Those who do graph afghans

[irikel]

For those of you ladies that work with graphs to make afghans ....this is for you: :nworthy :nworthy I have tried and tried and tried some more and the more I attempt it ...the more frustrated I get and I just wanna .Why is this so difficult for me??? ...I am trying the elmo afghan that someone here made which only takes about three colors , but for the first half(almost) its just red and black....and I can't get the hang of it......I have tried so hard I am starting to feel sorry for myself ()..I have tried going over the unused yarn for a couple stitches....I have tried those yarn bobbin things ....and I have tried tying and cutting...oh man ..what else. I guess it takes longer but I guess i'm gonna have to stick to x stitching the picture on a sc blanket....I don't like it that way...I have been to all those sites that tell you how to color change and whatever but...when I do the first row ( after the chains for base) front side..all is well ..when I do the next row ...it won't match up right and it looks awful when i start the next front row....it looks worst wheeew....:whewif any one here understood what I am whinning about and can or care ( ) to help me ...THANK YOU!! I dont know if i'll do any better but we can try..Tampagirl.....you have made some gorgeous ones and I congratulate you...you are the best in that catagory..lol:hook

[badrhinogillett]

Hey, I've done an Elmo graph ghan. I had tried a graph ghan YEARS ago, and was convinced that they were evil. It was only after the support of everyone here, that I decided to try again.

 

 

1. Yarn Bobbins are ESSENTIAL.

2. make sure that when you read the graph, you read one row from left to right, and the next row from right to left. Odd numbered rows read one way, even numbered rows the other. That is probably why the pattern isn't lining up.

 

 

Hope that helps. Just take your time and I promise it will get better. You'll be amazed at how easy it becomes, and you'll be so proud of yourself when you are done.

[donnalynn2]

Hang in there and don't give up. They really can be a pain in the butt but patience is essential.

 

One thing I do is to make a photocopy of the graph and as I work each row I highlight it so I know that row is done and where I am next. When I did my Rose Filet Shawl I did the same thing and even made little arrows at the beginning of each row on the graph so I would know whether this row was worked left to right or right to left.

 

Yarn bobbins are definately the way to go and do help tremendously. You can do it! You may just need to put it away for a few weeks and then take it back out again to get going... GOOD LUCK!!!

[irikel]

Yes Kathryn...yours is the one I saw and fell in love with... !! I can't tell you enough how much I like it and wish I could do it...I am gonna keep trying.I dont think those that have so little colors can be so difficult. I am suppossed to have more than one bobbin of the same color?? Because I am thinking that if I have black on the start and black at the end or middle part...i figure i'm gonna need a different bobbin insted of carrying the yarn all the way across?

[Tampa Guy]

irikel have you read this thread it's long and has lots of pictures of progress and questions Mary Jo answered. I don't know how she does it but never ceases to amaze me. Maybe it's just practice. good luck

 

 

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3899&page=1&pp=30&highlight=dora

[Tampa Doll]

Hi Olga,

 

John came and got me after he posted.

 

Donnalynn2 does what I do. I make an extra copy of the graph, but I cross off the row I have finished with a pen.

 

Rows in a graph are usually worked from left to right. Row one starting from the left, row 2 starting from the right.

 

Now as for the bobbins. Elmos is outlined in black. At the bottom, I would have 2 bobbins of black and leave the red in the hank. When you get to the face, change your strategy. Have 2 bobbins of red and leave the black in the hank. Have one of orange and two of white. I just went and looked at the afghan Kathryn made.

 

I hope this helps. If you want, you can pm me anytime. The main thing, is don't let it get to you, it is for fun. Once you get the hang of it, you will wonder why you worried. I know I did.

