My daughter headed off to UW-LaCrosse this past fall and I wanted her to have something of home to keep her cozy and warm in her dorm - so I crocheted her an afghan of her school mascot. This type of afghan is called a graphgan and is worked corner to corner (C2C). It only uses a couple of crochet stitches and will keep you cozy and warm as you work the afghan.

Supplies

Crochet hook - size G

Worsted weight yarn - I used RedHeart SuperSaver. This one has no dye lot and I really had no idea how much I would need. This way, I just bought more as I needed it.

Step 1: Choose a Picture

You need to choose a good picture to start. I generally 'Google' the images and look for one I think might work. You aren't limited to just two colors. The second image is from some artwork in my living room. I thought I could leave the afghan out as a throw - it would be both decorative and warm and cozy. The third image is one I'm thinking of doing for a wedding gift.

update: I did make the monogram as the wedding shower gift. The completed afghan is pictured later in the instructable.

Step 2: Visit Stitchfiddle.com

Stichfiddle.com

This free website will turn your picture in to a graph. Choose crochet, Corner to Corner and you'll be prompted to choose a picture. Load your picture in and continue to follow the prompts to turn it into a graph. As you can see, some work better than others. I wasn't too happy with the graph of Baby Yoda. Don't think I'll make that one.

Step 3: Don't Know How to Corner to Corner Crochet?

Corner to Corner video instruction

This video will walk you through the basics of C2C crocheting.

Step 4: Lots of Counting and Detangling

Here's where C2C can be a little challenging. Each square on the graph represents one block of crochet stitches. You need to count how many stitches you need in each color. In the example I have pictured, the diagonal I was on required 2 white blocks, 11 red, then 6 more white, 13 more red and then an additional 23 white.

Once I finished a diagonal, I would count out the next diagonal. I have a nice app on my iPad that lets me write on a picture - it's free and called Notability from Ginger Labs. After I count out the next diagonal, I tend to erase the prior one so I always know where I am in my work.

Another challenging thing is keeping your yarn untangled. As you drop a color and pick up another, the yarn balls will tangle. I stop now and then and detangle them. My neice just waits until its a hopeless knot-mess and cuts the strings. She figures you're going to have end strings to weave in anyway; why take the time to untangle?

Step 5: Add a Border?

I asked my daughter what she wanted as a border on her afghan and she said 'nothing fancy'. I went around the entire afghan with some single crochets just to finish it off.