How to Fix a Damaged, Crocheted Baby Afghan

My friend Kathy recently showed up at my doorstep with a baby afghan and a tale of woe. The beautiful, bright yellow afghan had belonged to her grandson. After much use, it now had a sizable hole in it, so she was going to throw it away. But, Kathy really didn't want to do that. She hadn't crocheted it, but still, she felt it would be a waste just to toss it. Read this instructive article and learn how to rescue a damaged, crocheted baby afghan!

Repair Holes in Crocheted Afghans Right Away
The first way this afghan could be rescued from the trash bin, is to repair the hole in it. The smaller the hole, of course, the easier it is to fix. To fix a small hole, you can thread a leather repair needle with yarn that matches- or closely matches- the color of the baby afghan. Sew the hole shut, knot the end off, then hide the knot in the stitches.

To repair a larger hole in a damaged, crocheted baby afghan, you can make a patch using the same type of stitches. Then, tie them in. If this is done correctly, the fixed place will hardly be noticeable.

Unravel the Yarn and Reuse It
Another way to save a crocheted baby afghan is to unravel it and reuse the yarn for another project. Normally you'll need to start at the edging, look carefully, and cut only where needed. You'll want to end up with as many long pieces of yarn as possible. The first couple of stitches may be difficult, but it will get easier. This can be a rather time-consuming task, but you'll end up with a bunch of reusable yarn when you're done.

It's not shown in the picture, but I started to unravel this crocheted baby afghan just to see how hard it would be. The easiest place to start, with this particular afghan, was at the torn spot. Within a minute, I had a two foot piece of yarn. So, once you catch onto it, you can zip right along. As you unravel the yarn, wrap it into a ball or around a piece of cardboard to keep it straight and organized.