My Crocheted Afghans By Mom – 39 Photos

Long, long time ago in a world far away, I was a little girl and I learned how to crochet. I vividly remember sitting in church and learning how to wrap the thread around a crochet hook in such a manner that it created stitches that seemed to magically connect together. I loved and still do love the feel of the yarn in my hand and find the whole process of crocheting very relaxing and peaceful.

When I learned how to crochet, my bedroom was decorated with cocoa brown curtains and the comforter for my bed was cocoa brown with peach flowers. It was somewhat dark, but back in those days I preferred a very dark room instead of the BRIGHT colors my mother used in the rest of the house. Nowadays I am more like my mother in decorating colors because I like sunny, peaceful and bright with lots of sunshine billowing through the windows.

Anyway, my first crocheted pieces were “granny squares” in cocoa brown and peach to match my bedroom. After making the first nine squares for the front of a pillow cover, I didn’t make the other nine squares for the back of the pillow.

After learning to crochet, I didn’t really use the knowledge I had gained for a couple more years when I decided that I wanted to make my mother an afghan. I chose peach yarn, purchased the directions for a Broomstick Lace afghan and proceeded to make it for my mother’s Christmas present. She was surprised and quite thrilled.

The great thing about afghans is that if you take your time and do a great job with the crocheting and connecting of all the pieces, the afghan will last a very, very long time. As proof of this fact, my mother still has the afghan I made her so long ago and it looks great!

Mom loved the afghan so much that she got the “crochet bug” and wanted make an afghan too. She had learned the basics of crochet when she was a young girl, but didn’t really remember how to crochet and could not “read” the directions. Crochet directions looks something like this:

Sample Of Small Baby Blanket Directions

Ch 105 (121, 145).

Row 1: Place a safety pin or other marker in the first ch from your hook. sc in 3rd ch from hook. [ch 1, skip next ch, sc in next ch.] Rep across entire row. Ch 1, turn.

Row 2: [sc in the next ch-1 sp, ch 1.] Rep the sequence in brackets across the rest of the row. At the end of the row, work a sc st into the st where you placed the marker; you can remove the marker before working the stitch. Ch 1, turn.

Rows 3 and Up: The rest of the rows are all exactly the same as row 2, with one minor difference: at the end of the row you’ll work your last sc st into the turning chain of the previous row. Rep this row until the baby blanket is the length you want it to be.

Obviously there are all kind of abbreviations and terms that you must learn in order for the directions to make sense. Some of the crochet abbreviations are listed below to better explain the necessity of learning them before you will be able to crochet anything by reading directions for a pattern. Obviously Mom has learned A WHOLE BUNCH.

A Few Crochet Terms

[] = work instructions within brackets as many times as directed
() = work instructions within parentheses as many times as directed
* = repeat the instructions following the single asterisk as directed
** = repeat instructions between asterisks as many times as directed or repeat from a given set of instructions
beg = begin/beginning
bet = between
BL = back loop(s)
BPdc = back post double crochet
BPsc = back post single crochet
BPtr = back post treble crochet
ch = chain stitch
ch-sp = chain spac
dc = double crochet
dc2tog = double crochet 2 stitches together
FL = front loop(s)
hdc = half double crochet
pc = popcorn
RS = right side
sk = skip
Sl st = slip stitch
trtr = triple treble crochet

Bless her heart, but Mom is not a good student. Her frustration level goes from zero to a hundred in half a second. After much time and plenty of patience from me (one of my better qualities), Mom not only learned how to crochet, but to also read and understand crochet pattern directions. This was an EXCELLENT thing! I say that quite selfishly because I have benefited greatly from my mother learning to crochet.

Each year for many years, Mom has crocheted her family afghans for Christmas. My sister, niece, daughter and I can’t ever get enough of the beautiful afghans that Mom makes us. We all cherish each one. Today I thought I would share some of my mother’s handiwork. All the pictures are afghans that Mom has crocheted for me. For each afghan, my sister has one equally beautiful, but entirely different both in colors and pattern. A few years into making the afghans for Audrey and me, our daughters started asking for afghans for Christmas too. So just think of all the afghans she has crocheted! Think of how many total stitches! Yes, it is mind-boggling!

Cream Popcorn Ball Crocheted Afghan

The first crocheted afghan made for me is a cream colored popcorn ball stitch afghan. When I went to college, it went with me, so it has been around for quite a long time. The popcorn balls are a little flat, but I have used and used this afghan and it still looks fantastic.

In no particular order, the following are all the crocheted afghans my lovely mother has made for me.

Bright Yellow Flower Against White Background Crocheted Afghan

The crocheted flowers on this afghan are 3-D! Yes, they are large, bright yellow and 3-D. This is one of the “happiest” afghans Mom has made me. It just screams of sunshine in the morning and big smiles in a field of yellow flowers.

