Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Navy Afghan Chart


THIS PATTERN IS NOW DOWNLOADABLE ON MY NEW FACEBOOK GROUP PAGE.  YOU CAN FIND IT HERE.  JUST GO TO THE FILES TAB TO DOWNLOAD.

Here is my latest afghan chart. I have had several request for other service afghans since I posted my Marine Corps Afghan Chart.  I altered the insignia somewhat to make it easier to crochet, but I tried to stay true to the original design.

Each square on the pattern counts as a single crochet.  It's a 164 stitches across and 164 rows square. The gauge of the pattern totally depends on the size yarn and hook you use.  I measured my gauge for worsted weight yarn and an I hook at 4 sts and 4 rows = 1".  With this gauge the afghan would measure 41" x 41".  If you want to make it wider or longer, I'd add white stitches on either side of the pattern for width or more rows to the top and bottom of the pattern to make it longer.  I don't knit, but I think you could use this for a knitted afghan as well.

If you are really talented (and somewhat ambidextrous) you can switch the hook to your left hand when you get to the end of the row and then crochet back the way you came like Carol Ventura does.

Here is another tutorial by Interweave that I think is easier.

If you are new to crochet charts check out my Globe Pillow Crochet Along, it has a tutorial on how to read a chart.  If you would rather cross stitch the details of the chart, I would crochet the major areas and then you can have a look at my Day of the Dead Banner (also below) pattern for a tutorial on how to cross stitch on single crochet for the finer details. 

For other tips on following a crochet chart check out my Harley Davidson Afghan post.

I realize there's no way you could crochet this afghan from this tiny picture, so if you want the chart email me at crochetparfaitpg@yahoo.com.  Let me know what format you want it in.  (Excel--editable .xlsx, Adobe .pdf or picture .png,  I recommend the .xlsx or .png files because the pdf splits it up into several pages.)

If anyone wants to make this afghan or anything "Navy" for sale please be sure to check this website for licensing of the image.  Thanks.


Happy Hooking!

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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Harley Davidson Afghan Update


Here's my progress so far.  I've gotten up to row 72 and I'm about 11 rows from the logo.  I will add the white yarn in then and use bobbins.

Here's a great tip I got from Janice:

"Chart Afghans are my favorite type of afghan to make. I have made several. One trick I have learned over the years is to thread your yarn from the bobbins in a straw before you start your stitch this keeps the bobbins from tangling. I never used a table to crochet/knit/Tunisian Afghans I always sit in my rocker so I am not sure what method is being used here. Also to keep the back as neat as possible I don’t carry the yarn I use different bobbins for each color and then weave the ends into the afghan. I keep track of the right side and wrong side to hang the bobbins on the wrong side never on the right side. An easy way to keep track is the odd rows are the wrong side and the even rows are the right side or vice versa which ever you prefer as I turn with each row I do not end and start over."

Once I've finished all the rows, I'm going to go back and add the red and yellow yarn by cross stitch.

If you are interested in making the Harley Davidson Afghan check out the original post here.

Happy Hooking!

You May Also Like:

Marine Corps Afghan Chart

John Deere Afghan Chart

Don't Tread on Me Afghan Chart


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

'People of the Water' Fish Motif Granny Square



A while back Rose asked me to make some Native American themed granny Squares.  She's a member of a tribe at Shelton Wa, known as the "People of the Water". They have Elders luncheons every other year where they have raffles. Her passion is crocheted afghans, so she asked me to make a design for either a fish or an American Eagle.  This is my fish design.  I plan on making an Eagle design in the future.

Size
8 1/2" square (can be made smaller with a smaller hook and yarn)

Gauge
4 sts per 1", 2 dc rnds = 11/2"

Materials


  • H Hook
  • Worsted Weight yarn (Red, Black and White)
  • Tapestry needle
  • Thin needle with large eye
  • 6-1/2" white buttons with 4 holes
  • Embroidery thread, black



Special Stitches

Dc SPIKE--double crochet spike stitch--Yarn over (YO), insert hook in bottom of double crochet (dc) round below level of stitches (sts), YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO pull through 2 loops.


YO


Insert hook

YO

Pull up a loop

YO

pull through 2 loops

YO, pull through last 2 loops

Dc SPIKE

Tr4tog--treble or triple crochet 4 stitches tog--YO hook 2 times, insert hook in 1st st, YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 2 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 3 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 4 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 5 loops on hook, YO, pull through all loops on the hook.

1
YO hook 2 times
 2
Insert hook in 1st st, YO

3
Pull up a loop, YO
 4
Pull through 2 loops, YO
 5
Pull through 2 loops, 2 loops on hook

6
you have now made the bottom part of the 1st tr
7
YO hook 2 times and continue as in previous photos
 8
5 loops on the hook (the bottom part of 4 trs)
9
YO hook
10
pull through all loops on hook
  11
Tr4tog


Tr5tog--treble or triple crochet 4 stitches tog--YO hook 2 times, insert hook in 1st st, YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 2 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 3 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 4 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 5 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 6 loops on hook, YO, pull through all loops on the hook.

Begins same as tr4tog (through image 7)

5 bottom parts of trs on hook, 6 loops on hook

YO hook

pull through all loops on hook

Tr5tog

Tr3tog--treble or triple crochet 3 stitches together--YO hook 2 times, insert hook in 1st st, YO, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 2 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 3 loops on hook, YO 2 times, insert hook in next st, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops, 4 loops on hook, YO hook, pull through all loops on hook.

