Madison Cubs Afghan

I am a teacher at Madison High School in Southern Indiana.  I designed this afghan with my school's mascot and donated it to our art department for their annual fundraiser.

I LOVE designing afghans with school logos or names.  This one was very challenging as I had sometimes 20 bobbins of yarn to work with at once.  Good thing I'm a detangling guru!!!

When working on the "Madison Cubs" line, I was frustrated to find, about halfway thru the line, that I was working it as a mirror image!  The words were backwards!  Oh no!!  With all the bobbins, it was challenging to unravel the work but was a lesson well learned!  Double check which side you're on! 

Here is a lapsize afghan I made using the logo of the previous school I worked for.  This was designed and gifted to the school secretary who was a personal friend.

 DEBI'S DRAWSTRING BAG

 

I designed this bag to go with the checkerboard afghan (see photo at end of directions) found on Sara’s Crochet Blog, https://saracrochets.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/free-checkerboard-gameafghan-pattern-part-one/.  It's great for holding the checkers and if on a road trip, can double as a pillow  for your child in the car!

Yarn:  Model was made with 1 skein Red Heart Super Saver yarn (364 yds), plus a few yards of a 2^nd color for the stripe.  (I prefer Red Heart Super Saver yarn for my bags because it is a bit stiff, which works well for bags.) 

Hook:  “H” for bag; Hook “J” for braid.

Special Stitches:  dc2tog –  Yarn over (YO) hook, insert hook in stitch, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook).  YO hook, pull through 2 loops.  YO hook insert in next st, pull up a loop, (4 loops on hook).  YO, pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook).  YO pull through last 3 loops.  

DIRECTIONS:  Ch 4; join with sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Rnd 1: Ch2 (counts as first dc here and throughout), work 11 more dc in ring; join with sl st in  top of beg ch2(12 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch2, dc in same sp as join, *2 dc in next dc; rep from * around; join with sl st in top of orig ch2 (24 dc)

Rnd 3: Ch2, dc in same sp as join, dc in next  dc, *2 dc in next  dc, dc in next  dc;  rep from * around; join with sl st in  top of beg ch2  (36 dc)

Rnd 4: Ch2, dc in same sp as join, dc in next 2 dc, *2 dc in next  dc, dc in next 2 dc; rep from * around; join with sl st in  top of beg ch2  (48 dc)

Rnd 5: Ch2, dc in same sp as join, dc in next 3 dc, *2 dc in next  dc, dc in next 3 dc; rep from * around; join with sl st in  top of beg ch2  (60 dc)

Rnd 6 & 7: Ch2, dc in each dc around; join with sl st in top  of beg ch2. (60) 

Rnd 8: Ch2, dc in same sp as join, dc in next 4 dc, *2 dc in next  dc, dc in next 4 dc; rep from * around; join with sl st in  top of beg ch2  (72 dc)

Rnd 9: Ch2, dc in same sp as join, dc in next 7 dc, *2 dc in next  dc, dc in next 7 dc; rep from * around; join with sl st in  top of beg ch2  (81 dc)

Rnd 10: Ch2, dc in same sp as join, dc in next 8 dc, *2 dc in next  dc, dc in next 8 dc; rep from * around; join with sl st in  top of beg ch2  (90 dc)

Rnd 11: Ch2, dc in same sp as join, dc in next 9 dc, *2 dc in next  dc, dc in next 9 dc;  rep from * around; join with sl st in  top of beg ch2– 99 dc.

Change to 2^nd color.

Rnds 12: Rep Rnd 6.

Rnd 13:  Ch3 (counts as dc and ch1); skip dc; *(dc in next dc; ch1; sk next dc); repeat around. Join with sl st to 2^nd ch in the beg ch3.  (50 spaces)

Rnd 14 & 15: Ch3; *(dc in next dc; ch 1); repeat around. Join with sl st to 2^nd ch in the beg ch3.

Rnd 16:  Ch2; dc in sp; *(dc in dc; dc in sp). Repeat around. Join with sl st to top of ch2.  

Change back to 1^st color.

