Afghans

 Afghans are desirable for nearly every situation.  Cold?  Here's a blanket.  Need a cushion for comfort?  Sit on a folded blanket.  Need something for an impromptu picnic?  Here's a throw.  Need some shade in the bright light? An afghan, no matter how lacy, if YOU can find a way to prop it up, will offer you some shade.

Now what if you have a child or grandchild who is obsessed with blankets?  Blankets for forts.  Blankets for cuddling.  Blankets for hiding under.   What if you don't have a young person in your life who loves to play with blankets?  They are always a great thing for a gift.  They are a great thing to donate to charities like homeless shelters, animal shelters, NICUs, PICUs, you name it.  A cuddly afghan can keep you warm in the face of many different hardships and losses.

Fleece fabric can be the fastest way to make a blanket.  Crochet or knit are among the slower ways to make a blanket. Let's look at a few stitch patterns that can speed up the knit and crochet.  I won't go into the debate about microplastics vs. ease of cleaning and use and costs.

Crochet. A large granny square can be fairly quick to work up. Lace can be quick but it isn't very warm.  Very tall stitches like double trebles and triple trebles can be even faster to work up but like lace might not be very warm.  A double crochet chevron can be fairly quick. 

Decide what you want to do.  Do you want to learn new stitches while working on the blanket?  Ok.  You can do it in horizontal sections.  Or you can do it in square swatches that later need stitched together.  A wise idea for this type would be to keep the colors limited and repeat them.

Do you want some stitching that you can do without thinking too hard?  Use the same stitch and possibly more colors.  Our mothers and grandmothers might have had the right idea with the chevron afghan on the back of the sofa in 1 main color and 2 to 4 accent colors in the center.  

Most afghans are done with worsted weight yarns but current thoughts are to use the blanket yarn which is a size 7 yarn.  This is soft and squishy but the jury is still out for how long it holds up under regular use and laundering.  If this yarn is like the chenille sweaters from the 90's it won't last long at all.

Happy Yarnsgiving!!

Here's my contribution of a turkey napkin ring.  He's quick to work.  Experienced crocheters should be able to do one in an hour.

Thanksgiving napkin ring.  I used a boye hook size H and Caron simply soft yarn.  It's a fun little thing to crochet.

Thanksgiving napkin ring 

Designer:  Wendy Stumpf 

Boye crochet hook size H

Caron Simply Soft yarn 

            Autumn maize 

            Autumn red

            Pumpkin 

            Chocolate 

            Red

Gauge:  not important 

Stitches:  dc - double crochet 

                  Sc - single crochet 

                  Fsc - foundation single crochet 

                  Fhdc - foundation half double crochet 

                  Ch - chain 

                   Sl st - slip stitch 

                   Sk - skip

                   St(s) - stitch(es)

Body 

     Using chocolate yarn, ch 5.  Join in the first ch to form a ring.

     Ch 3 (counts as a dc now and throughout), 15 dc in the ring. Join with sl st in the top of the ch 3.

     Ch 3, dc in same place, 2 dc in each st around.  Join in the top of the ch 3.  Fasten off.

Tail feathers and head

     Using autumn maize, join in any st.  * Ch 2, sl st in the st to the right.  Fsc 4 sts, fhdc 2 sts.  3 dc and hdc in the fhdc, hdc in the next st, sc in the next 4 sts.  Sl st in the st to the left of the join.  Fasten off.

      Using pumpkin, join in the st to the left.  Repeat from *.  

      Using autumn red, join in the st to the left.  Repeat from *.  

      Using pumpkin, join in the st to the left.  Repeat from *.

      Using autumn maize, join in the 5th st from the pumpkin tail feather.  Repeat from *.

Legs

     Using autumn maize, join in the 8th st from the neck.  * Ch 6, (ch 3, sl st in the 2nd st from the hook and the next st)  repeat 3x, sl st back to the body and in the next st. Repeat from *. Fasten off.

Weave ends.

Use the picture for placement of facial features.  With chocolate, place a French knot on the head.  With red, embroidery the wattle.  With pumpkin, add the bill.

Ring

     With chocolate, ch 20 sts.  In the 4th ch from the hook and in each st, dc.

     Ch 3, turn and dc in each st across and in the top of the ch 3.

Sew the end of the ring to the wrong side of the turkey on the left hand side.  Sew the other end of the ring to the wrong side of the turkey on the right hand side.

  

     

Swatching: The HOW

 There are two schools of thought about how to swatch.

School 1  Chain or cast on 4 inches of stitches.  Crochet or knit using the stitch pattern in the gauge of the pattern.  Work four inches of length.  Bind off or Fasten off.  Do you get the same number of stitches and rows as the pattern says you should?  No?  Change the size of the tool.  Too many stitches for the four inches? Increase the size of the tool.  Too few stitches for the four inches?  Decrease the size of the tool.

School 2 Chain or cast on at least 6 inches of stitches.  Using the stitch pattern listed in the gauge section of the pattern, work 6 inches or more of length.  Bind off or fasten off.  Now measure the center 4 inches in both directions.  Use pins to show where the center 4 inches are.  Too many? Too few?  Increase or decrease the size of the tool and try again.

Wash and block your swatch and remeasure the gauge.  Has the gauge changed?  Re swatch. 

OR

Make multiple swatches and on the first row make a different stitch for the number of the tool size.  So if you are using a 4 mm hook, do four stitches different on r 1.  If you are using a US 7 needle purl 7 stitches.  Or write on the swatch with a sharpie or embroider with a different color.

Now the analysis.

School 1 works very much to the skills of the experienced.  Edge stitches are notorious for being oversized in the beginner stitching.  Or for being missing altogether.  This form of swatch is looking for very even sttiches to form very even rows so that you get an accurate gauge.

