what is an afghan

An afghan is a type of blanket or shawl that is usually knitted or crocheted). It is sometimes also called a "throw" of indeterminate size). Afghans are often used as bedspreads or as a decoration on the back of couches or chairs). The word "afghan" refers to the people of Afghanistan, and the use of the term in English for a textile object goes back to at least 1831). Although not a requirement, an edge or border is most often added to nicely finish off the blanket). There are different methods to making an afghan, including following a flat chart using a grid of colored squares to create a visual design). The term "afghan" is a solid catch-all term for any knitted cover, but you most often see afghans as collections of motifs pieced together, much like granny squares.