Robotghan complete

I actually worked on this blog a few days ago but was waiting to get the pattern up at the web site and then forgot to come back and post the blog. LOL

So... The robotghan is done! 

Daughter and I collaborated on this project. Of course, she designed the pattern so that was the first and most important part. Then she sewed on the "extras" - the eyes, mouth etc. 

I made and assembled the squares and did the edging.

The details posted earlier are slightly altered as I actually did measurement and countings and such.

Of course, I didn't follow the original chart (do I EVER work a pattern as it's designed? LOL), so daughter revised the chart for me and it looks really cool. The pattern is available at Crochet Cabana (under Kate Smith) and will be at Ravelry later on. The details here are included in the pattern.

I used a G hook throughout.

The squares are 3 rounds and came out about 3" (7.62 cm according to Google). They will appear slightly smaller after assembly. Leave a very long tail, about 15", for assembly. You will still have to sew in the remainder but you won't have to join additional yarn for assembly. Believe me, you will have plenty enough tails to sew in! 

I suggest sewing the center tails in as you go as you will appreciate it at the end. It's hard to go round and round with a full afghan in your lap. With regard to using the adjustable ring, make sure you go around that area a few times when sewing in tails and perhaps even up a round, to make sure it doesn't come undone in the wash. It ends up a very small area after you close up the hole and you want enough tail woven there to keep it from unraveling.

You can, of course, use larger squares if you want a larger afghan. Grandson is going to be 2 so I didn't want it TOO large. Remember it will be rectangular and the wider you make it, the longer it will also be unless you decide you want a short, stocky robot. 

Materials:
G hook
Knit Picks Brava Sport Silver (light grey)
Knit Picks Brava Sport Celestial (blue)
Stylecraft Special DK Graphite (dark grey)
Stylecraft Special DK Sunshine (yellow, almost orange)

The robot uses
38 light grey squares
23 dark grey squares
60 yellow squares
110 blue squares
18 yo-yos

I began each yo-yo with an adjustable ring and there are 16 dc in center. You can find info on yo-yos at Crochet Cabana with a video.

Because the squares are whipstitched together, it adds virtually no width or length to the squares. In fact, I found it made the squares slightly smaller so that even after assembly and the edging was added, the size was about 39" x 69". (13 squares x 23 squares)

The robot itself was 50" tall and about 20 1/2" across at the feet.

There were, as I have said before, a lot of tails to weave in. This was not too difficult, just time consuming. It took me three days to get them all done. Bits of caution on that point ... Not to make too much bulk under any one spot, you may want to weave some tails vertically and some horizontally and some even diagonally or in multiple directions. Try not to go back over the same area such that you pull out what you've already done. 

Here is a picture of the back of the ghan. If you look closely you can see tiny bits where the yo yos were sewn on and the tails woven in. This is unavoidable unless you use blues and greys for the yo-yos. I liked the bits of color. If you work carefully you can reduce the show-through. We used some worsted yo-yos that were already made which were a little thicker than the DK of the main afghan, for convenience.

I'm thinking if you make the yo-yos in thin yarn there will be smaller threads to sew in and you could maybe hide them better. Just a thought. Overall, however, there is very little showing.

The finishing touch was the edging. I worked all rounds in single crochet, using (sc, hdc, sc) in corners. The first round is blue and the second yellow, with the final round also in blue. I have more details in the actual pattern.

I think it looks great! Grandson saw it briefly and loved it! I had to sneak it out again to finish the edging and hold for his birthday in a couple of weeks.

Happy crocheting!
Sandie