Mina’s afghan is finished:
The finished product is 37.5″ wide, and 27.5″ (roughly Mina’s height floor to waist”) to the beginning of the tail. This part is all 5 double-crochet shell pattern – 20 shells per row, 27 rows to tail.
I then joined the two edges and did 4 rows of single crochets, decreasing the number of stitches as I went (sorry, don’t remember how man I did each row). On the 5th row I started to increase again, as well, I did a front-post double crochet at each side, so I would know where the sides are. I did three rows like this before starting the alternating front and back post double crochets. I did all the increases on the sides of the tail. After 5 rows I started each fin separately, decreasing at the inside (centre) on each round, while increasing at the outside edge at least every second row. I really did this by eye-balling it to decide if I should increase of leave it the same. After the last (9th from the dividing) row I used a single crochet to close up the fin. Then I did the other side — because I don’t write these things down the two sides are not exactly the same, but I don’t think the wee girl is going to notice or mind.
I am quite pleased with the results. The only down side I see now is that it is quite heavy, not sure Mina will need all this warmth in sunny California.
Next project: something for Volker – Kwazii