Baby Afghan Begun

So, after all the frustrations of the last several days that prevented me from getting started, I'm pleased to report that I've begun the baby afghan and completed four full rows in the last 24 hours.

Above is a closeup of the two ends of the approximately 36 inch strip showing both front and back. The first two rows went quick at 70 minutes each but they were straight double crochet and I wasn't surprised that the first row to interweave with the row below, alternating triple crochet stitches with double crochet slowed me down considerably. But I was surprised by how much and anxiously hoped throughout that it would be a fluke and later rows would go smoother. That hope was met when the next white row interweaving with the blue went off without a hitch and seemingly quick tho I forgot to time it.

I'm concerned about how long rows will take because I hope to get a reliable estimate of how many hours I need to dedicate to this project and so I can establish a reasonable quota of rows per day in order to finish before March 1.

My intent for the size is approximately 30 inches by approximately 40 inches. Before or after the 2 inch fringe I'll be adding to all four sides.

When I made the starting chain I stopped and measured it after every 100 count and it went over 30 inches by several after 300 chains. Now it measures nearly 18 when folded in half and laying flat which means it is nearly 36 inches.

I started the fifth (yellow) row in order to confirm that there will be five rows to the inch. To get forty then I need 200 rows. But I also need to satisfy my aesthetic sensitivity by insuring that there is a complete iteration of the pattern in those final inches. One iteration involves 10 rows: white--blue--white--yellow--white--lilac--white--pink--white--green. Thus I need 20 interations to make 200 rows. But also to satisfy my aesthetic taste I'm insisting that it ends in blue as it started so I'll add another white and blue and then two whites, the first interwove with the final blue but the last a straight double crochet that is not interwoven which I am thinking will make adding the fringe later easier. So, counting those first and last rows and the white--blue--white added atop the green of the 20th iteration, I'll have 205 rows. Or I could leave off at 19 iterations and have 195 rows plus the fringe.

I am guessing, based on today's experience, that my time per row will average 90 minutes. For 200 rows that adds up to 18000 minutes or 300 hours. Which means 4 to 5 hours per day through the end of February.

The picture below shows the full strip folded in half along with the six spools of bamboo thread inside sandwich bags which was my solution to the problem of the loops of thread slipping off the roll and tangling. The main source of my frustration Sunday, Monday and Tuesday as I posted about preciously. The solution really does seem to be working.




If you're wondering what that teeny baby doll seen next to my work is all about. Well those were from my Mom around my birthday in November. They are vinyl I think. She got them for me because she knows I'm really into baby dolls of all sizes and also into all kinds of miniatures. She also thought I might be able to use them as decoration for the bookmarks. I probably will eventually with at least some of the 10 but meanwhile I discovered their usefulness as unravel prevention by putting the loop where I'm leaving off around the baby's waist and pulling it snug. At first I was just slipping it over the head but that was kinda creeping me out.