I've pulled the crochet things together trick myself!
That sounds like an interesting technique. I will have to investigate it someday.
Speaking of afghans, if you make them for charity, you might like to check out this site:
Afghans for Afghans. They make things for the people of Afghanistan, a nation that has had too deal with many years of a lot of trouble. The site is a good one.
http://www.afghansforafghans.org/