The Great American Aran Afghan

[Cinnaminn]

I downloaded the spreadsheet, and it has saved me so much time. Thanks so much. My first square is Barbara McIntire's, and it is quite easy -- but looks so complicated. I am using charts for the very first time, and find it so much easier than the written words.

YW! I know I've found it very helpful/useful myself since I made it.

FYI - if you haven't done it yet, you may want to make sure to use lifelines while making the squares. I didn't know what they were until I joined Ravelry and found out about them. I'm using them in my current WIP square (Marian Tabler's Tipsy Cables) and they definitely have saved me some time/frustration when I've had to do some frogging to correct some mistakes I made in different rows.

HTH!

[Cinnaminn]

Just thought I would let everyone know that I re-did some pages at my site and added a special page just for GAAA Helps, Hints, & Links for anyone wanting to take a look at it.

HTH!

[HollyP]

Thanks again Cinnamin! I've just book marked your page. I know I will be referring to it a lot once I get my pattern.

[lynn893]

I think I'll check out my local library tomorrow, and if not there, I'll check the wool store down the street.

This looks like something I'd really get into!

Thanks for all the info!

[marjs7]

I'm on my 11th square (Marian Tabler's) of my GAAA and what a challenge. I'm curious to know the best way to follow (interpret) the patterns. You'd laugh to know how I finally decided the "best" (maybe not) way for me. My introduction to the pattern was that someone had typed out the Rows in a very complicated and for me confusing way. I'm nowhere near an expert knitter, in fact, very green. I'm doing my squares (which have a few mistakes) in varied autumn colors. It'll be pretty when completed in spite of the mistakes, but I'd like to continue mistake free. I think I could do that with some hints and insight as to best "read" the patterns. What I'm doing now: I've cut out copies of the charts and placed them on a magnetic board along with symbols, definitions of cables, etc., and row diagram. Then, of course, to remember WS and RS direction and dark/light squares (P or K) according to direction. Whew! It's a brain teaser, but I'm struggling through. Any suggestions???

[sampson001]

Do you like Aran knitting & beautiful cables?
Are you up for a challenge?

Let me be an enabler and introduce you to The Great American Aran Afghan (aka GAAA)! The 24 square patterns were originally introduced back in 2000 and 2001 as a contest in Knitter's Magazine. I'm ready to finally get working continuously on this project (thank you stash busters). I had a few people ask me about it so I thought I'd share my info with everyone!

We have a knit-along here currently with 36 members from all over the world (some have already finished). At the knit-along site there's helpful links for places to buy the pattern, photos of the afghan on the web and links to member blogs for inspiration. If you want to see a completed afghan the first place winner has hers here

The pattern calls for Plymouth Encore yarn but members have used all sorts of different kinds of yarn in various colors. This will be the most beautiful family heirloom you'll ever make.

Ok - that's my sales pitch. If you would like to join please follow the instructions on the knit-along site or just send me a PM. You don't need a blog to join but it is nice if you have a link to share with pictures (or you can just post your pictures right on the KAL site).

I blame/thank Silver for inspiring me to start this project. She completed hers eons ago and it's just lovely!

What a great idea, I purchased the pattern for this last year and because I live in Australia I couldn't get it posted here to I posted it to my daughters house in Alaska and when the next person from Oz visited her they bought it home for me. I have knitted six squares now, I am having a problem handling the different size blocks, not all 12". I have undone and reknitted one block because it was just so much bigger.

It is a lovely Afgan and am enjoying knitting the squares.

[salmonmac]

Using the magnetic board with a bar to mark your place in the pattern is a good idea. (I use sticky notes to keep my place in a chart, same concept.) If it would help you can also highlight or use a colored pencil to mark the same type cables etc. Mark them with the same color in the symbols table, too That usually makes charts easier to read at a glance.

[Hollyb]

Wow that is so beautiful. I am sitting here now with my very first samples of knitting, I would love one day to be able to make something as beautiful andcomplex as that. I have so much to learn but it is so exciting!

[lenaznap]

This looks amazing. I know I won't be making it this year, but it has landed in my mental queue.

I'm working on an aran "square" I found on ravelry now that may end up in some sort of blanket at some point. I'm mostly making it to practice cables, and I started it with the intent of frogging later, but I'm using needles 1mm larger than the pattern calls for (I thought it would be easier to practice cables with looser stitches) and it is coming out with a much better drape than I imagined and I want to use it for something. It almost certainly will turn into some sort of rectangle instead of a square because the square in the photo in ravelry is actually square but doesn't end symmetrically and I know that will bother me.

This is the first pattern I've done with multiple charts of different row counts, and it takes some getting used to. I ended up making an index card with the row numbers and corresponding chart row for each chart so I don't go nuts.

It sure is fun. I'm sure making the GAAA someday will be moreso and very interesting. Maybe next year.

Have fun guys!