Afghan the Second

[lydy]

So, I finished the second afghan a little bit ago. It looks like this:



Here's a detail:



I just want to say that I really don't like this one at all.

The first reason is that the yarn I used was vastly less nice. It was cheaper, about $20 cheaper overall, but man does it show. It just doesn't feel nice, and it wasn't fun to work with. Worse, it doesn't really show stitch detail very well, so it is visually less appealing as well as not feeling as nice. I also don't like my color choices. The blue alternately seems to get into fights with the teal and then melt into the teal, and the silver looks a little brown and a little dull. So, really didn't work. I'm unsure about the pattern, too. Although I rather like the look of the center braid, there's no denying that the construction leaves huge holes. It would, for instance, suck as a dog kennel liner, because the dog would constantly be getting his legs caught in it. While it might be ok for snuggling under, it is rather well ventilated, and so would let in drafts. Good for spring and fall, but not so good for winter, perhaps.

I dislike this one sufficiently much that I am not going to give it to anyone. I'll either keep it on my bed, which occasionally needs an additional blanket, or if it irritates me too much, give it to Good Will. (Where it will likely be bought by someone with very little money to take apart for the yarn. When you're poor, and have a fiber habit, that's the way to do it. Also, very cheap sweaters offer a source of yarn.)

I'm knee-deep in my third afghan, and I chose the colors with Carol in mind, so I guess Naomi's afghan will be after the one I'm working on. Hey, Naomi! I could redo this same pattern with prettier colors and nicer yarn. I was wondering what this pattern would look like with the center braid as silver, the surrounding material as black, with an electric teal accent. Or maybe a pretty varigated yarn for the center braid,and complementary colors for the rest. However, there's also another pattern I have my eye on that is large pinwheel motifs put together with flowers in the center of each motif. I'm thinking of using a varigated yarn for that pattern. Do you have a preference?

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I really love this afghan! Sorry the feel isn't good, but the execution and look is wonderful.

Mom

[lydy.livejournal.com]

It's actually good fun to make. The center braid is fun, and the color changes in the third round are neat. There's another pattern, almost identical, where you do it in white, and then the color dots around the edges are red and green, and look like rosebuds. I made that one for Pamela years ago, and it's very pretty. A trifle insipid, maybe, but she liked it very well, and I liked it, too.

[naomikritzer]

Sorry not to respond more promptly; I was on a trip without Internet. In the meantime you may have started crocheting and really my #1 preference, since you are crocheting me an afghan out of the goodness of your heart, is that you work with material that pleases you, on a pattern you will enjoy.

Other than that: pinwheel motif sounds really cool, actually, but I think this would also be really nice with the colors you're imagining. I quite like the teal, though I can see what you mean about the blues fighting each other,

[lydy.livejournal.com]

Ok, I think I've chosen a pattern. It's not any of the ones I've discussed, it's called Irish Trellis and is heavily textured. It is also using a technique I've not done before, so it looks really fun. Here's the hard question: do you want the main color to be green, blue, or lavender? IN all three cases, the second color will be bone, but the third color is a minor accent, which will go with the main color.

[naomikritzer]

Blue.

Sounds awesome.