Blanket

This blanket for the Afghans For Afghans Youth Campaign was made using a square inspired by this Leisure Arts booklet. For my own records, 30 squares took:

9 sk (50 gr ea) "Wool of the Andes" variegated worsted (from ebay, could probably never find this color again)
2 sk (100 gr ea) Moda Dea Washable Wool, "Raspberry" (more like 1 1/4 sk)
3 sk (100 gr ea) Patons Classic Wool, "That's Purple" (more like 2 1/2 sk)
3 sk Patons Classic Wool, "That's Blue"

Only 20 squares ended up being used, 4x5 squares with a wide border to make a blanket 42"x52". The 10 leftover squares are being enlarged and will make a baby blanket, for the CURE Children's Hospital Campaign.

more chunky mittens

These mittens are similar to the previous pair, but used less chunky yarn, Araucania Nature Wool Chunky. This allowed for a smaller hook and tighter gauge. They fit a teenager or medium sized adult

to help me remember this basic pattern:

materials: chunky wool (weight "5"), approx 150 gr, size "H" hook

dec = YO, insert hook and draw up loop in st, insert hook in next st and draw up loop, YO and draw through all loops

popcorn = YO, repeat (insert hook into st, YO and draw up loop, draw through 2 loops on hook) 4 times, YO and draw through all loops on hook, ch 1

gauge: 30 hdc = 8"

ch 30, sl st to join, ch 2 (join all rounds this way)
row 1-13: hdc in each st around, 30 st each row not counting turning chain
row 14: hdc in next 9 st, ch 6, skip next 6 st, hdc in next 15 st
row 15: hdc in next 9 st, 6 hdc in chains, hdc in next 15 st
row 16-26: hdc in each st around
row 27: dec in next 2 st all around (15 st total)
row 28: hdc in each st around
row 29: repeat dec in next 2 st until last st, hdc in last st (8 st total)
row 30: dec in next 2 st all around (4 st)
row 31: dec, dec, fasten off and sew top together

thumb:
join yarn to beginning of thumb opening, ch 2
row 1: working around thumb opening, hdc in each st across bottom (6 st), work dec through side of hdc, work 6 hdc into base of row at the top of thumb opening, work dec in side of turning ch, join with sl st, ch 2 (14 st total)
row 2-6: hdc in ea st around
row 7: dec in each 2 st around (7 st total)
row 8: dec in each 2 st around, hdc in last st (4 st total)
fasten off and sew top together

cuff: various treatments are possible here. This one uses little popcorns:
row 1: attach contrasting color to beginning of foundation chain, repeat( sc, ch1, sk next st, make popcorn, ch 1, sk next st) all around, join to starting st and fasten off
row 2: attach main color to beginning st, repeat (sc in sc below , make long sc over ch into foundation chain below, sc in top of popcorn, long sc) all around, fasten off

work 2nd mitten, making thumb opening after 15 hdc, instead of 9 hdc

chullo hat

I made this hat from leftovers of the blanket project (all destined for Afghanistan). I thought I'd write down the pattern so I don't forget it this time, as I tend to make it up as I go along. (For the life of me I cannot figure out why blogger wants to put this picture in sideways).

Correction posted 11/15/09

materials: Knitting worsted yarn, approx. 50 gr variegated Main Color, (MC), small amounts of red (A) and purple (B). Size "G" hook.

Gauge: 4 sc = 1"

notes: join all rows with (sl, ch 1)
inc = 2 sc in same stitch
dec = insert hook in st and pull up loop, insert hook in next st and pull up loop, yarn over and pull through both loops

to change colors: on stitch before new color change, insert hook in st, YO and pull up loop with existing color, then YO new color and draw through all loops on hook. Begin next st with new color and work until next color change. Work over strands of yarn not in use

finished size: fits 20" head, suitable for teenager or small adult.
can be adapted for other sizes -- 96 st will fit larger adult, 80 st will fit child, 72 st will fit infant
[TBD, adjust directions for different sizes)

with MC ch 4, sl st to form ring, ch 1
row 1: 8 sc in ring
row 2: inc in each stitch around -- 16 st total
row 3: *inc, sc, repeat from * 8 times -- 24 st total
row 4: *inc, sc in next 2 st, repeat from * 8 times - 32 st total
row 5: work even, sc in each st
row 6: work 8 increases evenly spaced -- 40 st total
row 7: work even, sc in each st

