Gowdy Thayer Allyson - Comfort Knitting & Crochet: Afghans: More Than 50 Beautiful, Affordable Designs Featuring Berrocos Comfort Yarn

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COMFORT KNITTING & CROCHET AFGHANS MORE THAN 50 BEAUTIFUL, AFFORDABLE DESIGNS FEATURING BERROCOS COMFORT YARN Norah Gaughan, Margery Winter, and the Berroco Design Team Photographs by Thayer Allyson Gowdy
Styling by Karen Schaupeter STC CRAFT / A MELANIE AALICK BOOK
STEWART, TABORI & CHANG
NEW YORK CONTENTS knit crochet INTRODUCTION something for everyone For many of us, an afghan is the epitome of comfort. It is a staple of the home, the finishing touch that pulls together a living room or bedroom and makes it feel complete.

But the usefulness of an afghan extends far beyond sofas and beds. An afghan easily transforms into a picnic blanket for a day at the beach, a wrap at dusk when the temperature drops, even a childs playtime tent. The process of making an afghan is often as rewarding as the finished product, since there are so many opportunities to customize it to your personal taste and needs. Whether you are creating an afghan for yourself, as a housewarming gift, or to welcome a new baby into the world, the process is a creative meditation, and the result is a beautiful representation of time, skill, love, and good wishes. In this book, you will find more than 50 knitted and crocheted afghans, each made with Berroco Comfort. Comfort is an ultra-soft blend of super fine acrylic and nylon, spun into a luxury twist usually reserved for the finest merino wools.

It is hypoallergenic and can be machine-washed and -dried. Additionally, it is affordably priced and available in an exquisite range of more than 95 shades. When we began to design this collection, we thought about the different types of homes people live infrom urban to rural, traditional to modern, and spare to embellishedand the types of afghans that would fit in them. We then sought further inspiration from textiles, crafts, and folk art around the world. For example, Houndstooth () is a modern representation of traditional Irish crochet. The projects in Comfort Knitting and Crochet: Afghans are intended for every skill level, from beginner to advanced.

And because making many of them involves repeating a stitch pattern or technique over and over, they are a perfect opportunity for learning and perfecting. With so many options from which to choose, we hope that you will turn to this book for afghan ideas for many years to come. A tailored interpretation of a traditional chevron pattern, this afghan features micro-stripes created using two subtly contrasting yarn colors and single and half double crochet stitches. The gentle gradation of color produces a refined result reminiscent of Scottish tweeds. Finished Measurements 45" wide x 60" long Yarn Berroco Comfort (50% super fine nylon / 50% super fine acrylic; 100 grams / 210 yards): 7 skeins #9720 Hummus (A); 9 skeins #9748 Aunt Martha Green (B) Crochet Hook Crochet hook size US H/8 (5 mm) Change hook size if necessary to obtain correct gauge. Notions Stitch holders Gauge 16 sts and 14 rows = 4" (10 cm) in Chevron Pattern Stitch Pattern CHEVRON PATTERN (multiple of 27 sts + 14 + ch1; 2-row repeat) Set-Up Row: 2 hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next 5 ch, *sk 2 ch, 1 hdc in next 12 chs, 3 hdc in next ch, hdc in next 12 ch; repeat from * 7 times, end sk 2 ch, hdc in next 5 ch, 2 hdc in last ch.

Do not turn. Do not cut yarn. Place last loop on a holder. Return to beginning of row. Row 1: Change to B. 2 sc in first hdc, 1 sc in next 5 hdc, *sk 2 sts, 1 sc in next 12 hdc, 3 sc in next hdc, work 1 sc in next 12 hdc; repeat from * 7 times, end sk 2 sts, 1 sc in next 5 hdc, 2 sc in last hdc.

Do not cut yarn. Place last loop on a holder. Turn. Row 2: Place held loop (A) on hook. *2 hdc in first sc, hdc in next 5 sc, *sk 2 sc, 1 hdc in next 12 sc, 3 hdc in next sc, hdc in next 12 hdc; repeat from * 7 times, end sk 2 sts, hdc in next 5 sc, 2 hdc in last sc. Do not turn.

Do not cut yarn. Place last loop on a holder. Return to beginning of row. Place held loop (B) on hook. Repeat Rows 1 and 2 for Chevron Pattern. Afghan Using A, ch 231.

Begin Chevron Pattern; work even until piece measures 60" from the beginning. Fasten off. Finishing Block lightly (see Special Techniques, ). Named for the Moroccan city of Marrakesh, this coverlet reflects the citys exotic flavors and rich tones. The solid background is made using crocheted afghan stitch, which requires a particular long hook, and is then embellished with lanky folk art flowers. The monochromatic floral embroidery is a loose interpretation of the gold embroidery found on traditional caftans from the region.

Finished Measurements 45" wide x 60" long Yarn Berroco Comfort (50% super fine nylon / 50% super fine acrylic; 100 grams / 210 yards): 15 skeins #9724 Pumpkin (A) Berroco Comfort Chunky (50% super fine nylon / 50% super fine acrylic; 100 grams / 150 yards): 2 skeins #5703 Barley (B) Crochet Hook Tunisian crochet hook size US H/8 (5 mm) Change hook size if necessary to obtain correct gauge. Gauge 18 sts and 32 rows = 4" (10 cm) in Tunisian Stitch, using A