WIPS and FO

 Generally I like to start and complete a project before starting something else. I LIKE to do that, but I don't always actually DO that. Sometimes I just get caught up in things and start several projects at once. These past couple weeks has been one of those times.

First, as I mentioned earlier, I started the Celtic Knot afghan from Knit Picks. I decided to just do the first repeat and make it a straight cable rather than the knot. Here's what I've done thus far.

Then that ghan was going sooo slowly I decided to start a scarf. As I looked over my patterns, I was reminded of the pergola scarf which is, at it happens, also a Knit picks pattern.

I decided to try it with thin yarn and perhaps do the back as well. Here's what I have done on that. I am using stitch markers so I can count the repeats since I am planning to do the back as well. What color would make a good back for this gold. The yarn is Big Value (from UK) and it is very thin so it's taking a long time for this as well, particularly since the pattern is very complicated to follow. I am using my own shorthand notes. I am using a G hook (that's the smallest I'll grab).

With these two slow road projects, I wanted something I could actually see an end to. I grabbed my bag of finished squares that I was going to give away (nobody responded so I still have them). I discovered there were enough pink cross stitch squares for a small babyghan. I added some Caron pounder white and used a continuous join. Voila! I would estimate it took about half the pounder, maybe less, for the assembly and two round edging.

I started it yesterday and finished it today. Coincidentally, a good friend is expecting a baby girl later this year. :-) This will make a nice welcome for her I think.

That's what I've been up to. Oh and this morning I started a straight box stitch small afghan to answer some questions that a visitor had, but I didn't take a photo as I just did one row.

So what are you all up to?

Happy crocheting!
Sandie

Celtic Afghan

I finished another 150 yo-yos. Not much to say about those. I use an H hook and work 16 dc into a ring. That's a yo-yo. :-)

My daughter finished this beautiful afghan from the Knit Picks pattern Celtic Knot Crochet Afghan. She added the Doris Chan edging found at Ravelry here. As you can see it is just gorgeous.

The final product is about 48" x 58". She used the Brava worsted yarn. She started out with 18 skeins (the pattern suggests 17) and had 4 1/2 skeins left. About 2 skeins were used in the edging.

It is so gorgeous that I determined I would give the pattern a whirl myself even though cables are not really my thing generally speaking. I do not have enough yarn to make an afghan of that size but I did have close to 3 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver aran so figured I'd use that and see how it went.

I miscounted my foundation chain the first time and since this was such a complicated pattern (at first glance anyway), I wanted to be SURE I had it right, so I ripped it back and did it again. This time I had the right number, but when I got to the end I had 6 stitches instead of 5 and there were 4 (per pattern) on the other end. *scratches head* Sooo I ripped it back and did it again with same result.

Now I'm getting annoyed. So I ripped it back and worked 5 sc at the beginning and then had 5 at the end. Progress. And now it was even. I checked with daughter and there was no reason we could discern for having a different number of stitches at one end.

Then I started working the cable rows. It looked odd. My dcs leaned which didn't appear they would give the right cable look. I'd only worked about 10 rows at that point. The first time I tried the cable row, I missed stitches and had to rip that back. It's a little tricky when working a sc and then a fpdc. I think that is just my eyes. heh

After looking at the pattern yet AGAIN, I realized I had not read the "notes" section which indicated that the front post stitches were to be worked on the row BELOW. In other words, into the previous front post stitches. Which made a lot of sense, but WHY on earth wasn't it in the pattern itself? Why in notes? This is a crucial point in the pattern. It makes a HUGE difference in the look.

I ripped the thing back to Row 4 and then began again at Row 5. Finally I think I have it.

For future reference, I copied and pasted the entire pattern in my computer with corrections noted. So, if you are going to work this beautiful afghan, note that you should change each row to reflect "turn, sc in next 5 sts" not 4. And in all rows that use FPdc they should be worked into the previous FPdc on the row below the working row.

RC (right cable) is used on only one row. I haven't gotten to that section yet so I can't comment on it.

In my opinion, a FPtr might work better on the cross stitch part of the cable, giving you a bit more stretch, but I'm working it as noted in the pattern.

As to how hard the pattern is, some of my problems were MY problems, not the pattern. You do have to keep track of where you are but the pattern emerges fairly quickly it seems. A lot of it is single crochet so if you don't like sc, not a good choice. You also have to be careful in placement of stitches. Make sure you work a sc into every stitch of the cable on the sc row.

More details on this afghan as I go along. That's assuming it doesn't become a UFO. LOL

Happy crocheting!
Sandie