Celebration Afghan Tutorial
The Celebration Plaid Afghan on page 46 is designed around a special date that is easily customizable to celebrate any occasion. For example, in the pattern provided, we use the date 5-28-1986. Each number in the date represents a color. In the Mesh Base, we will work 5 rows in color A, 2 rows in color B, 8 rows in color C, 1 row in color D, 9 rows in color E, 8 rows in color F and 6 rows in color G. We will repeat this sequence until we’ve reached the length of the pattern. You can easily interchange these dates with your own. For each number, you assign a color; the only exception is zero which would have no color assigned. If your date is 5-28-2015, you would work the mesh stitch as 5 rows in color A, 2 rows in color B, 8 rows in color C, 2 rows in color D, no rows for 0, 1 row in color E and 5 rows in color F. We would repeat this sequence until we reach the length of the Mesh Base. The numbers you choose will greatly impact the width and length of the Afghan and you will need to take that into consideration when plotting your own dates. To calculate our own date, we need to know that each block is a multiple of 2 stitches. For the date 5-28-1986, our math is 5 + 2 + 8 + 1 + 9 + 8 + 6 = 39. We can easily determine that 39 mesh boxes aren’t going to make a very wide Afghan so we need to multiply 39 x 2 (here, 2 is the number of times we want to repeat the sequence) = 78. We know 78 boxes should be wide enough. Now we want to figure out our starting chain count. To do this, we multiply 78 x 2 (the 2 here is our block stitch) = 156. With this stitch, we need to add a starting chain of 4 for the first double crochet, which will bring our total beginning chain count to 160. You can interchange any dates you like with this formula to create your own custom Afghan! Refer to the gauge in the pattern for the final measurement of the Mesh Base. The real fun begins after we’ve crocheted our mesh! We are going to weave 4 very long strands of yarn vertically through each mesh square following the same color sequence we used to crochet the Mesh Base. We want to make sure each strand is at least 20 inches longer than our rows of mesh so we have enough yarn for the Fringe. Fringe is a lovely necessity; it keeps the woven strands locked in place. We will start weaving our first mesh squares in the top corner with the corresponding color. We will weave through the chain-1 spaces under the first row and over the 2nd row, then pull our yarn under the next row (see Photo 1). We will repeat this weaving sequence until we reach the bottom of the Afghan. Pull yarn through until there is approximately 9 inches of Fringe at each edge. To begin row 2 of Fringe, we will weave over our first row and then under the next row (see Photo 2).
Continue weaving through row 2, leaving a 9-inch tail for Fringe at the end of the row. We will repeat these 2 rows in the same color sequence we followed while crocheting our Mesh Base. Once we’ve finished weaving our Afghan, lay it flat and smooth out any ruffling that may have occurred. Next, we will thread 3 more 20-inch strands of corresponding yarn halfway through every mesh square on each end. Folding the new strands over creates a thicker Fringe. Then we make a knot to finish our Fringe. When all Fringes are tied, trim the ends evenly and block as desired.