Hippy Infused Afghan

I just wanted to share my latest creation. This blanket I made for my daughter - it's the fourth afghan I've made and this is my first creation that uses a lot of color and motifs for design.

I'm totally in love with making these blankets. The first blankets I did had a stripped pattern with peaks and valleys. They were very time consuming because of the close stitching. This blanket whipped up like a dream and very quickly too, and I'm already working on a new one with different motifs and a different color pattern for Cosmicspirit.



I wasn't sure if this thread was more appropriate for the General Chit Chat forum, but I was planning on sharing the free pattern I found to make this blanket. I'm sure there are some fellow crocheters on ATS somewhere, and this one is a favorite. I'm already starting another one for my other daughter and have a request for one from my niece for Christmas. So the member Art forum seemed more appropriate. I highly recommend this pattern. It's a fairly easy blanket to make that works up quickly.

Color Infused Afghan

My kids renamed it the Hippy Afghan.

CdT

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

That is a lovely bit of work!

I love the use of colours, and the shapes that you selected to work into the design!

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

Love Love Love it.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Thanks.

The next blanket, that I'm making for Cosmicspirit will be similar in the paneling and strips - but different in design. I'm already looking for alternative granny squares to use so the two girls don't have the "same" blanket.

I really do enjoy working with yarn. I'm going to be one of those old granny's some day that carry around that bag of yarn where ever they go.

CdT

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

Old Granny?

Surely you mean irrepressible creative spirit?

That is a beautiful blanket. I love the way the colors all work out. Did you pick the pattern and go with the suggested pallet or make up your own?

It reminds of my son's "blanket of many colors" that I'm working on. When he was just starting to show preference, I decided to make him a full-size afghan, so my husband and I took him to Hobby Lobby and presented him with all sorts of yarn choices.

In the end, he picked out a nearly perfect rainbow. The only color I chose was a dark brown because I wanted one neutral to use in the pattern just in case I needed that space for harmony.

He chose bright red, yellow, orange, a bright teal color (then I put in the brown) and a sort of periwinkle blue color. It's actually a good combo once I got it going. Maybe I can get some pics of what I have done on it.

I love crochet! It keeps my hands busy so I don't eat.

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

Don't say that!

I'm hardly 40 and I've been carrying around a bag of yarn for years now.

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

Awesome!!

I love to knit but haven't in a while since my son became obsessed with yarn and sticks.


This is lovely and so beautifully bright. Looks like it could cheer up any room!

a reply to: ketsuko

If love to see it!

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

Love it, love it, love it, WANT IT !!!!!!!!!

Seriously good work there, that is fantastic.

What's most impressive about blankets like that is when you manage to make all the different stripes work out even in the end. That's much harder than it looks, even with a pattern.

It takes a good, steady hand with even tension and regular stitching to do that. Kudos!

a reply to: ketsuko

I would love to see a pic of your blanket. The Coat of Many Colors is one of my favorite stories from the bible.

I followed the pattern the first go at the blanket, but not the color scheme. It never seems rights to create a blanket just as you see in the picture, or to make the same blanket in the same color scheme twice! lol. However my niece, I know, wants the rainbow colors in her blanket, so I'll be content to just change out the granny square motifs with three new ones.

It's not that I wouldn't like to carry around my yarn everywhere I go. It's just the ceaseless ribbing from my husband riles me.

For cosmicspirit's blanket this is one of the granny square motifs that I'll be using. I'm contemplating a checkerboard effect for her afghan, but she wants one like her sisters, but not rainbow - so I'm in a break mulling over her motifs. This is the only one I've decided on so far.



Thanks Zazz, Aboveboard, and SecretKnowledge.

CdT

a reply to: ketsuko

Thank you. There were some hairy moments! Thank goodness yarn stretches.

My mother has chastised me for using different yarn types. I didn't know it was a faux pas. I was under the impression as long as you stayed in the same weight class (I'm using 4) you can mix n' match the brands. However, even within the weight four class of yarn - they work up differently. A weight four big bundle of love yarn - is different for example from a weight four red heart or caron.

Well I buy yarn on clearance, or sale. So I've yarn as far as colors go - up the yoo-hoo, but by different brand makers. I guess I'm not suppose to mix and match - but the afghan worked up beautifully with a palette of different colors. Despite using different 'types' of yarn.

CdT

That is absolutely GORGEOUS! I love the color choices and well, everything about it! Is that a gift or a keeper?

I crochet too and I think I can honestly say there is nothing more relaxing then turning on a movie and making something. I'm in the process of making my boyfriend a Pac Man afghan. It's a picture of the original Arcade, level 1 start board. I'm doing it in Tunisian and I'm almost regretting the style choice. I'm about halfway through and it's really starting to get heavy on the right hand side when I get to the end of a row LOL.

a reply to: AboveBoard

I like to knit too. I use the continental method of knitting, because it just seems more natural coming from crochet into knitting.

I've made some scarfs and wristers - practicing the knit, purl, garter, and stockingnette stitches - but the most elaborate stitch I've learned is the bamboo stitch. I haven't really made the plunge into learning more complicated stitches - like cables, eyelets and such. But I get in a mood every now and then to put down the hook and pick up the needles.

They make my husband nervous. He say's they are weapons. lol.

CdT

a reply to: Ranthenae

It's a keeper - in that I made it for my youngest daughter. I'm making each one of them a blanket (my kids), and I also work on other blankets, shawls, scarfs & hats - for Christmas gifts. Eventually, the plan is to make something for everyone who will expect something (family) so I can get the practice and skill to open up my own store and sell the blankets on a site such as Etsy or create my own website to sell them. Eventually - that's the dream. I just have so much to learn and well, making blankets is time consuming. As soon as you get one started for no one in that particular, somebody will claim it, once they start to see it coming together. Guaranteed.

I have not learned the Tunisian method yet. It's almost like a combination of knitting and crochet - in my mind. My mother has an afghan hook and many of the blankets she's been making lately are in the Tunisian method. I love how she can cross stitch so easily in that particular stitch.

I keep telling myself the next time I'm at Michael's I'm going to pick up an afghan hook and learn it - but then I get sidetracked and forget.

CdT

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

It's a fun style to use, but oh my dear Lord in Heaven the countless ENDS to weave in, holy crap! lol. I still haven't quite mastered the art of tucking the ends in as I go like I have with regular crochet, and even though I go by color, that part has been very, very time consuming.

My favorite thing to hear when I'm working on something and someone sees me is, 'How do you go that fast?' To me I think I'm just crocheting. Granted I think the same thing when I see other people doing the things they are really good at, even though I know the answer is lots of practice, doing something you love.

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

Hippy Infused Afghan

Far out!!! groovy!!!! Outasite!!! Right on!!!

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

*cough*

Cool blanket dude!

a reply to: CirqueDeTruth

Yeah you do have to be careful.

Lion Brand's wool/acrylic blend works up slightly smaller than some of the others which is tough because I love some of the shades of color they have. I have another one I did that has a mix of the Lion's Brand and Vanna's Choice which worked pretty well together.

Hobby Lobby's house brand has a lovely feel IMO, and it works in quite well with the standard Red Heart and Caron size 4 though.