Sonic the Hedgehog free graph

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game character originated by Sega, but is very soon going to be in his own movie!  My son and I are beyond excited to see it.  My son is a gamer boy in the extreme!  He loves Nintendo's Mario best of all (graph can be found here) but I think Sonic is maybe his second favorite and with the movie coming out I figured I'd just have to make a graph...and possibly a blanket! 😉

I worked harder on this one than on any graph I've done before.  I usually try to use the least number of colors possible so there are fewer ends to tuck in and fewer places for something to go wrong. I decided to give Sonic a little depth though, and shaded/shadowed him a bit.  I'm sure if you want to cut down on the colors used, that you could omit the dark blue and use only one color blue throughout.

I created this graph to make a 5 x 6 ft throw when using 1 sc per graph square with a J hook.  If you'd like the pdf of this graph, you can go to kendrascrochetedcreations.com and save or print right from your browser.  If you'd like me to make you one I can do that too.  Email me at kendra@kendrascrochetedcreations.com for pricing. 

If you make this afghan, please send me a photo!  I love to see your work.  If you post it to social media, please credit me with the design and tag me.  I'm KendrasCrochet on Instagram and Twitter, and KendrasCrochetedCreations on Facebook.  If you have any questions about this graph, please let me know. 

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have an amazing logo in my opinion!  I mean, it's a little obvious, they're in Buffalo and their logo is a buffalo...

But look at it! The strength of the leaping buffalo, the perception of motion, and of course the red white and blue colors are always attractive!

This graph was made to create a twin size afghan when using 2 dc per graph square and an H hook.  I'd suggest working it from the short side to avoid too many color changes.  I like to use a method called intarsia where I leave the unused color hanging and pick up the new.  You can see photos of this method in this blog post.  If you'd like the pdf of the graph you can go to kendrascrochetedcreations.com and save orprintright from your browser.  If you'd like me to make you one, I can do that too. Email me at kendra@kendrascrochetedcreations.com for pricing.

If you make this please send  me a photo!  I'd love to see it.  When you share to social media please credit me with the design and tag  @KendrasCrochetedCreations on Facebook and @KendrasCrochet on Twitter and Instagram.  If you like it, let me know in the comments!

Pittsburgh Pirates graph

Do you know how the Pirates got their name?  They were originally the Alleghenys , but when they signed on a much sought after 2nd baseman, they were accused of making a "piratical" move and they embraced the term as their own and wore it proudly. 

The logo has changed over the years, as logos often do, but it has most often been a single "P" in some form. The most recent is this pointy letter P whose name for the font I can't find!  I believe they made it up just for the logo, but I could be wrong.

This graph was created to make a twin sized afghan when using 2 dc per graph square with an H hook.  If you would like to make one yourself, you can go to kendrascrochetedcreations.com and save orvprint right from your browser.   If you'd like me to make one for you I can do that. Email me at kendra@kendrascrochetedcreations.com for pricing. 

If you make one, please send me a photo!  I love to see your finished products.  If you share, tag me in social media. I'm @KendrasCrochet on Twitter and Instagram and KendrasCrochetedCreations on Facebook.

Let me know what you think!

Vikings football graph

ask for Vikings ball

I've attracted a lot of attention over the years with my Green Bay packer afghan (found here).  Eventually a Green Bay fan asked me if I could make this one,  with the football as the main focus.  Fast forward to last week and I was asked if I could use that one to make a Vikings version!  This is what I came up with.  I'm wondering if I should try again with a larger font to take up more space in the football (if you looked at the Packers one, it takes up most of the ball!) or if it's better this way where it looks like a printed logo.  What do you think?   Let me know!

Also, I'm not 100% happy with the V.  I tried and tried to make it looks better but this is honestly the best I could do (without remaking the whole thing bigger - which, as I said, is definitely an option).

Another thing that sort of bothers me is the background color.   I couldn't find a purple that I thought looked suitable for the Vikings so I came as close as I could thinking that if anyone made it they'd have to decide what color yarn to pick up anyway so it would be ok.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure my computer is color calibrated anymore (or maybe my tablet and phone aren't) because sometimes when I look at it, it's red! 

Back to the point: if you want the pdf of this free graph, go to kendrascrochetedcreations.com and you can save or print right from your browser.  I'd use an H hook and 2 dc per graph square to make a twin sized afghan, or you can add 40  graph squares on each end (to make it 200 across) and 30 to the top and bottom (to make it 150) and use a J hook and 1 sc per graph square to get a 5 x 6 ft throw instead. 

If you make one, please share a photo with me!  If you post it to social media, please credit me with the design.  If you'd like me to make you one, I can do that too! Just email me at kendra@kendrascrochetedcreations.com for pricing.

The Little Mermaid Free Graph

I remember going to see The Little Mermaid while I was in middle school. I'm not a huge fan of Disney princesses or anything but my friend was so excited to go see it and wanted to see it with me, so I went.  I loved it!  Mermaid Ariel falls in love with human Prince Eric and wishes to become human (add conflict, resolution, and happy ending) and you get a wonderful film!  I'm undecided as to whether to see the live action version, though the others I've seen (Lady and the Tramp, Aladdin, The Lion King) have not disappointed me.  I don't know, I just really like remembering Ariel in her original cartoon form.  I'll probably watch the new one eventually and I'll probably like it, but for now, nostalgia reigns.

