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You’ve Been Waiting For It

by

Everyone is probably tired of hearing me complain about this afghan.  Here it is!

The pattern is a variation of my favorite, the Diagonal Crazy Stitch.  You can learn how to create this afghan here.  The ‘traditional’ crazy stitch (or box stitch) pattern works up to a square.  I wanted this to be a rectangle, so I followed the instructions for creating the variation.  It turned out nicely.  The color choices were not mine.  It’s for a young couple getting married in May.  His favorite color is orange and hers is yellow – so, voila!  they get a yellow and orange afghan.  I’ve never met the bride, so she might not be totally thrilled with this.  But, I made it for a dear friend to give them.  I have met the groom on many occasions and he’s a wonderful guy.  So, that made it easier for me to complete a project which quickly became a nemesis because of a couple of reason.

First, the colors are not my favorites.  Since I find it difficult to work with colors I don’t like, I do not take commission work.  This was an exception – but has confirmed to me that I don’t like the idea of doing commissions.  Secondly, the yarn was ordered sight unseen because of my friend’s very tight budget.  To get enough yarn in the proper colors at a price point she could afford, I took the catalog description of this ‘soft’ yarn at face value.  Mistake!  I won’t make that mistake again.  The yarn is not only NOT soft, it’s downright ‘hard’.  I’ll do some major fabric softening before I send it off to the lucky couple.  Finally, the skeins were full of snags, bad joins, and in one case the ‘guts’ of the skein were pulled out only to reveal that it was a totally separate ball of yarn.  These issues resulted in my having to cut the yarn THREE times after an hour’s worth of fruitless attempts to untangle the mess.  Guess how many extra ends this gave me to weave in?

What I have left to do is weave in the multitudinous number of ends, add a small border of some sort to further hide those ends, then, I’d like to add two small appliques – one of the St. Louis Arch and one to symbolize Utah.  A beehive was suggested to me and that would work well with the yellow yarn, so I’ll probably go with that.

This is one afghan I’ll be happy to send to its new home and hope to never see it again!

If you are looking for more of our DIY Wedding ideas then check out our dedicated DIY Wedding blog.

Looking for more crochet patterns for weddings? Check out these designs we found on Etsy.

Comments

  1. I see nothing wrong with this afghan. I really like the colors, nice and bright. I’m sure the bride is going to love it. It was made with love. How can you not?!! Great work. Gonna try this pattern. I have to make an afghan for a friend’s mother.

  2. Oops! Just checked the link for the pattern and realized I already know this pattern. It was under another name. I have made several afghans using this stitch. Great pattern, great design!

  3. Ok, I’m about finished. Kept getting interrupted. I feel you on having a project that you don’t want to do for some reason for another. Sorry you had so much trouble with the yarn. I usually try to work with my customers on purchasing the yarn. For afghans, I only work with Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Yarn”. It is the softest yarn I have found and so many colors.

    I had a pattern that I picked up one day and crocheted it for a church mother. I threw the pattern away after I finished it. It had a lot of diamond pieces that had to be crocheted, then put together to get each design, then all the pieces had to be sewn together. It took me almost 4 months to finish. I will never, ever crochet that piece again! So, yes, I feel ya!

  6. For Utah, beehive is perfect! JD, the project looks great, love how you worked the middle section. Yes, it is hard on commission items. And the wife to be will appreciate that someone took the time to incorporate her favorite color with her husbands. It may not get used all the time, but it will get used for many years!

  7. JD,
    I know what it is like trying to finish a project for someone else that you just are not thrilled with! Glad it is finished for you. The colors will definitely brighten up a room. It is like sunshine! (same colors as my little dress from the 70’s I had written about.) What a great job!

Have you read?

Shock Wave Free Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.