portrait afghans

[andjen7374]

I found a site Free Cross Stitch Pattern Maker that you upload a photo to and then it will put it in a chart for you and you download that to your computer...for free! There is even an option for an "experimental" crochet pattern. You can pick the number of colors and stitches and such...so that is the one I am trying for the practice afghan pieces. I used the crochet pattern option, it gives you a chart and row by row color changing directions for a sc piece. The only thing is it has a max stitch of 150 wide by 120 high...so that is why I opted for smaller "blocks" to make a larger piece. We shall see...

[Anaisa]

way cool...thanks for sharing.

[Anaisa]

I know you said you used it for crochet but how did you like it?

[andjen7374]

I know you said you used it for crochet but how did you like it?

You mean the site itself? As far as ease of use...great. It was very easy to upload photos and quick as far as charting your picture. It lets you see a "might look like" pattern and you can change it from there if you don't like the possible outcome. You have to use the advanced options to be able to make all the extra changes, the basic option kind of sets things for you. I plan on starting a piece tonight...the Cheshire Cat. I will post the original picture and maybe some "as I go" pictures if it seems to be turning out.

[andjen7374]

Well, I'm not diggin' the "experimental crochet pattern" from that sight I found. I love being able to read the pattern rather than looking a chart, but the pattern is not matching the chart at all...sooo, I am writing my own directions for the chart...will take a bit longer, but will be worth the time, I think.

[Anaisa]

yeah, I tried today that site and my pic didn't come out right....happy crocheting.

[Tigg]

I have done counted cross stitch baby blankets, I didn't use knots but with all the color changing the back wasn't as pretty as the front....one of the crib blankets we had framed in memory of my first grandson.....you could always cover the back with material like youi said...

[andjen7374]

So, I got to reading the "crochet" pattern that I printed from the pattern site...had an ah-ha moment. The pattern is written so that all the odd rows are RS and even rows are WS, I was just crocheting like I read them and never thought that the WS rows were actually backwards. I read through the pattern and followed along with the chart and sure enough, they are written backwords. So, back to crocheting, odd rows read start to finish, even rows read finish to start...pattern is turning out sooo much better. Will post pictures when further along.

[Judi Gums]

I would suggest your working with two or more colored yarn at the same time. Some colors can be worker over top of and not show through, but others will show. The ones that show you have to leave along the back side until you need to pick them up again. When I made the peppermint pillows I had two colors of yarn and the red showed through the white terribly. I would think you would have to put a back on the blanket, maybe just a sc or dc in the size needed to cover the underside as it isn't very pretty with all the yarn showing that isn't being used. I wouldn't make knots, just cut a long tail and with a large needle work it under the same color stitches, first one way direction say from right to left, then go back over from left to right. I don't have trouble with this method at all. There are tutorials on this.

Good luck, that is a huge project. Let us know how you make out.
Judi G

[thatwoman]

I do a lot of graph crochet on afghans. As for portraits, I think that would be a huge challenge. I would try printing a picture on graph paper, then see what you can come up with for colors. You do not want to deal with too many colors. I just crochet the picture as I go along. Just like filet crochet. I do not do anything for backing on my afghans, as they look almost as good as the front. I do not carry my yarn along the back. I use several small balls of yarn. It tangles quite a bit, so I have to stop periodically to untangle.