Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
We’re almost there!
I’ve finished making all my motifs and, since I was joining them as I did the last round of each, I don’t have any additional joining to do. However, many of you chose to wait until now to join your motifs, a method I often choose. Since I know at least ten ways to do so, I have a choice of options at this point. Sewing motifs together with a tapestry needle and whip stitch is a non-starter for me. Meaning: I never do it. Waaaaaaay too slow and finicky.
Single crochet seam
This seam can be done either on the wrong side or the right side of the piece. It is a sturdy yet flexible join. It makes a nice ridge, which can be used as a design element to frame the motifs. Some people think the ridge looks “wrong”; I think it’s a lovely three-dimensional element that adds interest, and I often choose to put it on the right side. I’ve used a contrasting color yarn so that the seam shows up.
To work a single crochet seam on the right side, hold the motifs with wrong sides together and sc through the adjacent stitches and chain-spaces on both motifs.
In this design, I would probably work a bunch of short seams to create long strips of hexagons, then join those long strips with long zigzag-shaped seams lengthwise down the afghan. You’ll have to figure out the best way to handle the corners when 3 motifs meet.
On my sample, I joined the 3rd motif to the 2nd one from chain-spaces to chain-spaces, then chain 1, and joined the same chain-space of the 3rd motif to the next chain-space of the 1st motif, continuing along that edge to the next corner. (This will make more sense when you have a lot of pieces in your hand and you try it yourself!)
Here’s what the sc seam on the right side looks like:
Here’s what it looks like on the wrong side:
Note that this last photo shows more or less what the seam would look like if you worked it on the wrong side. To work a single crochet seam on the wrong side, hold motifs with right sides together and sc through the adjacent stitches on both motifs.
Single-crochet/chain seam
This join is a bit looser and more flexible than the single crochet seam. Again, it can be done either on the right side or the wrong side of the work. Instead of working into every stitch and chain-space as shown above, join with a sc at the corners, *ch 1, skip 1 pair of stitches, sc through next pair of adjacent stitches; repeat from * across the edge to the corner. As for the single crochet seam, you’ll have to experiment a bit to figure out how best to handle the corners where 3 motifs join. It may require a chain 1, 2 or 3 at the corner to lie flat.
Single Crochet Join on Final Round
My final suggestion is a hybrid of the join-as-you-go method that I showed you before. In this method, add an additional round of single crochet around each motif, joining as you go.
On the first motif, work a complete round of single crochet, placing 1 sc in each dc and (sc, ch 1, sc) in each corner space. Fasten off.
On the second motif, work a round of sc to the next-to-last corner. Sc in corner, ch 1, join that chain in the adjacent chain from the first motif (as described here), sc in same chain-space of current motif, join that sc to the adjacent sc from the first motif, and so on.
As you work, you may find that you need to put 2 or 3 chains in the corner to make the corners tidy—don’t be afraid to play around with it to get the perfect technique for your situation.
Which of these (or any other methods) is best? By now (hopefully), you’ll know what my answer is: only you can decide what’s best in your situation. Play with variations on these joins and decide which one you think is just right for your needs. For example, you may find that the join-only-in-the corner method that I showed you in a previous post is quick, but not sturdy enough for hard use, or you may think it gives the perfect lacy look you prefer.
Weaving in ends
Everyone has just been itchin’ for me to talk about weaving in ends. Your time has finally come. In an earlier post, I wrote about working over yarn ends as I create new stitches. I will do often do this, but I find that in an item that gets handled a lot, like an afghan, the worked-over ends are not secure enough. I prefer to weave in all my ends with a tapestry needle for the final finish.
Yes, this is tedious. It’s not nearly as much fun as stitching cute little hexagons. However, it IS a critical part of the afghan-making process. A couple of nights in front of the TV should do it.
I use a blunt-tip tapestry needle with a big enough eye so that I can easily thread it, yet not so big that it has trouble fitting through the stitches. You do know this trick for threading a tapestry needle, don’t you?
