Finishing the Giant Crocheted Granny Afghan

My giant granny square afghan from Sucrette's Giant Granny Crochet Along has 55 rounds on it.  I started the blanket with 25 different skeins of yarn, and so far I have used each skein twice.   When I did round number 55 I finished with about 6 inches of yarn to spare.  That was cutting it just a little too close for comfort.  What to do?

I came up with the idea to get out my postage scale and weigh each ball of yarn that is left.  That's what all of the pink post it notes are on the yarn in the photo below.  My thinking was that if I knew the weight of the skein and there was enough yardage to go around the blanket once, then I could weigh what was left and make an educated guess as to how much it would take for the next round. 

After I had all of the leftovers weighed and labeled, I went upstairs to bring down another skein of the brown yarn I had used.  It was left from another project so I knew there was more of that color.  I also found a bag with extra skeins for this project that I had forgotten.  So now I have plenty of yarn to do several more rounds on the blanket.  I think in the CAL we were trying to get somewhere between 75 and 100 rounds. 

Stay tuned to see how many rounds I end up with. 

Hope you are doing some crocheting or knitting today.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Granny Square Afghan Tutorial

I've been working on the Giant Granny Square Crochet Along over at Sucrette's blog, I thought I would do a tutorial on how to make a granny square.  Here is my progress so far - 50 rounds. 

One thing to remember:  When you are doing a granny square you need to turn your work and do every other round on the back side.   If you do every round on the right side the square eventually becomes kind of "wonky" and looks like it is in a twist.

CH = chain

DC=double crochet

DC Cluster=3 double crochets together

Chain 4.  Slip stitch in first stitch to form a ring.

Still on the right side of the work chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet this round and throughout).  Do 2 more double crochets in ring.  Chain 1.  Repeat 3 DCs, chain 1 in ring three more times   (you will have 4 DC clusters in the ring with a chain 1 in between).  Join round with slip stitch.

  (From now on you are going to be working in the spaces between the clusters.)  Chain 3. TURN work over, 2 DC, chain 1, 3 DC in space. *Chain 1.  3 DC, chain 1, 3DC *  Repeat around ending with a chain 1.  Join round with slip stitch. 

Chain 3, TURN work.  2 DC in space.  3 DC, ch 1, 3 DC on corner.  Chain 1, 3 DC in space.  On the corner 3 DC, chain 1, 3 DC.  Continue around until you are back at the beginning and join the round with a slip stitch.

Each round is the same:  A DC cluster in the spaces along the edges and DC Cluster, chain 1, DC cluster on the corners.  A chain 1 goes in between each cluster.

Here is a chart that shows the stitches.

A close up of my granny blanket. 

I hope this has helped.  I think crochet is really relaxing and enjoy working on it in the evenings. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at krugla@gmail.com. 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today. 

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. 

Crochet Pillow

I have been sorting my yarn into groups that might all go into one project.  I usually don't buy yarn for a project, but I buy what I like and then figure out what to make with it.  I know that can often end badly, but I can usually find something to make. 

When I grouped my yarn together, there was an off white skein and a rust color that didn't seem to fit in, so I made a granny square pillow cover with them.

I have been making granny squares since I was a young girl, so I just picked up my yarn and hook and made this without a pattern.  If anyone wants a pattern, I could try to write one.

This is the second one of these that I made.  On the first one I joined the yarn on the right side of the work each time, and when it was finished it looked like it was kind of "on a tilt".  So whenever you make a granny square it's best to do a round and then turn the work over.

I wasn't sure how long I would use this pillow or if I would want to change the cover, so I made the back with a flap.

I made the back up also.  It is just single, half double and double crochets done in random rows.  Where you see the rust stripe across the center is where the opening is.  I plan to sew 2 or 3 buttons on there and button the cover on.  Then the pillow could be used on either side.

 I hope you have a yarn project in the works.  I am working on an afghan now and will show you photos when I get a bit more done.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today. 

Granny Stripe and Shell Afghan Finish

I've been doing quite a bit of crocheting.  I've finished the brown and pink granny stripe afghan.

I really like the pink and brown variegated yarn that I used in this afghan, and all of the yarn came from my stash.

It was a lot of work to unwind the yarn from the wider afghan and to start the whole project over again from scratch, but I am happy with the finished afghan.

I also finished this crocheted shell look baby blanket from yarn that I had in my stash.

Relax, pick up your crochet hook or knitting needles, and spend some time with some pretty yarn today.

Thanks for visiting today! 

Pink and Brown Granny Stripe Afghan

I should have been all finished with the pink and brown variegated granny stripe afghan that I showed in an earlier post, but.......

This is what I did:

No, I'm not making a second afghan.  Here is a closer look:

See that the yarn is attached to the longer piece....and goes over to the shorter piece?  I had a lot more done on it than you see in the photo, but as I used the yarn I could see that the afghan was going to turn out way too wide and wouldn't be nearly long enough.   So I started over and chained less stitches.  You can see the piece on the right is the new afghan.  I know that this crochet project is just a way to use up some of my yarn, but I figured I might as well be happy with the finished project.  I'll post another photo soon, but I have worked almost all of the yarn from the longer piece onto the afghan.  Hopefully I will have a finish soon. 

Hope you are doing some stitching today! 

Shell Look Baby Blanket Finish

Last weekend my daughter came into town, and she decided she would help me work on one of the projects that I have here.  She chose the Shell Baby Blanket that I had started in pretty variegated yarn in shades of pink and blue.  The pattern and a photo of the start of the blanket is linked on my side bar.

While she was here, she finished crocheting it.

We had a nice weekend of visiting, watching movies, and crocheting.  She and I both enjoy crocheting as well as knitting. 

I had just started this blanket because I had the yarn in my stash and I really enjoyed the pattern.  I really didn't have a purpose in mind at the time so my daughter asked if she could take it home for her cat, Squeaky to lay on.

Squeaky comes along with my daughter when she visits.  When we let her out of the cat carrier she always remembers where her food bowl, water fountain and litter are so we call this Squeaky's summer home because she always seems right at home here.  She is a lot of fun to have here for a visit, and now she has the new blanket....and who could refuse a face like that?

Hope you find time to relax and knit or crochet a little each day! 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!