Help keeping Afghan compact while working on it

[CarlyKayexOx]

Hello, I am looking for tips on how to keep my Afghan folded and easy to work on once it gets long and heavy. The project I am working on is very large, 90 inches wide and about 30 inches long so far. I am having trouble keeping it under control while working. Are there some kind of clips I can use to help keep it folded smaller so it is easier to turn? Thank you!

[redrosesdz]

Welcome to Crochetville!

 

I'm going to bump this thread back up to the top.  It's an issue that I have, too.  I've seen a lot of answers to a lot of issues here, but I haven't seen this issue asked and answered before.  I'm currently working on an afghan that is only half as wide as yours, but it's at 4.5' long now and getting close to 5 lbs.  Flipping it over to start a row, trying to keep a steady rhythm in the middle and trying to pack it away when I'm not working on it, has become very difficult.  This hot weather makes it worse.  I usually do big afghans in sections (motifs, squares, panels) and join as I go.  The only other large one that I did as a solid was in a light-weight yarn.

 

Anyone have any solutions for when a solid afghan gets too big/heavy?

[Granny Square]

Working such a behemoth in the summer must be extra torture (and you're only about a third done, if you are going for a queen size blanket).  The only thing I can think of is working at a table to get it off your lap.  If you're sitting on the couch or a comfy chair, maybe you could modify a large box to go over your legs and serve as a table?  Like a bed tray.

 

Or something like this?

http://www.wayfair.com/International-Concepts-Sofa-Server-End-Table-OT-10-L442-K~WI3030.html?refid=GX103455973123-WI3030&device=c&ptid=161825308876&gclid=CMWopZmw2s4CFQupaQodIR8C9Q

[Granny Square]

I've been thinking more about this...I am one who has ripped out miles and miles of fabric in my crochet and knitting career because of errors or more commonly because I didn't like something either at all, or I thought of an improvement part way through and decided to start over.  

 

90 inches is wider than my couch, I can't imagine working on something that wide, and especially can't imagine it growing until it was 90x90.  If it were me, I'd stop and put it down for a few days and seriously consider ripping it out and finding a pattern in strips or motifs.

 

Or...

 

What if -- you stopped there.  And started a new 90x30" strip?  And another when that was  done?  And do a search on fancy/decorative joining methods for the strips?  This is assuming you are using a plain stitch or repeating pattern and not an overall picture-ghan of some sort.  Or perhaps, the same idea but make narrow strips (a couple of inches wide) in a completely different decorative pattern and 'join as you go' to the 30x90 strips, it might look more intentional design-wise.

 

Some joining techniques ( and other stuff, sorry you'll need to sift thru a bit)

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#query=joining&view=captioned_thumbs&page=1&craft=crochet&sort=best&availability=free

[Avon Lady]

The only thing I can think of is to roll it up as you work on it.  This won't help with the width, but it might keep it contained a little bit.  I would use bobby pins to roll it up--inserting them every 10 rows or so (whichever works)--making sure they don't catch on the rows already pinned.  Sorry I can't help any more than that...

[Real Deal]

When making a very large item, I've always put it on a table once it has become big and ungainly. Like the others here, I found it's much, much easier to make pieces, then assemble them.

 

I've done it with large stripes, maybe up to 10" across, square blocks, granny squares and large diamonds.

 

What I always keep in mind when I plan something large is: Will this fit in a washer? And: How will I dry it? If you make something huge for yourself, you will go to the trouble of finding a place that has the ultra giagantic washers. If you make it for someone else, it will probably end up in the basement, being enjoyed by the dogs, cats and mice.

[ReniC]

When working on an afghan, I roll it up and put it in one of the oversized zip-lock type bags ,then I can easily just flip the bag each time I turn for the next row. When the bag gets too small, then I use a 13 gallon plastic trash bag. I'm not sure though that this would work with such a large project as yours. Maybe.

[CarlyKayexOx]

Thank you all for the suggestions!

 

Unfortunately I screwed up my stitch count somehow in the beginning and ended up with 90 inches instead of 70. Oops! ???? And silly me, i did not measure it until I had about 12 rows done. Of course each row alternates colors and I'm using a crocodile stitch which already hogs up yarn, so ripping out and starting over will waste a lot of yarn, seeing as the yarn is cut at the end of each row.

 

I am going to try the Bobby pin suggestion. I thought of using safety pins but I did not want to snag up and pull stitches uneven while it's pinned. I think the Bobby pins should work better because they will just slip off if it gets pulled to much.

 

EDIT:

 

Actually I will probably be ripping and restarting. As I laid it out to try and pin it, I noticed how terribly uneven it is so far. 99 inches on my first row and 108 on the last I did. I must have pulled my stitches too tight when I started. ????????

At least I can fix the width of it!

[CarlyKayexOx]

When working on an afghan, I roll it up and put it in one of the oversized zip-lock type bags ,then I can easily just flip the bag each time I turn for the next row. When the bag gets too small, then I use a 13 gallon plastic trash bag. I'm not sure though that this would work with such a large project as yours. Maybe.

This sounds like a good idea also, I shall try this also. Thank you!

[Avon Lady]

Good decision to frog it and start over!  Sometimes that's just the only solution!  Hard, but right!

[Real Deal]

Don't worry - we have all dismantled projects. I once took apart 2 baby blankets. Ugh!

[Becky Morgan]

The cut-off pieces of yarn will work for fringe or rows of smaller projects. I'm just now weaving some small squares from a skein of Red Heart that had some kind of accident with a sharp edge that cut through in one spot.

 

For the big afghan problem, if you happen to have a full-length quilt frame (I do, don't quilt a lot right now) you might be able to roll the finished part on it. I'd be crocheting along it from a rolling desk chair  ...my shoulders won't let me keep flipping anything that heavy.

[pat54]

I just finished a c2c that was very large and would fit a king size bed.  My husband saw me struggling with it and did just that, roll it up and folder in half.  This way I could work around and unfold work that side and refold.  It worked out pretty good.