| Indeed, this is the sort of afghan that makes me feel ambitious enough to think perhaps "bigger is better". Imagine what a beautiful piece of work you could make with double the yarn, if you used 60 oz of a Variegated color and 48 oz of a Solid color, working the pattern to double the width (88" x 64"). Oh, that would be a veritable ocean full of shells! And, I think it would look lovely, draped across the bottom edge of a bed, like gentle waves lapping at your feet. All day, all night… And all of my best wishes to you for many happy hours of handiwork and success! Thank you for your interest. The Pumamouse (MaryAnne) March 2004 Revised April 2004 |
| The Pumamouse Website Presents... |
| NEEDLEWORK: CROCHET All Day, All Night, MaryAnne Afghan |
| You can email The Pumamouse (MaryAnne) by clicking on the link below: |
| You can return to The Pumamouse Website's Homepage by clicking on the link below: |
| Thank you for visiting these webpages. Please return often to view new developments. I would enjoy receiving your comments. |
| Welcome to the "ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT, MARYANNE AFGHAN" webpage of The Pumamouse Website. |
| When I was a child, my mother would often sing a cheerful little song to me which singer Burl Ives made popular, entitled "Marianne". The lyrics which my mother sang were: All day, all night, MaryAnne... Down by the sea side, sifting sand... These lyrics would always conjure wonderful mental images for me. Indeed, to this day, they inspire my memories of playing in the wet sand beside the pounding waves of the ocean, collecting seashells, building sand castles, and daydreaming of the future. If I close my eyes and breathe deeply, I can smell the salty air, I can feel the warm sun on my back, and I can almost hear the seagulls squawking overhead. Crochet was usually the furthest thing from my young mind during those hot summer months beside the sea. I would sometimes use cotton yarns or threads to work a summer crochet project, but more often I would abandon the hobby for my other interests, those more geared towards the all too brief summer season, until the first chill of autumn. Then I would rejoice in rediscovering the pleasures of the craft. Eventually, as an adult, I was intrigued to learn that the sea has inspired many a crocheted afghan pattern. "Fisherman" afghans in particular have always fascinated me because so many different stitches are often used in their construction. More specifically, I was surprised to learn that so many various stitches are commonly referred to as "shell" stitches. Based upon the commercially published crochet patterns that I have seen in recent years, just about any sort of a cluster stitch might qualify as a "shell" stitch. I believe what was once a genuine stitch has often been reduced to a marketing gimmick. Admittedly, shell stitch afghan patterns are as common as seashells. With so many of them available in crochet instruction books, I am quite certain no one needs mine, (especially since my "shell" stitch is really only a simple cluster of three double crochet stitches), but I am including it here anyway, along with a snippet of the old song which is permanently linked with seashells and warmth in my mind. This original pattern is so simple that you really can work on it "All day, all night" without taxing yourself mentally or physically, and it was designed by me (MaryAnne), thus the name of the pattern. |
| TEA AND COMFORT LINKS: |
| NEEDLEWORK LINKS: |
| THE PUMAMOUSE WEBSITE SECTION LINKS: |
| Please investigate all of the varied sections of The Pumamouse Website by clicking on the links below. |
| This website is owned, designed, created, maintained, and financed by The Pumamouse (MaryAnne) Copyright 2002/2003/2004/2005 |
| You are viewing "Crochet: All Day, All Night, MaryAnne Afghan" |
| Squeak! If you use these instructions to make something, please email and tell me about your creation! I would love to read about it, and see a photo of your finished work, if available! |
| PSSST!!! PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS WEBPAGE ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE "PUMAMOUSE OBSERVATIONS" SECTION |
 |
| ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT, MARYANNE AFGHAN (Small throw, featuring one color and a single crochet border.) MATERIALS 36 oz "Red Heart" or other brand 4 ply worsted weight yarn. "H" Crochet Hook Foundation Row: Chain 121, Turn. Row 1: SC 120, CH 3, Turn. Row 2: 1 DC, skip 1 stitch, *3 DC in next stitch, skip next 2 stitches. Repeat from * across until there are 3 stitches left on the previous row unworked. Skip 1 stitch, 2 DC (1 DC in each of the last 2 stitches). Chain 1, Turn. Row 3-143: Repeat Row 1 and 2 until 30 oz of yarn have been used, ending with Row 1 (SC Row). Do not fasten off. BORDER ROUND 1: With right side of work facing you (beginning tail should be at lower left corner and your hook should be at upper left corner), Chain 1. Working down the left side edge of the afghan, towards the beginning tail, work 2 SC into the end of Row 142, 1 SC into the end of Row 141, 2 SC into the end of Row 140, 1 SC into the end of Row 139, etc, etc, etc, 2 SC into the end of Row 2, 3 SC into the end of Row 1. Working across the bottom edge of the afghan, work 118 SC across, and be sure to work OVER the foundation row, into Row 1. This makes the edge stronger with no unattractive gaps. Work 3 SC into the last stitch, which is the beginning of Row 1. Working up the right side edge of the afghan, towards the top, work 2 SC into the beginning of Row 2, 1 SC into the beginning of Row 3, 2 SC into the beginning of Row 4, 1 SC into the beginning of Row 5, etc, etc, etc, 2 SC into the beginning of Row 142, 3 SC into the beginning of Row 