Monday, April 30, 2018

MY LACY JOIN FOR YOUR AFGHAN


This has never been "tested" by anyone, least of all me! Try at your own risk!


I have posted before about the join I was going to use again some day but don't remember ever posting how I do it.  Therefore, here is a very short, not terribly great, tutorial that I thought might be of interest. I know this isn't going to be a super good tutorial on the pattern, because I would use different methods at the corners (and I don't write patterns well) where the joins would cross and haven't written up anything specific for them.  


When I do the next afghan join this May I will devise a pattern and write up tutorial on what I do for those "cross over" areas, as well a a better tutorial all the way around.  Read the whole thing before attempting as you will see that it lacks a lot of structure (the pattern as written I mean!).


First and foremost you need to crochet on each side an odd number of sc stitches…or fudge if you don't have them perfectly lined up that way.  Do a sc, chain 3, sc in each corner. Fudge in the middle along the side somewhere if needed as it won't show up as much.  All squares MUST have the same amount of sc stitches across each side.  The next round per side would be "sc, chain 3, skip one sc, sc in next stitch; ch 3, skip stitch, sc in next stitch across each side (sc, ch3, sc in each corner). Be sure to count to make sure you have the same ch3's on each side, and each square.

No real photos of the corners. Work your corners according to how you feel comfortable considering your pattern. It could be that the ch3 would be too wide or too narrow.


Please note I am not giving instructions on how to start and stop each round. I usually start my round in the middle of a side and then join with a slip stitch and break off. Then start the next round on a different side using the Air Crochet I devised.  Once I do the complete pattern I will figure it out properly!

The next round would be basically a repeat of sort of the last round;  *sc in ch3 space below, ch 3; sc in the next chain 3 space*.  Repeat from * to * around but do a sc, ch3, sc in each corner space again.  


Now, when you join each square you will be using a sc in your first ch3 space, then ch2, sc in the corresponding ch3 in the joining square, ch2 and sc in the ch3 space across on the first square. You will go back and forth that way to the corners of each square.

PLEASE NOTE:  Your square will be off a tad when all is said and done.  See the photo of the joined three squares under the full afghan.  That is because the ch3 spaces will be fitting BETWEEN the ch3 spaces on the other side.  It sort of "comes out in the wash" once all the sides are finished and the border is finished. You may want to add a row of sc, ch3 across the end of the join between the squares before you put on your full border around all the joined squares.  Once again, I have never claimed to be a designer so if anyone can tell me a better way, I am all ears! It is possible this could be fixed by starting the ch3's differently, but am not sure how that would be accomplished yet.

To me it is a pretty join, wider than the flat braid, and lacier.  I hope you try it and come back with some helpful notes!  As I said I will put together my next afghan using this and will write it up in better form…maybe figure out some of the oddities I have fudged on!

Happy Monday!

Friday, April 13, 2018

TOO many projects!


I have a bit too many pots on the stove.  As I said before, I am joining & bordering an afghan for my dear friend Sharon who lives in PA. She hasn't been joining her squares from her many, many swaps!  Bev joined and bordered one, too, but she is much faster than I am.  I only have two more rows to go!


I am also starting a swap, which won't start until the 15th.  I'm pretty sure it will be 9" squares and most will be textured, although some people will want some with color - the textured swap is known for being one color a square.  The colors will be (in Vanna's Choice yarn) Linen, Taupe, Toffee, Purple, and Kelly Green.  I'm thinking for sure I don't want Kelly Green in mine (I like Sage and will add it somehow), and I'm not sure about Purple.  I have two textured squares finished in Toffee already since next week (when it starts) I will be in Portland to visit my family, but also to see the doctor regarding surgery on my back.


I went to knee therapy and he put this on to help stabilize my knee which seems to wobble, and hurts like crazy when I wake up in the morning. That, as it turns out, is a condition caused by the bad lower back.  Also the muscles are weaker and the leg is smaller. Dang…I have pencil legs as it is! You can't tell by the photo, but my ankles are almost the same size as my wrists. Hopefully surgery will get my whole body under control.  The blue contraption (now pink as he changed it at the last session) seems to really help…thank goodness. Therapy seems to help.


The last project is my gate.  I had part of my fence removed (I was letting people walk through my yard into my neighbors yard as the two streets both dead end at our homes.  Neither she nor my neighbors liked the bikes and the dogs and people walking up and down in front of our homes on the private drive, but had some friends who went nuts when I first put up the fence. They live on the other street. The reason people cut through is to make it to the Discovery Trail. The thing about it is the trail runs parallel to both streets a block away and they could reach it without having to cut through.

I finally had enough and moved the fence back to where I started to put it and widened the gate to let trucks (UPS and USPS) into the yard so they don't bump the posts any longer!  The problem has been the heaviness of the gate and the way the yard raises up.  They are working on another plan to get it to work right. I have it working on an opener, so I don't have to lift the gate to pull it open or shut.

Have a great weekend! Sorry this is so long!



Friday, April 6, 2018

Happy Belated 70th Birthday To Me!


My DDIL and DSS bought me a birthday cake for last years birthday. :o)  It was a beautiful cake and very scrumptious!


We celebrated at a Chinese restaurant (authentic - my DDIL is Chinese/American). I asked my brother if my fortune meant I was sweet but empty headed….he didn't answer!!1



The next day my DSD hid an Easter Basket outside for the girls to find. Normally it would be full of goodies, so only one basket for the two girls and just Peeps. The almost 10 year old is questioning why the Easter Bunny has handwriting that looks like her moms.  LOL!  


The dogs were pretty pooped after we came home from the THIRD night out on the town.  They had to stay outdoors.  We had Easter dinner at a lovely restaurant overlooking Portland


My Easter Tree in it's final form.  Can't decided if I will do May Day or Memorial Day early. I want to do a Birthday Tree the first of June to celebrate the next birthday!

I have been joining an afghan for a friend Sharon who has been piling them up trading squares for years!  My BFF already did one and I am STILL joining! Actually I finished joining and am on the first round of the border. I have a LOT of ends to weave in! Pictures another time. It's on my phone but didn't transfer over to the computer. Darn!

💗