My AIP - Sea Foam Afghan - A Learning Experience Continues

Good Day,

Work continues on the crocheting of our new afghan, Sea Foam.

Four rows of clusters have been completed. The subtle offsetting of the Ocean against the Off-White yarns appear to be turning out better than expected. I think that the name of this new afghan, Sea Foam, is extremely apropos.

Currently the dimensions are as follows: Width - 48” (122 cms) and Length - 9” (23 cms). Our expectations are that the final length of the inner top of Sea Foam will approximate 60” (152 cms).

This of course is without a determined border. I do know that I will be constructing a primary border of single crochet in Ocean around the complete perimeter. I am currently researching border formats that I believe will best complement the total of Sea Foam.

Stay tuned to our progress and updates. We are currently working on some new afghan projects. If you are interested in any of our afghans and if you would like to consider a new afghan, quilt or wall hanging, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at Afghans SB  or Quilts SB.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy

A1 – Double Entendre – Our First Afghan

Good Day,

It’s been some time since I picked up a crochet hook. I’ve learned that there is a slew of new crochet hieroglyphics that have come into existence since my last attempt. And I have just completed a new afghan – Double Entendre.

My crochet story began when I was about 19 years old in Arnprior, Ontario, Canada. I had quit University and to decide what I wanted to do with my life I joined the Royal Bank of Canada. My first posting with the Royal was about 150 miles, 235 kilometers, from my home in Beaconsfield, Quebec. The population of Arnprior in 1971 was about 5,400, a sizeable difference from the population of the Island of Montreal. The comparison, about 0.44% the size.

And I had a room and boarded at the home of two elder ladies, Mrs. Stavenow and her sister. I believe their house was on Landrigan Street. Not much has changed in about 42 years.

One evening, after supper, I noticed Mrs. Stavenow working with some thread and a funny looking hook-like tool. She was creating the most exquisite flowers of yellow and white, and all with the extremele rapid movement of her hand and the tool. I asked her what she was doing… and immediately followed up, that she would have to show me how to do what she was doing. Mrs. Stavenow said she was crocheting. She also said that she would be pleased to show me what and how to do it.

That night I learned to crochet. Create knots with threads and yarns into patterned fabric. I did crochet for some years after that, from time-to-time… and it was about 30 plus years ago that I sort of stopped. The other night, about the middle of May, I decided that my hands needed something creative to do, as I vegetated in front of the television.

I headed over to Michaels and bought a refresher book, a few crochet hooks, and a couple of pounds of yarn. I decided that for my first attempt I would attempt a re-creation of the pattern Layer of Luxury Comfort Afghan designed by Jacqueline Stetter. I settled on two 100% Acrylic yarns by Coran: Country Rose and Off-White.

And Double Entendre is complete. For the afghan, including the finished border, I used a 9.0 mm crochet hook. The dimensions are: Width – 52” (132 cms) and Length – 68” (173 cms). It weighs 4.6 lbs (2.1 kgs). The yarn is classified at 4 – Medium. And it is warm.

Here are some more images.

To see my previous postings in Afghans SB, click on the two following links.

24 May 2013 - My AIP (Afghans in Progress) – Double Entendre – Afghan In Progress

6 Jun 2013 - My AIP – Double Entendre – Afghan To Date

Double Entendre is machine washable and dryable. I don’t quite understand the icons on the yarn wrapper, but I would expect that one should use a gentle cycle on both the washer and the dryer.

Stay tuned for the next afghan, currently in progress.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy.

My AIP – Sea Foam – Afghan – A New Beginning

Good Day,

I need to continue to use my fingers. And I need to continue to learn. We have started a new afghan – Sea Foam.

This new afghan, Sea Foam, is based on and inspired by the design Clusters and Stripes by Kelly Robinson. The first couple of rows include the following stitches: Chain, Single Crochet, Double Crochet; and Cluster. I had one hell of time figuring out the construction of the Clusters as I am not necessarily up-to-speed reading “Crochet-ese”. But by George, I definitely have my own version. And they, the Clusters do not look half bad.

The approximate and expected size of Sea Foam will be 45” wide by 60” long. Of course, these dimensions may change as I continue, and if we decide to add a border.

Sea Foam is being constructed with an H/8 - 5.0 mm crochet hook. The yarns are of the Caron line and are Ocean and Off-White.

The finishing touches to Double Entendre are happening. We should be posting the final with images shortly.

Follow our updates and progress on Afghans SB and Quilts SB.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy

My AIP – Double Entendre – Afghan To Date

Good Day,

And as soon as I bring out the camera, Radar, aka Ready, must zone in with his detector ears and comes scurrying to check out what I am doing.

Progress continues on Double Entendre, afghan.

The interior top now measures approximately 48” (122 cms) wide and 60” (153 cms) long. Including the perimeter border it should be about 52” (132 cms) wide and 64” (163 cms) long. To date I have used four pounds of Coran yarn and I’ve broken open the fifth one.

Here are a couple of additional images of Double Entendre.

Check out our first posting – My AIP – Double Entendre – Afghan in Progress.

I guess the grey-matter cells stored in the cob-webbed alleys of my cerebrum are beginning to kick in. Even the way I hold the yarn, in my left hand must be imprinted somewhere in my temporal lobes.

Stay tuned for the development of our new site, Afghans SB. Keep posted.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy

My AIP – Double Entendre – Afghan In Progress

Good Day,

And this story starts about 42 years ago… but you’ll have to tune in again for the details. I’ll fill you in with those details in an ensuing posting at Quilts SB.

What happens when we combine two yarns: Country Rose and Off White?

The result is Double Entendre.

My inspiration is Layer of Luxury Comfort Afghan designed by Jacqueline Stetter. I have six one-pound skeins of yarn, a total of 4,956 yard. I thought that this may be a good challenge for me while Andy is manning the sewing machines and working on our quilts. I have to be doing something and therefore I thought I would re-start my once thriving crochet challenges.

The yarn is an acrylic yarn provided by Caron. I am using a 9.00 mm crochet hook. To date I have completed about half of the inner construction of Double Entendre. The eventual dimensions of the Double Entendre, without the borders, will be approximately Width – 48” (122 cms) and Length – 60” (152 cms). You’ll have to check back to see the final size and production.

It is great having a partner who has the education and degree in Textile Sciences. He understands the makings and composition of yarns. And my hands are getting a very good work-out as I try to recall the knotting process of crochet that I learned so many years ago, in a faraway place.

For the short time I will be keeping my updates and posts on our Quilts SB site. All-things-being-equal there may be a new site, Afghans SB.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy