Learn to Knit Afghan (along)

[Retromiad]

I have a wool called Country Style, it's a mix of wool, nylon, and acrylic, so it IS washable, but it feels really nice and soft.

[PaisleyMoose]

Got it! I had a wool/acrylic mix picked out, but I had to stick with regular acrylic as more original choice would have broken my poor college budget but it's a soft Caron that I liked and it had to colors i wanted so I'm okay with it. I thumbed through the book and I'm not looking forward to the mosaics.. but that's only because I've never ever done anything like that and I fear I'll do it all wrong!  I'm most looking forward to playing with cables.
We'll see. I'm sure my feelings will change many times as I work through the book.

How is yours coming, Retromiad?

[Retromiad]

I know what you mean about being unsure, but I have to tell you, the squares that LOOK the hardest are not.  It's just a matter of getting into the rhythm of things.  I'm on square 22 now, I could probably finish that today if we don't go out.  It's a nice day though so I might not get to it.  #24 is the first square we use a circular knitting needle, I'm a little nervous about that but I'm sure it'll be fine. 

I'm looking forward to the cables too, they're just so cool looking!  Square 48 looks impressive, it's like a 3d vine. 

[PaisleyMoose]

I'm on square 6 and let me say that p-b is KICKING MY BUTT! Knitting through the back loop I've done before and it's fairly easy. But I knit fairly tightly so purling-b is kicking my little butt. Otherwise everything is going quickly. I actually really want to skip ahead a few squares to the rose pattern and the mosaics. I might. Shhhh!

[Retromiad]

P-b was hard for me too, but after I did a whole square of it I found it pretty easy.  It's just getting used to the different way of putting your needle in.

I just finished square 24.  I didn't enjoy that one at all, it took me several days. That's the one that's done on a circular knitting needle.  The stitches aren't hard, they're the basic slip and knit and purl, but something about that square just sucked for me. What I've learned from that is I'll never do that particular pattern again!  lol!

I started the next square which is sort of a mock cable thing.  I did 20 rows, but I'm going to unravel and start over because it just isn't looking right.  Not today though, I'll start tomorrow!  Sometimes when a square is being stubborn it's best just to take a break.

I don't see anything wrong with skipping a square, but all the squares in the same section tend to use the same kind of stitches, so it's easier to remember them.  I loved the mosiacs though, so I can't blame you!  So far they've been the most fun and interesting!  Just remember to keep a good eye on whether the slips should have the yarn in the back or the front! 

[Retromiad]

Paisley, I was wondering how you're coming along. 
I'm on square #34 now.  I found the last chapter (twist-stitch patterns) a complete nightmare!  However, I'm finding cables quite easy and relaxing!  I don't know why anyone would do a mock cable instead of a real one! 
Now that I'm halfway through I'm starting to think about how I'll put this all together.  I've been doing my squares in 2 shades of forest green, and I have white yarn to put them together.  I guess crochet is the easiest, but I don't know yet.

[PaisleyMoose]

It's going slowly as I've spent a lot of my time recently getting ready for my second year of college. I'm on square 13 ( I think?! haha). But even with as little squares as I have I can already foresee the nightmare of putting the squares together. Surprisingly, only one of my squares curled badly and that was a mosaic one. The other's are okay so far, yay!

I was thinking of lining mine to hide the wrong sides and adding batting inside, almost quilt like. However I don't own a sewing machine (maybe my gran does but I doubt it) so I'm a little bummed I can't do that. The crochet one seems the easiest, yea. I think when I get there I'll do a practice of both knitting and crocheting and see which works better. I'm also tempted to hand sew with yarn if I can find a method that I really like. My hand sewing on knitted garments always looks a little messy though. 
I'm sewing it together with a dark chocolate brown. My light colors (I never shared this, silly me) are cream and the other is CALLED  seafoam, but it's a little more aqua. My dark is a brown and heather blue. It matches my dorm very well which is all brown and teal/aqua

[Retromiad]

I really wish I would have chosen 4 colours now, just because it adds a little more interest.  If I had to do it again I would (ha, but I'm never going to do this again I think!)  but I think it will look nice with the two colours (three if you count the white to put it all together).  Your colours sound lovely.  I've always liked brown and blue together. 

I think you're doing very well.  Don't worry about not going as fast as me.  I probably have a lot more free time on my hands, lol.  You'll find that it goes a bit faster as you get further along too.

[PaisleyMoose]

Hehehe I'm probably going to get close to you this week as I'm going to (read: sneaking into) school a week early and I don't have classes until September 2nd. There will be a LOT of stitch and bitch time especially since my roomie is an avid crocheter.

I actually like the two colors. If I were to do this again (if I did it would probably be a mini version by reducing the stitch counts and only doing the squares i really like  ) I would be the reverse of you and only do two colors, probably in purples, so that I have one for home too.

[Retromiad]

Well these past weeks the Afghan has been going very slowly for me, but at last I am done with the cables!!  Now I'm doing the increases and decreases.  It's quite interesting to see how those work, and I do believe this section will be the most helpful in future knitting. 

I'm halfway through square #42, the ripple.  It's really neat looking, but it's kind of an odd shape, so we'll have to wait and see how that fits in with the rest of the squares when I put it together.

I can't believe I've come so far.  I've updated my profile so that I don't list myself as a newbie knitter any more.    It's amazing how these patterns that used to look like an alien code to me now make sense! 

When I bought this book, my husband thought I'd do a couple of squares and then forget about it.  To be honest, that WAS a possibility.  I'm just so proud of myself for sticking with it.  I can't wait until I'm finished, only 21 more squares to go!  WOO HOO!  I feel like I've climbed a mountain and I'm at last coming down the other side.  I'm trying not to think too much about putting it together because of course finishing the squares isn't really the end, is it?  I'll tell you one thing though.  I am SO GLAD that I've been weaving in the ends after each square.  Imagine what a nightmare that would be to do on 63 squares at once, lol!

This isn't my first knitting project, but it is the biggest one I've done so far.  I'm coming up to about a year since I picked up knitting needles for the first time.  Who knew I would grow to enjoy it so much?

Sorry for the mini-novel, lol.