The Avatar Afghan

Hi.

A number of people asked about the Afghan in my avatar.

Yes, its mine and its an easy pattern so.. here it is!

Avatar Afghan

This pattern is copyrighted, so please feel free to use it, but not to repeat the pattern elsewhere. If you do make up your own afghan, please send me a picture! If you would like to link to it, please drop me a line.

 

If you sell an afghan made from this pattern – I would ask you to donate a little bit of $ to your local Salvation Army or Guide dog Association.Despite the fact I am Australian, I have used American terminology (I think it’s more logically named). I have used grams and milli’m’s and centi’m’s because thats what I’m more familiar with. Sorry if anyone’s confused. Have some chocolate, it may help.

Some of Amanda’s tips.

Make up a swatch – It’s not that bad, we’re not worried about gauge, but I’d like you to be prepared for these stitches if you haven’t used them before. Besides – it’ll use up some of those bits of scrap yarn you’ve stashed away but can’t bear to get rid of.I also use a size larger hook when doing my foundation chain, which makes everything more even at the end. When you turn the work at the end of a row, try to turn it in the same direction each time as it makes for a neater edge. – The chain that you use to make the “starting dc” then will be straight.

Stitches Used in this pattern

Ok – this Afghan does involve a number of different stitches but its why its a good FIRST afghan because you get to practise!

Ch – Chain – the good old fashioned chain.

SS – Slip Stitch.

SC – Single Crochet

DC – Double Crochet

HDC – Half Double Crochet

BLFLBS – Back Loop , Front Loop Bobble Stitch . I do not know if there is an official name for this stitch but it works like this: Into the Back Loop of the stitch make a single crochet, but only pull through once so you have two loops on the hook. Then make a single crochet on the front loop of the SAME stitch, only pulling through once so you now have three loops on the hook. Yarn Over and Pull through all the loops at once.

Shell stitch – Into one stitch, two DCs, Chain 2, and then two more DCs.

Puff Stitch - This is a tricksy one. Yarn over, insert hook into the stitch and draw up a loop, yarn over and repeat until you have 9 loops on the hook. Yarn over, and pull through 8 loops, leaving the last one on the hook, yarn over and pull through the last stitch. Sometimes the puffs need a bit of “plumping’ to make sure they’re sitting nice and level on the right side. Puffs are made bigger or smaller by the number of loops you make.

Are you ready?

What yarn do I need?

I used 8ply Acrylic – a 1kg ball which was about 1200m and a 5mm hook this made an afghan 112cm by 145cm. Plus tassels.

This was from my father’s mother’s stash, which is one of the reasons I like this blanket.If you want to use different colours for the rows, or borders that would work fine. Use whatever size hook the yarn recommends and/or whatever hook feels best to you.

You will also need a DVD case to make your tassels (long tassels go vertically, short tassels horizontally – they’re the perfect size) and now make sure you have your crochet accompaniment of choice : for me its usually Apple and Guava juice splashed with Absolut and a bag of peppermints but you may substitute your own preferences.

The Body

This pattern is worked over multiples of 5 + 1 + 3. To make my afghan I used a width of 23 shells which was a starting chain of 119. The First 4 chains count as a Double Crochet.

You may think I have that Wrong but I have found with this pattern, having that extra chain in the corner makes life a little easier and the afghan a little squarer.

So In the SIXTH chain from the Hook, work a shell. Skip two chains, Work a DC, *Skip 2, work Shell, Skip 2 chains, work a DC.* Repeat from * across to the end, finishing on a DC.Turn, Chain Four, (yep, thats right – Four) and * chain 2, SC into the Ch 2 space of the shell. Ch 2, DC into the DC*, repeat from * to * until the end.

It should now look like this (ok – without the border!!! Look at the shells)

Now repeat these two rows until the Afghan is the length you want.

The Border

Spacing along edges can be a tricky thing.
First of all TURN – so you are working on the wrong side. Puff stitches naturally fall to the RIGHT so you want them to come to the FRONT of your work.

This is worked in rows, all the way around the body. The first row is the puff stitch round. Alternating puffs and SC all the way round.When you get to the corner, make a SC shell in the corner loop of the Chain four or last DC. For the corners. TURN so we’re now working with the good side facing you. Next Round HDCS all the way round – again make an HDC shall in the chain two space of the previous shell in each corner.

Next round alternating HDCs and BLFLBS – with a HDC shell in each corner.

Next Round HDCs (and again – HDC shells in the corners)

Last Round: TURN (back to the Dark Side) and its our Alternating Puffs and SCs (sc Shell in the corners.)

Finish off, weave in your ends.

BTW the Evil Frog God will come and get you if you use knots!!

Add your tassels in the usual way or you could try a four strand fringe along the short ends.… And hey presto.

If you find any issues – PLEASE let me know.

Otherwise enjoy!!!

Manda

p.s. please say hi!

And an update for 2008….

October last year – something happened. I posted the Avatar Afghan Pattern and in one night, over 800 people came to visit. Some of you come back regularly which I do appreciate. My life has it’s amusing, and decidedly less so, moments and I find it easier to deal with them if I can share my thoughts.

It was quite a moment however, when Someone told me they were making MY afghan.

What did that mean? Someone trusted me enough to use their yarn to follow my directions.

OMG!

I wonder if this is like giving birth? Will it like me???

But let me show you Elaine’s Afghan : (you can visit her blog to hear about her experience making it)

 

 

 

 

 

Isn’t beautiful???

And now I have Kris’s Avatar Afghan to show you – in a blue…

Kris, you may now have the floor  to brag!

So – If you make an Avatar Afghan, please drop me a photo – I’ll add you on here!

Melissa sent me a note : she made an Avatarghan for her Mother as a Mother’s day present!

 

 

 

 

And another note :

 My Avatar Afghan in Greens, which is the Fourth version of the Avatar I’ve made, was made in Panda’s Lily – a Mohair /Alpaca blend that had an interesting varigation between gray, brown and green.

This afghan was entered at Canberra Royal 2009 - wining a 3rd in a very strong class, 1st at Tarago Show and 1st at Yass  (again very big regional agricultural shows).

Finally, at Sydney Royal 2009, it sold !