My Phoenix Afghan

I'm making some headway on the Phoenix Afghan.  It's a challenging pattern with each round different from the rest--lots of counting of stitches.  My daughter and I decided to work on our afghans together. 

The pattern is by Hooked on Sunshine.  We had started by taking part in their Crochet Along, which was almost over when we started.  It was fun seeing everyone's projects as they progressed with their afghans.

I'm using a size H hook and Red Heart with Love and Red Heart Super Saver yarns in lots of different colors. 

The pattern has about 11 parts, but I don't want my afghan to be really big.  So, I think I will stop after Part 9.

I'm really enjoying working on this afghan!  I hope to finish it soon between some other projects! 

Christy's Afghan

I love this crochet afghan pattern.  It's so easy and looks beautiful in coordinating colors.  The pattern is called Feather and Fan Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern by Alexis Middleton, but of course you can make it in any size.

I'm using Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Red, Bone, and Light Country Blue.  I'm using a size H crochet hook.  I chose the size H hook instead of a smaller hook to make it more lacey.

Each end of the afghan will have stripes of Autumn Red, Bone, Light Blue, Bone, Autumn Red, and the center section of the afghan will be bone.  The ends will be approximately 18.5" (x2 = 37"), so the center will be about 25-28 inches, depending on how long I want to make it.  I may do a border all around in the bone color, which will add a little length.  (Each stripe of 4 shells is about 3.5" tall.)

Across the afghan, I need an uneven number of repeats, and I wanted to increase the size of the afghan to approximately 45" across.  So, there are 17 stitches in each repeat x 11 repeats = 187 stitches to begin.  I used the foundation single crochet stitch to begin the first row.

I really like using the foundation single crochet to begin an afghan if possible.  It makes such a nice edge to the afghan.

The pattern says to *skip one sc, dc in the next sc, repeat from * 6 times, skip one sc, 5 dc in the next 2 scs.  Make sure to have 7 DCs between the shells.  (So, the first one, plus 6 more times.)

I'm really enjoying crocheting this afghan.  I love this pattern--I used this pattern for my granddaughter's afghan in an earlier post, too.

My notes:  4 shell stripes tall = 3.5" approximately.  Each end section:  I used about 3/4 skein of Autumn red. 

Phoenix Afghan Crochet Along

I am having fun crocheting the Phoenix afghan pattern by Hooked on Sunshine, which was a Crochet Along (CAL) but is now over.  My daughter and I started the CAL late--we had just found the pattern and decided to take part close to the end date.  It was fun seeing other crocheter's afghans in progress and finished--so inspirational.

The CAL was organized into 11 parts.  I probably won't crochet all 11 parts, because I want only a mid-sized afghan.

                                                            Phoenix through Round 12


The pattern is a challenge because each round is usually different from previous rounds, and you have to really pay attention to make sure you have the correct count of stitches on each side before progressing.  Each round builds upon the previous, so correct stitch count is imperative.  Since each round is different, it's fun to see how it looks as you go.  It's fun to pick out the colors, too--it's not easy to always know how the color will look next to the previous rounds and future rounds.

                                                                      Phoenix thru Part 2.


The stitches are fun, too--the pattern has popcorns, clusters, back loop stitches, front loop stitches, etc., so it's a challenge and a fun learning experience.

We decided to crochet our afghans on the spur of the moment, so I picked out some Red Heart yarns from our local Joann's store:  Super Saver and Red Heart with Love.  I'm using a size H Clover Amour Hook.

                                                                   Phoenix into Part 4.

I'm really enjoying crocheting this afghan!  It will be fun to see how it looks when it's finished.

My notes:
Size H hook Crochet Amour, blue hook. Red Heart with Love Yarns and super saver red
Baby Pink super saver
Pink: Bubble Gum with love
Hot Pink: with Love
Bright Yellow: Daffodil with love
Dark purple: Aubergine with love
Light purple: Lilac with love
Medium blue: Bluebell with love
White: with love
Pale plum: super saver light purple
Medium purple: super saver
dusty grape with love
Peacock with love: blue
Boysenberry (wine color) with love
Lemon: light yellow super saver
Gold: Red Heart super saver
yellow/gold: cornsilk with love
July 13--through round 19 with rose.
July 23, through part 2.
Round 84 correction: (3dc-cl into the ch2-sp, ch1) 3 times. (last 3dc cluster in the instructions before the corner.)
July 30: Finished Part 3

Ally's Afghan: Victorian Lattice Squares

I'm finally getting back to finishing Ally's afghan; life gets so busy. 

I love the pattern, Victorian Lattice Squares by Destany Wymore.  I'm using Stylecraft Special DK acrylic yarn in mushroom and lapis.  The yarns are slightly different in thickness, which makes it a challenge to crochet the squares to the same size, so I blocked them to about 7" and changed to a size F 4.0 hook.  The yarn is so soft.

                                                              Victorian Lattice Squares


It's always hard to decide how to sew or crochet squares together.  I decided to try the Flat Braid Join, and I really love the look.  It's pretty easy to do, and it is a continuous join, which reduces ends to weave in.  So, you can start with joining two squares and keep adding squares without cutting the yarn.

I followed a wonderful tutorial by Crochet 365 Knit Too, available here:  https://www.crochet365knittoo.com/happily-ever-afghan-crochet-flat-braid-join/ .  

                                                                    Flat Braid Join


It's helpful to single crochet around each square before joining.  So, I ended up using Round 9 in the mushroom color around each square as my Single Crochet round, and crocheted the flat braid join using Lapis.  The reason I crocheted around each square in mushroom is so the join would show up more--if some squares were finished in Lapis, the join would blend in too much with the blue squares. 

