I have two strips for the wedding ghan currently done and am working on the 3rd (of 5 ?). My question for you all is this (click to enlarge)How do I want to put this together? That is whip stitch vs crocheting an edge around each strip and then either crocheting together or whip stitching it together. If I had done all the separate squares, I would have edge them all in one color and joined them in the same color, probably whip stitch, which would have looked window pane like. However, by doing the strips I've eliminating the extra time for casting on and binding off over and over and over. The edges are a bit curled, but not badly as often happens with knitting vs crocheting. The pattern you now can see is the traditionally diagonal. So, crocheting an edge will flatten the curled edge which is good, but then does it detract from the diagonal pattern? Whip stitching the strips together and blocking will also take care of the slight curl. Or at least I think it should. Adding a crocheted edge increasing the size, but then which color? And that probably means I need to go buy more yarn (which would be the 3rd time I've purchased yarn for this ghan...the disadvantage of not going with a "real" pattern and guesstimating how much yarn is needed.
Then again, I might have enough yarn to make 6 strips if after doing 5 it looks like it needs to be larger? Sometimes when ghans are too large they're awkward, so I'm really thinking.
Would love some thoughts on over all design regarding edging or not. Please weight in. Thanks!
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I love it! I think a border will look great, and it would look awesome in the darkest brown color. I think it would pull it all together. =) I'm not sure how you should combine it, I'm horrible at combining squares. I was going to make a blankie like this for my baby on the way, but I changed my mind and decided to crochet stripes instead. (Mostly just because I don't feel like combining knit squares). I've had a girly granny-square baby blanket in the works since a few weeks before I found out I was pregnant and I find it easier and more enjoyable to combine granny squares than knit squares. Anyway, you will do a great job on the blanket. All the blankets you make turn out great. I also don't think you'll make it too large, because I think bigger is almot always better when it comes to blankets. I've never been annoyed with having a blanket that's too big, but many of my favorite blankets have been too small to be useful. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteIt's looking gorgeous :) Personally I would whip stitch together, but then put a border around the entire edge, which may not be helpful as it adds another option... Oops! I think the border round each strip might detract from the diagonal, but on the other hand, if it was quite a wide border (rather than a thin one to try and blend in) it might turn into quite a funky look... I'm just no help at all, am I?!
ReplyDeletei agree with pinkundine ... just a border around outside of whole thing and seam strips with something not too noticeable. i like the strong diagonal it's got.
ReplyDeleteI'm leaning towards whip stitch and a border around the outside, I forgot to say I always border the outside. Thanks all keep the ideas and thoughts coming, it is helpful.
ReplyDeleteI like how the squares look right up next to each other. I'd just whip stitch them together and put a border on the outside of the blanket. I'd probably use the darkest color for both of these. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the way the colors are laid out now in the diagonal and agree that a border would detract from that. I prefer using the flat braid join method, which is of no help to you here!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Marushka. Whip stitch the squares and then you could do one or two rounds of a single crochet. Just enough to give it a border, but not so much as to detract from the diagnol pattern. I would also do the border in one of the lighter colors. Just my opinion. Thanks for joining my WIP Wednesday. I look forward to keeping up with your progress.
ReplyDeleteI think it looks great. I agree with Pinkundine and Marushka. Whip stitch is the way to go!
ReplyDeleteHi Sandy! Thanks for visiting my blog. The orange project at the top of my blog is a wrap, my first attempt at lace ... finished photos are at http://spinsterbeth.blogspot.com/2011/03/in-mood-to-spin.html
ReplyDeleteIt didn't turn out like the pattern, but it was my first attempt! I'm hoping to improve.
Love the wedding ghan ... I agree with most the commenters, just a simple border around the edge. Don't want to detract from the diagonal pattern!
Ooh, that looks great! I love the monochromatic look. Very timeless :)
ReplyDeleteWish I had something useful to contribute about how to put it together though!
Another vote for whip stitch and outer border. Christina
ReplyDeleteIt looks great...I would whip stitch it but I'm sure no expert.
ReplyDeletewhen I put blocks together in crochet I sometimes whipstitch them or depending on the block I crochet an edge and join that way.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks all for the input. I'm leaning towards whip stitching sections together, then edging the whole thing and doing an interesting border. Will keep you posted, or if I change my mind.
ReplyDeleteOh it looks fab! I love the colors so! I've learned knitting recently and I have no idea on this, but I also think whip stitch would be nice, as suggested from our lovely ladies.
ReplyDeleteHappy day to you! xo
Whip stitching in the darkest color would probably work. You could even go back and duplicate stitch over the edges of the other squares if that sort of thing would bother you.
ReplyDeleteI'm with the clear majority on this, just whip stitch to join and then put a border on the whole blanket, rather than between strips.
ReplyDeleteAwesome, we seem to have a preferred preference. Love all the brains working together. And, DD weighed in....super cool.
ReplyDeleteI've done the braided crochet on some of my blankets and have been happy with the results. Very forgiving :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.puppetsandprops.com/Files/CBBC.pdf
I'm not sure what options are in joining knitted items, but assuming they are the same as crochet, whipstitch would work. How about mattress stitch? Supposed to disappear into your work so you would have no strands showing to mess up your colors and detail.
ReplyDeleteI think the mattress stitch is good for clothing, but wouldn't want to do something that tedious on a something as large as a ghan. The braid idea is an interesting idea, but think it would look pretty much the same as just crocheting them together?
ReplyDelete