Crochetkim's Personalized Baby Afghan

[sakurasaku]

This was my very first crochet project, which I finally completed recently (it's a little warped, so don't laugh..). My friend was pregnant and I wanted to make her something special, so I took up crocheting just to make her gift, and the rest is history, as they say.

 

The pattern is:

http://www.crochetkim.com/patterns/perbaby.html

 

I used Caron SS for the main color, which was a mistake because I couldn't find a true "off-white" color in the same yarn to go with it (Caron SS's off-white is too yellow and does not go with this faded rose color). I searched and searched, and ended up having to use a different brand for the letters and the border, and of course, the gauge was different. I couldn't just use a smaller hook, because all the letters are in sc and it was too tight with this other brand! I had heck of a time trying to make it work. I guess it was a bit too ambitious a project for my very first crocheted item, but I learned a lot.

 

I used a cluster stitch for the edging, which worked quite well.

 

[soar]

wow your first project, I am impressed , you did a great job. I have been crocheting for awhile but I don't think i could do that, well done your friend will be well chuffed

[Roli]

So Beautiful! Your color choices sound correct to me. I agree that the Caron off-white is too yellow for the mauve you used. Sorry you ended up having such a hard time. I've had similar problems in the past! Your blanket doesn't look warped at all!

[RachelG]

That's so neat!!! Thanks for sharing!

[xmaystarx]

It came out great! Your friend will love it.

[denny]

That came out great! Boy my first project was a Granny Square, you did a pattern and changed colors. Wow!!

[yarncat]

Sweet blanket!

[Empress Busy Bee]

Great job!

[Lavelle26]

Beautiful. Just beautiful. I think you did a great job and the colors you choose are gorgeous together. I love the name Chloe. Its one of my favorites. (go figure...see sig below for details.)

[sakurasaku]

wow your first project, I am impressed , you did a great job. I have been crocheting for awhile but I don't think i could do that, well done your friend will be well chuffed

 

Thanks! I'm sure you could do it, too.

 

And thank you, everyone, for the encouraging words; it is so nice to have acknowledgement from people who are a lot more experienced than I and know how much work this is.

 

It did take me a VERY long time to finish it, there was much frogging (more than I would like to admit), and I had to do the center panel twice to make it fit. Toward the end, I was so sick and tired of the project that I could only do a couple of rows at a time.

[smyz64]

Beautiful, and what a neat baby-warming gift. How thoughtful.

[Niccers]

Very impressive! Its very pretty. Im still shocked this was your first project. You did an awesome job!

[1to1]

What a special afghan!! Did you know it was going to be a girl? Did you make it then just add then name once you found out?

 

Thanks for sharing the links.

[mwedzi]

That is WAY impressive for your first project, and would be impressive even if you were very experienced. About how big did it come out to be? It's hard to tell with nothing else to compare it to.

[mudpie]

That is so pretty! It is now on my to do list.

[j_kawano]

you did a great job!

[crochetkim]

Absolutely incredible that this is your first project! I designed the thing and I've made it about 45 times, but even I get frustrated working on the center portion. You did a fantastic job! Wow!

[eyenowhour]

It looks amazing! Great work. I never would have guessed you were a beginner from looking at the blanket.

[moonspinners]

Very pretty!

[Jozzie]

Very very nice job!

[pplcrochets]

Ooh, I've been eyeing that pattern for awhile now - but haven't tried it yet. You are so brave! (and it came out great!). You give me courage to go back to a baby afghan I dumped awhile ago because it was coming together just so slow - I may end up frogging it due to mistakes that can't be fixed, but at least you've given me incentive to face it again!

 

Thank you for sharing your beautiful work, and your experience with it as well - sometimes I look at gorgeous stuff and have no idea how hard it was to do, and get discouraged when I find it difficult.

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

What a wonderful gift it's fabulous

[SDmom]

that looks very nice for a first project!

[sakurasaku]

Did you know it was going to be a girl? Did you make it then just add then name once you found out?

Yes, my friend knew that it was going to be a girl, and she told me what they were going to name her. I liked the name and that's what gave me the idea of making a personalized afghan.

 

As I was nearing the end of this project, I spoke with her again to make sure that she hadn't changed her mind about the name (the gift was being kept a secret). She told me that she was thinking of making it...get this...Shahrazad!

 

This is how the conversation went:

 

Me: (heart pounding) "YOU ARE KIDDING, RIGHT? You mean, Shahrazad like that character from Arabian Nights?" (thinking "just how many letters are in that name? 15? 20?")

Friend: "No. Everyone I say this to thinks I'm joking, but I think it's a pretty name and I really like the idea of a story-teller. But I realized that I don't even know how to spell Shahrazad, so I figured it won't be fair to burden the child with a name I can't even spell."

Me: "Yeah, I guess you are right (THANK GOD!)"

 

Well, if she really had changed the name, I might have tried to sell this one on e-bay or something and make another baby afghan (without the name) for her. I didn't have the strength to do "Shahrazad" :lol:lol

[Stitchinpick]

After alllllll that work, I think I would give the gift to her early so that she doesn't get hormone crazy and name the baby something weird. Tell her everyone on C-ville loves the name Chloe!