Odd, ravelry doesn’t have a category for afghan. Why does ravelry do that?

The tweed that i am using was a gift from a thoughtful friend. she ordered it on etsy and had it delivered straight to me. unfortunately, the cone is just lots of ends of yarn. a beautiful, lace weight yarn. but it’s not a continuous yarn. the shortest pieces are about 3 inches and the longest i have found so far is 5 feet. very frustrating.

still, i love the color of the yarn and i am going to try blending it with the off white yarn for this afghan. i am hoping that i can bury all of the ends easily in this interlocking mesh technique without going to a lot of trouble. plus, if it works, it will give it more of a ‘desert’ look. at least, this is the plan.

Corrections
t-ch - your dc count for the startup row INCLUDES the t-ch at the beginning of the startup row. This is not clear until you get farther into the pattern. The t-ch is always a ch 3. This adjusts your foundation chains as below. The t-ch 3 counts as dc + 1.

startup row 1 - Facebook Group says it should be ch 357.

(176 blocks x 2) + 1 = 353 + 4 (first dc + ch 1) = 357 ch
then dc in 7th ch from hook. the pattern states 6th ch from hook but that doesn’t work with this chain count.

To match the pattern, you need to ch 356 and dc in the 6th ch from hook. this matches what the rest of the pattern is doing with a t-ch of 3.

This will give you the desired 177 dc’s (counting the t-ch as the first dc) and you will end with your last dc in the last ch.

startup row 2 - Following with the Facebook Group saying there is an error and to reduce by 1 chain, it should be ch 355

(175 blocks x 2) + 1 = 351 + 4 (first dc + ch 1) = 355

to dc in 6th ch from hook, ch 354. this will give you the desired 176 dc (counting the t-ch as the first dc) to end with the last dc in the last ch.

Size note - I am not good at figuring out how big something is until I see it with my own eyes. I know queen is big but this is really big. Pattern states how big it is. This is just how I am about trying to figure out size. So, I am forging ahead with a smaller hook to try to reduce some of the size. I am worried it is going to be too stiff. But acrylic softens in the dryer and grows. This should be okay.

Stitch Definition and technique - The pattern doesn’t define it’s stitches other than writing out the abbreviation. The first 2 rows do have written out instructions but leave a lot out, like sticking the tail of the LC (light color) through the end of the DC (dark color) when starting startup row 2. The best way to overcome this and figure out how to work this pattern is to watch the video. no, the link to the video is not in the pattern. The video REALLY helps and so the process isn’t painful at all. You just need the video.

Interlocking Mesh ‘How To’ video for David Orth’s designs

The trick so far is trying to figure out what is meant by the stitch abbreviations. this is what i have figured out so far.

OS - used only for the dark color. at the beginning of the row, it stands for the t-ch. at the end of the row it is the last dc that is inserted into the ch 3 sp.

WF - used only for the light color. at the beginning of the dark row, bring the light color to the front. it should be in front of the dark color t-ch. This is used on the dark row to tell you how to place your light color to set you up when you start that row.

WB - used only for the light color. at the beginning of the dark row, bring the light color to the back. it should be behind the dark color t-ch. This is used on the dark row to tell you how to place your light color to set you up when you start that row.

SF - used only for the light color. at the beginning of the row, it stands for the t-ch and would be in front of the dark color. if it is at the end of the row, then it is the last dc worked in front of the dark color.

SB - used only for the light color. at the beginning of the row, it stands for the t-ch and would be behind the dark color. if it is at the end of the row, then it is the last dc worked in back of the dark color.

in summary, the terms are the same for the front of the row and the back of the row but are meant slightly differently. the first dc of any row is always the t-ch. so at the front of the row, it is merely a double check that you are in the correct place.

Tricky Row 11 FW--LC
in the 7th line there is a B6. this doesn’t look like the pattern in the rest of the row. Do not fear. If you look carefully at the picture, there is a double cross in the center of this diamond in the border. Trust the pattern. it may help to put a stitch marker in this diamond so that you know that it will look different from the others.

Row 46 FW || DKC
This row can be difficult to get your stitches in the correct places because there is no anchoring stitches from below. you do long stretches of Front stitches and then place a back stitch.

I found that i could use my stitch markers to ‘pin’ the front and back pieces together so that all the blocks lined up correctly.

then when i worked Row 46, it was much easier to place my stitches correctly.

Ongoing
I finally realized just how LARGE this is going to be. OMG!!! Next time, use a fingering weight yarn so that the afghan is not so overwhelmingly HUGE!!

I keep putting it down because it’s really getting hard to deal with. It’s a combination of the sheer size of it and it’s very hot to hold it in my lap (it’s the summer right now!).

