Super Mario Screenshot Afghan

Intro: Super Mario Screenshot Afghan

Just like a ton of other people, I am a huge video game fan...and when I bought my first home a couple years ago I knew that I planned on having at least one room's decor entirely devoted to video games. Well, that one room quickly turned into an entire basement dedicated to retro gaming!

Retro game sprites translate to most craft projects very easily because they can be counted out pixel by pixel, which is also the basis for many crafting mediums. This blanket was no different...which made it much simpler than everyone thinks!


The whole thing is done using single crochet, so that is the only stitch you need to know how to do in order to make this afghan.

Step 1: Materials Needed:

The materials needed for this project are as follows:

-- Size J Crochet Hook
-- Scissors

I used Red Heart brand yarn in the following colors, but any brand of worsted weight yarn should do:

-- Parakeet Blue  (sky background)
-- Olympic Blue  (Mario's overalls)
-- Jockey Red  (Mario's shirt)
-- Light Peach  (Mario's skin/ground)
-- Emerald Green  (grass/turtle shell)
-- Silver Grey  (cloud accent)
-- Tangerine  (question block)
-- Honey Gold  (inside of question black/turtle accents)
-- Claret Brown  (ground/bricks/goomba)
-- White
-- Black

Step 2: Pattern Instructions:

In the follow steps I'll be including a pattern in the form of a grid lined picture.

For this project, I think the illustrated pattern is much easier to follow than a written out one -- the picture makes a good reference for stitch counts in case you get lost, and it also make it very clear as to where exactly the yarn color changes occur -- however, the pattern is very large and needed to be broken into several files to allow the grid to be large and visible.
 

Each square on the grid represents 1 single crochet stitch.

Step 3: Pattern Part 1:

Step 4: Pattern Part 2:

Step 5: Pattern Part 3:

Step 6: Pattern Part 4:

Step 7: Pattern Part 5:

Step 8: Pattern Part 6:

Step 9: Pattern Part 7:

Step 10: Pattern Part 8:

Comments

[CJC9]

Pattern piece number 4 is smaller than all the others is this meant to be like that thanks

[TeenaRolley]

In the process of making it. So 218 sc across about 319 vertically? I had to substitute a few colors. My hub is colorblind so he doesnt really care. Any tips?

[KatherineP23]

Could you please post yarn amounts needed for each color , thanks

[KaylaS23]

Getting prepared to start this thing. Problem though...the files for image 5 and 6 are the exact same. Please fix this! I signed up for the whole instructables Pro thing just for this one pattern and I'm sad I can't complete the project without it! I just downloaded it 1/24/16!

[JV1]

I just finished this Super Mario Afghan on November 11, 2014, and it took me approximately 2 months from start to finish. I started with 2 rows of black and worked from bottom to top. I am left handed, so I worked mine from left to right. It is helpful to keep track of where you are if you number your rows as you go. I used 18 (3.5 oz) skeins of Red Heart Classic Parakeet Worsted (4) yarn. You can get by with 1 skein for most of the colors, but if you use the Classic (3.5 oz.) you will need at least 2-3 skeins of the white and black. I could not find a "Claret Brown", so I used Red Heart Super Saver Claret, and it took 2 (7 oz.) skeins. Most of the yarn that I used for this project was Red Heart Classic, but for some of the colors I did use some Red Heart Super Saver yarn. If I had it to do over, I would probably try to use all Red Heart Super Saver in similar colors because it comes in bigger skeins and is cheaper. The finished afghan is big enough to fit a queen-sized bed. I ended up with 319 rows total, (Not including an extra row around for border) each row being 218 sc across. I love doing intarsia, but this involves multiple color changes throughout with a lot of loose ends to weave in as you go, so it may not be enjoyable for everyone. Yarn bobbins are very helpful in keeping the different colors of yarn organized when doing intarsia. They are inexpensive and can be found at Amazon.com and many other places that carry yarn supplies.

[J.m.C3]

I love this pattern for Mario but I'm not really a visual person so I'm having a hard time doing this without a pattern. Do u know where i can print out this pattern?

[lacemaker527]

Thank you so much for listing the amounts of yarn you used. I am getting ready to start this for my grandson, and headed to JoAnn's for the background yarn (I have everything else in sufficient quantity) for their 25% off entire purchase sale today. I had no idea how much to buy. This is LOADS of help!

[Hv27]

Quick question, if you had done it in Red Heart Super Saver about how many skiens do you think it would take?

[FranceO]

It won't let me download :( Is there something I have to do ?

[crennels]

I don't know if I did something wrong, But one piece of the pattern is missing. Mario and the blocks repeats I need the first row 3rd down over the green hill.

[allisontendo]

Oh! Sorry about that! I posted the same one twice. I just fixed it, so, the one you need is part 5 of 8.
Thanks for catching that!

[schown]

I know this is an old post but the images are still wrong on file 5 and 6, they are still both the same.... Really would like to make this but am unsure as I will need the pattern for the sky and when to put in the blocks. Thanks

[crennels]

Thank you so much for fixing that!

[rbaldwin4]

even I ♡♡this one ,grreat work.

[DeandrasCrafts]

I hope you win! You are my new crochet master and I bow down to your pattern writing skills. I will be making your future Tetris one, when you complete it. That was my favorite game growing up. =)

[allisontendo]

Aw, thanks! :) ME TOOOOO! lol

I've got a big dilema with the Tetris one though!

I've decided to make it granny square style, but I can't decide how to lay it out...full lines or not full lines? OR, should I only put Tetris pieces on the bottom half and have a piece falling? Like, maybe a straight piece falling in to place to make a Tetris? Ahhhh, can't decide!

What do you think?

[Hv27]

Oh. My. GOSH!!!! TETRIS?!!!!?!!!! That was my favorite game as a kid,i still play (im quite good,not to toot my own horn or anything) i MUST make it!!!! Is the graph available??

[DeandrasCrafts]

If I were to do one, I would probably try to piece it together like a puzzle and not have the spaces, BUT, as a gamer, I know the rows would have collapsed without the spaces. Hmmm...
It's got to be the one with the spaces then, right? I wonder if anyone else agrees.
Also, I like less assembly; so would it be more true to the game if the blocks were one piece or joined by granny squares? I'm going to have to get the game boy out and check now. :)

[allisontendo]

Saaaaame thing I was thinking!...I like the look of the one on the left better, but I don't know if I would feel right making it since it could never happen. As much as I dislike joining squares, I don't think the blocks would look right if they weren't comprised of smaller squares.

And then...this is also an option...
(Do you see why I said I was still just contemplating it? So many decisions! lol)

[DeandrasCrafts]

That above picture is EXACTLY what I was thinking. BUT how hard is that going to be!
That was off of the old Nintendo version. What about the game boy version. The screen was smaller so it didn't show the stats. I found a picture but it's not in color.
How about something like this, with the colored blocks and black spaces in the game area?