Turning a dishcloth pattern into an afghan or baby blanket.
Posted by Katherine aka SweaterBabe on June 16th, 2008 at 12:04pm
Dear SweaterBabe,
I have a lot of patterns for dishcloths that I would like to make into afghan sizes and baby blanket sizes. Is there a formula for increasing a crochet pattern or decreasing a pattern.
– Dawn
Dear Dawn,
Without seeing what your dishcloth pattern looks like, I can try to give some general advice.
Most crochet patterns have a section that repeats, then some number of chains that is needed to get started. That’s why many crochet stitch patterns says to begin by chaining a multiple of X plus Y sts.
If you can figure out what that X and Y are for your dishcloth pattern, then you can extrapolate and make an afghan or baby blanket out of the same pattern.
For example, if it seems like the dishcloth pattern is over a multiple of 3 sts plus 4, then you just need to determine how many multiples of 3 will get you the width that you want for your afghan or blanket and add the chain 4.
Assuming the dishcloth is 14″ wide or so, multiplying it by 5 will give you approximately a 70″ wide afghan…
Many well-written patterns will provde the stitch pattern in a generic form (thereby providing the “mult of X plus Y” instruction needed) separately from the specific instructions for the project.
Hope that helps!
– SweaterBabe
1 Comment
1. AW | June 17th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Here’s a free pattern using a dishcloth pattern for a blanket.
http://www.sewonfire.com/dishcloth.htm
Wendy’s Favourite Dishcloth Pattern
(Extra Large Dishcloth Makes Beautiful Baby Afghan)
This is the easiest pattern I know, use cotton yarn. For a baby afghan - use this pattern and increase to about 185 stitches on needles, transfer to round needles, as you decrease change back if you like.
Cast on 4 stitches
Row 1 Knit 4
Row 2 Knit 2, yo (yarn over hook), knit to the end of the row
Repeat Row 2 until you have 44 stitches on needles
Decrease Rows
Knit 1, knit 2 together, yarn over needle, knit 2 together, knit to end of the row.
Repeat this row until you have 4 sts, knit 4, and bind off
If you want a hook to hang the cloth, before binding off, break yarn and draw through, using a crochet hook chain about 10 sts and fasten securely.
ABBREVIATIONS:
approx = approximately
beg = begin(ning)
ch = chain
dec = decreas(e)(s)(ing)
fpsc - front post single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
inc = increas(e)(s)(ing)
rem = remain(s)(ing)
rep = repeat rnd(s) = round(s)
RS = right side
sc = single crochet
sl = slip
st(s) = stitch(es)
tbl = through back loop
tog = together
yo = yarn over
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