                                                Victorian Lattice Squares and Flat Braid Join

I think I'll do a shell border around the afghan.  My granddaughter loves the blue color, but I think the shell edging would look really pretty in the mushroom color because it would stand out a bit more.  Ally loves her afghan and can't wait for it to be finished! 

                                                              Ally's Afghan in Progress

My notes: 
 

I’m using Stylecraft DK yarn in Lapis blue and Mushroom and a size 4.0 mm F hook. The squares are about 7” before borders and joining.
I am using the sc, ch1 as the first DC where the pattern says it. It makes a smaller DC which blends in well with the join each round. Round 9 is SC around in mushroom. This is 14 sc, ch1 in space, 14 sc, then the corner of (2sc, ch3, 2 sc).   I’m going to join with the blue with the flat braid join.

I am blocking each square before joining. For the flat braid join, always go into the stitch for the sc from the right side of the block. Always go into the chains from the right side of the block, so go down into the chain to join. Make sure the blocks are facing the right side when joining. 17 chains along each side of each block.
Each join is SC in new block, chain 1, take loop off, go into chain 3 of opposite square and pull thru, chain 2, then skip one sc on new block and sc in next sc.
Corners: SC in corner space, ch 2, take off hook, pull through diagonal corner, chain 3, sc in corner of new square again.
Starting a square: chain 5 from last corner of last square, sc into corner space of new square.

Ideas for border: there will be loops along each side of the blanket from the flat braid join.
I could do a shell into each: sc, hdc, 2 or 3 dc, hdc, sc into each loop.  I will sc in each loop first to add some structure.
I could do 3 sc into each loop with 5 in the corners. Then do the basic shell border: sc, skip one or two sc, 5 double crochets in the next stitch, skip one or 2 sc.. repeat.
Or a wave shell border is pretty. Or round of sc. 2nd round, sc skip one or two sc, then a shell of dc, ch1 (5 dcs with chain 1 between) or can use TC instead of dc.

 

A Pretty Afghan for my Granddaughter

I love this feather and fan crochet afghan pattern called Feather and Fan Baby Blanket, by Alexis Middleton.  I crocheted it for my granddaughter and made it larger.  I used Caron Cakes, color Mixed Berry.  I used 5 skeins.  I love the sequence of colors.

I cast on 187 stitches using foundation crochet.  It's a little over 42" wide, and about 62" long.  I ended with a row of single crochet instead of single crochet in the front loop because I think it will be a bit stronger at the top edge. 

She loves her new cozy afghan!

Victorian Lattice Square Afghan for A.

I'm crocheting an afghan for my granddaughter.  I'm using Stylecraft Dk acrylic yarn, and she chose the colors Lapis and Mushroom.  The squares will alternate in the afghan and be joined by the Lapis color, and I'll add a border in Lapis.

I love this pattern, and it's perfect for her. 

My notes:
I’m using Stylecraft DK yarn in Lapis blue and Mushroom and a size E 3.5 mm hook.
I am using the sc, ch1 as the first DC where the pattern says it. It makes a smaller DC which blends in well with the join each round. Round 9 is SC around. This is 14 sc, ch1 in space, 14 sc, then the corner of 2sc, ch3, 2 sc.
I’m adding a round of blue around each square, so the mushroom squares will have a round of blue. This is 16 sc, 1sc in center, 16 sc, 3 sc in corners around. I will join the squares with blue. So, the squares are now 7 1/2”.
Design:  6 squares wide by 8 squares long before border.  48 squares.  SC join in Lapis.

A Flower Garden Afghan for N, Flower Garden CAL

I really enjoyed crocheting this afghan for my granddaughter. This was a CAL (crochet along) by The Knitting Network, and it's called Flower Garden Afghan, by Lynne Rowe.

I used Michael's yarns, mostly Colorwheel (Loops & Threads) and a size H hook (5.0). For the white, I used the larger balls of Michael’s Loops and Threads yarn in cream color.  The colors are these: mid pink, bright gold, deep purple, pool blue, lavender, purple, turquoise, fuchsia, and mid green.

I love the flower blocks in the center.  I added 2 extra to make the afghan more rectangular.

                                                          Flower Blocks

The other 2 blocks were Circle in a Square and Sunburst Squares. 

This was the first afghan I've pieced together from blocks.  I joined the squares together with single crochet in the back loops with wrong sides together (center loops).  There is a decorative ridge on the front of the afghan.  There are 6 flower blocks, 14 circle in squares blocks, and 22 sunburst squares.

I crocheted one round of single crochet in off white before doing the border. 3 single crochets in the corners, and one single crochet in every stitch and one single crochet in the chain 1 spaces. One single crochet in the corners between squares: (one single crochet, chain 1, one single crochet to join over squares.  I did 4 rounds of double crochet around the afghan and finished with a shell of 5 double crochets in purple. The corner shell was 5 double crochets (shell) chain 3, 5 double crochets (shell).  Finished size was about 42” by 50”.

Note about Sunburst square:  (Sunburst Granny) 4th round: Slip stitch in any chain space. Chain 3 (1 hdc) and 1 hdc in that space (2 hdc)
Next space: 3 DC, chain 3, 3 DC in this space for corner. Next space 2 hdc. 1 sc in top of next cluster, 1 sc in next chain space, 1 sc in top of next cluster. 2 hdc in next chain space.
Then next will be the corner again, and repeat around. It ends with the sc in the top of the next cluster and slip stitch into the 2nd chain of the first hdc.
This is more symmetrical than the original pattern directions.

I can't wait to give it to her!