Afghan Crochet Patterns
Afghans are blankets made by crocheting or knitting yarn in rows or
other patterns. Often an afghan will be made from a single color of
yarn. Designs are created by varying the thickness of the yarn in certain place.
There are several methods of creating this variation of thickness.
Sometimes patterns can be created by using a piece yarn that has
different colors along its length. In this case the designs are random,
and unlike the deliberate designs created by counted cross stitch patterns, the color schemes cannot be controlled by the creator.
Often afghan crochet patterns involve using one piece of yarn in a continuous system of loops.
The yarn is often not technically one piece because it may have to be
spliced, but essentially is made in one long process. Knitting employs
two needles, while crocheting only uses one, but it features a hook at
the end. Tunisian crochet is a cross between the two. Although it uses only one crochet hook, the finished result resembles a knitted work.
When
the work is made using a single piece of material, the beauty of the
pattern involves creating a pattern of holes, similar to lace. Other
patterns exist that also create an intricate effect. Mile-a-minute afghan crochet patterns
entail making several long independent strips and joining them together
after they have all been completed. These strips are similar to ropes,
but usually far more intricate. Granny square afghans
are based on a system of independent squares that are eventually joined
to create a quilt-like pattern. The advantages of these afghan patterns
is that the artist has some control over the color pattern on the
surface. Also, one large project can be tackled by several crocheters,
enabling a quicker start to finish time.
