| Well, my friends, these are my suggestions and instructions for the Striped Variations of "My Favorite Afghan". If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to email me. 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) March 2004 |
| Welcome to the "STRIPED VARIATIONS OF MY FAVORITE AFGHAN" webpage of The Pumamouse Website. |
| Now here comes a bit of The Pumamouse's "guestimation" work, because the Striped Variation #1 afghan which I made was not as big as the original solid color "My Favorite Afghan". When I made the pictured Striped Variation #1 afghan, it was designed for a child, and so the shorter length was preferable (57" instead of 72"). I used 36 oz of variegated color yarn (Red Heart "Venice Ombre"), 8 oz of a light solid color yarn (Red Heart "Light Grey"), and 8 oz of a dark solid color yarn (Red Heart "Country Blue"). It worked well for a child's afghan. However, if you wish to make an adult length afghan with the same color pattern, I believe my calculations for the yarn requirements of a Striped Variation #1 with the adult length of the original "My Favorite Afghan" should be accurate. Please allow me to explain my reasoning. 8 oz of yarn is enough to make two stripes with some yarn left over as scraps. 56 oz yarn of yarn is for a single color afghan. Knowing these two facts, one might assume that 40 oz of variegated yarn plus 8 oz of dark yarn plus 8 oz of light yarn would suffice for the adult length Striped Variation #1 afghan. However, it is important to remember that not the entire 16 oz of the dark and light color yarns which are used when creating the stripes. Some of the dark and light color yarns is left over as scraps, so you can not count the full 16 oz into the total. Of course, the scraps need not be wasted. They may be set aside for use in future granny squares. And, in general, it is always better to have too much yarn for any project instead of too little. Therefore, for the adult length afghan, by my guestimations, you will probably need 48 oz of variegated color yarn plus 8 oz of light color yarn and 8 oz of dark color yarn. And so, here are the material lists: Materials For Child Length Striped Variation #1: 36 oz Variegated 8 oz Light Solid 8 oz Dark Solid Guestimated Materials For Adult Length Striped Variation #1: 48 oz Variegated 8 oz Light Solid 8 oz Dark Solid As long as I am "guestimating", I might as well go a step further and include my calculations for a second stripe variation of "My Favorite Afghan" here for your consideration. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "MY FAVORITE AFGHAN" STRIPED VARIATION #2 This second version features solid color stripes worked throughout the afghan. The finished afghan would probably have a basic patchwork style, which could be enhanced or decreased depending upon the colors that are used. Theoretically, one might use a variety of contrasting colors to achieve greater definition between the stripes, or use a series of similar hue colors for a softer blending of the stripes. Admittedly, this is only a theoretical pattern which I have never made, but I do believe it would work. So, the material list for a multicolored adult length Striped Variation #2 of "My Favorite Afghan" might be: 8 oz each of 10 different contrasting colors (for great definition) OR 16 oz each of 5 similar hue colors (for a softer blending of stripes) OR 4 oz each of 20 different contrasting colors (for a VERY colorful piece of finished work. This would be the extreme opposite of the original "My Favorite Afghan" pattern which is worked in a single color, but it might be great fun to create, with never a dull "un-colorful" moment!) Obviously, the possibilities for color variations are endless, and you should take some time to consider them. Meanwhile, let us turn our attention to the stitch patterns which may be used to create the stripes. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The stitch pattern used for Striped Variation #1 and Striped Variation #2 is basically the same as used for the original "My Favorite Afghan". But deciding exactly where to change colors is not as easy as it might seem. When looking at the pattern, and considering the options for stripes, it is tempting to use two alternating colors throughout the entire afghan, working with one color for the solidly worked single crochet rows sections (rows 1-8 & 13-20), and working with a second color for the openwork crochet rows sections (rows 9-12). But, it is not so simple. Due to the difference between the height of single and double crochet stitches, it does not look quite right. So, this obvious stripe method which accentuates the solidly worked rows from the openwork rows is probably possible to achieve with success only if the last single crochet row directly before the openwork sections (row 8) is worked in the same color as is used for the double crochet openwork section. In other words, you could probably use one color for rows 1-7 & 13-20, and use a different color for rows 8-12 