School 2 works for every one but is a good friend to the beginner stitcher.  In this form of swatching, you measure the center four inches in each direction.  This is where the most even stitching is located. The edges can be wonky.  The chain edge or the  bind off edge can be tight and it won't affect gauge.  That is not to say you can keep it for the project you are swatching for, but it won't affect the stitch count.

So which way should you swatch?  Depends.  The larger swatch will work for everyone one of every skill level.  But before you hold your swatch to being accurate after stitching, wash and block the swatches.  Washing might not be completely necessary but saturation is.  Spraying and steaming will be helpful for blocking once the object is done but that isn't how you are going to clean it.  How will full saturation affect the yarn?  Does the ball band say it's machine washable?  How does full saturation and agitation affect the yarn?  Is it hang dry?  Lay fliat and dry?  Machine dry?  How do these affect the yarn and the swatch?  Be careful that you don't toss your non superwash wool into the washer and dryer.  They will felt and shrink.  

Swatching: the why

A few years ago, I shared trunkfuls of ideas for what you can use swatches for, or granny squares/motif squares.  Sweaters, blankets, and pillows, oh my.  Some projects look great with a broad spectrum of colors.  Others will be better with the components being all the same color or range of colors or the same pattern.

But let's examine why we might want to swatch.  I'll go over how to swatch later.

We would want to swatch if fit mattered.  It would be nice if something you are making for a gift would fit the recipient, wouldn't it? So, swatching to be sure your stitching is the same as the pattern is important.  You might need to work many swatches with different sizes and different types of material of hook or needle to get the gauge.

We would want to swatch to see how our yarn choice reacts to the blocking process.  Blocking is part of the cleaning process.  Soak the swatch in a rinse-free wool wash.  Drain and start by patting it into shape. OR better still, treat the swatch the way you will be treating the finished garment or item.   Has it grown? Which way did it grow?  Did it shrink?  Which way?  Now you have to go back to trying a different size tool or a different material.  Will it work with all patterns?  

Personally, and I advise this to many, I think a very patterned yarn hides the beautiful stitchwork I have done.  Is the yarn highly textured?  Is it really fuzzy?  This can hide my beautiful stitchwork also.

New and Exciting Things Are Happening

 Next year, I will be participating in more historical events for knit history and crochet history.  Most of these events require period costuming so I will be working on that. 

Next year, I will be a project leader for the local 4-H.  I will teach knitting to the children and teens who want to learn.  More information is needed for me.  But for now, I think I have completed all the training, clearances, and forms.

Next year, the knitting guild and the crochet guild I belong to will be teaching knitting and crocheting to the Kimmerlings Grange.  We will be worked into their schedule of events.

But the newest news is that we have a wedding coming up in our family.  My younger son is getting married next month.  And then to our surprise, a grand nephew has gotten engaged.

My Bingo Update

Well, I have had to be flexible and make some changes.   I am disappointed, but it is not the end of the world as I know it. 

Change 1.  The wreaths have to be postponed.   I have misplaced the frames for them. So I will carry on with the things that go on, but I won't be able to complete the wreaths. 

Change 2.  The kitchen Roman shades and other window coverings are permanently removed.   We are putting up shutters on each window.  That is hubby's job. 

Change 3.  The jar scarf is coming to an early finish.   The scarves are coming close to 6 feet in length, and it's only August. 

Change 4.  My queen-size Afghan will not make it to that size.   I failed to order enough yarn. It will be as large as possible. 

Other squares on the card are still in play or have been finished. 

I have a wedding to help with as one of my sons is getting married soon.  I went shopping for my dress and hit pay dirt on the first store, first dress I picked up.  That doesn't happen every day.  I will take the win.

My reversible sari silk skirt that I'm sewing doilies to is still up to be done.  

I have gotten 9 of the 12 hats done or found.  I have lost the address for the slippers for charity.  I will instead do a dozen hats for premature babies in Nigeria.  

I have to amend my plan for the blankets.  I am unable to use the rotary cutting disk to punch holes along the edges to then crochet into them to crochet the swatches together.  That was my original plan from January.  The rotary cutting blade to make a dashed line of holes doesn't cut consistently through the upholstery swatches.  I will be sewing them together.  This will go quicker anyway.

Have you decided to play the home game with your own bingo card?  Maybe next year you can.  Mine for next year will not be quite so full of large projects.

Happy Yarnsgiving!!

 Have you heard about this? It's all about making with yarn and giving that thing at Thanksgiving.  This is the second year for yarnsgiving.  It was started by the Craft Yarn Council of America.  Designers get together and create new and beautiful things for knitters and crocheters to make to give away.  Now, if you think it's just something like creating yarn dolls, think again.  Last year's submissions were creative and fabulous.  Check out the website here 

Yarnsgiving runs from I Love Yarn Day, October 12, to Giving Tuesday, December 2.  In the spirit of donating, the inspiration is to create things for donation to Warm Up America.  Warm Up America offers blankets and warm winter accessories for people who struggle with homelessness, being below the poverty level for basic necessities.  

I'm planning to offer both a knit design and a crochet design.  My knit design submission will be a cowl.  I am thinking of a striped cowl with leaves in lace.  My crochet design submission will be a napkin ring featuring a turkey.

In my mind, they look fabulous.  Now to get the patterns written, the prototype done, the pictures taken, and everything submitted.  Come craft along with us.

Yarnsgiving has a list of sponsors we will support.  The perennial favorite Red Heart is listed.  This has been a workhorse in my area for close to 60 years.  Also in the yarn department will be yarnspirations that support the Caron brand and Bernat brand.  

This year's colors come from Pantone's line of paints.  They are beautiful colors.  I want to go to the paint department and pick up swatches of the colors for shopping for yarn,  I will link the colors in a new post when I get them.