I'm searching for a pattern that will accommodate three autumnal colors of 5 skeins each, 6-colors if I hold 2 strands together, that has a non-holey fabric. No lace, this is for a guy. I've found some in stitch books that I'm about to swatch, but do any of you have some ideas?

I'm discovering why ripple afghans are so common, but I want something different. Moan.

The back story - I wanted to make a super easy afghan for my son, his house is cold, and spotted a pattern on the Lion Brand site where you hold three strands of yarn together and make V-stitches with an enormous S hook. One of those 5 1/2 hour afghans (yeah, right). Problem - the S hook is very awkward to work with, at least for me, but I'd soldier on anyway if I liked the results. The stitches are too open. They also seem very likely to snag.