[lildumpling]

I really can identify with your frustration. I am presently working on an afghan that calls for the afghan stitch. I was very frustrated in that I could not conceptualize how it was to be done. I read and read from the many internet sources available. I first had to perfect the AFGHAN stitch, which is what the pattern called for. It took me a while to learn this, and afterwards I was able to begin. I finally learned that each row of the Afghan pattern takes two rows to count as one. Each row reading the pattern goes from left to right. (Or left to right if you are a left hander). Make your row left to right, at the end return all the way back before going to the next row on the pattern. Then you start the next row on the pattern. I hope this makes some sense. It is working for me now, and my afghan is comming out just amazing. It has roses, leaves, and other items on it. I can hardly wait till it is finished. If you need more information, please email me and I will search for the old "How to crochet" book that I finally learned the information from, and I will try to para phrase the exact info for you. I wish you luck.

alphabetalamdak@comcast.net

[lildumpling]

Sorry, in regards to the afghan pattern, if you are left handed, if looking at the pattern you will start on the left side of the pattern and go right, if you are a right hander, when looking at the pattern, you read it starting from the right side of the page going left. This works for me and my daughter is left handed.

[Empress Busy Bee]

I find it easier to do row counts than work off the graph it's self. On the graph, even with crossing off rows, I get lost. So what I did was count the rows:

Row 1; 10 red, 5 blue, 8 black, 10 red

 

You might try one of the patterns here first:

 

http://www.geocities.com/ldiznemom/counts.html

 

They're all counted out for you already.

[irikel]

Wow...I think I finally got it !! I just wanted to say thanks to all who gave suggestions...and a very big thanks to tampa doll who had the patiences to guide me through this ...I wanted to let you see my progress which after 2 dozen frogings gave pretty good results..now I want to try the Elmo afghan which was the one I really wanted....thanks for looking .

 

[irikel]

P.S. ....This is just the center part...Now I am gonna start the outside part to complete the ghan..

[badrhinogillett]

Fabulous job!

[irikel]

This is my final result which I am very happy with and so is my grandaughter who claimed it as hers ...she wraps her doll up in it...

 

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b251/irikel3/Image025.jpg

 

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b251/irikel3/Image024.jpg

[kelro]

OK I am BRAND NEW to this graph stuff so hopefully this question is not tooooooo stupid I have my picture and have my graph grid (thingy) over it. Okay I understand that part. After reading some posts, everyone is talking about bobbins and I am not sure what I do with them DUH I know !!! Any one that can help I would appreciate it. I have looked at all these great ones you have all done and would love to be able to do such beautiful work ! Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

[Ladycrochat]

:beeBEE-utiful afghan Irikel! I am sure that your granddaughter will adore it:bheart! Love the googly eyes:loco!!! And it looks like you understand this difficult:bang croceting technique very well! Even after more than 40 years of crocheting I have yet to tackle a graphghan:blush .....You did a wonderful job!

[irikel]

OK I am BRAND NEW to this graph stuff so hopefully this question is not tooooooo stupid I have my picture and have my graph grid (thingy) over it. Okay I understand that part. After reading some posts, everyone is talking about bobbins and I am not sure what I do with them DUH I know !!! Any one that can help I would appreciate it. I have looked at all these great ones you have all done and would love to be able to do such beautiful work ! Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions.

 

I suggest you go here and look through it and you 'll know what to do ....just dont give up.

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/sh...highlight=dora

[lhasaapsolady]

Its really just a matter of practice, practice, practice. If you are really having problems and using a highlighter to mark every row once it is completed, lay the project aside for a little while. Then with odd and end yarn, just start crocheting and change colors every so many stitches til you get the hang of it. Sometimes when you do a swatch like this it really helps you understand changing and carrying colors.

[mseavey2]

When I do a graph ghan I make a copy of the graph and then I cross off the rows with a pencil. Just in case I mess up, I can erase. I have frogged many graph ghans and have started them over. I don't have any yarn bobbins. I just use balls of yarn when I need to change color. The one thing that I have learned is to not carry your yarn across the back. It makes a big difference especially if you are changing from light to dark colors or vise versa. When I first started making graph ghans, I placed an arrow at the beginning of the rows. I found this to make it a little easier to keep track as to which way I should be going. As frustrated as you may get, just don't give up. You will get the hang of it.