to create the stripes, and form a distinction between the solidly worked sections and the openwork sections. Theoretically, it should work. However, my preferred trick to striped success is to change colors in the middle of the solidly worked rows, instead of alternating colors for the solidly worked rows and the openwork sections. In my opinion, this unique method of changing colors in the middle of the section of single crochet rows makes the color stripes appear more evenly measured in width, and it also enhances the overall stitch pattern of the afghan, causing the openwork sections to appear more distinct, as if they are purposely being featured within the center of each colored stripe. As you can see from the photo of the child length Striped Variation #1 afghan, this unusual method of color change creates an optical illusion. It draws the eye to the openwork rows within the center of the dark and light solid color stripes, and those openwork rows seem to shout, "Hey! Look at me! I am the fancy part of this afghan!" Since there are so many possible color variations, I can not provide individual patterns for all of them. Instead I have created three general color pattern references which may be used to create a child length Striped Variation #1, or an adult length Striped Variation #1, or an adult length Striped Variation #2 of "My Favorite Afghan". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHILD LENGTH STRIPED VARIATION #1 (Pictured) Three Colors Used: Color A = Variegated Color B = Light Solid Color C = Dark Solid Color Pattern: (Always change to the next color in the last stitch of previous row!) Row 1 - 16 = Color A (change to Color B in last stitch of Row 16) Row 17 - 28 = Color B (change to Color C in last stitch of Row 28) Row 29 - 40 = Color C (change to Color A in last stitch of Row 40) Row 41 – 160 = Color A (change to Color C in last stitch of Row 160) Row 161 – 172 = Color C (change to Color B in last stitch of Row 172) Row 173 – 184 = Color B (change to Color A in last stitch of Row 184) Row 185 – 200 = Color A ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ADULT LENGTH STRIPED VARIATION #1 Three Colors Used: Color A = Variegated Color B = Light Solid Color C = Dark Solid Color Pattern: (Always change to the next color in the last stitch of previous row!) Row 1 - 16 = Color A (change to Color B in last stitch of Row 16) Row 17 - 28 = Color B (change to Color C in last stitch of Row 28) Row 29 - 40 = Color C (change to Color A in last stitch of Row 40) Row 41 - 208 = Color A (change to Color C in last stitch of Row 208) Row 209 – 220 = Color C (change to Color B in last stitch of Row 220) Row 221 – 232 = Color B (change to Color A in last stitch of Row 232) Row 233 – 248 = Color A ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ADULT LENGTH STRIPED VARIATION #2 Ten Solid Colors Used: Colors A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Color Pattern: (Always change to the next color in the last stitch of previous row!) Row 1 - 16 = Color A (change to Color B in last stitch of Row 16) Row 17 - 28 = Color B (change to Color C in last stitch of Row 28) Row 29 - 40 = Color C (change to Color D in last stitch of Row 40) Row 41 - 52 = Color D (change to Color E in last stitch of Row 52) Row 53 - 64 = Color E (change to Color F in last stitch of Row 64) Row 65 - 76 = Color F (change to Color G in last stitch of Row 76) Row 77 - 88 = Color G (change to Color H in last stitch of Row 88) Row 89 – 100 = Color H (change to Color I in last stitch of Row 100) Row 101 - 112 = Color I (change to Color J in last stitch of Row 112) Row 113 - 124 = Color J (change to Color A in last stitch of Row 124) Row 125 - 136 = Color A (change to Color B in last stitch of Row 136) Row 137 - 148 = Color B (change to Color C in last stitch of Row 148) Row 149 - 160 = Color C (change to Color D in last stitch of Row 160) Row 161 - 172 = Color D (change to Color E in last stitch of Row 172) Row 173 - 184 = Color E (change to Color F in last stitch of Row 184) Row 185 – 196 = Color F (change to Color G in last stitch of Row 196) Row 197 – 208 = Color G (change to Color H in last stitch of Row 208) Row 209 – 220 = Color H (change to Color I in last stitch of Row 220) Row 221 – 232 = Color I (change to Color J in last stitch of Row 232) Row 233 – 248 = Color J ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Okay, I have provided you with the basic instructions. Now here is something that might be useful to you in planning your Striped Variation #1 or Striped Variation #2 of "My Favorite Afghan". Directly below this text is a lengthy overview of the stitch pattern used for the entire adult length afghan which might help you to see more clearly how the rows really work to form stripes in "My Favorite Afghan". I have grouped the rows which are used to create each stripe together, to show how the row sequence repeats, and I have provided a space where you may fill in the name of the color which you wish to use for each of the twenty