Hurrah, I’ve finished my afghan!! Thank you to Martin Storey for a wonderful design and to Rowan Yarns for a great Knit-a-Long – I’ve really enjoyed taking part and I hope there will be more KALs in the future or maybe a Crochet-a-Long (hint hint Rowan!)
I’m really pleased with how my afghan has turned out and now have a lovely blanket to snuggle under in the coming autumn and winter, although it has already been “borrowed” by children and pets….
In the end I decided to make a slightly smaller version of the official afghan design but I included at least one of each weeks patterns as I really wanted to try out each design for myself and have a finished afghan that incorporated a little of everything. My afghan is made up of 35 squares rather than 48 and I also decided to crochet the trim using Linda’s pattern over on the Knitted Pink blog. I do love to mix knitting and crochet and I’m pleased how it turned out as well as the fact that it was super quick to do.
I used a simple slip stitch to join the squares: using the tail of yarn left over from the cast on/cast off, insert the needle into the loop of each purl stitch along the edge of the squares you are joining:
So, to round up ~ my favourite square: French Plait (week 7)
I do love a nice cable and I also loved knitting with this shade of Pure Wool Worsted – a rather vintage looking pink (Candy 118).
Favourite shade of Pure Wool Worsted: Oxygen 137
I also love the Nordic Square design from Week 2.
Another favourite shade of Pure Wool Worsted: Peacock 139, shown here in Dots & Dashes from week 5:
I also used Peacock for the crochet trim.
Favourite KAL helper: Izzy the dog: a keen lover of wooly blankets
I love the way that an afghan holds so many memories, reminding me of the places that I visited and the people that I met and who I was with when I was knitting each square… something to always be treasured. If you didn’t take part in the KAL and would still like to make the afghan, you can download the entire design for free on Rowan’s website by clicking here.
Thank you also to my friend Deana who very kindly let me borrow her lovely sofa for my afghan photos. Do pop over to Deana Ashby Interior Design at www.deanaashby.com ~ Deana lives in a very beautiful house and is a very talented lady.
So, what’s next on my needles? Well, I’m finishing my jumper in Alpaca Colour that I started before the afghan KAL and I’m also SUPER EXCITED about the new autumn / winter yarns and designs over at www.knitrowan.com.
Have you finished your afghan? Do you have a favourite square too? What projects have you got lined up for next season?
Thanks for visiting!
xx
Lovely lovely lovely!!!! I adore the bright “seaside colours” of your afghan.
Thank you so much Sandra! 😀 xx
Your colour choice is absolutely great. I also like the crochet trim.
Thank you Ute. Your colour choice was gorgeous too 🙂 xx
Beautiful Claire. I love your colours.
Thanks Cindi. I’m so pleased it’s finished! 🙂 xx
I love your colours and especially your trim!
Thanks Konrad 🙂 Trim idea thanks to Linda! Your afghan colours were gorgeous too 🙂
This is sooo pretty!
Thanks Shonnah I think it came out ok in the end! It certainly was a big project 🙂 xx
Gorgeous colors and photographs too! I’m so jealous you’re done!
Thanks Kristen, it certainly took a long time Lol! but worth it in the end 🙂 xx
It is so lovely!
Thanks so much Valerie, I’m really pleased with it 🙂
It looks soo lovely Claire, I love the colours you have chosen 🙂
Thanks Linda! Yours is lovely too & thanks for the inspiration for the trim 🙂 xx
Gorgeous and well done!
Thanks so much 😀
I do believe yours is my favorite! Love it 🙂
Aw thanks Tina 🙂 so pleased with it 🙂 xx
Hi Claire I’ve just discovered your blog as a Rowan ambassador! I recently got to know Linda as we met by chance in our local branch of Monsoon. I have been a Rowan knitter since they began in 1985 & am still enjoying them now. I absolutely love your afghan…it has a calming coastal feel, reminds me of Summer Skies, ice cream & pebbly beaches.
I am very late in joining Martin’s KAL after a hectic year & have just received my gorgeous purewool worsted. ..I’m knitting the 9 colourway version in colours of my own choice..
I have a knitting/relaxation room upstairs in my house which is decorated in pale cream, with browns, rusts& almond furnishings.
So my colours are..soft cream..almond…rust…toffee. .damson. ..clove. ..moonshine. ..cocoabean…hazel for the trim..
I feel like a child in a sweetshop! I’m soo excited!!
Thanks for popping by my blog – lovely to “meet you” – Linda has mentioned you 🙂 and thanks for your kind words about my afghan! Your description sums it up really well 🙂 I’m in awe of your knitting/relaxation room – it sounds amazing, I would love to have a wonderful space. Hope to see photos of your Afghan xx
Hi again! Thanks for replying me Claire. My knitting/relaxation room was our 3rd bedroom ..now my older children have left home my hubby transformed it for me, resplendent with ikea sofa & soft furnishings😛. I shall be enjoying the Autumn afternoons/evenings knitting my KAL in there & will keep you posted!
thanks so much for following my blog 🙂 that’s a lovely idea for a room, I shall think of you sat in your lovely room knitting away this autumn 🙂 xx
Hi Claire
Thank you for posting a photo of knitting the squares using slip stitch…this is how I will sew mine as it looks so neat
Thanks Judy, I was dreading the sewing up bit but it was pretty easy in the end and I quite enjoyed it, watching the blanket grow 🙂
Hi Claire
Yes I imagine there’s a lot of work involved in making up the afghan….but wonderful to see it transform & thus teveal its true beauty. I used to knit a lot of Kaffe’s designs in Rowan’s early days, my 3rd being his ‘Foolish virgins’ jacket which took me over year on & off to complete, having 2 young children to care for at the time. Now my daughter (22), wears it!!
Wow, I’m so impressed ~ Kaffe’s designs look so tricky! I bet your daughter loves her jacket 🙂 knitwear has really come back in to fashion hasn’t it. My 11 year old daughter is a complete crochet addict 🙂
Hi Claire
Kaffe’s designs look more complicated than they are! He always uses stocking stitch which is easy, you just have to concentrate a bit more whilst weaving in & changing colours. ..definitely not one to knit whilst chatting or watching t.v!
Ah that’s interesting – and what you say makes sense about the stocking stitch…. I’ve never really tried colourwork and I’ve always wanted to give it a go – the results look amazing 🙂 I was very inspired by the Kaffe exhibition in Bath this year. xx
Hi Claire! 😃
I was showing my daughter in law your afghan pics here on your blog last evening, as I am still knitting mine! & she now wants me to knit one for her & my son for their new apartment😃 she loves your colourway, would you mind telling me which shades you used please..thanks in advance xx💖