Prayer Shawl or Lapghan Pattern

Photo © Copyright 2018, Pam Halbert. All Rights Reserved.
Created for Holy Needles, Tucson AZ
JEAN'S GROUPIE STITCH AFGHAN

MATERIALS:

4-ply yarn

N hook: this is the magic of the pattern.  The large hook gives this afghan a light texture, while providing warmth.  You can adapt the pattern to any weight yarn, and adjust the hook size.

DIRECTIONS:

Chain 100 (or any even number) for the width or length you want.

Turn, and in 2^nd stitch, sc and hdc in the same chain (groupie stitch)

Skip a chain.  Repeat sc and hdc in every other chain to the last chain.

Chain 1, then turn.

Repeat groupie stitch (sc (single crochet), hdc (half double crochet) in between each groupie stitch (the smaller space).  Chain 1, then turn. repeat for the length you want.

Optional border: two rows of sc (single crochet) around the afghan.

40" x 40" recommended for lapghan

average size shawl is approximately 20" x 60"

© Copyright 2017, Jean Rodkey. All Rights Reserved. Created for Holy Needles, Tucson AZ

please do not copy and claim as your own. link to this post. thank you. feel free to create charitable items with this pattern.

Get a little something from Lion Brand & AllFreeCrochet.com

Holy Needles members use hundreds, and thousands of dollars worth of yarn annually, to create items for charitable giving, to help people in need in the Tucson AZ area.  Yarn donations are always accepted and appreciated.

Holy Needles is always sharing and seeking crochet and knit patterns for items for charitable giving, as well as items for sale to members of the community, to raise funds to purchase more yarn and fleece.  

AllFreeCrochet.com and their blog, StitchandUnwind.com have many useful patterns and tidbits of knowledge to help crafters create.

Here's just one example of free patterns they have to share...

Download your copy of Lion Brand's New Fall Collection: 15 Free Crochet Scarf Patterns, Afghan Patterns, and More today!

 With your copy of Lion Brand's New Fall Collection: 15 Free Crochet Scarf Patterns, Afghan Patterns, and More, you can also subscribe to our Hooked on Crochet newsletter to become part of a fabulous and friendly crochet community. In subscribing to the newsletter you will receive:

• New FREE patterns made available to you throughout the year.
• Access to our free pattern library full of 1000’s more free crochet patterns.
• The opportunity to share ideas and help others in the crochet community.
• Six weekly emails with free crochet patterns, tips, collection pages, videos and more.
• Chances to win crochet books and products from our weekly giveaways and contests.

Welcoming a new season is always exciting, especially autumn. Whether you enjoy watching the weather change from hot, sunny skies to crisp, fall days, or simply appreciate the fall fashion (think scarves, shawls, and boots), there's no doubt that fall is a fun time of the year. It marks the beginning of the unofficial holiday season because as soon as Halloween is over, it's full speed ahead towards Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are so many fun ways to celebrate the season. Get a jump start on the fall festivities this year by crocheting any one of Lion Brand's new crochet patterns.

Inside our latest eBook, Lion Brand's New Fall Collection: 15 Free Crochet Scarf Patterns, Afghan Patterns, and More, you’ll find a variety of insanely gorgeous crochet patterns to make for fall. Inside, you'll find the perfect patterns to crochet for your home, your kids, and even yourself. From easy home decor items to stylish accessories and crocheted shawls, you’re sure to find a pattern you love in this free eBook. Each and every one of these free crochet pattern were hand-picked by the Lion Brand experts as must-make pieces for the season.

Once you subscribe to receive our newsletter, Hooked on Crochet, you will really see how neat it is to be part of the crochet community. If you’ve searched for crochet advice on how to organize your yarn, use up leftover yarn, or how to change color, or even what kind of yarn to buy, let AllFreeCrochet.com be your one-stop shop. Our yarn blog, StitchandUnwind.com, is also a great resource for all your yarn needs. Our newsletter, blog, and free crochet patterns are absolutely free to the consumer and will blow your mind. Expand your crochet library collection and download this eBook for free today.

Summer 2011, Happening Around the Meetings

Around the meetings... summer of 2011.

Becky, Linda, and Pat are busy, busy!

Terry is about to label her created items.  She makes SEVERAL newborn items monthly!

Ruth is about to cut some fleece for baby blankets.

Terry and Karen sort through and label some finished products.

Yes, Becky, I'm taking your picture!  :)

Ruth has completed a pile of newborn blankets. 

so busy!

Sorting through many baby items.

Pat and Ruth in action.

Pam is a pro at cutting fleece and putting holes into the edges. We all appreciate all the work Pam does to make the fleece blankets available to be edged with crochet!

Karen is learning to crochet, thanks to her prolific friend Terry!

 Kim is renewing her crochet skills.

prayer shawl books 'won' on facebook from Leisure Arts!  available to members to borrow.

beautiful work!

new member Kim gets right into crocheting!



Using the Skip-Stitch Blade to Create Blanket Borders...

This is a great tool for putting holes into fleece edge, to be able to crochet a border.  The tool is a blade for a 45mm rotary cutter. 

It's called a skip stitch blade.  check it out at http://www.skipstitch.com/products.htm

Also, check out a You Tube video on using this blade.  It's not done quite the way we do it... we put holes 3/8" - 1/2" from the edge.  Also, place the clear straight edge over the edge of the fleece, so that you can use the measurements on the straight edge as your guide. (Maybe someday we'll create a video!)

Edging Fleece with Crochet

Fleece Blanket using Skip-Stitch blade to crochet edge

Easy-to-follow instructions for making a blanket using a Skip-Stitch blade (blade available at http://skipstitch.com/ )

1. Place fleece on self-healing cutting mat.  Cut fleece into size desired, removing selvages (if necessary). (Rounding corners is optional... use plate or container cover to create rounded corner). 
2. Position see-through ruler over 1/2" - 3/4" edge of fleece.
3. Using a 45mm rotary cutter with the Skip-Stitch blade installed, run cutter along edge of ruler with enough pressure to perforate the fleece.
4. Reposition ruler to continue cutting. Place a blade tooth in the last perforation in the fleece, and continue cutting.
5. With right side facing you, just to the left of a corner, start edging the fleece by putting your hook (size H is favorable) through a hole, from the front, picking up the yarn from the back.  Pull through and continue to work a single crochet.  Chain 1. Continue single crochet, chain 1 around the fleece, completing the round with a slip stitch atop beginning stitch. (Work 3 single crochet stitches in each corner if you did not round the corners).
6. Options: crochet only this initial row, add another row of single crochet, or try anything creative!

Scallop pattern: work this into the foundation row, or after a second row of single crochet, or try something different!

1. From the front side of your project, slip-stitch into the foundation row.
2. Skip a stitch and work 3 double crochet stitches in the next stitch .(or 3 hdc)
3. Skip a stitch and slip stitch into next stitch.  Continue around, finishing the row with a slip stitch into the original slip stitch. (compromise as needed for a neat finish).
4. Finish by weaving in ends. NO KNOTS!

#crochet   #freeCrochetPatterns  #howtocrochet

2500 Items Created & Donated in 18 months of Existence!

So many have been served by such awesome generosity from members of Holy Needles!  After 18 months of existence, Holy Needles has created and donated approximately 2500 items to those in need of what we can give! 

THANK YOU Holy Needlers!

One Trimmed Polartec Fleece Shawl... For the Homebound Ministry...

Awesome Navajo Design Blankets.... by Pam

Navajo Indian Multi-Colored Baby Afghan



Size: Approximately 40" x 36"


Materials: 1--8 oz. skein of each color, 4-ply yarn #4 worsted

Hook: Size I

Each row is worked separately; do not turn. leave a 4" end of yarn at the start and end of each row for fringe.


All single crochets (sc) are made in the back loops of stitches. All double crochets (dc) are made in the front loops of stitches in second row from one being worked on.


Start with Color A (Baby Blue) for border. Ch 125 and break yarn.


Border:


Rows 1-5: Sc in each stitch across with border color (A).


