After about a 10-year search for a realistic magnolia pattern (the same length of time I’ve lived near magnolias, in Georgia), I finally found and made this pattern. I paid ‘way too much for it at online auction, then later found it much cheaper at Annie’s. Oh well. If I make another one, it will have been well worth the price. I love the beautiful, floppy, almost-goofy look of magnolias that cover trees here from May until sometimes August, but none of the patterns I tried really looked like them until I found this one. The only change I made was to tack down the flowers on each of the three top petals, so they wouldn’t pop off the afghan quite so much. The flowers and leaves are made almost in one go, but at times, the yarn has to be cut and started again. Not a problem if you’re used to pieced afghans, as I am, and accustomed to weaving in lots of ends.

The yarns I used were Antique White in Caron One Pounder, Red Heart’s Frosty Green and Medium Thyme, and a leftover light beige I had that was either Vanna’s Choice or Michael’s Impeccable.

If you see a couple of stray bits of yarn, that’s because I haven’t tucked in all the ends; I save projects like that for my needlework group meetings, when I can’t focus on actual crocheting.