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| NEEDLEWORK: CROCHET MY MAN AFGHAN (AKA "BIG BULKY BIKKIE") |
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| Welcome to the "MY MAN AFGHAN" (AKA "BIG BULKY BIKKIE") webpage of The Pumamouse Website. |
| MATERIALS: Red Heart Super Saver Yarn 56 oz. Country Blue (7 Skeins, 8 oz each) 80 oz. Soft Navy (10 Skeins, 8 oz each) Crochet Hook "P" (Grey plastic) NOTE: THE ENTIRE AFGHAN IS WORKED HOLDING TWO STRANDS OF YARN TOGETHER. STITCH PATTERN: Foundation Row: Chain 127. Turn. Row 1 - Row 219: Single Crochet 126, Chain 1, Turn. Row 220: Single Crochet 126. Do Not Finish Off. Border Rows: Please see instructions for Border Rows further below. COLOR PATTERN: Foundation Row - Row 32: Soft Navy / Soft Navy Row 32 - Row 64: Soft Navy / Country Blue Row 65 - Row 96: Country Blue / Country Blue Row 97 - Row 124: Soft Navy / Country Blue Row 125 - Row 156: Country Blue / Country Blue Row 157 - Row 188: Soft Navy / Country Blue Row 189 - Row 220: Soft Navy / Soft Navy Border Rows: Soft Navy / Soft Navy Note: Each 32-Row stripe should be approximately 13", and the 28-Row stripe in the center should be approximately 11". Finished length after all seven stripes have been worked should be approximately 91". BORDERS Please Note: When working with borders, the standard terms "right side of the work" and "wrong side of the work" always become confusing to me. In my opinion, the term "right side of the work" and the term "right edge of the afghan" are too similar. Therefore, I will use the term "pretty side of the work" to refer to the face side of the work which looks the best when the afghan is completed, and the standard term "wrong side of the work" to refer to the back side of the work which is not as pleasing to the eye. I will use the terms "right edge of the afghan", "left edge of the afghan", "top edge of the afghan", and "bottom edge of the afghan" to refer to the four edges where the border rows may be added. Left Edge Border: While you are working Row 220, the pretty side of the afghan is facing you. At the end of Row 220, do not finish off. Chain 1 and turn the afghan so that you can work stitches along the left edge of the afghan. (This Chain stitch is referred to below as the ORIGINAL BORDER TURNING CHAIN.) Left Edge Border Row 1: Work the first SC stitch into the same whole as the last SC stitch of the last row (Row 220). SC in each row end, working 220 stitches with the last SC stitch in the end of the Foundation Row. Left Edge Border Row 2: Chain 1, Turn. SC 220 plus SC 1 in the ORIGINAL BORDER TURNING CHAIN. Total of 221 SC stitches. Left Edge Border Row 3-5: Chain 1, Turn. SC 221. At end of Row 5, finish off. Right Edge Border: With the pretty side of the afghan facing you, so that you are ready to work stitches along the right edge of the afghan, join yarn with a slip stitch to the tail end of the Foundation Row. Right Edge Border Row 1: Chain 1, then SC 1 in each row end, working 220 stitches, with the last SC stitch in the end of the last row (Row 220). Right Edge Border Row 2-5: Chain 1, Turn. SC 221. At end of Row 5, DO NOT FINISH OFF. Full Border Row 6 (This row will go all around the afghan for the first time): Chain 1, Turn. SC 221 along right edge of the afghan. SC 2 more stitches in the last stitch, then turn the afghan and work SC stitches across the bottom edge of the afghan Foundation Row (117 stitches). SC 2 more stitches in the last stitch, then turn the afghan and work SC along the left edge of the afghan (220 stitches). SC 2 more stitches in the last stitch, then turn the afghan and work SC stitches across the top edge of the afghan (117 stitches). Join with a Slip Stitch to the beginning chain stitch of Row 6. Full Border Row 7: (This row will go all around the afghan for the second time): Chain 1, Turn. SC 3 stitches in the corner stitch, then SC across the top edge of the afghan, SC 3 stitches in the corner stitch, then SC along the left edge of the afghan, SC 3 stitches in the corner stitch, then SC across the bottom edge of the afghan, SC 3 stitches in the corner stitch, then SC along the right edge of the afghan. Join with a Slip Stitch to the first SC stitch of Row 7. Finish Off. FINISHED SIZE: 60" x 100" FINISHED WEIGHT: Approximately Eight Pounds! YIKES! Beware, you might find your male recipient forgetting about his dumbbells and instead performing arm curls with this afghan when he is not resting beneath its warmth! As always, I wish you many happy hours of handiwork, and the best of luck for success! Thank you for your interest. The Pumamouse (MaryAnne) December 2004 |
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| 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! |
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| PSSST!!! PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THIS WEBPAGE ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE "PUMAMOUSE OBSERVATIONS" SECTION |
