The Mile-a-Minute Afghan

The Mile-a-Minute Afghan

THE HEIRLOOM PROJECT

This project, like many of my projects, has a story, so here it is.  

Over the years, I've swung back and forth between a variety of handcrafts.  Many years ago I picked up a crochet hook to learn to the craft.  While my mom had taught me to knit, I was never totally proficient, and I'm still working on my knitting; mien-while I've gradually picked up some simple crochet projects.  About 10 years ago,  my beloved late Mother-in-Law, Mary Lou, (who never knit or crochet as far as I know) shared with me a hand-written pattern for an afghan.  It was in her mother's handwriting and there were a couple of these afghans draped in her home, made by her mother.   I proceeded to crochet a couple of these afghans at that time, and found that even though it was an ambitious project, it was a simple pattern for a beginner like me.

Basically the pattern is worked in strips.  The center is worked in a variegated yarn, then is edged in a light colored yarn, then again in a darker colored yarn, then each strip is joined using the same dark color. 

FAST FORWARD to this past year.  My step-daughter is engaged and as her wedding day got closer I was trying to think of something I could give her that would be very special to her.   One of the most beloved in her life was her Grandma, my mother-in-law.  Why not make her an HEIRLOOM AFGHAN!!!!?    

For her bridal shower I was able to give her the afghan shown here in this post... along with a copy of that same pattern, hand-written by her great-grandmother! 

And see a picture of my step-daughter opening her afghan.

My daughter Tina opening with her HEIRLOOM AFGHAN at her bridal shower.

 AND.... here's the pattern... simple as pie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MILE-A-MINUTE AFGHAN
 
Materials needed:

• 7-8 skeins variegated yarn.
• 6 skeins complimentary light color.
• 6 skeins complimentary dark color.

Start with variegated yarn. Chain 7 loosely; form a ring using slip stitch.
Row 1: in ring – ch 3, 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc – ch 3, turn.
Row 2: 3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc. (Shell made in 3 dcs space of previous row. Dc in turning,, ch 3, space is now below.) Chain 3 and turn.
 
REPEAT ROW 2 to desired length, (95-105 shells; 60 shells if you want the pattern to run across the width.)
 
Attach light color in any ch 3 space alongside ch 3, 2 dc space. *3 dc in dc space, 3 dc in chain space* At end of loop make 15 tc then continue in pattern, 15 tc in other end.
 
Attach dark color to right of light color. Dc all the way around in each back loop of stich. In 15 tc – increase to 2 dc in each stitch.
 
Join each panel together with dark color using slip stitch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let me know if you give it a try, I'd love to see the results.