stripes which may be colored to create whatever effect you wish to create. For example, if you wish to make an adult length afghan similar to the one which is pictured using the Stripe Variation #1 color pattern, you would use a variegated color yarn for Stripe #1, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #20, you would use a light solid color yarn for Stripe #2 & #19, and you would use a dark solid color yarn for Stripe #3 & #18. For another example, if you wish to make a adult length afghan featuring ten different colors (A-I) using the Stripe Variation #2 color pattern, you would use color A for #1 & #10, color B for #2 & #12, color C for #3 & #13, etc. I encourage you to play around with the order of the colors on paper before you begin crocheting. This system of pre-planning the color changes always works for me, and I hope this representation of the stitch pattern might make sense and be useful to someone other than myself! STRIPE #1 COLOR __________________________ Row 1-4 = Single Crochet Row 5-8 = Single Crochet Row 9 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 10 = Single Crochet Row 11 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 12-16 = Single Crochet STRIPE #2 COLOR __________________________ Row 17-20 = Single Crochet Row 21 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 22 = Single Crochet Row 23 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 24-28 = Single Crochet STRIPE #3 COLOR __________________________ Row 29-32 = Single Crochet Row 33 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 34 = Single Crochet Row 35 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 36-40 = Single Crochet STRIPE #4 COLOR __________________________ Row 41-44 = Single Crochet Row 45 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 46 = Single Crochet Row 47 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 48-52 = Single Crochet STRIPE #5 COLOR __________________________ Row 53-56 = Single Crochet Row 57 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 58 = Single Crochet Row 59 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 60-64 = Single Crochet STRIPE #6 COLOR __________________________ Row 65-68 = Single Crochet Row 69 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 70 = Single Crochet Row 71 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 72-76 = Single Crochet STRIPE #7 COLOR __________________________ Row 77-80 = Single Crochet Row 81 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 82 = Single Crochet Row 83 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 84-88 = Single Crochet STRIPE #8 COLOR __________________________ Row 89-92 = Single Crochet Row 93 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 94 = Single Crochet Row 95 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 96-100 = Single Crochet STRIPE #9 COLOR __________________________ Row 101-104 = Single Crochet Row 105 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 106 = Single Crochet Row 107 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 108-112 = Single Crochet STRIPE #10 COLOR __________________________ Row 113-116 = Single Crochet Row 117 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 118 = Single Crochet Row 119 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 120-124 = Single Crochet STRIPE #11 COLOR __________________________ Row 125-128 = Single Crochet Row 129 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 130 = Single Crochet Row 131 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 132-136 = Single Crochet STRIPE #12 COLOR __________________________ Row 137-140 = Single Crochet Row 141 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 142 = Single Crochet Row 143 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 144-148 = Single Crochet STRIPE #13 COLOR __________________________ Row 149-152 = Single Crochet Row 153 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 154 = Single Crochet Row 155 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 156-160 = Single Crochet STRIPE #14 COLOR __________________________ Row 161-164 = Single Crochet Row 165 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 166 = Single Crochet Row 167 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 168-172 = Single Crochet STRIPE #15 COLOR __________________________ Row 173-176 = Single Crochet Row 177 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 178 = Single Crochet Row 179 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 180-184 = Single Crochet STRIPE #16 COLOR __________________________ Row 185-188 = Single Crochet Row 189 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 190 = Single Crochet Row 191 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 192-196 = Single Crochet STRIPE #17 COLOR __________________________ Row 197-200 = Single Crochet Row 201 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 202 = Single Crochet Row 203 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 204-208 = Single