143. Working across the top edge of the afghan, work 118 SC across. Work 3 SC into the last stitch, which is the end of Row 143. DO NOT JOIN WITH SLIP STITCH! Chain 1, Turn. BORDER ROUND 2: Working around the four edges of the afghan, crochet 1 SC in each SC stitch and 3 SC in each corner. At the end of Border Round 2, and at the end of every other border round, DO JOIN WITH SLIP STITCH to the first SC stitch that you worked in that round. Then Chain 1, and Turn, and repeat Border Round 2 four more times for a total of 6 Border Rounds. But, this is important! As you work Border Rounds 3-6, DO NOT single crochet in the Slip Stitch of previous rounds, and DO NOT single crochet in the last single crochet stitch of previous rounds. The top left corner of the afghan will become too bulky if you do. The rule for a nice even corner is, never SC in the last stitch of the previous round, which already has a turning chain stitch coming from it. It looks like it has been used already, so do not use it again. Finish off at end of Boarder Round 6. Finished Size: 38" x 58" |
 |
 |
 |
| First, here are a few tips about yarn options for this project. Solid color yarns are suitable, and using a single solid color yarn will emphasis the stitch pattern. A variety of solid color yarns may also be used and combined to create stripes. But, please note, if you wish to use multiple colors of yarn and make this afghan striped, there is a small but necessary change in the stitch pattern, which I will explain later. "Ombre" color yarns generally consist of three or four distinctive colors that are blended together, changing from one color to the next in the strand, in an obvious repeated order, such as red, to white, to blue, to white, to red, to white, to blue, to white, etc. The use of a single "Ombre" color yarn is NOT recommended for this project because, for some mysterious reason, strange color patterns develop when using only "Ombre" color yarns with this particular stitch pattern. (See example photo below.) |
| If you do choose to use a single "Ombre" color yarn for this project, I suggest that you should be very careful when changing from one skein to the next. Since creating the afghan pictured above, I have discovered a trick that sometimes works to maintain the established "Ombre" color pattern. My trick is, when I am changing from one skein to the next, I am very sure to begin the next skein at the same exact place in the color sequence on the new strand as I would be using to work the next stitch if the old skein of yarn was still being used. This technique is not guaranteed to work every time, because no two "Ombre" color skeins are colored exactly alike, but it usually does help to reduce the noticeable changes in the established color pattern whenever using "Ombre" color yarns in any project. "Variegated" color yarns generally consist of a wide variety of colors which are blended together, (5 or more), changing from one color to the next in the strand. The important difference to keep in mind between "Ombre" and "Variegated" color yarns is that "Variegated" color yarns change color so frequently along the strand that no obvious color pattern develops as the stitches are worked. "Variegated" color yarns ARE recommended for this project because they are fun to work with and they create a wonderful overall effect. However, please be aware that a "Variegated" color yarn will not emphasis the stitch pattern as much as a solid color yarn. Also, please be aware that even "Variegated" color yarns can sometimes create strange color pattern effects, depending on the number and spacing of the varied colors which are used in the strand. You might be working along merrily, with no obvious color pattern developing, and then suddenly, near the end of your afghan, a noticeable color pattern begins for no obvious reason. This is exactly what happened to me while using a "Variegated" color yarn with this pattern, as you can see from the photo example below. |
| Now you know why I initially recommend solid color yarns for this particular project, especially for beginners. Yet, I will be the first to admit that there are some gorgeous "Ombre" and "Variegated" color yarns available which beg to be used. And so, there is another somewhat sneaky option which I have recently developed to allow the use of "Ombre" or "Variegated" color yarns in this project and still ensure that no obvious changes in the established color pattern occur. Instead of using a single "Ombre" or "Variegated" color yarn throughout this project, use an "Ombre" or "Variegated" color yarn in combination with a solid color yarn. The results are absolutely stunning, and the alternating stripes worked with a solid color eliminates all worries about the unavoidable established color patterns that are created when working the "Ombre" or "Variegated" color stripes. I regret that I have no photo as an example of this color option, but I am currently crocheting an afghan with this method, and I will add a photo of the finished work as soon as it is completed. As previously noted, if you wish to use multiple colors of yarn and make this afghan striped, there is a small but necessary change in the stitch pattern, which I will explain later. Okay, now that you know about the yarn options, here are the two basic patterns for your consideration. |
 |
| Please note that the finished size of the afghan is 38" x 58". This is a sufficient size for a lap and leg warming throw afghan, which hangs nicely on the back of a chair or sofa when it is not being used. However, if you would prefer a larger version of this afghan, it is easily adapted. For the Foundation Row, Chain 151 and Turn, (which will create a finished width of 44"), then work the pattern as usual until the afghan measures your desired length, ending with a single crochet row, and finish it off with the 6 Boarder Rounds. By my guestimations, 48 oz of yarn should probably be enough to create this afghan with a finished size of 46" x 54", and 60 oz of yarn should be enough to create this afghan with a finished size of 46" x 70". |
| ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT, MARYANNE AFGHAN (Medium throw, featuring alternating "Variegated" color and solid color stripes, with no border or optional fringe.) This is a work currently in progress, so I am not sure about the fringe yet! MATERIALS 48 oz "Red Heart" or other brand 4 ply worsted weight yarn, two colors: 24 oz "Variegated" (I am using the "Red Heart" color "Ocean") 24 oz Solid (I am using the "Red Heart" color "Delft Blue") "H" Crochet Hook Foundation Row: (Using Solid) Chain 151, Turn. Row 1: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 2: 1 DC, skip 1 stitch, *3 DC in next stitch, skip next 2 stitches. Repeat from * across until there are 3 stitches left on the previous row unworked. Skip 1 stitch, 2 DC (1 DC in each of the last 2 stitches). Chain 1, Turn. Row 3-11: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(Approximately 3 oz Solid yarn used, 4" Stripe Created) Row 12: (Using Variegated) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 13: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 14: Repeat Row 2. Row 15-33: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(6 oz Variegated yarn used, 8" Stripe Created) Row 34: (Using Solid) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 35: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 36: Repeat Row 2. Row 37-45: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(Approximately 3 oz Solid yarn used, 4" Stripe Created) Row 46: (Using Variegated) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 47: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 48: Repeat Row 2. Row 49-67: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(6 oz Variegated yarn used, 8" Stripe Created) Row 68: (Using Solid) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 69: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 70: Repeat Row 2. Row 71-79: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(Approximately 3 oz Solid yarn used, 4" Stripe Created) Row 80: (Using Variegated) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 81: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 82: Repeat Row 2. Row 83-101: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(6 oz Variegated yarn used, 8" Stripe Created) Row 102: (Using Solid) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 103: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 104: Repeat Row 2. Row 105-113: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(Approximately 3 oz Solid yarn used, 4" Stripe Created) Row 114: (Using Variegated) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 115: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 116: Repeat Row 2. Row 117-135: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(6 oz Variegated yarn used, 8" Stripe Created) Row 136: (Using Solid) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 137: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 138: Repeat Row 2. Row 139-147: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. Finish Off. ~~~~~~~~(Approximately 3 oz Solid yarn used, 4" Stripe Created) Estimated finished size: 44" x 52" before fringe. A photo will be added of this work in progress upon completion. Based upon what I am seeing, I think it is going to be a winning afghan, suitable to be given as a special gift for any occasion. |
 |
| SQUEAK OF JOY! THE AFGHAN IS FINISHED, AND HERE IT IS! |
| < An Odd Color Pattern Developed Here |
| Well...as you can see from the photo above, once I got going with this afghan pattern, I found it hard to stop! I added an extra 8" stripe of the Variegated, and an extra 4" stripe of the Solid, to create a finished length of 64" before fringe. There was plenty of the Solid color yarn to continue, but to create the longer version, you will need an extra 6 oz of the Variegated yarn, so the adjusted Materials List for the 44" x 64" size afghan is as follows: MATERIALS 54 oz "Red Heart" or other brand 4 ply worsted weight yarn, two colors: 30 oz "Variegated" (I used the "Red Heart" color "Ocean") 24 oz Solid (I used the "Red Heart" color "Delft Blue") "H" Crochet Hook And here are the instructions for the additional rows: DO NOT FINISH OFF AT END OF ROW 147. Row 148: (Using Variegated) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 149: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 150: Repeat Row 2. Row 151-169: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. ~~~~~~~~(6 oz Variegated yarn used, 8" Stripe Created) Row 170: (Using Solid) SC 150, CH 1, Turn. Row 171: SC 150, CH 3, Turn. Row 172: Repeat Row 2. Row 173-181: Repeat Row 1 and 2, ending with a SC row. Finish Off. ~~~~~~~~(Approximately 3 oz Solid yarn used, 4" Stripe Created) Finished size: 44" x 64" before fringe. I used the Variegated color yarn for my fringe, in contrast to the Solid end stripes. To do so, I used all of the Variegated yarn scraps, plus a few ounces of a new skein, so if you wish to use only Variegated color yarn for your fringe, you will need to have more than 30 oz of Variegated when you begin this project. However, I think a combination of the Variegated color and the Solid color scraps could be used to create the fringe with very good results, and thereby save you the cost of an extra skein of the Variegated color yarn. And yet, the Variegated colors which are available nowadays are so pretty, it is tempting to stockpile them! They do work very well with this pattern... |
 |
 |