I am 30% of the way through the afghan. Going to try to finish it eventually. I just don’t have any mojo to like it. It looks just fine. It’s the size that I find intimidating.

Yes, the designer states the size as “Queen Size with Drape” and gives dimensions on the pattern page. But really, do those numbers mean a lot to you when you see the word “afghan”? I will pay a lot more attention if I ever do another afghan, in this lifetime. This feels more like a bedspread to me.

I put it on my queen size bed and it’s the same width as my bedspread and goes halfway up the bed (matching the bottom with the bottom of the bedspread). I am almost halfway through the pattern. Yes, this is more of a queen size bedspread than an afghan.

Worked on this off and on in the winter of 20/21 because I moved from one state to another. It’s a big project for a “take along”.

July 1, 2021 - I stopped working on this because it’s so hot in my lap and I do not have a/c.

Dec 26, 2021 - Picking this up again and going to see if I can get it finished this winter. It’s snowy and cold outside. Everything else can wait while I work on this.

Having a hard time working on it. I have just lost my mojo. It’s because it is SOOOO huge. I can’t see this being something that anyone would really want because of it’s size. It’s going to be super heavy to lift.

Sticking with it but it’s slow.

3/19/2022
I am using a TV tray to hold the bulk of this thing when I work on it. That keeps it off my lap and off the floor. I am on Row 214. I still can’t see this being a usable afghan when I am finished. It’s going to take a man to lift it. It’s heavy now! So hard to be motivated when I don’t think it’s going to be very usable. I am trying to work at it.

12/31/2022
Working on it again. It’s just so hot and heavy. I am trying to finish this thing. I am about 2/3 finished now. Row 242. Slow but sure. I have to open the windows and take off my sweater to get the room that I am working on this thing - cool enough. Otherwise, it’s like having 15 blankets piled on top of you. It is sooooo hot and heavy. I just cannot imagine anyone wanting this thing.

Pretty designs. But way too hot in worsted weight yarn and WAY too big.

Row 247 FW - LC
I am pretty sure that I am looking at a mistake at the end of the row. Even though my count is perfect, the last 2 white columns are not 2 white columns. One is broken by a green line. Something has to be wrong.

The part that looks funny to me is the last line

B2, F2, B1, F1, B2, F1, B3, F1, SF

It all looks funny but in particular, I think it should end as B2, F2, SF. I am going to see what happens when I turn but it sure feels weird. (I cannot remember if I left this modified or not. 1/8/2024)

1/2/2024
I finished all of my Xmas stuff and now am back to working on this afghan. I so want to get this finished because I am sick of it. I have never worked on anything for so long. It’s very difficult to hold in my lap. The bottom of it is getting filthy from dragging on the floor for several years now.

I have finally finished both wolves. I am on Row 290. The sections where you alternate front and back stitches are the hardest to keep straight. I keep making mistakes and having to frog out 5 or 6 rows. It’s very discouraging. But I am determined, I am going to finish this darn thing.

Yeah, it’s a pretty design. Just so huge! And heavy! And hard to see the pattern because of it’s size.

I am still hating this thing. It is the size that I hate.

Gauge
Pattern - 4 dc by 4 dc = 1 in
My gauge is 4 dc by 4 dc = 1.5 inches

The pattern calls for an I (5.5 mm) hook. I am using a G (4.25 mm) hook. Whoever originally crocheted this must be an extremely tight crocheter.

Feb 5, 2024
Finally!!!! I am on the last page of instructions. I am on the final border and I only have 10 more rows to go. Then I want to put an edging around the outside border to help the outside column of green to stand out a bit and not curl in.

I had to order more yarn. Thank goodness I am using one that is still being made.

I am practically happy dancing that I am so close to being finished!

Border (2/7/2024)
I tried an alternating color border. I didn’t like it because there is too much going on in the afghan. I tried hdc’s but twice I missed a loop when starting the border. I think I am just too excited to be this far a long.

I may just do a sc edging. It’s still going to take several days as it’s a LONG way around this HUGE afghan. I don’t think afghan even applies to it. It should be called a queen size bedspread.

Dimensions
tall - 83 in or 6 ft 11 inches
wide - 76 in or 6 ft 4 inches

I did not give this a completely happy rating because of it’s overwhelming size. So far, no one in my family wants it.

Yarn used - ravelry doesn’t show skeins used on the public face of the project page.

heather (off white) - 15.5 skeins of 285 yards each
deep forest (green) - 14 skeins of 285 yards each

Odd that the heather took more yarn than the green. I did the edging with the green, too. I have to purchase another skein of heather to finish the project.

I am just so deeply pleased that it is finally finished.