Weave the yarn tail in a couple of different directions through the back of the same-color stitches. The more different directions you go in, the more secure your tail will be.
Some people choose to use a sharper needle and actually skim through the back of the stitches, splitting the yarn. If you have a latch hook, you might find it easier to use it to weave in your ends.
A Finishing Round
Once I had all my ends woven in, I used a steam iron to carefully block the entire afghan. You may have heard that blocking is not necessary with acrylic yarn, but I find that blocking gives a finished look to any crocheted piece. I was careful to use the lowest steam setting on my iron, and I NEVER touch the iron to the fabric, as it it is possible to “kill” acrylic yarn and thus alter its drape. I just skimmed the iron over the afghan, keeping it about 2″ above the fabric.
Then I decided that a final round of single crochet would be a nice touch and would help strengthen and secure the edges. I worked 1 sc in each dc around, putting (sc, ch 1, sc) in each “outer” chain-space corner, and 1 sc in each “inner” chain-space corner.
Final Results
Can you see where I threw in a few off-pattern motifs to keep it interesting? Adding another color would have been fun, as well.
The finished size is about 37″ x 53″. That’s reasonably close to what I predicted. It is a bit small for a traditional-sized afghan, but I could easily have added motifs to make it larger. As it is, I decided it’s a perfect lap-ghan size to throw over my legs while I’m crocheting.
Also as predicted, the weight of the finished afghan indicated I used a total of about 8 balls of yarn. The breakdown of colors was about 5 balls of Taupe, 3 balls of Linen and 2 balls of Cranberry. (Yes, these add up to more than 8 balls, because the final ball of each color was not used up.)
It’s Just the Beginning
Those of you who have stuck with me this far, congratulations! I hope I’ve been showing you things you didn’t know before, and that you have been having fun and gaining confidence while working along with me. I haven’t been able to share half of what I know and love about crocheting; if you want to learn more, read more here at the Lion Brand website, refer to The Crochet Answer Book and Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs, and take classes. All my fellow crochet teachers and I are anxious to share our love of the craft with you.
I hope you’ll keep stitching and striving to grow your knowledge while enjoying what you are doing. No stress, no “wrongs”, just opportunities to learn. I’ll be hanging out here at the Lion Brand Notebook for another week or so to answer questions and respond to comments. After that, you’ll still be able to find me on the Ravelry CAL group or on my website.
Stitch On–and HAVE FUN!
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Thanks to everybody for helping me decide which colors to choose for my afghan. I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments and can’t want to see all the colorful combinations you choose for your projects. It seems like I got plenty of votes for colorway #4, and since that fits with my décor, I’ll go with that one. Here are some I didn’t choose, but that you might have:
Many of you are anxious to get started with learning a join-as-you-go method, but I’m going to ask that you be patient for one more week while we do some other steps.
Swatching Tells the Tale
As with any project, it’s important to do a swatch before beginning a project. A swatch gives us an idea of what size hook to use, how much yarn we’ll need, and what the likely finished dimensions of the afghan will be. Luckily for us, in this case the swatch may just be the first or second motif of our project.
I tried a couple of different hook sizes and settled on an I-9 (5.5mm) hook for the Vanna’s Choice yarn that I’m using. You may need a different hook size to get the ideal feel for your gauge and yarn. You want a motif that has a little bit of body without being too stiff or too floppy. If you’re not sure what size you need, start with the suggested size on the yarn band, but don’t hesitate to change hooks to get the ideal gauge for you.
My motif measures about 3.25″ across one edge, 6.5″ from point-to-point across the center, and 5.5″ from side-to-side across the center. I printed out some (really cool) hexagonal graph paper from Incompetech.com and used that to envision how the motifs will be arranged. Here’s what my hand-drawn worksheet looks like. You can see the size and shape of the afghan outlined in black.
