Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Year-Long Afghan II (official)



I really love everything about it. The colors especially. It's so bright and happy. And, because each square is only 14 inches, you're never working one technique long enough to get bored!

The great news (for me!) is that the class is full! Then I added another session, and it filled up within a couple of days! It's going to be a fun year!!

For those who didn't make it into the class and who still want to knit the afghan, here's your chance.

I have created an e-book on Ravelry: Year Long Afghan 2.  It will work similarly to the class in that the patterns for the squares will be released monthly and added to the e-book as a separate pattern. This will be just the concise pattern as you would see a pattern published anywhere. It does not include the class handouts, in-depth description of techniques, or one-on-one instruction. When an unusual or complicated technique is required, resources (websites, books, articles, etc.) are cited to offer additional help.  At this time (May 20, 2014), purchasing the pattern will allow you download the Introduction sheet, which lists a schedule of release dates, materials, and other information. Instructions for individual squares will be released monthly, beginning on June 21, 2014.

Some of you may recall that I'm designing scarves to go along with the afghan for those who don't really like afghans. The Year of Scarves pattern will be available separately, and I will post more info once all of the scarves are knit.

If you'd like more in-depth information about the afghan, read on!

Materials:
The pattern is written for 6 colors, but you can use as few as 2 or as many as you like. The sample was knit with Cascade 220 in the following colors and quantities and required a total of 2913 yds.

Cascade 220:
7814 Chartreuse: 524 yds + 100 yds for assembly, 3 skeins
8910 Citron: 292 yds, 2 skeins
9467 Delphinium: 348 yds, 2 skeins
7808 Purple Hyacinth: 389 yds + 400 yds for edging, 4 skeins
7824 Jack O'lantern: 493 yds, 3 skeins
Schachenmayr SMC Northern Wool (discontinued):
1737 Lavender (a good substitute is Cascade 220 8912, Lilac Mist): 327 yds, 2 skeins 
 

Finished Size
Approximately 48" x 62", using Cascade 220 to make twelve 14" squares plus border.


Month 1 (June 2014): TEXTURE
An excellent introduction to reading a chart, this square involves simply knitting and purling in various combinations to create a lovely textured pattern.
Materials: 185 yds (Delphinium), US 6 needles 


Month 2 (July 2014): SHORT ROWS
This square is very fun to knit. Learn the German short-row technique while creating a square with undulating stripes.
Materials: You can use as few as 2 or as many colors for this square as you like. I used all of my colors, with Jack O'lantern as the main color with stripes of the other colors. About 224 yards of yarn in total, distributed as follows:   Jack O’lantern: 104 yds, Delphinium: 31 yds; Lavender: 27 yds; Purple Hyacinth: 22 yds; Citron: 20 yds; Chartreuse : 20 yds.US 6 needles, 4 each of 3 different stitch markers (these will be Marker A, Marker B, and Marker C). 

Month 3 (August 2014): MOCK CABLES 
It looks like cables, but it's actually traveling stitches, an effect created by strategically placed knits, purls, increases and decreases.
Materials: 160 yds (Chartreuse), US 6 needles

Month 4 (September 2014): LOG CABIN
Log Cabin knitting is completely addictive. It's simply a knitted version of the well-known quilt block, but with so many options and variations, the opportunity for creativity is limitless.
Materials: This square uses multiple colors. You can use all of your colors if you like. For mine, I used one color for the center square (the homework), and 4 colors for the bands around the center square.  I used a total of 229 yds distributed as follows: Jack O’lantern: 7 yds, Purple Hyacinth: 47 yds, Lavender: 53 yds, Chartreuse: 62 yds, Citron: 60 yds.  US 7 needles.

Month 5 (October 2014): TWIST STITCHES
Often confused with cables, twist stitches are accomplished by (what else?) twisting stitches and rearranging them through unique stitch manipulation. While this can be accomplished with a cable needle, this method is easier and faster.
Materials: 185 yds (Lavender), US 7 needles

Month 6 (November 2014): ENTRELAC
Accomplished by knitting small connected squares, entrelac looks like basketweave.
Materials: About 37 yds each of 6 colors for a total of 222 yards. If you are doing this square all in one color, you will be able to do it with one skein of Cascade 220.  US 6 needles

Month 7 (December 2014): CABLES
Find out how easy cables really are.
Materials: 235 yds (Jack O'lantern), cable needle, US 7 needles

Month 8 (January 2015): MOSAIC KNITTING
It looks like stranded colorwork, but only one color is carried per row. So easy you won't want to stop!
Materials: 100 yards each of two colors (Chartreuse and Purple Hyacinth), US 7 needles

Month 9 (February 2015): EMBELLISHMENT
Embellish stockinette stitch to bring interest to an otherwise plain square. Techniques: Surface crochet and a number of embroidery stitches.
Materials: 155 yds main color (Citron) plus scraps of other colors (don't feel like you have to limit yourself to your afghan colors!), US 6 needles

Month 10 (March 2015): FAIR ISLE
Cast on the perimeter of the square and knit to the center while working stranded color work.
Materials: MC (Main Color; this is the color I used for the patterning; Jack O’lantern): 110 yds. CC (Contrasting Colors, these are the colors used for the background; in mine, I striped all of these colors): A total of  120 yds, divided as follows: Chartreuse: 25 yds; Citron: 20 yds; Delphinium: 15yds; Purple Hyacinth: 35 yds; Lavender: 25 yds. , US 7 needles (Set of 5 DPN, 16” and 24” circular; some knitters might like to have a 32” or 40” circular to start on), 4 stitch markers (one should be different from the other three)

Month 11 (April 2015): LACE
Anyone who knows me well knows that lace is my absolute favorite form of knitting. This square is a good introduction to lace, beginning at the center and working in the round to the perimeter.
Materials: 150 yards (Purple Hyacinth), US 8 needles (set of 5 DPN, 16” and 24” circular), crochet hook 5mm, 4 stitch markers (one should be different from the other three).

Month 12 (May 2015): INTARSIA
Create vertical and diagonal stripes while knitting with only one color at a time.
Materials: 120 yds Main Color (Chartreuse), 80 yds Contrasting Color (Delphinium), US 6 needles

Month 13 (June 2015): FINISHING AND ASSEMBLY
I'll describe my favorite ways to join the squares and give directions for a lovely seed stitch border.
Materials: 100 yds (Chartreuse) for assembly; 400 yds (Purple Hyacinth) for border

So, if you are interested in purchasing the pattern, it is the Year Long Afghan 2 on Ravelry.