Hi everybody! Welcome to our little between-clue post. I hope you’re all well on your way to completing your afghan blocks! Even if you’re not, remember these posts and downloads will be available all the time on this website. Now let’s talk seaming!
While the placement of your afghan blocks is ultimately up to you, this is the arrangement we used:
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A PDF FILE OF THE THIS PLACEMENT CHART.
***Please note there was an error in the diagram originally posted. The diagram you see above and the pdf have been amended.***
So how do we stick ‘em together?
There are several different ways to sew your knitting together. Mattress stitch is a very popular technique for sewing up a sweater, but it results in a somewhat bulky seam with a very definite right and wrong side. While our blanket does have a right and wrong side, we need something a little less conspicuous. Lucky for us, this method is a whole lot easier!
This flat-seam method is not invisible, but looks the same on both sides and creates a smooth join. Simply thread a length of yarn through a large tapestry needle and draw the needle through both thicknesses. The diagram above shows how you would sew while holding two pieces of knitting sandwiched together.
When you are finished the seam, you then unfold the pieces and smooth out your seam. As the stitch is basically reversible, you can hold the pieces to be seamed with right sides together OR wrong sides together, just make sure the top/bottom edges are pointing in the right direction. Be careful not to pull your stitches too tight or you will end up with a ridge when you unfold your seam.
You can also work this seam, holding the knit pieces side by side. In this case, a table really helps!
Note: The following two pictures are not blocks from our afghan. Don’t worry if the pattern doesn’t look familiar!
I’m using red yarn to sew with so you can clearly see the seam. Here’s the same seam from the back:
When worked in a matching yarn, the seam really isn’t that visible:
TIPS
- Block your afghan pieces before seaming. This will help get your pieces into uniform shape and smooth out the edges for seaming.
- Before seaming, lay your afghan pieces out on the floor or a large flat surface in the placement you intend to sew them together. When you have the placement the way you like, label them to make sure you sew them that way! It’s easy to accidentally sew something together upside down or backwards. Try pinning a scrap of paper to each piece with your notes – eg: “Row 2, Column 4″
- Seam your squares in strips, then you can work 3 long vertical seams (or 5 horizontal) instead of several short ones.
- Try seaming all of the afghan pieces with the same color for consistency and to avoid weaving in extra ends
Good luck everybody, we’re almost finished! Check back next Wednesday, February 10th for our final clue and more information on the contest!
-Julia
Silly question……..Where can I get the pattern for the stitch used in your example above? I love it.
can you make the knit patterns into crochet
Hi all
Ryan there was a book published a couple of years ago called From Needles to Hooks that showed which crochet stitch to use for the knitted stitch. Do not remember where I bought it from. My copy is loaned out right now and don’t remember who has it, LOL. Maybe you can find on the web.
Ryan,
The book is entitled From Needles to Hook and was published by the Needlecraft Shop, Big Sandy, TX 75755
Their website is NeedlecraftShop.com
I have had the book for several years, but I don’t remember how much it cost.
thanks for the tip. Lets say we are done with the blanket, (1.5 more to go). But we want to make it a little bigger, or we already have 1 more color, how would we go about doing that?
Loved the cables.thanks so much.
I will have a problem aligning some of the squares, even after blocking they vary within the ‘approx. 10 x 8 ins’ specified. However, I’m going to try an experiment after playing with them in layout, to figure out the best arrangement. That is an excellent idea to pin a paper to each one with its position, an arrow indicating right way up, etc. I’ll write again…
Would it be possible to post a picture of each block
with the Pattern # attached to it – I can’t remember
which pattern # each block was?
Hi Suzanne -
Next Wednesday we’ll be posting the final clue (the border). Shortly after that we’ll release the full pattern as a single pdf file – that will let you see each clue next to the image of the square. That should help keep things oriented.
Suzanne another way to find the pictures is at the bottom of this page and every blog page is a back arrow you can click on and it will take to back to every blog page. It will take a lot of clicks to get it done but just keep clicking till you see each and every block so you will know which number goes to which pattern.
If you just want to see the posts from the Knit-Along, all you have to do is click on the Mystery Afghan Knit-Along category on the right hand side.
