I would use a size H hook (5mm). You can also use a size G hook (4.25mm) which will give you a bit smaller, tighter fabric or a size I hook (5.50mm) which would give you a bit larger, looser fabric.
I always chain about 15 sts and crochet a swatch of the stitch I'm going to use for about 4 inches and then decide which hook to use. This takes a bit more yarn, but is worth it in the end!! Leigh MacD
My granny square afghans generally take about 9 skeins of yarn (72" x 72"). I prefer the granny square afghans because they're very simple, crochet up very quickly and look like you spent a lot of time working on it! :)
You should decide what stitch you want to a simple afghan in, make a swatch for it and then use the calculations on the yarn label to decide how many skeins you will need.
On a traditional, single crochet stitch afghan, measuring 60" x 72", figure on buying at least 12 skeins of yarn. Leigh MacD
What material would be best? wool? acrylic? A mix of the two?
Should you create "mini-afghans," and stitch/hand sew them together, or make the who thing?
How do you attach skeins/pieces of yarn while in mid-stitch? a square knot?
-PKT
How warm and versatile do you want your afghan? Is the afghan to be used by people who don't like wool?
If you're not allergic to wool, use wool and remember to wash the finished afghan on the hand wash cycle of your washer (This will keep it from felting.) IF you are allergic to wool, use acrylic (very springy) or cotton (firm).
As far as how you want to crochet your afghan, it depends on your level of patience. I prefer to make an afghan in one, fell, swoop. I typically do giant granny square afghans (you start a traditional granny square and just continue to make it larger).
Excellent rule to remember, NEVER knot your ends. This will be the place your afghan begins to unravel first when you wash it or with heavy use.
When you attach or continue with a new skein, start the stitch, leave a 10 inch tail, pull out a good length of the new skein, loop a 10 inch tail over to lay by the other one, draw a loop through the stitch you started and continue crocheting. As soon as you've completed a few stitches you should weave in both of the tails on the back side of your work. Here is a good web site with excellent pictures: http://crochet.about.com/library/bl_weave_ends.htm
Traditional Granny Square: Chain (ch) 6. Join with a slip stitch (sl st) to form a ring. Round 1: Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet), 2 double crochet (dc) in ring, ch 3, *3 dc in ring, ch 3; rep from * twice more. Join with sl st to 3rd of first ch 3. Break off yarn. (These instructions are for making multicolored granny squares. You break off the yarn to begin another color.) Round 2: Join yarn to any ch 3 space (sp), ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into same sp to make corner, *ch1, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) into next ch 3 sp to make corner; rep from * twice more, ch 1, join with sl st into 3rd of ch 3. Break off yarn. Round 3: Join yarn to any ch 3 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into same sp to make corner, *ch1, 3dc into ch 1 sp, ch1, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) into corner sp; rep from * to end, ending with ch1, join with sl st into 3rd ch of ch 3. Break off yarn. Round 4: Join yarn to any ch 3 corner sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into same sp to make corner, *(ch1, 3dc into ch 1 sp) along side of square, ch 1 (3dc, ch3, 3dc) into corner sp; rep from * to end of round, ending with ch 1, join with a sl st to 3rd of ch3. Break off yarn.
12 Comments
7 years ago on Introduction
great and easy instructions
8 years ago on Introduction
What happens when you get to the end of the chain? How to you crochet the next row?
13 years ago on Introduction
Where do you aquire such large yarn? JoAnn's? -PKT
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I got the super bulky yarn from Lion Brand's website. It's called "Thick & Quick" and is acrylic and wool. I have provided the link below.
http://www.lionbrand.com/yarns/we-thick.htm
Leigh MacD
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Thanks a ton!
What size hook would I need to crochet a small afghan with this yarn?
Number 971 specifically.
http://www.redheart.com/Default.aspx?tabid=75&yarnid=e267
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I would use a size H hook (5mm). You can also use a size G hook (4.25mm) which will give you a bit smaller, tighter fabric or a size I hook (5.50mm) which would give you a bit larger, looser fabric. I always chain about 15 sts and crochet a swatch of the stitch I'm going to use for about 4 inches and then decide which hook to use. This takes a bit more yarn, but is worth it in the end!! Leigh MacD
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
How many, on average, skeins of yarn does a simple, no-show-off, just-the-same-stitch afghan take? 4? 5? -PKT
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
My granny square afghans generally take about 9 skeins of yarn (72" x 72"). I prefer the granny square afghans because they're very simple, crochet up very quickly and look like you spent a lot of time working on it! :) You should decide what stitch you want to a simple afghan in, make a swatch for it and then use the calculations on the yarn label to decide how many skeins you will need. On a traditional, single crochet stitch afghan, measuring 60" x 72", figure on buying at least 12 skeins of yarn. Leigh MacD
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
What material would be best? wool? acrylic? A mix of the two? Should you create "mini-afghans," and stitch/hand sew them together, or make the who thing? How do you attach skeins/pieces of yarn while in mid-stitch? a square knot? -PKT
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
How warm and versatile do you want your afghan? Is the afghan to be used by people who don't like wool?
If you're not allergic to wool, use wool and remember to wash the finished afghan on the hand wash cycle of your washer (This will keep it from felting.) IF you are allergic to wool, use acrylic (very springy) or cotton (firm).
As far as how you want to crochet your afghan, it depends on your level of patience. I prefer to make an afghan in one, fell, swoop. I typically do giant granny square afghans (you start a traditional granny square and just continue to make it larger).
Excellent rule to remember, NEVER knot your ends. This will be the place your afghan begins to unravel first when you wash it or with heavy use.
When you attach or continue with a new skein, start the stitch, leave a 10 inch tail, pull out a good length of the new skein, loop a 10 inch tail over to lay by the other one, draw a loop through the stitch you started and continue crocheting. As soon as you've completed a few stitches you should weave in both of the tails on the back side of your work. Here is a good web site with excellent pictures: http://crochet.about.com/library/bl_weave_ends.htm
Traditional Granny Square:
Chain (ch) 6. Join with a slip stitch (sl st) to form a ring.
Round 1: Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet), 2 double crochet (dc) in ring, ch 3, *3 dc in ring, ch 3; rep from * twice more. Join with sl st to 3rd of first ch 3. Break off yarn. (These instructions are for making multicolored granny squares. You break off the yarn to begin another color.)
Round 2: Join yarn to any ch 3 space (sp), ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into same sp to make corner, *ch1, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) into next ch 3 sp to make corner; rep from * twice more, ch 1, join with sl st into 3rd of ch 3. Break off yarn.
Round 3: Join yarn to any ch 3 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into same sp to make corner, *ch1, 3dc into ch 1 sp, ch1, (3dc, ch3, 3dc) into corner sp; rep from * to end, ending with ch1, join with sl st into 3rd ch of ch 3. Break off yarn.
Round 4: Join yarn to any ch 3 corner sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) into same sp to make corner, *(ch1, 3dc into ch 1 sp) along side of square, ch 1
(3dc, ch3, 3dc) into corner sp; rep from * to end of round, ending with ch 1, join with a sl st to 3rd of ch3. Break off yarn.
This website shows how to crochet a granny square in one color: http://www.crochetcabana.com/tutorials/granny_square.htm
HTH, Leigh MacD
14 years ago on Introduction
hey your videos are awesome but I am having a hard time loading it... can we get a direct download?
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Try this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLv1VNbefF8
Leigh