4 loops on hook, YO

Pull through all loops on hook

tr3tog



Abbreviations
ch(s)--chain(s)           dc(s)--double crochet(s)          sl st--slip stitch         sc(s) single crochet(s)    

beg--beginning         st(s)--stitch(es)      Dc SPIKE--double crochet spike    SPIKE--spike stitch

dc3tog--double crochet 3 stitches together      dc4tog--double crochet 4 stitches together

Rnd(s)--round(s)     tr4tog--treble or triple crochet 4 stitches together  tr(s)--triple or treble crochet

hdc(s)--half double crochet(s)  dtr(s)--double treble or triple crochet

tr5tog--treble or triple crochet 4 stitches together         sk--skip      

sp--space  tr3tog--treble or triple crochet 3 stitches together


Pattern

Rnd 1: With white yarn, make a magic circle, ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), 17 dcs in circle, fasten off. (18 dcs)
Rnd 2:  Attach black yarn in any dc, ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next to dcs, Dc SPIKE in magic circle, *sc in  next 3 sts, dc spike in magic circle* 5 times, sc in last two dcs, sl st in beg sc. Fasten off. (18 scs, 6 dc spikes)


Rnd 3: Attach white yarn in sc at fasten off, ch 1, sc in same st, 2 scs in next sc, *sc in next sc, 2 scs in next sc* 8 times,  sl st in beg sc, fasten off. (27 scs) (Don't sc in any of the dc spikes)


Rnd 4: Attach black yarn in sc at fasten off, ch 1, sc in same sc and next sc, 2 scs in next sc, SPIKE in top of Dc SPIKE, 2 scs in next sc, sc in next 2 scs, 2 scs in next sc, SPIKE in top of Dc SPIKE, sc in next 2 scs, 2 scs in next sc, SPIKE in top of Dc SPIKE, sc in next 2 scs, 2 scs in next sc, sc in next sc, SPIKE in Dc SPIKE, sc in next sc, 2 scs in next sc, sc in next sc, SPIKE in top of Dc SPIKE, sc in next sc, 2 scs in next sc, sc in next 2 scs, SPIKE in top of Dc SPIKE, sc in same st as beg sc, fasten off. (36 scs)




Rnd 5: Attach red yarn in top of Dc SPIKE in rnd 2, pull loop up to level of rnd 4, ch 8 *, SPIKE in SPIKE in previous rnd, ch 7* 5 times, sl st in beg ch. (5 SPIKEs)




Rnd 6: Ch 1, *do 8 scs in ch-7 sp, ch 1, sk to next ch-7 sp* 6 times, sl st in beg sc, fasten off.

Rnd 7: Attach black yarn in sc at fasten off, ch 3, dc3tog (in scs), ch 3, dc4tog (in scs), *ch 5, SPIKE in red SPIKE, ch 5, dc4tog , ch 3, dc4tog* 5 times ch 5, sl st in beg ch 3, fasten off.




Rnd 8: Attach white yarn in top of dc3tog, ch 1, sc in same st, do 3 SPIKEs in the red sc in between dc3tog and dc4tog, sc in top of dc4tog, *ch 3, SPIKE in black SPIKE, ch 3, sc in top of dc4tog, 3 SPIKEs in red sc in between 2 dc4togs , sc in top of next dc4tog, * 5 times, ch 3, SPIKE in black, ch 3, sl st in beg sc, fasten off.

SPIKE in red sc



Rnd 9: Attach black yarn in 1st sc of last rnd (at fasten off), ch 4, tr4tog (in scs), ch 6, SPIKE in white SPIKE, ch 6 *tr5tog in next group of scs, ch 6, SPIKE in white spike, ch 6* 5 times, sl st in top of tr4tog, sl st in top of beg ch 4.

You can sew the buttons on with embroidery thread at this point, or wait until the square is finished. I sewed the thread around through the holes instead of in an X to make them look more like eyes.


Rnd 10: Ch 4 (counts as 1st tr), (1 tr, 2 hdcs, 2 trs) all in same st, ch 9, *(2 trs, 2 hdcs, 2 trs) in top of tr5tog, ch 9* 5 times, sl st in top of beg ch 4. Fasten off.


Rnd 11: Attach red yarn in ch-9  sp on right side of a fish tail, ch 8 (counts as dtr ch 3), dtr in same sp, tr in next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, 10 scs in ch-9 sp, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, tr in next 2 sts, (dtr, ch 3, dtr,2 trs, 2 dcs, 2 hdcs, 2 scs) in ch-9 sp, sc in next 6 sts, (2 hdcs,2 dcs, 2 trs, dtr, ch 3, dtr, 2 trs) in ch-9 sp, dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next 2 sts,  10 scs in ch-9 sp, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 2 sts, tr in next 2 sts (dtr, ch 3, dtr, 2 trs, 2 dcs, 2 hdcs, 2 scs) in next st ch-9 sp, sc in next 6 sts, (2 scs, 2 hdcs,2 dcs,2 trs) in ch-9 sp, sl st in 5th ch of beg ch. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Attach red yarn in ch-9 sp






Alternative for a Hexagonal Motif

Rnd 10: Ch 4 (counts as 1st tr), (1 tr, 2 hdcs, trs) all in same st, tr again in same st, but don't do last YO and pull through, instead, *change to Red yarn, for YO and pull through, then in next ch-6 sp, do tr3tog and 4 trs, sk SPIKE, 4 trs and tr3tog in next ch-6 sp,  changing to black yarn  before you finish the last YO and pull through, (2 trs, 2 hdcs, tr) in top of tr4tog, start tr again in tr4tog, adding red yarn on last YO, pull through* 5 times, (tr3tog, 4 trs in next ch-6 sp), sk SPIKE, (4 trs, tr3tog, changing to black yarn  before you finish the last YO and pull through) in last ch-6 sp, sl st in top of beg ch 4. Fasten off and weave in ends.










Happy Hooking!

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