Rnd 17 & 18: Repeat Rnd 6. (100 dc)

Rnd 19: ch2; dc in next 9 dc; dc2tog; *(dc in next 23 dc; dc2tog) 3 times; dc in next 13dc; join with sl st to top of beg ch2.  (92dc; 4 dc2tog)

Rnd 20: Ch2; dc in next 9 dc; dc2tog; *(dc in next 22 dc; dc2tog) 3 times; dc in next 12dc; join with sl st to top of beg ch2 (88dc; 4dc2tog)

Rnd 21: ch2; dc in next 9dc; dc2tog; *(dc in next 21 dc; dc2tog) 3 times; dc in next 11 dc; join with sl st to top of beg ch2  (84dc; 4 dc2tog)

Rnd 22: ch2; dc in next 9 dc; dc2tog; *(dc in next 20dc; dc2tog) 3 times; dc in next 10 dc; join with sl st to top of beg ch2. (80 dc; 4 dc2tog)

Rnd 23: ch2; dc in next 9 dc; dc2tog; *(dc in next 19dc; dc2tog) 3 times; dc in next 9 dc; join with sl st to top of beg ch2. (76 dc; 4 dc2tog)

Rnd 24: ch2; dc in next 9 dc; dc2tog; *(dc in next 18dc; dc2tog) 3 times; dc in next 8 dc; join with sl st to top of beg ch2. (72 dc; 4 dc2tog)

Rnd 25: ch2; dc in next 9 dc; dc2tog; *(dc in next 17dc; dc2tog) 3 times; dc in next 7 dc; join with sl st to top of beg ch2. (68 dc; 4 dc2tog)

Rnd 26: Ch3, tr ch in next 4dc; ch1; *(tr ch in next 5 dc; ch1); repeat around.  Join with sl st to top of beg ch3.

Rnd 27: Ch2, dc in next 4 tr ch; dc in sp; *(dc in next 5 tr ch; dc in sp); repeat around. Join with sl st to top of beg ch2.  Cut yarn and weave in ends.

DRAWSTRING BRAID:

Using a “J” hook and two strands of yarn (I used one strand of black and one strand of red), ch 125. Leave about 4” of tail at beginning of chain.  At end, cut off yarn, leaving about 4” tail.  Weave braid in and out of the ch1 spaces created in Rnd 26.  Tie ends securely together, using tails at each end.

It's All in the Detail Work!

Details.  Details. Do we really need those hand-cramping picots?  Blocking?  Is it really needed?

I am sharing some in-progress and before-and-after photos to show how the details make the difference.

This is a small doily or coaster pattern that I just love.  The way the white thread overlays the red center is just beautiful to me.  The pattern is called "Sunmote", designed by Julia Hart.  The pattern can be found here -->  https://www.draiguna.com/2018/02/sunmote.html  and is also available on Ravelry.com.  

I don't like making picots.  But I love the finish look they give a project.  The first "Sunmote" I made, I omitted the picots.  The pattern calls for 120 of them on this small doily.  Here is the unblocked photo:

It's still pretty.  Looks nice and I wouldn't have a problem putting it .... as is .... on my table.  But then another crocheter posted a photo of the ones she made for her daughter's wedding .... with picots.  Gosh, they looked beautiful, but I was still unwilling to do 120 of them on mine.  So I modified the last row and added a single picot on each "petal" of the doily. Compare them side by side.  The difference is subtle, but it makes a difference.

But wait .... I'm not done.  I always block all of my thread work so I pinned it to my bulletin board (that I use to block projects), sprayed it with just plain water, and let it sit overnight.  With this design, I had to pin the overlap onto the red center.

And here is the final result.  Compare this to the first photo.  With picots and after being blocked, it doesn't look like the same item.  Notice how the design is more clear after the blocking process.....you can see more of the detail.

I then made a set for Easter, in purple and peach.

This pattern is great for using up those leftover threads in your stash.  The pattern calls for size 3 thread and a larger hook for the center (red) and size 10 thread and smaller hook for the outer edging (white).  I didn't use size 3 thread when I made the purple/peach but I just had to add 2 rows to get my inner circle the correct size.  Had to add 2 rows to make the math come out right (final stitch count should be divisible by 4).  Of the two, I like the red one (size 3 thread) better because the thickness works better for use as a coaster.  If you are going to use it as a small doily (under a candy dish or flower vase), the thickness may not make a difference.

If you try this pattern, please visit Julia Hart's page and let her know you found it here!