Throwback Thursday: mixed afghan

On September 3, 2026August 31, 2026 By CarynIn Craft

My grandmother had an unfinished afghan when she passed. It looked like she missed a pattern switch and the next step would be to rip out a whole section and she just decided not to and set it aside. I took the partial project and rather than rip out any stitches, turned it into a mixed method project, using different sections of knit and crochet to tie it all together.

Photo description: artful photo of the folds of the afghan which show all the different panel textures using knit, crochet, and Tunisian crochet

Photo description: finished afghan spread out on a King-sized bed

I deliberately made the afghan long at my Mom’s request, because most blanket throws can’t be wrapped around our feet and shoulders at the same time (we are taller than average). I couldn’t find the exact same yarn and dye lot, so added in a complementary olive green yarn to make it obtain the extra length.

This was a personal family project, but there is an organization called Loose Ends that helps families with unfinished projects that their loved ones have left behind find skilled craftspeople to complete the projects so the family has a final memento. You can visit the website or follow them on social media. Grab your tissues.

30 min series: crocheted i-cord

On September 1, 2026 By CarynIn Craft

Crocheting i-cord is possible, if you really don’t like any other method than crochet. It involves having two live unsecured loops while you go back to the first loop with your hook. I find it fiddly and difficult to get going. I also tend to make my loops bigger so I don’t loose them.

Photo description: crocheting an i-cord with a size K crochet hook and blue cotton worsted weight yarn, dilute calico in the background

In 30 minutes I made 39” of cord. It is very loose and squishy, but fairly uniform. It has 30% stretch (I took twenty inches and could stretch it to 26 inches.) With practice and bravery, I could probably use a smaller hook to get a tighter cord, but honestly I will always choose a way that doesn’t have loose live loops if I can help it.

Photo description: loosely crocheted i-cord made from blue cotton worsted weight yarn

This is definitely my least favorite cord making method so far.

Clover square

On August 26, 2026 By CarynIn Craft

Here is the next square from the book Granny Square Flair, called Clover.

Photo description: crocheted square from the book *Granny Square Flair* made with olive green fingering weight alpaca yarn, not blocked

It is interesting how the pattern develops with each round. While working it I did not see any lines or sharp corners, I only noticed them looking at the photo. It still needs to be blocked, but I’m working on a set up.

Rosette square

On August 22, 2026 By CarynIn Craft

Here is the next square from the book Granny Square Flair, called Rosette. This one had many firsts for me, with construction of the flower and the making of the frame.

Photo description: “Rosette” square crocheted in dark teal alpaca yarn

I’m hoping it evens out when I block it, which I’ll do in batches. Hm. I could probably start blocking these as I go. My plan is to put them on a grid with pegs, so they all come out the same size, and I certainly can’t put all 50 on at the same time.

Reading shawl

On August 18, 2026 By CarynIn Craft

I did another full width (100 stitches) knitting project on my “incredible sweater machine”. I wanted to make a shawl with random purple stripes, and originally intended it to be 65” long and calculated it needed 350 rows of knitting.

Photo description: The incredible knitting machine set up on a narrow table with purple cotton yarn in four shades plus white, last row is finished and backstitched

I tracked the hours I spent at the knitting machine using a row counter app (Knitting Chart), and when I bound off I had put in 8 hours to make 350 rows, which is much faster than I hand knit. I also had better focus, this project on regular needles would have sat for long periods of time. I did put in a rib every four stitches, and hooking up the perl ladders did slow down the process, but it was worth the time to have the shawl lay flatter and add interest to both sides.

I wove in the ends my favorite way with knit: at an angle on the perl side.

Photo description: weaving in ends with a large eye needle on the perl side, going under the perl bumps at an angle

The cotton yarn knit tighter than my acrylic gauge swatch, so I didn’t make it to my desired length. I decided to crochet along the edges, a half double crochet stitch every other knit stitch, then added shell lace to the ends.