Afghan:


Row 6: Color A: Sc in 2 sc, 1 dc, (19 sc, 1dc) end with 2 sc. Be sure to skip 1 sc behind each dc.

Color B (Royal Blue):


Row 7: 3 sc, 1 dc, (17 sc, 1 dc, 1 sc, 1 dc), end 3 sc.

Row 8: 4 sc, 1 dc, (15 sc, 1 dc, 3 sc, 1 dc), end 4 sc


Row 9: 5 sc, 1 dc, (13 sc, 1 dc, 5 sc, 1 dc), end 5 sc.

Color C (Baby Blue):


Row 10: 6 sc, 1 dc, (11 sc, 1 dc, 7 sc, 1 dc), end 6 sc.


Row 11: 7 sc, 1 dc, (9 sc, 1 dc, 9 sc, 1 dc), end 7 sc.


Row 12: 8 sc, 1 dc, (7 sc, 1 dc, 11 sc, 1 dc), end 8 sc.


Color D (White):


Row 13: 9 sc, 1 dc, (5 sc, 1 dc, 13 sc, 1 dc), end 9 sc.


Row 14: 10 sc, 1 dc, (3 sc, 1 dc, 15 sc, 1 dc), end 10 sc.


Row 15: 11 sc, 1 dc, (1 sc, 1 dc, 17 sc, 1 dc), end 11 sc.


Color A (Baby Blue):


Row 16: 12 sc, 1 dc, (19 sc, 1 dc), end with 12 sc.

Rep rows 15, 14, and 13.


Rep rows 12, 11, and 10.


Rep rows 9, 8, and 7.


Rep row 6. Begin pattern again with row 7.


When afghan reaches desired size, rep rows 1-5 after row 6 to complete the pattern.


Notes: This afghan was originally designed for Black/Gray/Red/White combination. To make afghan in 3 colors, use Color A for Color C. I changed Row 16 to Color B (Royal Blue) to give more contrast--it is between rows of white. Might do this with Row 6 also.




For a full size afghan, Ch 245 stitches. Or larger Ch 285. (Multiple of 20 + 5).


In 4 color combination: 8-12 oz. of Color A; 12-16 oz. each of Colors B, C, D

In 2010, provided by Pam Halbert of Holy Needles

Video on How to Create a Crocheted Border on Fleece

Consider (Machine) Sewing an Applique

Here's a link on how to sew an applique.  Another idea for blankets!


http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/techniques/applique/machine-applique-tips_ss1.html

The Blanket Stitch... Perfect For Edging Fleece!

Here's some references to making the blanket stitch... great stitch to edge the shawl/lap blanket, a scarf, or any blanket, or use your imagination!!

Creating a Shawl/Lap Blanket for Casas Homebound

WOW! Holy Needler's are off & running with creating lap blankets for the homebound/elderly!  Holy Needles is involved in a joint venture with the Rohring On Homebound ministry at Casas Church.  When someone visits a 'homebound' Casas member, in a private home, a group home, or an assisted living facility, they can gift the person with a lap blanket. 

Besides lap blankets (as seen in the prior blog entries), Holy Needler's can also create/decorate shawls, which can do double duty as a lap blanket as well. 

Our member, Joyce, has altered a pattern to create a nice looking, functional shawl/blanket!  Thank you Joyce! 

Come join us at a Holy Needles meeting, or work strictly from home if you can't make a meeting... grab a piece of fleece and decorate it as you wish.  Edge with a nice blanket stitch, or create a nice single crochet edge, or bind the edge in fabric, or combine fleece with other fabric, or ??? ... you are free to use your creative mind!  

These items for homebound will also have a Casas Church label sewn on them.  Thank you to Cecilia, who will be machine embroidering Casas Church for us, creating sew-on patches! 

Joyce is busy laying her pattern on a cut piece of fleece.

Joyce is busy, busy, busy working on cutting the fleece.  She cut out at least 10 shawl/blankets, and with the remaining pieces, she will create about 40 scarves for donation to Samaritan's Purse worldwide programs!