Pillowghan CAL

[Guest PamCrochets]

-- begin edit by yarntomato --

 

As of October 2004, this CAL is now being hosted by Mitzi. Thank you Mitzi!

 

The gallery and list of members are here. Please join us! :cheer2

 

We have two buttons you can use. Please save them to your own server. )

 

 

 

-- end edit by yarntomato --

 

Here it is. Our first pillowghan crochetalong. This is going to be a learning experience for most of us. I looked around the web to see if there were any rules involved. I found one defunct crochetalong, and lots of knitalongs. From what I can see, there are no rules. We're really just all working on the same project together. We can talk about it, share ideas, and help each other with any issues with the pattern or whatever. Once we're all done, we can post pictures and show off our masterpieces. It doesn't sound like much, but I get the impression it's lots of fun and very addicting.

I guess the first part of the project will be picking out our yarn. I love picking out yarn, and it will be interesting to see all the different yarns people use. I'm going to go through my stash, and see what I have.

Here's the link for the pillowghan graph - members.aol.com/crochetalong/pillowghans.html

 

~Pam

[Julie]

Pam, I'm really wanting to do the pineapple pillowghan. I'm guessing everyone can do the ones they like? I've never done a pineapple anything, so here's my chance.

 

Colors? I'm leaning towards blue, dark blue, but will probably change my mind. I know I have quite a few skeins of the Red Heart Med. Windsor Blue (or maybe just the Windsor Blue). It would definitely get me started. Decisions decisions... <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/tongue.gif" /> I could also do shades of blue, which sounds much more interesting to me suddenly... hmmm... pondering options.

[Guest amyscrochet]

I would love to participate in this crochetalong! Pillowghans are so much fun and make great gifts. I have a lot of projects I am working on right now, so I was wondering how long you expect to be working on this project together. Maybe if I can't do this one, I can participate in the next one!

[Tiffany]

I've never done anything in the pineapple pattern either so I think that would be fun to do. My grandparents travel a lot and I would love to give this to them for Christmas to keep in their van. OOH.. I think I might have to make a yarn purchase for this one. Yea!!

[Guest amyscrochet]

Check out this website if you are looking for some interesting squares to use for your pillowghan:

 

www.digitalgranny.com/va/

[Julie]

I don't know the 'rules', not sure if I should have started before someone says "go" or not. But I started, and am about 3/4 of the way through my first block on the pineapple pillowghan. It's really nice, really easy. Looking forward to the next square!

[Guest PamCrochets]

Yarngirl wrote:

>>I don't know the 'rules', not sure if I should have started before someone says "go" or not. But I started, and am about 3/4 of the way through my first block on the pineapple pillowghan. It's really nice, really easy. Looking forward to the next square!<<

 

Nope, no rules. Just enjoy our project, and have other crocheters to talk with who are working on the same thing. I haven't started yet, but I did pick out my yarn. This is going to be for my father's birthday. I'm making mine in the basic granny square (a great travel project), and I'm going to make the top pillow square in single crochet with a picture on it. I'm not sure about the picture, I'll have to go on the web and see what I can find for graphs.

My squares are going to be in Red Heart Aran Fleck with a black edge.

 

~Pam

[Julie]

Pam -

 

I thought about using the Aran Fleck, I do like that one. Mine is Red Heart Light Blue right now, but I'm planning on doing three or four shades of blue, and maybe the solid Aran. I'm trying to use skeins I already have, rather than buying new. I've run out of room for new! <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eyes.gif" /> So if I use them up, I can buy more! <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/roll.gif" />

[shelbyro]

Ooh! I think I will do the pineapple one also--not sure what color yet. I have always wanted to do a crochet-a-long, but only found the defunct ones. How exciting! I hope I can manage to keep up and not create another UFO (unfinished object)

 

Michelle

[Guest PamCrochets]

After you make the pineapple square, do you go around it with a different color like the regular granny squares? I was going to make regular granny squares because the pineapples intimidate me. lol

 

~Pam

[Julie]

Pam, the pineapple was really easy. I was surprised, I've never done one before but this was great.

 

I usually go around my granny squares too, and wondered about the pineapple square, if I should. I think it would be easier to join to the next, don't you?

