Lumberjack Flannelghan CAL / finished ghans in Post 1

[twinklesnow]

After I finish all of my other projects, I think I'll make one.

[JulieKay]

Very pretty Joanne

He will love it !!!

[imanurse55]

Thanks! I just love this pattern- it's a classic, RoseRed!!!!

[lisamartinez]

Every time I read this CAL, I want to make another flannelghan. I've made so many, but I love them so much!

[socduncan]

RoseRed I'm still working on my ghan but hopefully will finish it soon. Keep your fingers crossed, LOL!

 

Between the holidays and moving I've lost touch. The New Year should be smoother sailing.

[RoseRed]

The New Year should be smoother sailing.

 

May that be the prayer for all of us!

[tonyal]

I made one for my nephew for christmas. It took me 2.5 nights to make it. I love how fast they work up. I did make it 5 squares X 5 squares he absolutely loved it thank you rose red for the great pattern

[RoseRed]

Awesome! Can't wait to see it.

[yankeeblue]

hiya! I'm just starting my lumberjack. couple of questions... do you do a chain 3 at the end/start of a new row? if so, is that considered to be one of the 17 dc across? does the pattern have an even edge or uneven if there is not a chain 3 to dc into?

I plan on using hobby lobby's "I love this yarn" which is pretty soft. do you still think I should use the "N" hook? I have never used a hook this large before, in fact, I don't own one...so I have to buy it when I go for the yarn tomorrow. I've also never crocheted two strands together.....is there any trick to it or is it pretty easy?

I really love this pattern. I think everyone will think it is the very warmest and prettiest I have made so far! thank you for offering it.

ohh...did you whip stitch it together in back loops only? or through both loops? I have never whip stitched either! so this is really a learning project for me.

[RoseRed]

I do a ch 2 at the beginning of the row. I think it looks better than the standard ch3.

 

The chain at the beginning of any row counts as the first st so yes - it is considered one of the 17.

 

You have to have a beginning ch to start the row. When you turn your work and begin the next row the ch2 becomes the very last stitch that you work into. You have to work into it or you'll end up with a piece that looks like a shrinking triangle. The pattern has very straight edges.

 

I've never worked with I love this yarn (no hobby lobby's near me) so I really can't say. If it's thinner than your standard Red Heart you could go down to an M hook.

 

I prefer the white plastic Bates hooks in the large sizes. the large 'Brites' hooks are awful to work with. The thread snags and drags and just don't like them at all. I think the aluminum hooks in the larger sizes are heavy. I've already had carpel tunnel surgery so I'm very gentle on my hands when it comes to choosing the tools that I'll work with.

 

2 strands is easy - it just takes a little getting used to that's all.

 

I whipstitch thru both loops. I do it the way my grandmother taught me. There's tips and tricks for helping with that part too once you get to it.

 

Have you decided what colors you want to make it in?

[yankeeblue]

ROSERED!! NEED HELP!!! I went to the store, bought my yarn and "N" needle..came home and started my lumberjack flannelghan. (hunter green and cream)

I did my chain, and three rows up...17 dc across, I decided to check my measurement.

IT"S ONLY 8 inches across!! what am I doing wrong? crocheting too tight? I didnt think it was tight....it is new to me using such a large hook, and two strands of yarn, (got the Caron one pounders on sale) but it still shouldn't be 2" off, should it? should I start over?

[RoseRed]

Well- it could be a couple different things. If you bought a metal Boye N hook it's much smaller than the Bates brand N hook.

 

You could have a really tight tension. Am I right in assuming that you're pretty new to crocheting? Loosening up tension is something that most people have to work at. It just takes some practice.

 

the easiest way to fix it is to only make the block 8 inches high so that it stays square.

 

If you want to stick with the 10 inch blocks so that it's a full afghan size then this is how you'll fix it. Take a tape measure and measure across one of the rows. count how many stitches it takes to make 2 inches. Let's say it's 5 stitches. You'll make your chain 5 chains longer and instead of 17 dc's across it'll be 22 dc's across and then you'll continue it to be the full 10 inches high.

 

Sorry I didn't get here sooner - we just got home. It's been a long afternoon.

[TeriMcc]

I have a quick question. If I wanted to do a flanneghan in hdc, would the turning stitch be 2 chains?

Has anyone done this with a size N hook? Did it turn out okay?

Teri

[yankeeblue]

thank you!! you answered within 10 mins!! so no problem there!!

I do have a Boye metal hook, and yes, although I have been crocheting for years, it is only in the past couple of years that I picked it up again and I really dont know any of the newer stitches or anything. I learned the basics of sc, hdc, dc, trc and so on. I can read a pattern that isn't too involved, so I have been making some afghans lately. Yours is so pretty and seems so easy...I dont know why I am having such trouble!

What do you recommend I do? keep it at the 8 inches? or add stitches to make it the 10 inch length? which do you think would turn out the best? I frogged the three rows and started over trying to be looser..(is that a word?)LoL, but it only got me to 8 1/2 inches..LOL not much changed. thank you so much for your help!! HUGS!

[yankeeblue]

hubby just told me that I should frog it again and start over to make it equal 10" square. I just did 10 rows to make the 8" square, but for the width, it will only be 56" across instead of the 70" that yours is. and I can't add another panel because that would make it an even number of panels thus ruining the over all pattern. SOOOO....that means I will start over and add stitches to make it 10" across. so far, you were right.. I need to add 5 stitches, totalling 22. Im trying so hard to crochet loose!!

[RoseRed]

Yes - the ghan's been made in hdc with an N hook. the stitch doesn't really matter as the hook size being appropriate to the yarn size. You'll just need to do a couple extra rows to make it measure the 10 inches.

