NOTES OF INTEREST:

Just Crochet/Craft Idea's: It's been a very long time since I have posted anything to my Blog. Due to family and life in general, I got a little detoured. I will try to get time to type up some new entries. I have created a lot of items, gave them away and did not take pictures or type them up. We lost both of our boys this year. Jiggy in March and Stubby in July. We have a new friend her name is MayBee (due to the fact that we weren't quite sure about keeping her). She's 4 years old and full of energy. I make her Kitty Strings with yarn, it was such a hit, I donated some to the local animal shelter. I'll try to put them on the Blog next week. As usual, if you have questions about crafting or crochet, I will answer them under the post where you leave the comment. Thanks for stopping by. Birdie



News of interest and/or Fun:
All your yarn web sites have Free patterns and great yarn buys. So check them out. My favorite finds to date are Red Heart Yarns, Lion Brand and Lilly Sugar & Cream Cotton. Also don't forget the craft stores, like Michael's or Joann's, they also have free patterns in their yarn section and some great books for sale.

Also GO TO... ALL FREE CROCHET or FAVE CRAFTS, They always have new Free e-books and lots of patterns and crafty things. and remember they also have ALL FREE KNITTING too!



Sunday, November 18, 2012


PillowGhan in Homespun
By Berta Gilholm
 
A way to hide your Afghan in between uses:
 Afghan Size (Open) = 68" long x 49 ½ " wide, (Folded into Pillow) = 16 ½ " square
Materials: Lion Brand Homespun, 98% Acrylic/2% Polyester, Bulky (5 skeins of each color - (A) 403 Earth and (B) 401 Saffron, 6oz/170gm/185yd
(C) Holiday Homespun, Green, 5oz/141gm/154yd
Crochet Hook USK 10.5/6.5mm
Yarn Needle and markers
Abbreviations: Ch = chain, Dc = double crochet, FO = fasten off, Fp = front post, JN = join, Jwslst = join with slip stitch, Rnd = round, Sc = single crochet, slst = slip stitch.
Note: Special Stitch Abbreviation - DCaFP = double crochet around front post of the next stitch on the row below.
Instructions:
Main Afghan:
With (A) Ch 112,
Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and each ch across, turn (111 sc)
Row 2: Ch 3, *dc in next sc, Repeat from * across, turn (111 dc)
Row 3 through Row 7: Ch 3, *dc in next dc, Repeat from * across, turn (111 dc) FO (A) JN (B)
Row 8: Ch 3, *DCaFP of next dc, dc in next dc, Repeat from * across, turn (1 ch 3 + 55 DCaFP + 55 dc)
Row 9 through Row 13: Repeat Rows 3 through 7 with (B)  turn, (111  dc)  FO (B) JN (C)
Row 14: With (C) Repeat Row 3, turn  (111 dc)
Row 15 through Row 19: Repeat Row 3 through Row 7, turn (111 dc)
Do the following for the rest of the Main Afghan:
Row 20 through 25: With (A) Repeat Rows 14 through Row 19. FO (A)
Row 26: With (B) Repeat Row 8,
Row 27 through Row 31: With (B) Repeat Rows 15 through Row 19. FO (B)
Row 32 through Row 36: With (C) Repeat Rows 14 through Row 19. FO (C)
Row 37 through Row 60: Repeat Rows 20 through Row 36 - 4 more times using the colors as established in the pattern,  for a total of 6 sections of stripes in (A), (B) and (C). FO and weave in ends.
Pillow Sleeve Granny:
With (A) make a magic ring or ch 3 and jwslst to first ch,
Rnd 1: Ch 3, dc 11 times in ring, jwslst (counts as 12 dc) FO (A) JN (C)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc 2 times in same st, ch 2, skip 1 dc, *3 dc in next dc, ch 2, skip 1 dc, Repeat from * 4 more times, jwslst,
Rnd 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in each of next 2 dc, 3 dc in next ch 2 sp, *dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc, 3 dc in next ch 2 sp, Repeat from * around, 1 extra dc in last ch 2 sp, jwslst, (44 dc)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in each dc around, jwslst (44 sc) FO (C) JN (B)
Rnd 5: Ch 3, 1 dc in each of next 10 sc, ch 3, *1 dc in each of next 11 sc, ch 3, Repeat from * 2 more times, jwslst, (44 dc + 12 ch)
Rnd 6: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner ch, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in corner ch), Repeat from * 3 more times, jwslst, (60 dc + 12 ch) FO (B) JN (A)
Rnd 7: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner ch, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in corner ch), Repeat from * 3 more times, jwslst, (76 dc + 12 ch) FO (A) JN (C)
Rnd 8: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner ch, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in corner ch), Repeat from * 3 more times, jwslst, (92 dc + 12 ch)
Rnd 9: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner ch, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in corner ch), Repeat from * 3 more times, dc in next 2 dc, jwslst, (108 dc + 12 ch) FO (C) JN (B) in first dc next to left of any corner,
Rnd 10: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner ch, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in corner ch), Repeat from * 3 more times, jwslst, (124 dc + 12 ch)
Rnd 11: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner ch, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in corner ch), Repeat from * 3 more times, dc in next 2 dc, jwslst, (140 dc + 12 ch) FO (B) JN (A) in first dc next to left of any corner,
Rnd 12: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner ch, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in corner ch), Repeat from * 3 more times, jwslst, (156 dc + 12 ch)
Rnd 13: Ch 3, *1 dc in each dc to corner ch, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in corner ch), Repeat from * 3 more times, dc in next 2 dc, jwslst, (172 dc + 12 ch) FO (A) and leave a 60 inch tail for sewing.
Finish:
Starting with Main Afghan and the last row made with (C), Place a marker on the  34th, 55th and 76th dc from the side. Lay the pillow sleeve with the sewing tail at the top, centered over marked area on the afghan and pin it to the afghan.
With Afghan and pillow sleeve held together, place 5 more markers through both pieces as follows;
2 centered ,1 on each side of the pillow sleeve at 34th and 76th dc from side of afghan, 1 on each bottom side of pillow sleeve at 34th and 76th dc from side of afghan, and 1 at the bottom middle of pillow sleeve at 55th dc from side of afghan.
Thread the needle with the 60 inch tail and sew pillow sleeve to the afghan making sure to go through both pieces, down left side, across bottom and up right side, (Leave top open) FO weave in ends.
To fold Pillowghan into pillow:
Lay afghan out on floor with the pillow sleeve on the bottom towards your feet,
Fold afghan sides in toward center and even with sides of sleeve,
Standing at top opening of sleeve, Fold the folded afghan same width as sleeve from the end and towards your feet and stuff folded area into the pillow sleeve top.

3 comments:

  1. I love this idea! However, I'm not a big fan of granny squares, so if I wanted to make a striped sleeve, would it be 42 stitches wide?

    Also, how many skeins of yarn did you use for this?

    Looking forward to checking out the rest of you blog!

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    Replies
    1. Sorry Kathy, you need 5 skeins of each color (I added this to the pattern). The Pillow Sleeve is 16 1/2 inches square. If you use the same yarn and hook, there is 172 st on the last row of the sleeve, divided by the 4 sides = 43 stitches across. So start with,
      46 chains and dc into 3nd from hook and across, repeat with dc rows until your piece is 16 1/2 inches. Would love to see it finished. Have fun, Birdie

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