Crochet STRIPE #18 COLOR __________________________ Row 209-212 = Single Crochet Row 213 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 214 = Single Crochet Row 215 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 216-220 = Single Crochet STRIPE #19 COLOR __________________________ Row 221-224 = Single Crochet Row 225 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 226 = Single Crochet Row 227 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 228-232 = Single Crochet STRIPE #20 COLOR __________________________ Row 233-236 = Single Crochet Row 237 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 238 = Single Crochet Row 239 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 240-244 = Single Crochet Row 245-248 = Single Crochet ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| NEEDLEWORK: CROCHET Striped Variations Of My Favorite Afghan |
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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 |
| (PLEASE REFER TO THE BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR "MY FAVORITE AFGHAN" AND BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE ORIGINAL PATTERN BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT ANY OF THESE STRIPED VARIATIONS.) When I first created the "My Favorite Afghan" pattern, using a single color yarn, it seemed to me that the afghan would be perfectly suited for multiple colored stripes, due to the alternating solid sections and openwork sections. Yet, oddly enough, upon attempting a striped version, I learned that the pattern is somewhat difficult to modify for color changes, due to the stitch pattern which is used. Eventually, I did develop three striped versions of "My Favorite Afghan", all of which I have included here for your possible consideration. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "MY FAVORITE AFGHAN" STRIPED VARIATION #1 The first striped variation features the majority of the afghan worked in a variegated color yarn, with two stripes of two complimentary solid colors worked near each fringed end. The finished work has a somewhat Southwestern style, which may be enhanced or decreased depending upon the colors that are used. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a photo of "My Favorite Afghan" Striped Variation #1. |
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| And, just when you thought you knew everything there is to know about STRIPE VARIATION #1 AND #2 of "My Favorite Afghan", ready or not, here comes STRIPE VARIATION #3! Please, don't panic. If you have been able to follow my instructions to this point, the next little design innovation is going to be extremely easy for you to master. It is just a tiny modification, and yet, it changes the entire look of "My Favorite Afghan". First, choose two solid colors. The colors should be of a deep rich hue they will be the main two colors of the afghan. Then choose a third solid color of a much lighter hue which will be the contrast. (I chose "Claret" and "Dark Sage" as my two main colors and "Buff" as my third contrasting color.) Since this is a project which I have not yet completed, I can not provide an exact material list, but I suggest you should begin with 32 oz of each of your two main colors, and 8 oz of your contrasting color. Again, any scraps need not be wasted. They may be set aside for use in future granny squares. And, in general, it is always better to have too much yarn for any project instead of too little. Next, acquaint yourself with this STRIPE VARIATION #3 pattern: STRIPE #1 COLOR "A" (First Main Color) Row 1-8 = Single Crochet Row 9 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 10 = Single Crochet Row 11 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 12-20 = Single Crochet STRIPE #2 COLOR "C" (Contrasting Color) Row 21-22 = Single Crochet STRIPE #3 COLOR "B" (Second Main Color) Row 23-30 = Single Crochet Row 31 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 32 = Single Crochet Row 33 = Double Crochet Clusters Row 34-42 = Single Crochet STRIPE #4 COLOR "C" (Contrasting Color) Row 43-44 = Single Crochet Repeat Rows 1-44 four times, (220 rows total). Repeat Rows 1-20, (240 rows total). Add fringe made from: Color "A" (First Main Color) for no contrast. Color "B" (Second Main Color) for gentle contrast. Color "C" (Contrasting Color) for greatest contrast. Colors A&B&C (All three colors) for the indecisive, haha! Admittedly, this is one of my "projects in progress", and I have only worked the first 44 rows of this pattern, but I can already tell that it is going to be a gorgeous afghan when it is finished. The "Claret", "Dark Sage", and "Buff" colors, when combined with the stitch pattern of "My Favorite Afghan", are creating a lovely Victorian Christmas effect. (Please see the reference photo below.) If all goes well, I will be snug as a bug in a rug, buried beneath the warmth of this creation as I await Santa's arrival at the end of this year! Or, perhaps it shall be given as a Christmas gift… |