Fancy fur grief and advice please

[econ-nerd]

Hello,

 

I am working with some fancy fur (got a great sale at $1 per skein at the Dollar Tree) trying to make a kimono from a free Lion Brand pattern. It's nearly done and I hate it . I think it's wider than long - I need something that makes me look wider like I need a hole in the head It is not coming out right at all :angry And the Q hook it calls for feels like I'm crocheting with a baseball bat My tension for the gauge was OK wide but a bit shy the other way though.

 

Any suggestions about what to do with this yarn since I think a frog is in order here - and this stuff is frustrating to frog as well... Keep getting tangled up with the pompoms... It was quick to make up but I don't like it at all And it sheds something fierce. Maybe a scarf and give the beasts away??

 

Sorry for the rant but I know some good ideas will come from this bunch

 

Thanks,

Karen

[yarnwoman2004]

Carol, Thank you so much for your instructions, the only other questions I have is can I find a "giant granny square" pattern online to know how to do it, and what it looks like, and how much Yarn does it take you to make one?

I hope I am not being a pain, but being a mewbie to crochet, I have to have details and something to go by. LOL sorry. Thanks again. Rhonda

 

Rhonda, it's times like this that I certainly wish I had that digital camera!!! But, here goes: To make a giant granny square, I chain 6, join together to make a ring. In the ring, chain 3 (which becomes your first dc), then 2 dc, *ch 1, 3 dc*, repeat * to * 3 more times, thereby creating 4 groups of 3 dc. Join.

Slip stitch to the first ch 1 space. In this space, chain 3 (which becomes your first dc), 2 dc, ch 1, 3 dc (first corner made), *in next ch 1 space, 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc (next corner made)*, repeat * to * 2 more times.

Slip stitch to the first ch 1 space. In this space, chain 3, 2 dc, ch 1, 3 dc. *In next space, crochet 3 dc, in next corner repeat the shell of 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc*. Repeat * to * all around, joining when you reach the end of your row.

I will always have 4 corners of 3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc. I do not put any chains between the groups of 3 dc on the 4 sides of the afghan.

I repeat the above pattern until I reach the size of afghan I want to make. I've made the afghans the size of the back of a couch, or the back of a chair, or the top and sides of a twin bed. It all depends upon the person whom you're making it for.

My grandchildren use theirs to "snuggle" with as they watch TV in the evenings, and there's plenty of room in them.

I've kept watch on some of the fun fur I've used before in these afghans, and have used up to 30 balls in some of them. But, I've gotten most of my fun fur for 50 cents a skein, so it wasn't too expensive.

Only rarely do I have trouble with the fun fur shedding. I "test" the yarn in the store before buying it, by giving a strand a "gentle" tug. If it sheds, I don't buy it.

I hope this has been a bit helpful to you.

I'd say that you could easily search the web for a giant granny square, to get a picture of what it would look like. But, remember when you use the fun fur with the 4 ply yarn, the pattern doesn't matter.

Have a great day!!

Carol

[papersmiles]

I have not made any afghans out of the fun fur (but now I think I might in the future). However, the scarves, hats, trimmed mittens and purses where I have paired fun fur with other yarn do wash well on delicate and then I run them in the dryer on AIR (no heat) to get rid of some of the moisture. And then like you, Carol, I drape them someplace to finish drying them (usually over the backs of the dining room chairs). The only icky thing is that some of the eyelash yarn sheds more profusely than others leaving a "trail" of "orts" all over the rug.

[yarnwoman2004]

I'm just thinking, is it hard to wash the fun fur afghans? I know most require hand washing. And in the winter I don't know if that would be hard or not? I think they would be so nice, I love my scarf. But I'm not one for hand washing...

 

Debbi,

The fun fur afghans which I've made for my grandchildren have been washed in the washing machine (cold water). The only drawback with the fun fur is that you can't dry them in a dryer. You have to either put them out on a clothes line to dry, or drape them over a banister, or something similar. I believe it's the heat from the dryer that would "damage" the yarn fibers in the fun fur. At any rate, I've found that crocheting the afghans is a much more reasonable way to use up my vast supply of the fun fur, and the recipients are ALWAYS in the deepest admiration and gratefulness of the afghans. Their beauty far exceeds the "inconvenience" of not being able to dry them in a dryer.

Carol

[Nikkidear]

This is brilliant. I too have a ton of fancy fur, and did not know what to do with it. I really think I'm going to try a giant granny. My family are sick of receiving scarves, and I would love a blanket out of this. I'm thinking of matching the fur up with Caron SS. I've used this mix for scarves and it worked great. Thanks for posting this.