Sketch of afghan outline
You can also see that I need 60 hexagons in all. My swatch weighs in at about 12 g, so 12g x 60 motifs = 720 g, or 8 balls of Vanna’s Choice yarn. However, since I’m using more than one color, and I’ll need some yarn for joining, I know that I’ll need more than 8 balls of yarn, not including the yarn needed to join the motifs together either as we go or at the end. At this point, I can’t be completely accurate in knowing what amounts I’ll need, because I don’t know how colors A, B and C will be used.
If you are using lots of colors, and just want to do a patchwork/freeform design without a plan, just start stitching. Leave a longish (12″) tail on the final round, and don’t weave in the final tail. You’ll understand the reason for this later.
Planning the Design
In my case, I want to have a plan for placement of my motifs. I still need to decide how I want to arrange the colors on each motif, and also how to arrange the motifs to form the overall design. I’ve started by stitching one motif. Because I’m still in the designing stage, I’m going to work the first few motifs in a variety of color arrangements. Let’s call my colors A (taupe), B (cranberry) and C (linen). I use a kind of shorthand to describe the color arrangements, with letter designations for each round. Here are the motifs I’ve done so far, although I could do even more variations with just these 3 colors.
CABA
BABA
BACA
Here’s where it gets really fun. I can do any of the following: (1) Decide to join my motifs once they are all complete. That means that right now I can just stitch individual motifs. I can decide on placement and color arrangements as I go, allowing the design to develop as I stitch. I don’t have to commit to a placement scheme until the last minute. I actually prefer this way most of the time. That’s because I don’t mind joining motifs at the end—it’s not that hard or time-consuming, I promise. (2) Use a random pattern of color variations throughout. (3) Pick one or two color arrangements and use them in alternating rows. (4) Scan the motifs, then print out the (now smaller than life-size) images on my color printer, making as many prints of each one as I choose. Then I can cut them out and play with the pieces until I have an arrangement I like. If I tape the pieces together I’ll have a template to remind me what to stitch next. (5) Do #4 above with color pencils or crayons. This can be lots of fun, and the kids can play, too! (6) Scan the motifs, and then manipulate them digitally using an image-editing software program. Since I’m trying to learn a new-to-me program, and since it makes nice prototype afghans for this purpose, this is the method I’ll choose here. You’ll see that they are just rough digital “sketches”, but that’s all I need at this stage. (Note to mention: this is just about the extent of my skill at this point. The strange white lines between the motifs are just my inexperience!) Here are some of the options I came up with, based on the scanned motifs above.
Version 1-Alternating Stripes
Version 2-note that this one has 3 more motifs than the sketch.
Version 3- an allover pattern of a single motif
Version 4-note this is a bit shorter than the sketch
Of course, there are many other options! This time, I’m going to let other members of my family decide which version they like, and which one I’ll make. I suspect I’ll be adding a tiny amount of a fourth color (sapphire?) to add some pop.
What’s next?
Whew! I’ve been doing lots of planning, but now I’m ready to start stitching in earnest. I’m going to make 4 or 5 complete motifs, but not join the final round. I’ll probably make some others through Round 3 only. Once I decide on my joining method (next week’s post), I’ll do the final round on those motifs as needed. Why don’t you do the same?
The Sliding Loop
One final thing for this week: I want to show you how I do the “sliding loop” technique for starting a motif in the round. Although the pattern says to start with a ch-4 ring, I prefer to start all my motifs with a sliding loop—a variation of what you may know as the magic loop. It is a bit tricky to learn, but once I mastered it, it became my favorite method. It makes an adjustable ring into which to work the first round, and I can make the ring as large or as small as needed to fit my needs.
Wrap the yarn 2 full times around your finger, with the yarn tail toward the tip of the finger and the working end of the yarn toward the palm.
Insert the hook under all 3 strands.
Pull the working yarn under the other 2 strands.
Pull the yarn through and allow the two strands to come together. Take the doubled loop off your finger.
Pinching the doubled loop to keep them from coming apart, chain the number called for in the first round. In our case, it will be ch 6.