repeat row 6 & 7 until 88 stitches total; 19 rows
finish off MC

first color band:
row 1: attach color A, sc in each st around
row 2: *sc with color A in next 3 st, change to B and sc in next st, repeat from * all around
row 3: *sc with color A in next 2 st, change to B and sc in next 2 st, repeat from * all around
row 4: *sc with color A in next st, sc with color B in next st, repeat from * all around. Drop color B
row 5: change to color A, sc in each st around. Fasten off A

row 6-10: change to MC, work even

second color band:
row 11-15: work same as for first color band, reversing color A and B

row 16-17: change to MC, work even, finish off after joining for last row

earflap 1:
row 19: skip 12 st, attach MC, 20 sc across, ch 1, turn
row 20: sc in each st, ch 1, turn
row 21: dec, sc across to last 2 st, dec, ch 1, turn
repeat row 20 & 21 until row has 6 st (33 rows)
repeat row 21 until row has 1 st, fasten off (36 rows)

earflap 2:
row 19: skip 24 st from first earflap, attach MC and work as for earflap 1

edging: attach B to center back, work sc in each sc, and sc in side of each row of earflap, sl in first sc and fasten off

make ties:
cut 10 ft piece of color B, fold in half and in half again
tie slipknot in cut end, slip knot over a doorknob or similar protrusion and pull snug
put a pencil or hook through folded end and twist until yarn becomes very, very taut
tightly grab yarn in the middle and carefully fold the end with pencil to meet end on doorknob -- yarn will twist around itself very suddenly, so watch out!
tie a knot in yarn near the doorknob end and remove from doorknob
trim ends evenly

attach ties to earflap

Mittens

I wanted a break from the blanket I am making (almost done, should be ready to ship by the weekend) and thought of whapping out some mittens. I don't normally work with bulky yarn or big hooks, but I had some hanging around from a previous felting project and I was attracted to this pattern. Seemed like a good match and I was able to finish in an evening. I didn't have the fluffy furry yarn to edge the cuffs with, so I did a couple rows of loop-stitch for fun. They should fit a teenager in Afghanistan.

Snowy Sunday in October...

I've been working on squares for a blanket while it snows here today. The squares run about 9". The colors are richer than the lame cell phone picture would show. Right now have enough squares to make a 45" square blanket, trying to go for 45"x54" for the Afghans For Afghans Youth Campaign.

Time passes...

and various Xmas/birthday/baby/charity projects happen for a couple years without much documentary evidence. If I find any, I'll post about them.

Right now I just completed a pullover for the current Afghans For Afghans youth campaign. The pattern is Coats & Clark's "Wiggles Sweater", made with Paton's Classic (purple) and Jojoland (sky blue) wool that I had around. I made it a bit longer and added more to the neckline and cuff to give better coverage. I wasn't able to tackle one of my friend's five children who are a great resource to help me size things, but that seemed right. It worked up quickly, which is good when in a rush like this, but next time I will probably do something more interesting. It will go in the mail to SFO tomorrow.

The wedding outfit

The young friend who modelled the hats got married around Christmas time (2007) and I wanted to make her something special. She has a wonderful "Jackie Kennedy" look and we decided to make a suit with a felted pillbox hat for her "going away" outfit. The pattern is from Lily Chin's "Couture Crochet" book. The suit yarn is Berroco Merino, the hat yarn is Malabrigo.

Baby blanket

Another Afghans For Afghans project from 2007. This baby blanket began as a great buy on some clearance sale yarn. But there wasn't enough, so I had to get more from my LYS that would coordinate with it. The "coordinating" yarn ended up not really going with the original yarn, and I ended up ditching the bargain yarn (used in a later project) and getting more of the "filler" yarn to make this. (The yarn is Cestari heathers.)

I wanted to make something that was inspired by oriental rug designs. I had a much more complex idea in mind at the beginning and then ended up simplifying it hugely to get it done and to work with the yarn quantities that I had. I came out looking pretty well, but already I can't reproduce it. I would probably do some things quite differently if I were making something like it again.

Getting started...

I started crocheting... many years ago. There was a time when I was flat on my back with an injury and to keep from going insane I crocheted everyone in my family an afghan. Since then I have done more or less of it based on what was going on in my life. A few years ago (2006?) I started up again and have been at it since. Most of it gets given away and I have been terrible about taking any photos. I usually think of it just after I've taped up the box and slapped a shipping label on it.

A couple of years ago I started crocheting for Afghans For Afghans . My first contribution was a stack of chullo hats, which of course, did not get photographed. However, a couple stayed here in the US and a friend modelled them: