Manly Sports Lapghan (Illini) [Pattern]

Illini Lapghan

One struggle I’ve always had with making items for men is that crochet is just not a manly looking craft. many of the stitches are frilly or open – and let’s face it, the manly men just don’t like it too much. I have successfully been able to make manly scarves, hats, and afghans for male family members and friends, so when my husband was complaining of being a little chilly in the living room, I thought this was a good opportunity to make him a lapghan for his recliner.

The colors he wanted: Illini Blue and Orange.

My final lapghan ended up being 21 stripes long which was long enough to go from his mid-waist and cover his feet, giving him a little extra room for when he lays back in his recliner. Basically – this is a LONG lapghan that covers your lap, legs, and feet. You can make it shorter if you want by simply not doing as many stripes.

Leave it to my husband to want something sports related. I thought about a good pattern that would incorporate both colors and not be too loud or too girly – and this pattern is the answer.

———–
MANLY SPORTS LAPGHAN (ILLINI)
By Cris

Hook Size: J
Colors:
– 3 skeins Red Heart Super Saver Royal (Color A)
– 2 skeins Red Heart Super Saver Pumpkin (Color B)

Note: The sports fan in your life doesn’t have to be an Illini fan to make this lapghan. If he or she likes a different team, just find those two colors and replace Color A with the darker of the 2 colors and make Color B the lighter of the two. Simple as that.

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
bp-hdc = back post half double crochet

The hook goes into the back of the work for bp-hdc

The difference of a bp-hdc to a regular hdc is that the hdc is done using the top two loops of the stitch below it. The bp-hdc is done by inserting your hook around the back side of the work, around the post of the stitch below, and pulling your yarn through (as illustrated you can see where the needle should be).

The bp-hdc creates a raised “ridge” down the work by pushing the top loops of the stitch forward. All the bp-hdc ridges are on the same side of the lapghan to give an interesting stripe within a stripe texture.

NOTE: A “stripe” is defined as a block of the same color. A single stripe consists of multiple rows of a single color.

Finished size is approximately 31″ wide and 52″ long. I say “approximately” because gauge is not important and you are encourage to modify the patternnto be exactly the dimensions you need. This is a multiple of 1 pattern so you can add and subtract width as needed to fit your needs.

———–
STARTING STRIPE (Use Color A)
stripe 1
Ch 126 (or whatever number you feel fits the width needed for your lapghan)

Row 1
sc in 2nd ch from hook
sc in every st until you reach the end

Row 2
ch 2 and turn work
hdc down the row

Row 3
ch 2 and turn work
bp-hdc down the row until you get to the ch 2 (from previous row)
hdc in ch 2 to finish row

Row 4 – 6
ch 2 and turn work
hdc down the row

Row 7
ch 2 and turn work
bp-hdc down the row until you get to the ch 2 (from previous row)
hdc in ch 2 to finish row
Tie off and attach Color B where you tied off

A better view of the raised stitches created by bp-hdc

REGULAR STRIPE (in color opposite of previous stripe)
stripes 2 – 20
Row 1
ch 2 and turn work
hdc down the row

Row 2
ch 2 and turn work
bp-hdc down the row until you get to the ch 2 (from previous row)
hdc in ch 2 to finish row

Row 3 – 5
ch 2 and turn work
hdc down the row

Row 6
ch 2 and turn work
bp-hdc down the row until you get to the ch 2 (from previous row)
hdc in ch 2 to finish row
tie off and attach the other color where you tied off

REPEAT the REGULAR STRIPE row pattern until you reach the length you desire. Using 2 skeins of each color, approximately ____ “regular stripes” (not counting starting stripe) should be able to be completed before doing your finishing stripe. Your regular stripe pattern repetitions will stop with Color B so you can finish the last stripe in the darker color.

FINISHING STRIPE (Use Color A)
stripe 21
Repeat Rows 1-6 of the regular stripe pattern but do not tie off at the end of row 6

Row 7
ch 2 and turn work
hdc down the row

If you do not want to put an edging on your lapghan, you can snip the yarn and tie it off now. Weave in all your ends and your lapghan is done. I prefer to edge practically everything I make so if you are wanting to edge your piece, do not snip the yarn.


EDGING

edge row – Color A
ch 1 (at the corner) – do not turn the piece
1 sc into the cornr
*sc down the side of the piece
in next corner, put in 2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc*
repeat between * until you make it back to your starting corner.
for the final corner, put 2 sc into the starting st, ch 2 and sl to close
tie off

You can stop the edging after one row or continue on with more rows of sc either alternating colors OR in the darker of the two colors.

———–
WAYS TO MODIFY THIS PATTERN:
1. You can increase the hdc rows between the bp-hdc rows in the stripes to make the overall stripe width wider. If you choose to increase the thickness of the stripes, you have to increase it by 2 more hdc rows at a time. The number of hdc rows between the bp-hdc rows must be an odd number.

2. By making a longer starting chain, you will have a wider lapghan

3. Making a wider and longer lapghan turns it into a very warm afghan for any bed.

4. Add fringe

5. Make your chain length the actual length of the lapghan instead of the width and you will have vertical stripes instead of horizontal (in relation to your lap)

Remember – if you modify the width of the stripes of the lapghan itself, you will need more than the 2 skeins of each color.