This graph was created to use 1 sc per graph square with a J hook to get a 5 x 6 ft throw.  Personalization is available upon request (name goes in the wide blue area on the left), but I left that area blank to cut down on color changes.  If I made this myself I might choose a variegated blue for the water but that's a personal preference. If you'd like to make this afghan yourself, go to kendrascrochetedcreations.com and save or printright from your browser.   If you post on social media, please credit me for the design.  Tag #KendrasCrochetedCreations and @KendrasCrochet on Instagram and Twitter and @KendrasCrochetedCreations on Facebook.  If you have a finished photo I'd love to see it!  Post it to my Facebook page or email it to me at kendra@kendrascrochetedcreations.com. If you'd like me to make you one, I can do that too. Email me for pricing.

Minecraft creeper hooded blanket pattern

I was asked for a "Minecraft themed blanket" with a hood recently.  I don't know Minecraft so I did a quick google search and found something called a "Creeper" which is apparently the main antagonist of the game.  It looked almost camouflage with it's different shades of green pixelations, but I had copious amounts of green yarn recently donated to me so I chose 2 shades only and set to work.  I decided to keep it more simple than the random colors shown and decided on a checkerboard pattern instead.  Simply put, the checkerboard is 2 rows of alternating shades every 4 stitches, then change which shade goes where and repeat for 2 rows.

J hook
2 shades of green worsted weight yarn.  I used Red Heart Paddy green, and Mary Maxim Starlette Grass Green

Chain 189 (or a multiple of 4 +1 to desired length)
1. Dc in 3rd ch from hook and next 2, changing to second shade of green. dc in next 4, changing back to first shade. Repeat pattern to the end of he chain, using 4 dc of each shade, alternately
2. Ch 3, dc in next 3, changing to other shade. dc in next 4, changing back. Repeat to the end.
3. Changing to second shade of green, ch3. dc in next 3.

Repeat pattern throughout blanket, changing shades every 2 rows so that the colors form a checkerboard pattern.

Graphed out Creeper face

The hood, I had trouble with and would do differently if I had to do one again.  As stated before, it was to be a hooded blanket and I have a certain way of doing hooded blankets and instead of taking time to think about a different way to do it, I spent my time thinking of a way to make the design come out right in my traditional method. I got out my trusty graph paper and outlined  how many squares I needed for the hood (I use one third of the blanket width). then I graphed out the face.  Well, this isnt going to work because I sew one edge to itself to make the top of the hood so I had to cut the graph paper in the middle of the face.  Then I folded it up at a 45° angle and transferred it to the top of the outline. Mirror it for the other side and this is what  you get:

From graph to crochet!

My young teen recognized my finished product as Minecraft and seemed delighted with it so I called it good and sent it on to its new owner.

Finished design.  Not happy with the
results because the eyes are folded over.

Paw print heart free graph

I have a good friend who had the unfortunate experience to let her pet go with the help of a vet today.  I started thinking about how this pet had left her paw print on my friend's heart in the short time they were together.  I decided to design this graph for all our beloved fur babies.  This graph is easily customizable with a name (and dates) if desired.  The colors are up to you, but the graph was made to create a 5 x 6 throw when using 1 sc per graph square with a J hook.  If you'd like to make one yourself, please goto kendrascrochetedcreations.com and save or print right from your browser.  If you'd like me to make one for you I can do that too.  Email me at kendra@kendrascrochetedcreations.com for pricing.  If you make one and post a picture, please tag @KendrasCrochet on Twitter and Instagram. If you like the design, please share it with the buttons below.  If you have feedback, please leave a comment.

Smoother lines on graphghan designs

clunky stair step lines

Don't you hate that stair step look when you work on a graph and change colors?  You know the thing I'm talking about, the outline of  a design worked out on graph paper that doesn't have a smooth line when it angles to the side. Drives me crazy!  I figured out a way to smooth out those clunky stair step lines and I like my designs better now!

There's a simple fix.  It involves increases and decreases.   That's it. Very simple fix for a very frustrating problem.  My Olaf afghan has a lot of angles and this method worked great on smoothing the outlines out. I made a few of them for a Frozen 2 party where I'll be selling them.

Anyway, when you come to a color change that doesn't line up with the row before, that's when you increase and decrease the colors.  For example, the buttons on Olaf.  They're sort of circular so they involve color changes that aren't lined up.

Increase the number of black

At this particular point in the Olaf Afghan, the button on Olaf's front is getting wider as we work it, so when we come to the edge of the button we increase the number of black stitches. Of course, the first side we come to isn't shown (oops!), but I first decreased on the 2 stitches before the button then increased the first of the black stitches. The most important thing to do is to keep count!  Make absolute sure that you have the same number of stitches in each row and make sure that you have the correct number of each color in each row.

If you do this you will end up with smoother lines in your afghans. Of course, not every line will allow this.  That's ok.  Do it when you can and the overall appearance will be much less clunky and more professional.

Decrease the white

One tip on the Olaf afghan: There are lines to show where the legs attach to the body and where the head attaches as well.  They are lines of single stitches.  When they angle off to one side or another, put an increase/decrease before the line, put the (in this case, gray) outline stitch in the outline stitch from the row before, then increase/decrease after it.

If you have any questions about this please email me and I'll do what I can to help you.

Smooth lines!