advice for a blanket?

[cassafrass]

Ok, so I'm looking for some advice. I promised a friend that I'd make them a blanket, but it has been a much longer project than anticipated. Instead of a month or so, it's been over 2, and it's only like a third done (I'm talking 3 hours for every inch of progress). Does anyone have a suggestion for a quicker pattern? I'm just looking for something that I can finish in a reasonable time frame...
Help!
Thanks!

[GeekMagnet]

Use a shell stitch.  there are TONS of different shell stitches, just pick one.  The go alot faster because the are more open/ larger spaces.  but they are  still just as warm as something tighter like single crochet.  http://www.knitting-and.com/crochet/shellstitch.htm

[Jennickell]

I have been working on a mile-a-minute afgan off and on for a few months (It I would just site down and devote 1 hour a night to it I would have had it done in like a week). It goes really fast and looks really pretty.
Here is a link
http://www.freepatterns.com/fp_pdfs/Other/Crochet/mileaminute.pdf
uses a lot of basic stitches, so even a beginner could make one

[cassafrass]

oh! those are both awesome suggestions. thanks so much! i think i may have to start back at ground zero and see how much faster it goes... seriously, i worked on it for a few hours tonight, and its just so frusteratingly slow...
i mean come on now, i can't be THAT slow at this!

[Jennickell]

Dont get frustrated, I get so impatient, that is why I just cannot make big afgans, I have to make little things (hats, purses, scarves, etc), I just get bored easily, that is why it has taken me close to 6 months to work on the same blanket. Maybe you should take a break from it, just for a day or two, make something small, and come back to it. Just a thought:)

[autumnleaves]

Not sure if anyone else was thinking this but you could work with a big hook and two strands of yarn together. This goes super fast and comes out thick and warm. Plus you can do the main color then mix it with cream or white for a heathered look. I made one with solid and heathered stripes using an accent color. I used a ripple pattern /\/\/\

[cassafrass]

i am using a pretty big hook (size N), but i've also been just double crocheting the whole thing. maybe i'll work on starting a swatch with a different pattern and see how much better it goes. i don't really want to scrub the whole thing (it looks really nice), but since it's a gift for someone going back to college, maybe it would be better to start over than to get it to him at the end of the school year.

um, side note. its a few hours later. i just started with a shell stitch. OMG! this is amazing. what used to take me 2 hours is taking me 30 or 45 minutes. yay!! I LOVE EVERYONE for showing me the light!

[dewbaby00]

I suggest buying the biggest crochet hook you can find and working with two strands of yarn you can use whatever stitch you like and it works up fast an easy. My 11yr old daughter still has the one I made her when she was 3. The fun thing is you can use varigated with a solid or whatever.

[cassafrass]

Coming soon to the finished projects is the completed blanket. I just have to figure out how to get the pictures off of my friends camera and onto my computer... it took a week and a half and turned out awesome. 

[crappiefisher]

i can't wait to see it! i'm the midst of a neverending afghan right now and i would like to see how you did it! i may unravel and start over!