Multi-colored Shapes Against White Background Crocheted Afghan

This crocheted afghan is also promotes happiness with all the various colors. Mom actually crocheted this afghan for my birthday one year.

Another thing about these beautiful creations is that there are as near to perfect as possible. Whenever Mom makes a mistake, even if it is just one missed stitched, she pulls out all the work up the point where she made the mistake. I believe that Mom has pulled apart a third or half of an afghan before in order to “fix” an error that ONLY she would have ever known was there. Have I ever told you that my mother is a perfectionist? LOL

When you look close, you can see that all the stitches are even, have the same tension and totally beautiful.

Multi-colored Flowers Against White Background Crocheted Afghan

This multi-colored afghan looks like hundreds of different colored flowers. It’s a flower garden!

One other thing…

With each crocheted afghan gift, Mom writes a very beautiful, heartfelt note expressing her love for me. I cherish the letters as much as I do the crocheted afghans.

Olive Green Against Cream Background Crocheted Afghan

Mom made my niece a camouflage colored afghan, but the closest one I have to that is this olive green and cream colored crocheted afghan. I would also love a camo afghan! If I wrapped up in it, no one would be able to find me! 😉

Light Cream Lacy Crocheted Afghan

This crocheted afghan is very beautiful and one solid light cream color. Because it is just one color and has large spaces in the pattern, it looks a lot like lace to me.

Christmas Wreath With Red Bow And Red Christmas Ornaments Against Cream Background Crocheted Afghan

The Christmas wreath crocheted afghan is just adorable. The dark forest green wreaths against the cream background decorated with a bright red bow and bright red crocheted Christmas balls ornaments is quite festive.

Green And Brown Ripple Against White Ripple Background Crocheted Afghan

This classic ripple crocheted afghan is very special. I’ve added this afghan even though Mom didn’t crochet it. This is the only crocheted afghan that my maternal grandmother, Mam-Maw, made for me. Now that she has already passed, wrapping up in the stitches that she lovingly crocheted makes me feel closer to her.

Delicate Cream Crocheted Afghan With Ribboned Pulled Through On Border

This delicate cream colored crocheted afghan is smaller than my other afghans, but it is extremely soft and a gorgeous satin ribbon running around the edge.

Red Shapes Against White Background Crocheted Afghan

My red and white crocheted afghan reminds me of peppermint. Anything to do with Christmas and candy is all good!

Pink Flower Against White Lacey Background Crocheted Afghan Coverlet Topper

One year Mom really surprised me. Not only did she crochet a pillow, but the coverlet topper that matched the pillow is just breathtaking. Pictures can’t do it justice.

Pink And White Crocheted Butterfly Clip Laying On Yellow Crocheted Coasters

Mom crochets more than just afghans. On my birthday and Mother’s Day she made some beautiful crocheted dishcloths using cotton thread. They are FANTASTIC to use in the kitchen and so sturdy.

When I opened the package I also saw a crocheted butterfly. At first glance I had no idea what the intended purpose was for the butterfly, but when I flipped it over I realized it is a hair clip. How creative is THAT?!

Country Blue Against White Background Crocheted Afghan

My favorite colors are blue and white, so needless to say, Mom made me a beautiful blue and white crocheted afghan.

I’m also not the only one that likes to lay on or under the afghans. Sometimes Bella, the cutest little red Toy Poodle in the world, looks at the afghans so intently, I could almost swear she is counting the stitches!

There are several reasons why I love these afghans so much:

1. The crocheted afghans are beautiful.
2. Each of the crocheted afghans last forever.
3. Mom made them for ME.
4. I know that Mom thinks about me when she is crocheting the afghan.
5. There’s no denying it…the crocheted afghans are beautiful.
6. The crocheted afghans actually serve a purpose other than being beautiful. These afghans keep me warm!
7. A crocheted afghan is an awesome gift.
8. Every crocheted afghan is different.

I’ve said it before, but it is the truth…talent oozes from my mother’s fingers and I’m so glad that I am blessed to benefit from it!

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing all the beautiful crocheted afghans that I cherish. When I wrap up in one of them, I always feel that a little bit of my mom is with me. It is a comforting and peaceful feeling.

So Mom, thank you so much for sharing your talent in the gifts that you have given me over the years. I think you have a phenomenal talent and are a wonderful mother. I enjoy and cherish every gift you have ever made me. It would be hard to choose a favorite afghan because they are all so lovely. I know I have a lot of afghans and they are made up of thousands of stitches, but guess what…

I won’t ever have too many crocheted afghans and look forward to my next one this Christmas! Maybe you should let me peek at it early?

I know…I can hear a resounding, “No!” in my head and strangely enough, it is YOUR voice saying it!