Keep in mind that the images in those posts don’t reflect that clue, but rather the previous clue.
Thanks, I found it,
Oh dear, Suzanne, if I’d seen your message just a while ago…! This morning I stacked my blocks in sets of 3 according to Same Clue, and found the pattern sheet for each from the depths of my knitting bag (it is about the size of a room…well it IS a room), put each set of 3 on the pattern sheet and followed the layout diagram. But now sheets of paper and blocks are separated.
What I remember: 7 and 8 are the cables. 5 and 6 are the lace. 3 and 4 are the ‘bricks’ and flat diamond, and the other two – are what’s left! Hope that helps until next week.
If you want to play around in the meantime, place your blocks according to the shading in the diagram.
I followed the diagram mostly but made some changes to suit my particular blocks.
I then pin-basted the blocks of each row side by side, folded the row carefully into a bundle and pinned a scrap of paper to it, marking the Row number. I’m storing them in a box where they won’t be disturbed. I have two more blocks to finish, then when they are basted to their rows, will start the joining.
Does anybody ever crochet blocks together for an afghan? How does that work?
It works fine! Instead of the sewn seam, work single crochet connecting the blocks. You could even make a wider join if you had enough yarn, to make borders around each block.
I have crocheted blocks together. It creates a ridge, so there would be a definite right and wrong side. What I like about crocheting is you can crochet all the loose ends right into the single crochet row.
I made 2 knit a long for my daughters l is yellow,white,babyblue.it for a bedroom I would like to knit a frilly lacey border where would Ifind such a pattern ?The other one is beige,carrot,&fern green, (Autumn shades) I will wait and do the border you make next week Thank You. I have really enjoyed doing this and await another surprise one maybe crochet?
Think I’m going to crochet mine together as well, but waiting to see how much yarn it will take for the border before I get started. That gives me a few days to get all my pieces blocked.
All my blocks are now sewn into columns now so I hope to get the columns sewn together before Wednesday. I switched clue placement around a little to avoid 2 of the same clue next to each other and because I wanted the sturdier cable blocks for the corners. At a Warm Up America project for sewing blocks together we used the pins from brush hair rollers and they worked much better than the flat head quilting pins (no accidental pricks) I had been using, and make it easy to ease a little if needed. Anxious to see the border clue next week.
That is a great idea!
I’m nearly finished sewing my blocks together. I’ve had to “coax” some of the blocks to work, but believe they are ok. I’m not crazy about my sewing, but I think I’m going to be happy with it. I still can’t believe I’ve pulled this off, I can’t wait for the next KAL.
I decided to crochet mine together as well. I didn’t block them, only matched them up and made them fit(as I’ve always done!) I also changed the order of the blocks- I like having the three together- makes that pattern pop. Am waiting patiently for tomorrow’s clue!
I think I will crochet mine together as I have done in the past with squares. I start mine with a chain one, then go to the other side with a sc and then ziz zag the sc. It does make a ridge, but a nice pattern. Easier doing it as the yarn goes along with you.
Joan
I used the colors that were suggested and I find that the “camel” looks very dark compared to the “silk” and “banana”. I’m not very happy about the results when I try to piece everything together. Do you have any suggestion as to what color to use to sew the blocks together. Are you using silk to match with the border?
I used whatever color the right-hand square was, and changed color when I got to a new square.
Hello Nicole de Montreal,
I was going to suggest the same as Donna Lynne. When sewing up the blocks, thread your needle with one of the same colours as the blocks you are sewing together. I hope this is helpful.
Thank you Donna Lynne. My daughter thought that a contrasting color would make it look like a “granny” blanket. In fact she named it a “70s” blanket. I did feel like an old granny. I will follow your advice.
I’m almost finished the last square of Clue #8,
I have blocked a few pieces but has anyone, besides myself
decided that this is not a race…I think that the primary
goal is to share experiences and knowledge and enjoy the art
of knitting… Until this KAL I have always knitted by myself,
with very little encouragement or support, so it’s nice to
have fellow knitters along for the ride, and I’ve enjoyed
learning new things…
Please don’t turn it into a rat race.. I’m too old and tired
when will the picture for clue #8 be available?