 

Gauge is a minor problem with this ghan. Everyone crochets slightly differently. If trying to work it looser is going to be a problem then don't. The problem is the Boye N hook is MUCH smaller than the Bates N hook. If you continue with this hook the afghan will be noticeably stiffer. Well, noticeably if you do another one with the other sized hook.

 

8 inches times 5 squares across is 40 inches and it would only be 56 inches tall. It would end up 3 1/2 by almost 5 feet. That's not quite the size of a throw. It's entirely up to you if you want to chain the few extra stitches to make it full size.

 

the other thing you could do is make it 6 strips by 8blocks high. That would throw off the symmetry of it tho.

[imanurse55]

Both of the flannelghans I did in HDC. I just like that stitch better. I used an N hook (Bates on the first one I did and Lion Brand N on the 2nd one) The Lion Brand N hook is smaller than the Bates. So the 2nd afghan came out a little smaller- but still came out fine. I only ch 1 at the end of the row when doing HDC.

 

Have fun with these afghans! I'm probably going to start a third soon- just need to decide what colors I want to use- Time to visit the stash!!!!

[yankeeblue]

ok, another dumb question....Im not getting the hang of this yet....I have 21 stitches across my square to equal the 10". I am doing the chain 3 at the start of every row. On the next row across, do I just dc in all the dc from the row before, or do I also dc in the top of the chain 3 from the row before? I am maintaining the 21 stitches across, but the ends don't seem very straight...they look curvy because of the chain 3 looping around to the next row. am I explaining this alright? I guess I just want to know if you are dc in the top of the chain 3, or just in the dc from the row before?

wow, who knew a simple square would stump me this much! anyone else have these problems?

[RoseRed]

And that's why I use a ch2 instead of a ch3 for dcs. they look loopy. It's easy enough to fix - jut ch2 instead.

 

You do NOT put another dc in the same st that you are ch2 (or 3)ing above. The chain counts as the very first dc. Then when you get to the end the very last dc will be the ch2 (or3) from the row below the one you're working on.

 

x is your ch2 and c is your dc - it'll look like this (pretend there's 22 stitches):

 

c c c c c c x

x c c c c c c

c c c c c c x

[yankeeblue]

thank you so very much RoseRed!! that's what I was doing wrong!! I was putting a dc into the same place as the chain 2 when I turned the rows!! so it was double at the beginning, thus making me think I had just the right amount of stitches across, when it really was in the wrong place!

I really appreciate you helping me thru this and staying online tonight!! I think I got it ok now...it's safe for you to go to bed! LOL

[RoseRed]

I'm glad I was able to help. I'm not usually a night person on the computer so you got lucky it was a strange day and I was on.

 

I just about always check the ville at least once a day. If you post and I don't see it you could always pm me. I use the New Post function and it doesn't always pick up everything.

 

I hope that you've got it down now.

[yankeeblue]

thank you very much RoseRed! yes, I got it down great now!! I've got 5 of the squares made already!! wow, it certainly works up fast!! I'm really enjoying this. I bought the cheap yarn, the Caron one pounders and they seem to be a bit stiff, so next time I think I will spend the extra money and get something softer. this is going to be the most unusal, but the most amazing afghan I have ever made! since I have never use this big of a hook, or two strands of yarn at once before, this is so new to me, but I think it is very fun to do. I can't wait to see the end product. I will definitely post a picture when Im done.

I might need your help again when it comes to the whipstitching part, but I think I will be fine. you didnt put a border around each panel first, did you? that seems like so much more work.. LOL

Thanks again for your help!

[RoseRed]

Don't go there!

 

the yarn is stiff because of the size of your hook - not because it's cheap yarn.

 

Caron Pounders are my absolute FAVORITE of all the 'cheap' (I prefer affordable) yarns. I have about 15 pounds in my stash and need to stock up on more. I just used up all my baby colors. Yes- Caron Pounders will wash up soft enough for a baby ghan IF you use a size I or J with it. If you use an F or G hook - it's going to come out stiff like your ghan.

 

If you really want to be happy with this ghan and the drape of it (the way it's supposed to be) I'd really suggest that you go and get the right sized hook. I would hate for people to think that this is a stiff ghan if they read a post and didn't realize that you had the wrong sized hook for the project.

[yankeeblue]

well, maybe you should put in your original pattern directions EXACTLY what kind of hook to buy...because when I read it, it just said to use a "N" size hook. that's what I bought. size "N" hook. no where did it say it had to be a certain brand. so I dont see that as the wrong hook. I was just following directions. sorry I offended you with the caron pounder comment. I didnt mean to.

[RoseRed]

You didn't offend me. I'm just saying don't blame the yarn because Boye runs small.

 

Changing the hook size to 10mm Bates N in the first post was easy enough and I just did it. (good idea btw) It's pretty much common knowledge that Boye and Bates N's are different sizes. Even if you weren't aware of that I did suggest which hook to get and which to not get.

 

I prefer the white plastic Bates hooks in the large sizes. the large 'Brites' hooks are awful to work with. The thread snags and drags and just don't like them at all. I think the aluminum hooks in the larger sizes are heavy. I've already had carpel tunnel surgery so I'm very gentle on my hands when it comes to choosing the tools that I'll work with.

 

Did you look at both hooks? not notice the size difference?

 

Whether you 'see' the hook being the wrong size or not has nothing to do with the fact that the Boye hook is too small for 2 strands of Caron or Red heart or any other 4ply ww yarn.

 

I have a girlfriend who did this ghan in a K hook. She regretted it and her hands were killing her but she did it cuz her hubby wanted it like that. It came out stiff like cardboard.