Work all first-round sts into the doubled ring. Those of you with eagle-eyes will notice that this example is not exactly the same as yours-I’m only putting 1 chain between treble crochet sts, not 2 as called for in the pattern.
As you work, you may have to expand your doubled loop in order to get all the stitches in. Once you have completed the round, you’ll see that the doubled loop is still peeking between your stitches. Gently pull on your yarn tail and you’ll notice that one of the strands (probably the inside strand) will tighten. Go ahead and tighten that strand up, but not all the way. Once it is just barely visible, stop tugging on the yarn tail and instead pull on that tiny little tightened strand.
When you pull the inside strand, the outside strand will tighten, and you’ll get a big loop from the inside strand. It looks scary, but the next step is magic…
Now pull on the yarn tail once more and that big loop will magically disappear!
Once you have a nice tidy center, finish the round with a slip stitch. Again, note that this round only has 1 ch between each treble. Yours will have 2 chains.
Please post your questions or comments here, and feel free to chip in with helpful suggestions for each other. We’re in this together!
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Do you have a blog, website, or Ravelry page? Let others know you’re in the Motif Afghan Crochet-Along with the official badge!
Simply right-click on the image (control+click for Mac users) and save it to your computer. Then upload it and share it on your website! Be sure to craft along with us here, on our Ravelry group, and on our Flickr group.
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Over the past few weeks, you’ve made some fantastic pledges to charities and have (hopefully) finished up some projects. Here are a few helpful hints to make sending your donations as easy as possible:
1. Double-check that your item meets the charity’s requirements. If your item is complete but fails to meet specifications, consider donating it to a different charity, hospital, or shelter.
2. If you are washing an item before sending, make sure to use a frangrance-free detergent. This is to prevent any potential allergy issues or skin sensitivities.
3. Include your yarn label or a note specifying fiber content and yarn care instructions. This will help the charity if they have any yarn requirements, and it will help recipient keep the item in great shape.
4. Place your item in a plastic bag. This will keep your work clean and dry, even if you’re delivering the item by hand.
5. Deliver or send your item! Don’t forget to celebrate your accomplishment. You’ve done a fantastic job.
Are you finished with your donation? Leave us a comment to tell us about your progress and share your final donation!
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This week we want to extend a big thank you with everyone who is crafting for charity. It’s been great reading about your projects and organizations. Here are a few comments we’d like to share:
Pam Says: I decided to take on a summer charity project early in June, so I am a bit ahead of the game. I have been knitting baby blankets for the Ronald McDonald House in my area. My goal is to complete one a month for June, July and August. I am about to complete my second blanket. I am using the Lion Brand Pound of Love.
Tammy Says: I regularly knit for charity. I have some leftover wool in the approved colors and am knitting helmetliners for our troops. I found out about the charity on this site. I have one done and would like to finish the one in progress before the end of summer. I calculated that with the yarn I have I can do a total of 7 or 8 altogether.
Sonja S Says: Thanks so much for motivating us! I have been telling myself for some time that I was going to knit something to impact someone’s life and I love the idea of a knit/crochet a long. So I pledge to make at least 6 knitted cotton washcloths to put into Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. And since I just joined Monthly Dischcloth knitalong I can do two KAL’s at once! =0) I’ll just do washcloths instead of dishcloths for the pattern.
Keep up the fantastic work, everyone! Be sure to share your progress with us in the comments, on Facebook, and on Twitter. If you’re still looking for a pattern, don’t fret. Here are some recommendations based upon your area of interest:
Preemie Hats
Afghans (for the Warm Up America! Foundation)
Chemo Caps
Prayer Shawls
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Now that you’ve started your project, why not connect with others locally? A charity group is a great way to share your love of crafting and keep each other motivated.
First, find out if there is a local chapter of your charity. There may also be a local group that generally crafts for any charity. Use your charity’s website or the Lion Brand Charity Connection to search for such meetings.
