Chunky, Crochet Throws

This feels a bit odd to be creating a blog post!  It's been so long since I did that!  I was a bit burned out on blogging and stopped posting early last year.  Then, life got crazy busy with going back to work for a while, my daughter graduating from college (with two bachelor degrees...I'm so proud of her!), moving my daughter to another state for grad school, and lots and lots of busy-ness!  I'm attempting a come back.  It's a little hard to decide where to start.  So, I'll start with a post about some fun projects I did this last year...

I found a pattern on Ravelry that I just couldn't get out of my mind.  It looked like a lot of fun to make.  It also looked quick....which was part of the fun!  The pattern is the "5 1/2 Hour Throw" and you can find it free on Ravelry.  It requires three strands of yarn and a size "Q" crochet hook.

I thought it would look nice with three different kinds of yarn...a yarn that has some variation of color and some airy softness/fuzziness (I used about four skeins of Homespun), a solid with a bit of sheen (I used just over two skeins of Simply Soft), and a solid that has more of a mat finish (I used about two skeins of Red Heart Super Saver Solids).  I used about 750 yards of each kind of yarn. 

I made this one for my daughter.  I love how it turned out and it looks great with her green chair and all the other colors she uses to decorate her apartment.  Best of all....she loves it! The colors are beautiful in person!

I made this one for our house and was able to de-stash by using some leftover yarn from a blanket I finished knitting last year.   

These chunky throws are warm and cozy despite all the holes and they're super soft and cozy!  Just ask Penelope....she thinks I made this one just for her!  She lays on it a lot.

This pattern is so fun, easy, and quick that it's a bit addicting.  I made a third one for a wedding gift.  I was told the couple likes blue.  I had a hard time finding a blue I liked as Homespun doesn't seem to have a big selection of blues.  Some looked like 80's/90's "country blue".  I didn't think that would be a good idea. I ended up with this combination.  It turned out pretty and I think they like it.

The chunky hook and three strands of yarn make for a quick project.  Each throw took a week or less to make.

I would love to make another chunky throw but I have so many blankets right now and I'm not sure I know anyone who needs one.  But, if I find a reason to make another one, I'm sure there won't be much hesitation!  ;-)

Done!

It's done!  It's finally done!  After two and a half years (almost three)...it's done and off the needles!  All the ends are tucked in.  Photos have been taken.  The Ravelry project page is completed.  And, it's ready to enjoy....before this winter is over!  Woot!  I did it!  Finally!

It's already being used and enjoyed!

Penelope waited patiently through a lot of photos.  She decided that she just couldn't wait any longer when I moved to the family room to take more.  It was time to get warm and cozy!

"Are you done yet, mom?"

This project started with a bunch of yarn I bought to make a crochet throw.  The yarn color is "Redwood Heather" and it goes perfectly with fabrics I bought for window treatments, pillows, etc. for our family room.  HERE's the original post to see all the materials together.  I quickly got started on the crochet throw and didn't like how the pattern looked.  I ripped it out and decided to make a knitted throw instead.  A little crazy because I knew it would take a LOT longer but this pattern was too pretty to resist.  

It's a free pattern I found on Ravelry called, "Surrounded Afghan and Lap Robe".  The main directions are for a small version but it explains how to make it larger.  My version turned out to be about 44" x 66" with 35 pattern repeats across and about 47 pattern repeats for the length.

I decided a couple of months ago that this project had been going on long enough.  It was time to finish it and I didn't allow myself to start on or work on any other projects until it was complete!  I wanted to get it done and to do so before winter was over so we could enjoy it and not have to wait until next winter.  I did it!  I finished it last night!  I even tested it out with a little snooze on the sofa.  It passed the test!  It's warm and cozy!

This is the first project I've ever done with an I-cord edging.  It's actually quite simple and the results are fantastic.  It creates such a nice edge around the entire throw.

I love the stitch pattern!

Nice and big!

Ok, Penelope...the picture taking is done.  Enjoy our new, cozy, throw!

I used just over six skeins of Bernat Super Solids in "Redwood Heather" to make this.  The total yardage was just over 2,670 yards.  I knitted it with size 8 circulars and size 7 double points.  There's a total of over 110,000 stitches (I calculated it a few repeats back but forgot to mark down how many stitches I had on the needles to calculate the total now that it's complete...ooops!).  I had planned to make it 70" long but my hands were hurting from working with this big project, all the stitches on the needles, and the acrylic yarn.  So, I decided to just finish it off a few inches short.  Those extra four inches would have meant 40 more rows or around 10,000 more stitches!  It's plenty long enough to curl up in.  And, I'm SO ready to start something new, different, and MUCH smaller!

Finally!

I'm so happy!  After almost three years (I just looked up when I started this....it was April of 2012!), I'm finally finishing up this seemingly never ending throw!

I started the i-cord bind off last night at knit group.  I love how the i-cord edge looks.  And, it's so cool how nicely it turned the corner!

I should have it done this weekend.  It's a bit hard on the hands because the final pattern rows are horizontal and the i-cord is vertical.  It takes pressure to keep the needles turned the right way to knit.  So, I have to give my hands a break every so often.  And, the ending i-cord is equal to four rows of knitting.

I'm so excited!  This epic project will deserve a nice long photo shoot when it's done.  Stay tuned for a post of the finished throw!  Wooohooo!

FO Friday - Getting Closer!

I don't have an FO to show for this week but I'm working as hard and fast as I can on my never-ending afghan/throw.  I started it a couple of years ago and it NEEDS to get done!  I've been working hard on it for the past few weeks and I'm aiming to finish it before this winter is over.  I won't let myself start any new projects until it's done!

I've been trying to work on it every single day.  And, I've been going to as many knit gatherings as I can to get a few hours of uninterrupted knitting time at each gathering.  Here's a photo I snapped with my phone last night while a bunch of us were gathered at a local Starbucks.  Several of us were working on afghans.  I called us the "afghan crew".  I love the footstools they have at this Starbucks!  And, my afghan keeps me warm while I work!

I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel!  I only have nine repeats left now (yay for single digits!) and seven rows!  Hooray!  The closer I get, the faster I knit!  I can't wait!

Knitting Progress

I've been knitting a lot lately on a throw I started a couple of years ago.  I know...a couple of years?!

  Yup!  It's a LOT of knitting, it doesn't grow very fast, and I get bored with the slow progress.

But, I can officially say that it's past the halfway point!  Yippeee!

Now, if I can just keep up the momentum!

Here it is as of this morning...

The pattern is called "Surrounded" and it's available on Ravelry.

I love the look of it!

Reds are always hard to get correct in pictures.

So, I took pictures in a few different places.

I'm don't think any of them are spot on but they're close.

Maybe I'll have it done by next winter.  That would be nice.

HERE'S a link of when I bought the yarn for it and how it coordinates with fabrics for the room.

Redwood Throw

I'm knitting again!  Yay!  And, enjoying every stitch of it!  Life has been so busy for months that it's been a rare event that I've had much time to sit down and play with yarn.  I started knitting a throw way back in May but it's sat lonely in my knitting bag for months.  I've been knitting on it this past week and have completed several repeats of the pattern.  It's growing!  I hope I can keep up the momentum and finish it in time to use this winter.  It'll be a nice project to work on as the weather cools and the throw grows.  It'll keep me warm as I knit on it.  That is...if it ever cools down.