I want to knit an afghan large enough for my Queen size bed. I would like to knit it in long strips so it is not so hard to hold. Does anyone know where I could find a FREE pattern? Also the pattern needs to be easy as I am just a beginner and I can't do color changes yet. Thanks to all for your help.
By Marie from Lakeland, FL
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I crochet a lot better than I can knit, but, I do have some ideas for you making your own pattern. Strips are easy to make, knitting or crocheting, and the strips are connected to each other.
Take the measurement of the size of the afghan that you want it to be. Figure out how many strips that you need to make the afghan to be the size it needs to be. Just figure it out on paper, to figure out how many inches for the size of the strips. That is if the strips are going to be all the same size. . .you can try different color strips, and even different widths of the strips, just as long as they all together match with being the sizes to make the size of the afghan that you want it to be. Just experiment how you want it to look on the paper, you may have lot's of tries until you figure it out how you want it to look. Keep track of the inches for the strips, and they all fit with the size that you want, mark it down on the strips, and if you are using different color strips, mark those too on the paper.
Also, you have to figure out if you are knitting from the long side, and less rows, or short rows, and lots of rows. Short rows on strips, other short rows next to each other, you may not like that look of them together. You might like long knitted strips next to short knitted strips next to each other, and they will give a lot of texture to the afghan, especially if the afghan is only one color. Mark on the paper with what texture each strip will look like. If they are knitted short row strips, mark the lines going across, enough to remind you anyway, and if they are knitted the long length, mark long lines on the paper to show which strips are knitted from the long length of the strip.
You may also prefer to knit some strips, and some strips are purled, so figure it all on the paper before you knit anything, the strips can give you a lot of great texture to your afghan when you plan on it.
After you have it all figured out on paper, and you can use graph paper if you want to, but, I just hand draw the rectangle, and mark the inches on each sides, and then figure out the size of the strips to fit within the size you want it to be. Mark everything that you can about how the strips are to look like, what color, what texture, then you have to figure out what yarn you are going to use, as well as what size of your needles, so take different samples and you should probably cast on at least 10-15 stitches, and go at least 10 rows. Now is the time to measure how many stitches and how many rows equal an inch.
When you know how many stitches are needed to make an inch, as well as how many rows to make an inch, then you can now figure out how many stitches to cast on to make your strips, so mark that all on to your paper. You can also figure out how many rows you need to mark on your paper, so if it's 4 rows equals an inch, and it's 85 inches long, then 85x4=340 rows. If there are 5 stitches to the inch, and the strip is 10 inches, then it needs 50 stitches.
Just measure the samples to get what you need to design your afghan, and mark it all on the paper, and just make your strips, attach them together, and you can do it yourself.
Ok, it's 2:30am now, and I hope I wrote this down well enough to understand this, and I should have been asleep now. <grin> So, if you have any questions, I'm sure others can help you with this, and I can try to explain things better if there is any problems, just design it all on the paper first, and when I know what you want it to look like, it will be easier for myself and others to help you better. Though, I think you can do this fine yourself. :)
Now, I'm not the best at knowing how much yarn is needed to make your queen sized afghan, but, I'm sure there is someone in here who can tell you how many ounces of yarn would be needed to make it. I also know that with knitting, you need less yarn then using crocheting.
Also, depending on the yarn, if it is fairly thick yarn, you may only need one strand, but, to make an afghan thick enough, you may need two strands of yarn while knitting. Just experiment to get the feel of what you want the afghan to look like.
Strips of simple basketweave make a great afghan that has no "wrong side". You can do it in any multiples you wish as well.
That looks wonderful for the stitches for the afghan grami. Like I said, I crochet more than I knit. Anyway, after I posted I was thinking about how thin it would be especially with one strand, and it would be only for one side. It would probably need a backing for the regular knitting. That is really great that the strips can be for both sides, and that the strips can connect together.
My friend knitted an afghan for me, and it was fairly lacy. It looked too complicated for me, however, she said they were so easy to make. She made a lot of them for the holiday, but she used her needles with the wire between them, so that was making the whole afghan, and not strips.
Glad you like the pattern, MrsJim. It can be made on any size needles with any weight yarn. This pattern makes great scarves, too. I've also made baby afghans with the pattern & everyone said they liked the warmth plus no "wrong side" made it very versatile. The needles with the wire is called double pointed needles. I can't use them as the weight is too great for me anymore.
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