If no local groups already exist, make your own! Invite friends and relatives to join you at a set time and location. Many groups meet in casual locations, such as a member’s house or a coffee shop. You may also consider contacting local community centers or churches to see if you can use a meeting space, especially if you need to accommodate a larger number of people.
The most important part of crafting with a group is staying positive and motivated. Bring in your finished items, and ask others to do the same. Viewing your collective work acts as a reinforcement of your progress.
Share your progress in our comments section! We want to hear about your projects and your groups. Keep up the great work!
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Last week we discussed selecting a charity. Click here to read the post if you missed it. Now it’s time to collect supplies and begin your charity projects! First, select the pattern you wish to make. Many charities use their own patterns for consistency, but others allow you to use virtually any pattern. Use our Pattern Finder to help find ideas that meet your charity’s needs. Some of our charity patterns include chemo caps, preemie items, Warm Up America! blankets, and the SHIPS Project hat.
Next, choose the appropriate yarn. Many charities only accept certain yarns for projects; for example, charities for deployed troops often require items to be made of wool, as it is naturally flame retardant, while many children’s charities request machine-washable yarns. Some charities also require newly purchased yarn due to allergies. Always check your charity’s website for fiber, washability, color, and yarn weight requirements prior to purchasing materials. If you cannot find any guidelines, it never hurts to ask a charity’s organizer or chapter leader.
After finding any requirements, gather your yarn! When purchasing new yarn, remember to keep your receipts; the cost of yarn for any donation you make to a 501(c)(3) charity will be tax deductible. You can also check your own yarn collection, as many small items can be made from leftovers from completed projects. Ask friends if they have any extra yarn they would like to donate to your project. You can also find deals at thrift stores and yard sales. If you cannot afford new yarn, some charities have supplies that members may use; inquire with your organization for more details. Remember that it is very important to know your fiber content to comply with any charity requirements.
So now that you have your pattern and your yarn, gather your hook or needles and start yarncrafting! What will you be making? Comment to let us know about your charity, your items, and your yarn. Be sure to share your tips, your charity stories, and your progress!
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I hear some of you are finished already! I myself am woefully behind the pack, looking forward to a week of non-stop crocheting! Here’s a little step through of Blocks 1 and 3 to help address some of your comments.
Block 1 : Sc-tbl Stitch
Ch 27.
Row 1 Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across - 26 sc.
Row 2 Ch 1, turn. Sc in back loop only of each st across.
Rep (Row 2) 31 times more. Fasten off.
That Sc-tbl, means work single crochet stitches through the back loop. After you’ve worked your first row of single crochet into your foundation chain, take a look at what you’ve just crocheted. The top of each stitch has 2 loops. We usually work through both. “Through the back loop” means work only through the back loop (the loop furthest from you). Mama Mac, my great grandmother, called this the back porch and the front loop the front porch. This one simple difference of working through one loop opens up a whole different drape and texture for your fabric. It’s one of my absolute favorite ways to add a subtle dash of spice to some simple crochet.
If you work through only the back loop every row, there will be alternating ridges on each side of your work. These ridges are created by the un-worked front loop. Also, working through only one loop loosens up the drape a bit, you’ll notice that back loop gets stretched out a bit and there will be more space between your rows.
If you were to work through only the front loop every row, you’ll find the same result you get with the back loop. If you work through front loop only the one row and back loop only the next, you’ll see that the ridges will all be on one side.
Here’s a very simple change if you want to try another something different: Alternate across a row, working through the front loop of one stitch and the back loop of the next stitch. This creates a subtle waffled sort of texture.
Ch 27.
Row 1 Hdc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across - 26 hdc.
Row 2 Ch 1, turn. hdc in back loop only of next st, hdc in front loop only of next stitch, repeat across the row.
Repeat Row 2 to the desired size.
Block 3: Cluster Stitch
Ch 26.
Row 1 (RS) Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across - 25 sc.
Row 2 Ch 2, turn (counts as first dc), CL in next sc; *ch 1, skip 1 sc, CL in next sc; rep from * to last dc, dc in last sc.
