First prize, Fryeburg Fair 2011!

Vintage 70s pattern remake:

I originally saw this pattern from the McCall’s 1972 Afghan Treasury, and knew I wanted to make it for my next Freyburg Fair entry. I finally tracked down the booklet and made a sample, but was not thrilled with how the center part was made. I kept thinking I should design a circle to attach the color spokes to, instead of the bulky, awkward method from the 1972 pattern.

I never did, and thankfully, I never will have to make that design, because the people at Leisure Arts already did. Old Fashioned Favorite is their take on Color Wheels. I love love love it! (It’s also the same as Dresden Plate.)

April 17 update: How is it possible I started this in December, but I’m only halfway done?? I guess because I got busy being a hospice nurse for several weeks, caring for my MIL, who passed in January. It was hard to concentrate on the pattern when we were going on just a few hours of sleep. I can’t wait to finish the darn thing! I am planning on adding beads to to the edge. Must. Finish. Soon!!!

May 22 update: 99.99% done--just have to weave some erstwhile ends in that I missed before, and do a close look for buried ends that have slightly unburied themselves. The beaded border I decided on looks totally awesome! (You can see the beads--sort of--in the third photo down. They are peacock colored, and hard to get a picture of!)

June 25: patience and persistence pay off. I love this afghan, so different from all my others. I love the process I went through to get it just how I envisioned it. I love that I now have the skills to stray from the pattern and graft on pieces of another pattern (the edging!) and the vision to add completely new elements (the beads!). I love that I cared enough to bury the ends as I crocheted along, which makes it look soooo much better. I love that I did not burn out and hate this afghan, unlike my last one. What an experience.