Crochet -a- Quilt

[pplcrochets]

Hi, all - had a tough month, felt guilty about not finishing a promise, then felt guilty about feeling guilty.... you know how that goes; pretty soon you've worked yourself into a lose-lose funk. Better now, and thought I'd show my finished quiltghan:

It's the Prairie Star (with modifications to babyghan size). I forgot to measure it before sending it off, but Charis' mom says it fits her crib just fine. It's my first big finished project w/ Caron simply soft, and it had a zillion ends to finish off (left to do at the end - NOT a good idea). So, with a great deal of trepidation, I washed it, figuring if it was going to sprout ends, I'd better find out before sending it on. To my pleased surprise, the end weaving held, and the yarn came out softer, and to my eye, not at all fuzzier. I knew I like working with Caron SS, but was a little concerned for its washability. I'm a thoroughly happy camper with the way it turned out - and more confident than ever that Caron SS is my yarn of choice for wearables.

 

I'm still poring over quilt-look patterns, and would like to try the 8-pt star in the Broken Star quilt pattern next. Trying to find the right size of diamond pattern that will do that.... The Ohio Star has 8pts and seems to be done usually with half granny squares, but is not truly symmetrical in its points.

[Krystal16]

OH, my - that turned out just fabulous! The colors are wonderful.

[Melibean223]

simply georgous, beautiful colors. definatly love it

[pplcrochets]

Thank you

[Bookchick29]

Patricia -- that looks wonderful Also, thanks for sharing the information about how the SS turned out after washing. I have not washed an item made from this yarn yet and was wondering how it would react.

 

Well, I'm headed to the beach for a week's vacation and am taking my PS with me with the hopes that I can get it finished. I'll let you all know how that plan goes when I get back

[lhasaapsolady]

I just completed my first section of what will be like a patchwork quilt. It will be all different sizes and colors using doubleended hooks. Will take some time as got lots of other projects going too, but hey count me in.

[pplcrochets]

Hi, Wanda Kay! welcome to the quilt-look addicts uh, enthusiasts!

[pplcrochets]

Krystal, just finished going through the posts I missed while AWOL - your baby prairie star is fabulous! :yayI think I prefer your design change for baby size in going with the whole inner star and finishing off at the hexagon - the color changes are just so pretty with a 3-layer star.

[pplcrochets]

Debbi, love the colors - which yarns are you using? Your finished 'ghan will be just stunning - looking forward eagerly to progress pics....

[Debbi-a1]

Patricia Grogous afghan! You did a great job.

I'm using Red Heart regular worsted weight yarn. Well it started out as a scrap afghan but I needed more yarn (found more after I bought some when I was oragnizing) and so the first part may be red heart, but it's worsted weight anyway... and it feels like Red Heart.

 

This weekend I crocheted a bunch of squares, I'm sewing some but catching up to the round of colors that I'm crocheting so I need to crochet more and sew less... And I am weaving in all ends. I'm leaving a long end at the end of each square (over 12" at least) and use that to sew the square to the afghan and then I weave it in and then weave in the center strand. I hate weaving in ends, but for this type of afghan it's worth it. I'm tempted to try another quilt afghan sometime. I love the look of quilts.

 

I have to work on a variety of items when I crochet so I've been doing doilies too, so that's why my quilt afghan hasn't been done a lot. But the doilies are for Christmas, as is this afghan, so it's all good.

Debbi

[pplcrochets]

Hi, Debbi, thank you for the kind words - I did so enjoy working on those diamonds. Thanks for the tip on leaving an end with which to attach the square. I have the feeling that I'll be needing to do that a lot, considering most quilt-look patterns are patch after patch after patch.... I really like those colors - they are very nice together

 

On your squares; you mentioned weaving in the center strand. I dislike doing that so much that I take a minute or so after making the initial chain loop to weave the end through the chains of the circle. Then, when I stitch the first round, it covers the circle (and woven end) and then just cut off what still sticks out. I do have to admit, though; once you've woven the end through the chains, it's a bear to frog (hmmm - animal analogies...; how to you bear a frog? take away his trousers?)

[Debbi-a1]

, it's a bear to frog (hmmm - animal analogies...; how

to you bear a frog?

take away his trousers?)

 

I do the first weave a little like you. I join the chain and then as I made the first row of stitchs I put the end under them. So then all I have to do is weave it back through just once.

Debbi

[rosette]

Hi Patricia... I was just nosing through and seen you posted a pic of your prairie star. Its beautiful and the perfect size for a baby... You did a wonderful job on it!!! Congrats!!

[pplcrochets]

awww :manyheart thank you!

[Debbi-a1]

Well I finally worked on my afghan. I added a few more squares. It's taking longer and longer to add them because it's getting bigger. But it's worth it because it looks so nice. I have 28 of this light blue to sew on.

Debbi

[Bookchick29]

Well, I'm slowly making progress on PS. I was at the beach last week for vacation and it was the only project I took with me, so I was able to get quite a bit done.

 

I was getting bored with the white sections around the center star, so after I finished 3 of them, I started on finishing that end of the afghan. Once I get all of that finished, I'll do the other 3 white sections and that end.

 

I'm going shopping tomorrow for some things and think I'm finally going to break down and buy a digital camera. So I should be able to share pictures soon.

[Debbi-a1]

Tiffany, I can't wait to see what yours looks like. I was thinking of trying a close up with my cell phone camera of my afghan since most know what it should look like (post 1 someone has done it).

I did finish the blue squares around the afghan (Trip Around The World) and started on a claret/burgandy color adding on. I finished all the crocheting the claret squares, so I can now crochet the next color squares in between adding on the claret.

Debbi

[QueenOfCrochet]

Patricia~That is a gorgeous prairie star ghan. Absolutely beautiful, great job!

[goofy]

I would love to join in on this cal. it would be a great support while doing all those tedious squares. I thought I heard/read/saw somewere about a crocheted quilt of the wedding rings quilt. Anyone heard of a pattern for this somewere?

[Bookchick29]

Goofy -- Welcome! This is definitely a great group to help cheer you along when you get bogged down with making the same square over and over again As for the wedding ring quilt, I have a pattern for one that was in Annie's Ultimate Book of Quilt Afghans. I think it may be out of print as I bought it off of Ebay. But it was only $6 or $7, so it wasn't too bad. This is the only place that I've seen that pattern and it is on my list of upcoming projects once I finish the ones I'm working on now.

[moonspinners]

Patricia, absolutely gorgeous afghan!

[goofy]

Thanks for the info. I am going to register at ebay just so I can buy that pattern. I found it for $7 and it is beautiful! Can't wait to get the pattern and start working on it!

[Debbi-a1]

Hi Goofy! Welcome. I'm still working on my afghan and this CAL helped a lot. I would love to try the wedding ring one but not sure if I could do all those squares, but maybe after this one I may one day.

here's a pic of where I'm at now, it's folded in half so I could do a close up, but I guess I didn't need to fold it..

I think it's looking pretty good considering I"m using a bunch of different colors.

Debbi

[goofy]

Debbi-nice afghan...I really like that one. It would work to use up some of my stash. Although I don't need to start yet another project or my DH might divorce me. We might have to add it to the list of future projects though.

[pplcrochets]

Debbi, really nice work on your ATW! love the way the colors are coming together. hang in there on the bigger rounds!