Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Rockman Afghan CAL Week #2

Week Two
Making the Strips
Hello there and welcome!
This week we are going to start the strips and I'll start with the super duper short version for you experts out there that are familiar with tunisian crochet:
Ch 10, Tunisian crochet 7 rows of any color, *change colors for 7 more rows*. Repeat from * to * 33 more times for a total of 34 color blocks. Also note that when you change colors you will weave in
 both colors as you crochet the first new color row.
You may be very, very sorry if you don't weave as you go,
but I would never be one to say "I told you so" ;-).
When changing colors be sure to leave the last two loops on the hook and pull
the new color through both loops for a seamless color transition.
Explained with greater detail in photo tutorial below.
One strip takes me about 3-4 hours,
so in other words, on Tuesday night after two evenings of watching  DWTS, one strip is complete.
And that strip will forever, in my mind be, the Foxtrot, or the Tango or the Jitterbug etc.

Make 16-20 strips depending on how much yarn you have,
keeping in mind that this is a labor of love.
Be sure to use the larger skein colors more often so you don't run out
 of one color way before the other colors, unless you want to save a color for the edging.
I also made sure that I did not repeat a color right next to the same color on the next strip.
This will take a little tracking.
Sometimes I would make two random strips with no rhyme or reason to the color order and then a third one that could fit between the two, making sure the colors would separate any two colors next to each other.
Did that make sense?

Mix it up a bit.
Be free.
Have fun.


So here we go on the step by step:
Pull out those supplies you gathered last week.
 Ch 10
 Pull up a loop in each CH and leave on hook
YO pull through first loop
YO pull through two loops...
repeat with two loops to the end until you have one loop left on hook.
Insert hook through the second vertical yarn line and pull up a  loop...
 like this.
Then do that to each vertical yarn to the end
(10 loops on hook again)
If you always make sure there are 10 then you'll know right away if you need
 to frog and fix. 10 is easy to count, 3,3,3, and 1 is what I push with my fingers.
That's the beauty of Tunisian.
Repeat this 7 more time until is looks like this,
but leave the last two loops on the hook for the color change.
(It will curl until blocked, so no worries. I'm holding it down with my hand in this photo.)
Snip the yarn a little longer than the width of the crochet
Like this
 Grab the new color of yarn and leave a tail a little longer than the width of the crochet.
 Slip the new color through the last two loops from your last row.
For this first new color row you will weave in the two ends
(the old color and the new color) in front and behind this row as you crochet.
This really is the only tricky part of this whole project and once you get it,
it will be a piece of cake after that.
 Here are a few more photos of what the looks like.
Repeat to end.
This is how your first new color row will look from the front side...
and this is how it will look from the back. See how nicely the new color works in.
 Leave these ends as they can be secured further with the joining crochet row. I originally snipped these because I felt like they were already secure enough, but upon washing they worked themselves out a little, so now I am thinking that they could be worked in with the join row next week, as well.

So, do this for 34 blocks of color, but on the last one cast off
like this:

On the last row leave only one loop left on the hook.
 Insert hook in second vertical yarn line and YO and pull through both the loops.
 Like this
Repeat to the end
It will look like this.
Nice huh? 
Now comes the fun part...
Make 16-20 of these strips for an afghan.
(I like even numbers because I am a weirdo it folds in half nicer that way. I got mixed up though and mine ended up being 17 strips - I could have sworn I had 18, maybe one is under the sofa....)
Don't worry about these curling up on the ends, it just happens and will flatten out upon joining strips, edging and washing and if that doesn't do it a little blocking will do the trick. :-)

If you are not up to such a big project then this patchwork concept can be made in to a baby blanket, a pillow, a scarf or even a stuffed animal...the possibilities are endless.

Here's a potholder - it only took about an hour and a half,
and it's made exactly the same as the afghan, just less squares.
Made from the leftover leftovers. :-)

Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to 
connecting with you next week for the final week:

Joining and Edging

Have Fun!!!

13 comments:

  1. Thanks for hosting the CAL...i will sure do something small...am thinking a doormat

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    Replies
    1. A doormat sounds like a great idea, let me know how it goes. :-)

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  2. How nice....I never used this stitch but maybe I will give it a try...It looks alot like knitting! Your colors are beautiful, it's going to be a nice blanket I am sure! Shari

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Shari. The back side especially looks like purl and it's very thick. Something different. :-)

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  3. Coucou Astri,
    Personnellement, je ne suis pas une adepte du crochet tunisien. Quand j'étais jeune, j'avais acheté un très long crochet pour faire ce style de point mais je ne me suis pas amusée. Une de mes filles m'a "emprunté" ce crochet et maintenant il a disparu, mais je ne suis pas triste de sa perte :) Ce n'est pas une façon de crocheter que j'aime.
    Par ailleurs, je trouve que la présentation "pas-à-pas" est très bien prise en photo et félicitations pour tout ce beau reportage photographique.
    Bonne soirée Astri, j'espère que Sandy n'a pas fait de mal dans ta région et que votre jolie maison et votre magnifique jardin est resté au calme.

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    Replies
    1. How kind of you to be concerned about us, Domy, no, we have not had any repercussions of "Sandy" here, we are very fortunate. The weather is lovely here and I feel for those back east.

      Sounds like it is a good thing your daughter lost that crochet hook. :-)

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  4. Thank you Astri, can't wait to give it a go. :)

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    Replies
    1. I have been practising all evening and I love it, can't think why I didn't try it before. :)

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    2. That's great Linda. I am glad you are trying it - you always make it so fun!

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  5. As for the "Rockman", aka NVO, I love throwing this blanket over my legs in the cool mornings while I study my Norwegian. Thank you Astri...xo

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  6. Dang Blogger - another missed post!

    I love the step-by-step photos (grin).

    A doormat is a wonderful idea - I'm thinking bedside rug. Must go dig through my stash again and see how much is available.

    Isn't tunisian fun? Thanks for the pattern and CAL. :)

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  7. Got you, linda, thanks. Couldn't wait to try this. Looks like I can use my crochet hook for this work... no need to have an afghan hook?

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  8. That is lovely Astri. Thanks for sharing the pattern with us... I'm going to try to make a washcloth with Tunisian crochet and give it a try :)

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