Row 3 Ch 1, turn. Sc in first dc and in each CL and ch1-space across to t-ch; sc in top of t-ch. Rep (Rows 2 and 3) 8 times more. Fasten off.
Let’s step through Rows 2 and 3:
Row 2 starts with a ch 2 turning chain that will stand in as a double crochet, next you will work your first cluster stitch in the second single crochet from the previous row. This is very important, don’t work the cluster in the first stitch of the row, but the next one (the second stitch of the row.) Chain 1, skip the next stitch (third stitch of the row) and work the next cluster into the fourth stitch of the row. Continue in this combination across the row: chain 1, skip a stitch, cluster in next stitch. If you have an odd number of stitches in your first row of sc this will work out such that you have clusters along the row with a double crochet in the first (remember that turning chain is pretending to be a double crochet) and last stitch of the row. If you adjust your number of stitches in a row to get your blocks the same size make sure to use an odd number of stitches with this one!
For Row 3, work a single crochet in that double crochet from the previous row, then single crochet in the top of the cluster stitch and single crochet into the chain stitch and keep going across the row. Work a single crochet into that turning chain from the beginning of the last row and your sc row is finished! You should have the same number of stitches in Row 3 as you did in Row 1. See the photo for a close up of the single crochet worked into the cluster row.
Little mistakes to look out for:
-Don’t work the first cluster of the row in the first stitch!
-Don’t work a chain between the last cluster of the row and the last double crochet. This will throw off your stitch count. I have to keep an eye on myself because I keep doing this!
Happy Crocheting!
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For the first Lion Brand crochet-along we gave you the opportunity to vote for one of three patterns. You’ve chosen the Crochet Sampler Afghan (click the name for the pattern), so it’s time to grab our hooks and jump on in! Depending on your level of experience there are a variety of challenges this simple project can offer.
For some, it’s the task of completing an entire blanket. Myself included! I often stick with smaller projects simply to better guarantee the chances I’ll finish. So I’m starting this CAL off with the vow that I will complete one Sampler Blanket by the end of our time together. Eep! You’ll have to help me stick to my promise! Luckily the pattern works up in simple blocks that can be taken in small steps and before we know it we have an entire blanket. And just in time for crisp fall nights!
For others the challenge may be learning to crochet. And this is a fine project to start with. If you are completely new to crochet, you can start off with the single crochet blocks and by the time you’ve finished them you’ll be ready to take on the double crochet blocks and then the cluster blocks. Don’t forget, the Learning Center is available to help you out.
We have many of you excited (or a bit nervous and certainly curious) about giving pattern reading a try. I can talk on this in more detail next week. For now I’ll simply say what you’ve likely heard already, reading a pattern is just like reading a recipe. Simply take it step by step and whenever you don’t understand the next step take a moment to look it up or ask questions. It will start making sense in no time!
And there are plenty more ways to find a challenge in this project. I have personally always had a hard time following a pattern to the letter and can’t resist encouraging others to color outside the lines if they wish. So in that vein there will be plenty of discussion about choosing yarns, resizing the blanket, and yes some more complicated stitch patterns if you want to add some different textures to your blanket.
So let’s get started! What kind of challenge do you want to take on with your Crochet Sampler Afghan? Pick your yarn and grab a hook!
The CAL starts now and I’m aiming to finish my afghan in about 6 weeks, but you can start when you’re ready and work at your own pace!
In the next CAL post I’ll talk about working with the pattern, choosing yarn, and I’ll share the simple changes I made for a doll sized version of the Crochet Sampler.
I’ll be posting about once a week. If you have any questions about how to participate in a crochet-along, check out these tips from this summer’s knit-along right here. If you use Flickr or Ravelry, don’t forget to join the Lion Brand Crochet Sampler Afghan CAL groups!
In the meantime, leave a comment and introduce yourself! What’s your skill level? What do you like to make? What are you most looking forward to for the CAL?
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