I’m fairly new at knitting (made several scarves and potholders) but I want to branch out and make an afghan for myself. I’m not sure where to start, so if I could get a few suggestions for the weight of the yarn, needle gage and type, and the estimated yards needed for the blanket, I would appreciate it!
More Related Items:
- how much yarn do i need for an afghan
- how many yards to knit a afghan
- arachne1969
- yarn how much for afghan
- what kind of yarn to make the great american afghan
- sample squares to knit blanket free
- how to put together knit sampler afgan
- How to Make Throw With Yarn
- how much yarn to make an afghan blanket
- how much yarn is needed for a broomstick afghan
5 Comments
Most of that is going to depend on what pattern you choose to do. Being fairly new you may want to invest in or go the public library and get a book with all sorts of different square patterns. This would be smaller projects to help improve on skills. Once you get the number of squares to make it the size you want you can hand sew or whip stitch them together. Most libraries do have a selection of craft books.
Now, as for the yarn weight, I personally use Red Heart worsted weight for afghans. It has stood up to the test of time and is the most economical. Most places have a good selection of color. You would be able to buy more yarn as needed and working a hodge podge of colors you won’t have to worry about dye lot. I know the labels say “no dye lot”, but I have noticed the subtle changes.
Good luck!
This is the best I could do for you You don’t have to go anywhere but on our computer and you shouldn’t have to waste your money buying books and looking through them and seeing more advertisement than patterns. Here is a site with plenty of afghans that you can look through. Put it in your “favorites”. When you go through pick out the one you want. The instructions are free and it tells you all the things you need to complete the afghan, just read the top part of the pattern. If you have any trouble with what you choose e-mail me with the pattern and where you are and what you want to know.
Check out my favorite web site:
http://www.lionbrand.com/
type in free knitted afghans in the search box
many options will come up and
the patterns are free with a free membership.
There are several ways to produce an afghan.
You could knit squares that you sew together like a quilt.
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/60160A.html?noImages=
You could knit strips like scarves or panels and sew these together.
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/70143AD.html.noImages=
You could use circular needles and cast on over 100 stitches and just straight knit without join them together.
Most throw size afghans are about 5×6 feet and will use at least 3000 to 4000 yards of worsted weight yarn. Choose your yarn wisely, acrylic yarns (including Red Heart) may be inexpensive but if you plan to put them in the washer and dryer they will lose their bounce and spring from dryer heat.
There are many nice afghan patterns available in knitting books you can check out of your library. If you can get your library to bring it in for you use the Barbara Walker *Learn To Knit Afghan* book. Not only will you have a lovely afghan in the end you will improve your knitting skills tremendously while you make. I think Leisure Arts has or had a similar type learning afghan booklet, but it was not as extensive. You might also look through the 2002 or so issues of Knitter’s Magazine which your library may have in its archives for The Great American Afghan series (it was over 4 or 5 issues) for a similar learning piece.
You can look for a pattern simular to what you want to create and look at their specifications and hope to heck they are accurate. However, the way my grandmother taught me to create was to knit-up your pattern sample first, calculate your finished afagan size and do the math for lenght and width. (Dont forget to include whatever finishes you have for the edgings.) Then undo your sample, measure the yarn you used. Read the yarn packages for yardage and buy what you need based on the package yardage. I always created my afagans using the sample method that way my calculations were based on my knitting style, pattern and guage. Good Luck.
Write a Comment