You ever just think, "Man, this thing STINKS." ?

[minkajane]

I'm working on an afghan for my BIL. It's supposed to look like this, their family tartan. I decided to make a bunch of squares for each color and sc them together to make the stripes. I'm attaching a picture. Technically, it's working, I just don't think it's pretty. I've been working on it for a month and I'm maybe 1/5 done. I'm sewing together the first of six panels right now. I decided tonight to just finish this one panel, toss a border around it, and call it a lapghan. I'm just not having FUN. And that's why I crochet.

 

So what do you do when you hate something you're making? Do you frog it? Do you finish it if someone's expecting it? Do you toss it in a closet and forget about it?

[Real Deal]

Just finish it the best you can, and be done with it. We all don't want to disappoint someone, but once you've begun to hate the project, you know you'll never make it into the originally planned larger afghan. If you can get to a lapghan size, then that would be nice to give your BIL.

 

You have learned this lesson a lot earlier in life than I did, but I honestly do this now:

I don't work with yarn I dislike. I don't make items I dislike. I don't make items for people I dislike. These are all incredible wastes of my time, energy and creativity. My work is now Happy Crochet and I enjoy everything I make.

[RoseRed]

RD is right on. If you're that unhappy making it then don't. I'm sure that you can find something better to do with your time, yarn and patience.

 

I can't tell how big the blocks are from your picture.

[PBLKNP]

I went through this the time I crocheted a baby blanket for a friend from a kit she saw in the Mary Maxim catalogue. I usually love the Mary Maxim patterns (if not the yarn), but this one was plodding drudgery - tons and tons of tiny little motifs that had to be sewn together. Also, there wasn't enough yarn, so I had to order more. She absolutely adored the final afghan, which I was happy about, but - AHHHHH!!! - what a nightmare to work on! LOL...

[katyallen815]

Hi ya, i too have had your experience, times two! Ghans for twin ladies! I finsihed them, and they loved them, and they turned out perfect, but honestly, got so tired of doing the same thing over and over, lol and colors I wasn't particularly fond of, but they got done, pleased the twin recipients, and all lived happily ever after! I too now follow those rules, if I don't like the pattern, the colors, the object, or the people, forgetaboutit! live and learn, it's all good!

[crocheting_Kelly]

When I'm unhappy or bored with a project, I stop working on it. If it's a blanket, I'll finish it off and donate it to the animal shelter. Other items, I usually frog and save the yarn to use for something else.

[DebraKay]

Sure -- there have been many times when I realized I disliked what I was making. I don't waste time finishing. It is usually when I tried to design something myself. I don't mind admitting that I am NOT a good designer. I don't let it get me down -- There are other things I can do well -- this is just not one of them. I don't waste my time, energies, or money on things I do not like now -- there are plenty of great patterns online and in books for me to KNOW ahead of time that I will like the results of my work.

 

If I were you, I would stash this project aside for now since it is not making you happy. Maybe frog it later, or maybe it will make a different project at another time. But I would read through as many plaid patterns as you can to see what it is you could do differently to ensure you like the fruit of your labor. It might be something very simple that is missing or needs to be done differently. But look through the patterns and find one that is closest to how you want your afghan to look. Then either go by the pattern entirely, or use the info you glean from the pattern to go it alone again. Here is a link to all of the free plaid afghans on Ravelry and after that is the link to all plaid afghans (free + those that are for sale):

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#craft=crochet&view=captioned_thumbs&query=plaid%20afghans&availability=free&sort=best (FREE)

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#craft=crochet&query=plaid%20afghans&view=captioned_thumbs&sort=best (ALL)

 

Yours is looking sort of like the Lumberjack afghan. But for a tartan plaid, you will need to weave in the additional lines that you will see in some of the patterns. It might be that is all you need to do with what you started to make enough difference that you will like it. You will have to make the choice, as I am not sure what it is about your result that you do not like.

 

Good luck and don't worry -- you will get what you are looking for if you try again. Sometimes just reading through the patterns will click something in my mind and a light comes on!

[draydev1]

Minka,

 

You are a brave soul to even try it. It's beautiful!!! Keep on going because you are doing a fabulous job.

 

My husband's tartan has 7 colors. It's the Anderson tartan and it's the only one with that many colors. He asked me to make one for him and there's no way I will even try it. I told him I could just make an afghan with all the colors but I can't do it like the tartan.

[minkajane]

The Anderson tartan is a heck of a lot more complicated than what I'm working on! The lumberjack afghan was my inspiration. Maybe it would have worked out better if I'd made the squares bigger. My plan was to make it two motifs wide and queen size. So the squares are 5 inches each.

 

I talked to BIL today and asked him if he'd prefer that I make it a lapghan, a rug, or a pillow. He chose lapghan. So I'm going to finish the one motif and border it and I'll be done. Even if I did finish it, I don't think it would be a good afghan. It's not snuggly or comfy at all. I don't think he'll even end up using it as a lapghan. I think it would be a good rug.

[RoseRed]

Try washing it. It'll soften up.

 

I would follow the colors doing one panel at a time for the length that you want it to be.

Then I would whipstitch them together. Then I would surface crochet the highlighted burgundy colored line.

 

What size hook did you use and what kind of yarn?

[Nox]

Heh, I had this sort of experience with some granny squares. The pattern for each one had four different colors and it drove me nuts to have all those tails/color changes. I had to recruit people to tuck them in! It came out as a lapghan (wanted to make it bigger but ran outta time). Anyway, it looks AMAZING, but the journey was rough.

[Afghaniac]

I've done all three at times. I don't see any point in wasting time making something I don't enjoy crocheting. However, in the case of one afghan, I thought I didn't like it, put it away to frog later (I've done that several times), then on another look decided I liked it but couldn't find the blinkin' pattern so I could finish it. It does pay to keep stuff together if you're not frogging right away.

 

As to your tartan, I think it looks good from what I can see -- a pretty good likeness of the real thing. I'd step away from it for a week or two, then take another look before deciding. I've done that with my drawings, too -- ended up getting pictures framed and hanging them years after drawing them. Sometimes you're just too close to something to appreciate it.

[clairymary]

Hey minkajane, I think your tartan looks pretty good! And Im surrounded by the stuff here in the highlands of scotland!!! I have had commisions from my mother-in-law to make what she calls 'pram sets' which is a matching blanket and pillowcase for a baby to use while in a pram. Now, I consider these to be really old fashioned and I never see any patterns for these so I have to wing it which Im not keen on doing because I like to follow a pattern lol. I hate making them because it stresses me as I dont know the recipients or their likes and dislikes so I leave it as long as possible then it feels like a rush to complete it on time!!! She always pay over the top for them and says they are well loved but I just dont know for sure!

[HappyOldCro]

I too now follow those rules, if I don't like the pattern, the colors, the object, or the people, forgetaboutit! live and learn, it's all good!

Wise words!!!

I used to tackle anything for anyone, and torture myself in the process, now I pick and choose, sometimes my choices are wrong but a trip to the frog pond is good therapy and helps get rid of the frustration. I feel I have earned the right after 60+ years of crocheting.