| The craft of crochet, which my Grandma Angela always enjoyed throughout her lifetime, and which she lovingly taught to me, is no longer just a simple pastime. Like so many other hobbies which were once shared freely and even thought of as practical traditions, needlework has been commercialized. Indeed, the craft of crochet, like so many crafts, is now big business. I feel certain that the wide variety of colors and textures in the yarns which are now readily available for purchase at one's local craft store would have amazed and delighted my Grandma Angela, every bit as much as today's high price of those fashionable yarns would have shocked and upset her. (I can almost hear her saying, "Three dollars?! Ma que, are they crazy?! I remember way back when a half pound skein of the best quality yarn cost fifteen cents down at the local five and dime…") The costs involved with the hobby have definitely increased, but at least the hobby has survived. There are so many wonderful crocheted afghan patterns readily available for one's consideration nowadays. And yet, at least half of them are either too frilly or much too small to be considered suitable or practical for a gentleman's use. I have also noticed a strange trend in the commercially sold patterns which I have seen that are marketed as being specifically designed for a man's use. They often incorporate complicated stitches to create intricate designs, such as a ski lodge or a hunting lodge theme, using a wide palate of colors, to resemble a scene that might more understandably be found in a man's knitted sweater. Like it or not, crochet has become somewhat "artsy-fartsy". Well, I may be wrong, but when I think about making a crocheted afghan for a man, a fancy artistic design is the furthest thing from my mind. My idea of a man's crocheted afghan is something simple, warm, extra long, and extremely durable. In fact, the finished afghan should be indestructible, or as close to indestructible as possible, since it is sure to be used and abused more harshly than the average family sofa throw afghan, and perhaps used in ways which defy logic or the laws of gravity. (A man may be regarded as a gentleman, and yet, he is not necessarily an extremely gentle creature…particularly not while he is lounging around, watching TV, and grabbing for something to keep him warm!) And so, faced with this challenge, I have created an original pattern for an afghan which I have dubbed as "My Man Afghan", designed to meet all four of my above stated requirements: Simple - This afghan features only chain and single crochet stitches. You can not get more simple than that. Warm - This afghan is worked holding two strands of yarn together throughout, double ply, which means it is suitable for the coldest of nights. Extra Long - This monster…I mean, this afghan is a glorious 8.3 feet (100 inches) in length! So, even a man of considerable height should have enough length to tuck under his chin with excess to tuck under his feet! Durable - The combination of single crochet stitches and double ply yarn ensures that this afghan can be punished and washed repeatedly without fear of it fraying or falling apart any time soon. Since the pattern is so basic, I believe extra consideration is warranted to the colors of the yarns which are used. Quite predictably, I chose two shades of blue for this project. I have never met a man who did not like the color blue. However, any color combination may be used. For example, brown and beige can be used to create a woodsy yet neutral effect. Green and brown might be a fitting color combination for an avid hunter. But, please, do not limit your color possibilities to earth tones! Any two colors will do nicely, as long as they are two colors which the intended male recipient favors. If you really want to impress him with your efforts, you can even use the two main colors of his favorite sports team, (football, baseball, hockey, basketball, soccer, rugby, cricket, whatever.) Before we begin, there is one attribute of this afghan which I must note and candidly address as a potential disadvantage to the creator. The finished work is HEAVY. I mean, it is truly massive. By the time you have crocheted half of the afghan, you will probably begin to feel a gently straining in your bicep muscles each time you turn the finished piece of work to crochet the next row. And, when you add the borders, you are likely to find yourself breathing a bit harder with physical exertion. Admittedly, creating this afghan requires some effort. But, just think of the fun you will have each time your intended male recipient reaches for this custom-made afghan, trying his best to pretend that he does not notice the "manly" weight of the finished product. Trust me, the unprepared expression on his face will be well worth your added effort! So, get ready for a good old-fashioned crochet workout, (the same sort of exercise that Grandma Angela endured while crocheting one of her awesome winter bedspreads), and let's begin! |
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