Afghan is one of the best gifts that you can give to a friend who loves crochet items. They can use it as a bedspread or a decoration on their sofas and chairs. Making the Afghan pattern is fun and straightforward. It will only take you a day or two to finish one.
If you are new to crochet, start with a simple pattern Afghan. It will help you know the basics and familiarize the process.
Later on, you will be able to create your pattern and design as you progress. Here are some essential things that you should know about the Afghan crochet. It can help you with your next fabric art project.
List of Contents:
What is the best crochet for an Afghan?
Crochet is countless when it comes to stitches and patterns. There is a lot to choose from, especially for an Afghan. You can even combine two to three crochet in one Afghan project. Here is the best crochet that you can use for an Afghan:
Granny filet – This is so far one of the most popular crochet for an Afghan. It is easy to make with a modern twist on granny square crochet. You can grow it to any size you want, and it offers a lot of texture as well.
Crochet chain stitch – Chain stitches are essential in crocheting. The first step that you need to learn in a crochet project is how to create a series of chain stitches. Crochet chain stitch is one of the essential chains that every beginner should know.
Double crochet stitch – The double crochet stitch is also known as “dc”. It is the basic foundation of other high-level crochets. Some examples are v-stitch crochet, chevron stitch, and filet crochet. This combines well with all other basic stitches. You can transform a basic stitch into a complex one.
Waffle stitch – It is definite and textured crochet that looks like a waffle. You can achieve this pattern by using a combination of two stitches: The double crochet and front post double stitches. This is easy to learn even for beginners.
Granny crochet stitch – This crochet is very adaptable to changes in yarn texture. You can mix-and-match different yarns for this crochet. It also lets you grow the size of your Afghan in any size you want.
Chevron stitch – Chevron stitch is also called crochet ripple. It forms a zigzag pattern or an inverted v crochet. You can create this by using a variety of stitches and techniques. It is the best crochet if you want a pure looking Afghan.
Basketweave crochet – The basketweave crochet creates an Afghan with an attractive woven texture. You can create it by combining front and back post double crochet stitches. It is the best crochet to use if you want to have wonderful patterned Afghan.
Easy bulky Crochet Afghan – This crochet uses single and double crochet stitches. But you also have to work on many stitches. It is to create a row of granny stitches on every row of this pattern. Beginners will love this crochet because it is easy to master. You can work it up in super bulky yarn, so it is easier to work on it.
Modified moss stitch crochet Afghan – In this crochet, you will work single and double crochet together in one stitch. It is easy to create as you get the hang of it. Use a self-striping yarn to avoid color changes and weaving in ends.
Linen stitch crochet – The composition of linen stitch crochet is single crochet and chain stitches. Beginners can learn this right away because it does not use complicated stitches. You can work this version of crochet in the round to create a square blanket. It is also flexible crochet. You can increase its size if you wish to.
These are some of the best crochet that you can use for an Afghan. There are other beautiful crochets that you can try. Choose which among these crochets fit your next Afghan project.
How many stitches does an Afghan have?
There are a lot of factors to consider in determining how many stitches are there in an Afghan. You need to think about its size and pattern. If you want to make a small size Afghan, you need to cast around 220 to 340 stitches in total.
For a medium-sized Afghan, you need to cast 250 to 450 stitches to complete it. But if you want to make a bigger Afghan, you need to cast 500 to 780 stitches. The final number of stitches that you need to cast is dependent on the size of your Afghan.
How many skeins of yarn does it take to make an Afghan?
Deciding how many skeins of yarns you will need to make an Afghan requires a lot of consideration. There are a lot of factors that you need to think of.
Most crochet patterns already include the number of skeins of yarns you will need. But every pattern is different, and it is always better to have an extra than get short of materials.
Afghans are usually colorful and big because of their patterns. To complete one colorful Afghan, you will need quite a bit of skein of yarn. Around 13-18 balls or skeins of yarn will do. But if your pattern has only one or a few colors, ten skeins are good enough.
Before buying skeins of yarn, there are few factors that you need to consider. Ask yourself the following questions before purchasing yarn for your next Afghan project:
What is the size of my Afghan? – The number of skeins of yarn that you will need is dependent on the size of your project. You need to get an accurate measurement first before going to the craft store and buying your yarn.
There are a lot of size options to choose from. If you are not sure of the size, ask advice from seasoned embroiderers or friends to be sure.
What are the types of stitches you will use? – Each type of stitches uses up a different amount of yarn. This is why it is essential to know ahead of time what stitches you will use. Using single crochet will need less yarn than other complicated crochet stitches.
If you are planning to use complicated stitches, buy more yarns if needed. You will need more than usual as you have to do a lot of combined stitches.
What is the weight of yarn that you will use? – This is important because the higher the weight, the fewer skeins of yarn you will need. If you are using a lightweight yarn like fingerling, you will need to buy more yarn. Usually, you only need one or two worsted yarn. But if you prefer thin threads, you will need two or three more skeins of yarn.
What is the size of your crochet hook? – Using a different size hook on a pattern will change the size of your Afghan. It is because the stitches will either be closer or farther from each other. The farther the stitches from each other, the more yarn you need to use. Determine ahead what size of crochet hook you want to use to know how many yarns you will need to buy.
What is your typical tension and gauge when crocheting? – Your gauge and tension are going to make a difference with the amount of yarn that you will need. These two factors determine the number of spaces between stitches. It can also affect the number of yarns you need to use.
If you are buying a crochet kit, look for the recommended gauge in the pattern you are using. It will let you know how many skeins of yarn you will need.
These factors are usually overlooked when buying yarns. But these are helpful if you are not sure about the number of yarns to buy. Ask yourself these questions before going to a craft store to avoid buying the wrong amount of yarns.
How do you figure out how many stitches to cast on?
To determine how many stitches to cast on an Afghan, you will need to use some math calculation. The first thing you need to do is get the number of gauges you need per inch.
It is usually indicated at the beginning of the pattern included in your crochet kit. You can see it there together with the type of yarn and size of a knitting needle to use.
After getting your gauge measurement, multiply it to the size of your Afghan. It is essential to know how big your Afghan is to determine the number of stitches you will need. To summarize the calculation into a formula, here’s how you do it.
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- How long does it take to complete crocheting a blanket?
How many chains do you need for an Afghan?
There are two things that you need to take note of when cross-stitching an Afghan. You need to know how many stitches you will make and how many chains you will need.
Remember that the number of chains you need is dependent on the size of your hook. The bigger the hook, the fewer chains you have to do.
Let’s say you are planning to crochet a King size Afghan and your hook size is 5 mm. You will need 393 chains to complete your project. If you use a bigger hook with size 6.5 mm, you need to create 216 chains.
See the difference in the number of chains. As the size of your hook increases, the number of your chains decreases. For smaller projects like twin size Afghan, you will need about 242 chains.
That is if you are using a 5.5 mm hook. But if you will use a 6 mm hook, you will need 224 chains to complete your Afghan.
To get the number of chains needed, you can use this formula:
Cross stitching an Afghan is like creating a masterpiece. You need to be considerate about a lot of details to create a perfect piece. All those calculations will make sense once you see your finished output.
Afghan is one of the most fun items to cross-stitch. You will discover a lot of techniques when casting complicated stitches.
It is where you will learn how to combine basic stitches to create intricate crochet. You might even uncover new styles of crochet while doing your Afghan. There is a lot of fun and learning in cross-stitching an Afghan.
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