crocheting the granny square picot afghan for the past year.

Like the two blankets before it, this blue-purple-red-green-yellow combo was a treat to make. The 3-D granny squares have raised centers that look complicated, yet become easy after the 80th repeat. (If you’d like to try your hand at making a square, you can with this picot granny square video tutorial).

rainbowafghan

A few weeks ago, I finished crocheting the blanket based on Lucy’s original design. I had just ended my last square when I realized there was enough yarn to make another repeat–which would mean three additional rows. The ‘inspiration afghan ‘is a rectangle, but adding the extra rows made this one into a square.

I forged ahead and am glad I did. I rather like the extra inches since it makes the blanket even longer for maximum warmth.

Project Details:

52 Skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino
Size E (3.5mm) crochet hook
Inspired by Attic 24′s flower granny square afghan
Time to crochet: 1 year
Worth it factor (WIF): YES! Loved learning how to make the raised granny square flowers. Could be my favorite blanket of the bunch.

My favorite part of designing this afghan was not using the same bordering color for a square in any given row OR column. It was like playing sudoku. I even enlisted the help of my roommate. We’d pause the episode of Friday Night Lights we were watching (hello, Tim Riggins) and whisper to ourselves, “light pink…? no. maroon?….. no. Ooh – navy!” as we’d scan the rows and talk through color options until finding a suitable choice.

Adding on the three extra rows, I didn’t think it was possible, but without any real planning it worked out. A rainbow afghan of totally random colors.

Afghan edging is a faux-picot stitch repeat of [3 slip stitch,es *sc, ch 2, sc* in next stitch ] around.

I’m packaging up this afghan tonight and am sad to see it leave, though it’s going to a good home, joining its hexy and ripple afghan sisters. Keep the faith, dear reader, as there is already a fourth afghan in the works. The kaleidoscope continues!

Crochet, Projects

Star Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern

It is with great remorse that I retract my previous statement that, “I don’t make afghans”. Because as you’ll soon see, I guess I do.

I worked for 6 months on this hexagon crocheted afghan and just recently finished another crocheted baby blanket – the STAR. I was commissioned to make this baby blanket by my brother’s future MIL’s niece… I’m not sure we’re even related. But regardless, she will have a lovely hand-crocheted baby blanket for her little guy.

Project Details

Pattern: Rainbow Ripple Baby Blanket by Celest Young

Yarn: Worsted Weight and Sport Weight Yarn from Stash – approx. 3 skeins total

Hook: Crochet hook size H (5.0mm)

I found the pattern to be interesting enough to keep my attention, but repetitive enough to be done while listening to music. The baby blanket grows very fast, but the last couple of rows took about 20 mins a piece and you feel like you’re never going to finish. If the afghan was any larger, I think I’d give up!

I’m hoping the new mom likes this baby blanket for her little tyke. What do you think?

Crochet

Hat-Making Season

Every summer, I (try) to crochet 200 – 250 hats to prepare for Craft Show Season (CSS). It’s a lot between work, family, friends, and napping, but I normally come close to meeting the quota.

My summer this year is extra tight on time because:

I’m moving for the first time in my life (besides College)
I start a new job in August
I’ll be traveling to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maine, Las Vegas, and California for 20 days straight
4 of my friends are getting married
2 beach trips in the works….

Needless to say, this summer’s looking busy…just how I like it! I had free time this weekend so I raided the yarn stash to crocheted a few hats. I’d like to share my latest creations with you. I used my own crochet patterns for the hats and love how they turned out.

In retrospect, it appears I have a flower fixation at the moment, ha. Which hat is your favorite?

Crochet, Crochet Hexagon Blanket, Projects

Crochet Hexagon Blanket – Part III

This wintery weather compels me to crochet. With Inches of snow and promises of ice, there’s nothing to do but pop in a movie and stitch. I’ve been working on this crocheted hexagon afghan for a few months now – starting back in November if you remember. Tonight, after watching The Holiday with my roommates, I completed Row 7 of 11. Yay! This means I’ve made a total of 102 hexagons. Only 57 more to go!

Hexagon Blanket
The Master Layout ^^

Hexagon Blanket

What do you think of the growing hexagon afghan? Each time I make a new hex, I find the color combo more lovely than those from rows before. That’s how it always is, right – you like whatever you make last.

Crochet, Projects

25 Hours of Labor and an Afghan is Born

You might remember this post where I challenged myself to crochet an afghan in a day. What was special about this challenge was three things:

As stated before, I DON’T crochet afghans
This wasn’t one of those quickie 5 hours patterns; this afghan required crochet and sewing together 33 individual motifs
Used a size G crochet hook. Not the ideal hook size when looking to bang out an afghan in a day

I was up to the challenge and finished this afghan in 25 hours. Yes, one hour longer than my original goal of completing it in a day. One measly little hour. BUT, I will say that I didn’t try all that hard, either. Sure I crocheted a ton more than I typically do during the day, but I had a leisurely dinner with a friend, got 8 hours of sleep…. so, ya know. I could have finished the afghan in one day if I really *tried*. At least that’s what I tell myself.

Pros of the project:

Finished in almost a day
Used up scrap yarn
Ignited a new love of working with bright colors
Instant Baby Gift

In love with this baby blanket? This crocheted baby blanket is available for sale in my Etsy store OR make your own using the free crochet baby blanket pattern found here.