[papersmiles]

Didn't "Lion Brand" have a free pattern for a "giant granny square" ghan?

[yarnwoman2004]

Carol....how many balls of fun fur for each square?

 

I don't keep track of the amount of balls of fun fur for the giant granny square afghan. I simply crochet a continuous granny square until I reach the appropriate size of an afghan for the intended receiver. As I said, all who see these finished afghans always ooh and aah, and I've had MANY requests for more! Once you make one, you'll see the beauty of such a creation.

Carol

[matyson5]

Carol....how many balls of fun fur for each square?

[darski]

Erin Lindsay - a member here - has a great technique for making rectangle grannies and she has a photo- tutorial for it as well.

 

http://iamtotallyobsessedwithyarn.blogspot.com/2006/01/granny-square-pattern-with-pictures.html

[acraftylady]

I bought this magazine a long time ago. The afghan on the cover is knit but I always thought it would be so cool to do something like this in crochet. Mary

 

[mrsb_325]

Carol, Thank you so much for your instructions, the only other questions I have is can I find a "giant granny square" pattern online to know how to do it, and what it looks like, and how much Yarn does it take you to make one?

I hope I am not being a pain, but being a mewbie to crochet, I have to have details and something to go by. LOL sorry. Thanks again. Rhonda

[yarnwoman2004]

Karen and Rhonda,

When I make the fun fur afghans, I've always made the giant granny square pattern, because if you try making one of these, you'll find out that with the fluff of the fun fur yarn, one can't see the "stitch pattern" you use. As I pointed out, I always use 1 strand of 4 ply yarn (which correlates with the shade of the fun fur) and 1 strand of fun fur. The results are OUTSTANDING, and all who have seen them, can't get over their beauty!

I don't have a digital camera to share a picture with you, but, after you try making one, you'll understand what I'm telling you.

I've made fun fur afghans using all shades of reds and blacks together; shades of purples together; off white and sage green; rust colors with browns; shades of pinks together and shades of blues.

I have several more to make, and can't keep up with the requests!!!

If I can help in any other way, please ask!

Carol

[mrsb_325]

This is what I have been doing with my vast supply of fun fur:

 

I've made over 20 afghans using 1 strand of 4 ply yarn and 1 strand of the fun fur. My grandchildren wouldn't part with theirs, and all who have received these afghans from me, say that others are always wanting one, too.

 

I use a size N hook when making these afghans.

 

Carol

 

I, like Karen would love to know how you did this, and possible see a picture of one. Any help would be so appreciated

Rhonda

[econ-nerd]

This is what I have been doing with my vast supply of fun fur:

 

I've made over 20 afghans using 1 strand of 4 ply yarn and 1 strand of the fun fur. My grandchildren wouldn't part with theirs, and all who have received these afghans from me, say that others are always wanting one, too.

 

I use a size N hook when making these afghans.

 

Carol

 

I was thinking about doing this too. Double crochet? How many skeins of the fluff? What did you use as a starting chain and how many rows? Doesn't it shed like a cat?

 

Thanks

Karen

[yarnwoman2004]

This is what I have been doing with my vast supply of fun fur:

I've made over 20 afghans using 1 strand of 4 ply yarn and 1 strand of the fun fur. My grandchildren wouldn't part with theirs, and all who have received these afghans from me, say that others are always wanting one, too.

I use a size N hook when making these afghans.

Carol

[Debbi-a1]

Micheals usually has those cheap flip flops for about $1.99. Of course you can find them at the dollar store too.

 

I think fur is really only good for trim or scarfs.

 

Maybe if you don't want to frog it could be come a funky rug. Maybe a furry little thing for the back seat of your car. Or ... not sure...

 

I suggest make scarfs and they would be great for Christmas gifts or charity.

[sonnets_and_stitches]

Fun fur makes pretty trim, but rotton just-about-everything else.

 

Have you tried the flip-flop sandal trick with fun fur? You wrap or crochet the fun fur around the thongs of the flip-flops, and then tie it off. It makes even cheap flip-flops feel heavenly - I have a friend who pulls out this craft when she's in charge of a bevy of girls. Fun, fast, and inexpensive.

[acraftylady]

I bought tons of the fun fur when our $ store had it. I made scarves for gifts. I used a P hook and single crochet back and forth and they turned out very nice and every one loved them. Wheh I do my next prayer shawl for the church I think I am going to edge it in fun furn instead of doing fringe. Mary