[Guest PamCrochets]

Yes, I think it would make it easier to join. I think it would also add a "finished" look to it. I'm going to give it a try.

 

~Pam

[Julie]

I do prefer the sc "border". Nice and finished as Pam said, and it makes for easier measuring too.

 

I'm going to end up buying more yarn for this, I thought to use what I had on hand but would have had to mix colors. I think a solid blue one - mainly because I can't find any other blues I like in the same tone range. Maybe add a white or off white to it. I think the Aran would have too much yellow in it, if you can imagine that!

[Tiffany]

I have finally finished my first pineapple square. The finished square looks much more intimidating to make then it actually is. I'm doing my pillowghan in red, white, and blue, but I'm using an off white, navy, and a deeper red. My grandparents and their circle of bluegrass music friends are into the patriotic colors right now, so I'm going to give it to my grandparents with the option of keeping it for themselves or auctioning it off at a bluegrass festival to support their music.

[Julie]

That's a great idea Tiff! See, I told you it was pleasant to work on. <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/wink.gif" /> Feel free to kick me if you want to.

I decided I was going to give mine to a lady I used to work with. Her husband died in December, and then as if that wasn't bad enough, her brother in January and her sister in February. It's not just going to be a pillowghan, but a comfortghan as well. I can't wait to get it done. I'm so glad I figured out what to do with it, and it makes me happy now to know who will have it. I work so much better on things when I know who they are for.

[shelbyro]

I've got 4 pineapple squares done so far, and I liked the Neapolitan theme so much, I am using for my pillowghan. How many squares do we have to make for the pillowghan? I can't locate my printout....<shocking>8o

[Julie]

28, I was surprised to realize the other day. I had read the pattern wrong. 24 for the afghan, and then four joined together for the "pillow" top. The link for the layout should be at the very top of this thread.

[shelbyro]

Thanks! I guess I'll just print it again. Can't tell you how many duplicates of pattern printouts I have floating around.

 

I have 5 and 1/2 pineapple squares done. I really like the pattern--it is much easier than it looks. It usually takes me about 1 1/2 hours to do one square, including a sc border.

 

I don't know who's going to get the blanket yet, but they have to like the Neapolitan colors!

 

thanks for inspiring me!

 

Michelle

[Julie]

Checking in with my count: 8½ squares done. How come we always note the halves? lol <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/laugh.gif" />

[Tiffany]

Oh pooh on you, Julie. (just kidding )I'm still working on my second square....

 

Congrats for making such good progress! I don't remember right now at such a late hour, but what colors are you making yours in? I remember your "no dye lot my foot" blog, but can't remember if you were going to do it all in light blue or a mix of blues..

[Julie]

lol <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/laugh.gif" />

 

I think it is going to be the one shade of blue. Although it is truly two shades of blue because of the bad dye lots. I'll hide it somehow. I had a nightmare thought last night just before I drifted off to sleep. What if most all of the skeins are different shades of the same color? I don't want it to be a checkerboard layout so if I did opt for other colors I would have to find two more. I'm right at that line now so when I go to Walmart today I'll look one last time to see if I can find something to add to it. If not, one technical shade of blue, with variations hidden away.

[Guest PamCrochets]

I better get moving! Everyone is making such progress, and I just decided on the yarn. I started one square, but didn't like it. I've decided on the basic granny in shades of blue with white muli trim.

 

~Pam

[bilblio]

I'm going to join in too, but I have to finish my poncho first or I'll never finish either. So I'll be along in about a week.

 

I'm going to look around for a pattern to do, something similar to the pineapple one, but a bit more geometrical. I'll be raiding my stash for colours to see what I can use up.

[Julie]

So much for using colors I already had. I've now purchased two more shades of blue, and one of white for the afghan. It'll be pretty, but my my how I do change my mind!

 

<img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/laugh.gif" />

[shelbyro]

Well, I have 10 squares done, and I may rip one apart, as my "creams" don't match as well as I thought :mad

 

Here's my neapolitans so far (they don't stand out so well on the brown rug):

www.imageshack.us/my.php?...uares1.jpg

www.imageshack.us/my.php?...quare1.jpg

Michelle