Hershey graduate & Shawl Ministry

Sometime last year someone donated a large garbage bag of yarn to the shawl ministry. Included was the beginning of a crocheted ripple afghan in periwinkle blue, along with about 6 or 8 skeins of yarn to complete it. Everyone thought it would be a great shame if this were frogged and made into something else, they all felt that it should be completed. But, they all thought that Jane should be the one to do that! Well, my WIPs and WIMs list was long enough, including some customer ordered things with due dates, and some contract work with due dates, so I put off taking this afghan and yarn home. Recently someone donated a beautiful rack for the Shawl Ministry, and the group had sorted the yarn into different color sections, to make it easier to see what was available. There was the afghan tucked away, and all the periwinkle amonst the blues. I knew that the periwinkle wasn't going to last long and would get separated from the afghan, so I took them all home. Presently I have a short break until the next contract piece arrives in my email in box, so I decided to get working on this afghan. Well, there are about 6 or 8 skeins of yarn, no idea exactly how much, as about half of the skeins have had yarn used, frogged and then rolled onto the outside of the skein; about half of the skeins have no wrappers, no color dye lot; and there are at least two different shades among the skeins. This might take a little thinking and creativity.

One of the latest additions to the Shawl Ministry is to make a throw or afghan for
each of the graduating seniors in the church, using their high school colors. At the last meeting I think we were short about three for giving them out at a service in June. Hershey colors are bright orange and bright, medium/dark blue. Rather harsh, in my opinion, but I usually don't have to deal with it. Idea, I can stripe this periwinkle with a light orange/peach/coral color and it will be a softer version of Hershey colors. Well, another lady had handed me a one pound skein of peach a few months ago and said use this up.

Last night, I started on the afghan, first I had to swatch a little to find the right hook to keep the gauge consistant with the part that's already done. Then I started on the first set of stripes. There were about 30 rows of blue, in single crochet back loop only, this is going to take forever. If I'm going to change colors, I can change stitches, too. So I did a row of peach in sc, blo; then did 3 rows of half doubles. For the "valleys" in the blue, the person had skipped 2 stitches, this didn't show much in singles, but when I did this is half doubles, I had a hole, like an upside down V. So I changed it to two half double decreases, each over two stitches. Then I picked up the blue and did 2 rows of sc blo, then back to the peach, 3 rows of half doubles, then a row of sc blo. Now I'm going to do a large section in blue sc. I need to decide if I'll go with just the stripe on each end, or add a stripe section in the middle. It might decide on how I need to vary the blues, so the different dye lots aren't as noticable.

Back to the hook and yarn!