If you are curious about what is an afghan blanket, it is a knitted or crocheted blanket. Also, you can use either human-made or natural fibers to make one.
It is yarn art and is primarily decorative. However, it is also helpful as a blanket.
Does this pique your interest? If so, then please do read further. We will talk about what sets an afghan blanket apart from a regular blanket, along with its distinct traits.
After differentiating it from a regular blanket, can it be used as a substitute? Is it as effective? You will find out more as you read on.
What Is An Afghan Blanket And Its Difference To A Regular Blanket?
In reality, labels like throws, afghan blankets, and blankets have been interchangeably used over time. They do have differences, though. Here are some of the aspects wherein they are different.
- Size – A blanket is bed-sized, be it queen or king-sized. On the other hand, afghan blankets are not limited to any size.
They can be in the size of throws or even bed-sized. There are even lap-sized afghan blankets or lapghans that are perfect for your lap.
- Materials – Blankets are made of one piece of fabric that is bed-sized. Also, their ends are bound as opposed to throws to prevent fraying.
Meanwhile, afghan blankets are knitted or crocheted. They are hand-made, which gives them a distinct texture.
Moreover, they are usually colorful, but you can also opt to use one color in making them.
- Construction – Blankets are usually made from wool blends or fleece. The most common material used for blankets is cotton.
As mentioned repeatedly, Afghan blankets are crocheted or knitted, meaning they are made of yarn.
- Use – Both regular blankets and afghan blankets are used for warmth. However, afghan blankets also have a decorative use.
Sometimes, you can see them draped over sofas or ottomans to give an additional flair to the room.
Characteristics Of Afghan Blankets
- Complexity – Afghan blankets are human-made and are done through hard work. They require different types and colors of yarns and skills to pull off a design or motif. In short, they require effort.
That’s a good thing because crocheting afghan blankets help with memory. It is also called crochet therapy, and it helps those who have dementia issues!
- Comfortability – More than personal projects and decor, afghan blankets offer warmth and comfort. Whether you are snuggling during winter or working on a project during summer, there is an afghan blanket for you.
- Sizes – an advantage of the afghan blanket is that it comes in different sizes.
A full-size afghan blanket is about 50” by 65”. A lapghan is about 35” to 40”. The baby blanket, on the other hand, is about 25” by 30”.
These are general measurements, so you can end up with a larger or smaller afghan blanket, depending on your pattern.
You can also modify the afghan blankets you made. For example, you can turn a baby blanket into a full-sized afghan.
It is effortless to modify them if they are striped afghan blankets.
What makes afghan blankets unique?
Afghan blankets are different from blankets and throws. That much has been established.
However, what makes it appealing to the public? Here are some characteristics of afghan blankets that attract people to it.
Different types and styles of afghan blankets
Considering how afghan blankets are used for decor, it is not surprising that there are different crocheting or knitting types and styles to make them. Here are some examples:
- Single-piece – This one is a hit among beginners. They are not intimidating and complicated, and it is a good start if you want to dive into crocheting or knitting afghan blankets.
- Mile-a-minute – This crochet technique is done in pieces. You work on different strips and then put them together.
This way, you do not get overwhelmed by the amount of crocheting you need to do. The mile-a-minute technique is also advantageous if you do not like carrying your project around with you since you only need to work on certain pieces.
- Join-as-you-go – This crochet technique is also made up of pieces and is true to its name. You join different sides of the motifs you are working on as you go. It is fun to do, but it is a bit complicated for beginners.
- Motif – Like mile-a-minute, this type of crocheting is done in pieces – or in this case, motifs. The motifs can have similar or different designs. They can also be done in blocks, also known as granny squares.
The motif is a popular crochet technique because you can take them anywhere and the designs you can pull off are versatile.
- Graphghan – In this crochet technique, you will crochet an image. The image can be a photo of your pet or something as simple as a symbol. It can even be a lettering!
Conclusion
People who like to keep warm and comfortable are blanket connoisseurs. Again, you might ask, what is an afghan blanket? The answer is that it’s a mix of design and comfort, echoing what has been discussed above.