Granny Stripe Afghan Finish

I just finished my granny stripe afghan today.  Here it is on our king sized bed.  It is just a bit short of covering the whole bed, but it is really heavy and will sure be warm.




Here is a photo of it taken sideways on the bed.  I think maybe it would be better used this way on a smaller bed.  Or I could always fold this one down and leave it at the end of the bed.

 

I first did a single crochet border doing two rows of each color, but it ended up being too tight and started curling.

I ripped out all of the single crochet borders and did one row of half double crochet in each color.

I love this afghan and hope to finish more of my UFOs in the New Year.

 

You can find my Granny Stripe Afghan tutorial in my blog post here.

Hope you are finding time to take a few stitches every day.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Crochet Granny Stripe Afghan Tutorial Rewrite

I've received a lot of questions about my Crochet Granny Stripe Afghan Tutorial so I've decided to rewrite the pattern and try and take some better photos.  In my other tutorial I started the first row differently than this one, and I think this one looks better.

The granny stripe afghan beginning chain should be a multiple of 3 plus 2.  For a test piece I've chained 32 (3 X 10 + 2).  Turn and single crochet in second chain from hook where you see the arrow and in each chain.  You will have 31 stitches.



Chain 3 and turn.

Double crochet in the same stitch as the chain 3.

Skip two stitches then do 3 double crochets in the next stitch.

Continue across row skipping 2 stitches between each double crochet cluster (3 double crochets).

Your row will end with two double crochets in the last stitch (because you started with 2 DC).

Chain 3 and turn.

Do a double crochet cluster (3 double crochets) in each gap from the row below.  Continue across the row ending with 1 double crochet in the top of the last double crochet from the previous row.

If you start your row with two double crochets, you will end with two double crochets.  If you start with one double crochet, you will end with one.  Each row alternates.  The next row will start with two double crochets.

That's it.  Those rows repeat over and over.   You can change colors after the first two rows, after one row, or the entire afghan can be made from all one color.  I have changed colors every two rows.

This is how I change colors.  I know that most people say to leave two loops of the old color of your double crochet on your hook and attach your new color by pulling through the two loops on the hook.  But I have had too many ends of blankets come undone by doing that.  So I knot off the old color and tie the new color on with a knot.

Pull a loop through the gap.



Chain 3.



Do a double crochet in the same gap.



Do 3 double crochets in each gap across the row.



End this row with 2 double crochets in the last gap (because you started the row with 2 DCs).



Chain 3 and turn.



Continue with 3 DCs in each gap across the row.



End the row with 1 DC in the top of the stitch below.  Turn your work and tie on the next color and repeat.





How many to put in the beginning chain?

How many you chain to start depends a lot on what weight yarn you are using, size of hook, how tight or loose you crochet.  I mostly use worsted weight yarn and an I hook.  You can make a test chain and measure it to see how many stitches you have per inch and then figure out how many to chain to start your blanket.  This is just a guess as to how many to chain for different bed sizes.  The bed measurements in the chart below are conventional mattress sizes and are
TOP OF MATTRESS ONLY.

 BED SIZE          BED MEASUREMENT           APPROXIMATE NUMBER TO CHAIN      

Crib                      28"  X  52"                                      92

Twin                     39"  X  75"                                     125

Full                       54"  X  75"                                     170

Queen                    60"  X  80"                                    188

King                       76"  X  80"                                   233


After you do a few rows on your test piece, you will see that it is the same two rows over and over.  I hope these photos help to better explain the math and how to begin your own Crochet Granny Stripe Afghan.  If you have any questions, please write me at lakrug@comcast.net.

Hope you are finding some time to do some stitching today!

Granny Stripe Afghan Progress

I love hearing from my blog readers, and a couple of days ago I was asked a question about my granny stripe afghan tutorial.  The reader wanted to know how many chains to make to start a king-sized granny stripe afghan.  I counted mine and there are 225.  I purposely didn't make this one wide enough to hang down on the sides but to just cover the top of the bed.


 I have had this one in the works for quite a long time, and my last skein of yarn is the green one you see in the photo.  I was about to sew in the ends and stop, but after seeing how close I am to having an afghan large enough to cover the top of our king sized bed, I think I'm going to get some more of the yarn and keep going.  Right now it is wider than it is long, and I was just going to use it with the stripes running vertically.

The tutorial for my Granny Stripe Afghan is listed on my sidebar, or it can be found here.

 

  Hope you can relax and crochet today.

Thanks for stopping by!

Granny Stripe Afghan Tutorial

I had a question over on Ravelry about my Granny Stripe Afghan.  I decided to do a tutorial of a smaller size sample blanket in this pattern taking photos as I go. 

This pattern is worked in multiples of 3.   I am using acrylic yarn and an I hook. 

For this example I have chained 30.

Now turn and work a row of single crochets starting in the 2nd chain from hook.  (total 29)

Next chain 3 then work one double crochet into the second stitch from hook. 

Another Note:  After thinking about this if you started and have the chain 3 and double crochet both in that first stitch, your afghan should still look ok. 

*Skip 2 stitches, 3 DC in next stitch*.  Repeat across until you come to the end.  End with 2 DC in the last stitch on the row. 
NOTE:  This row should begin and end with 2 DC.

Chain 3.  Then:  *Three DC in space.*  Continue across.  Finish the row with a DC in the top stitch of the chain 3 made from the previous row.

As you work the blanket you can see how the first row ends with 2 DCs on each end; next row has 1 DC on each end.  And this pattern repeats throughout.

Here is how I tie on a color.  I cut the blue yarn and pull the loose end through the stitch to make a knot.  Then as shown in the photo I tied the orange yarn on through the space. 

To begin I stick the hook through the space and pull the orange yarn up. Then do 2 DC in the space. Then 3 DCs in each space until the end. Then do 2 DCs in the last space. 

There are no chains between the 3 DC clusters. 

Here are two rows complete on my practice piece. 

This is my afghan so far.  I need to weave those loose yarn ends in before I get much farther. 

Once you get going on this pattern, it is really quick and easy. 

I hope you are doing some crocheting today. 

If you have any questions, please email me:  krugla@gmail.com

Thanks for stopping by for a visit.