63 Wannabe Club

[pb&j]

63 more squares?! Oh my! They look so pretty! I definitely would love to do another 63 squares. Even more motivation to keep up the pace on this one!

 

Celeste, I hope your fiance is on the mend soon. My prayers will be with you both.

[Celestial Seasonings]

Thank you Sue, we really appreciate it. The worst is over now that we know it's not a brain bleed or anything immediately threatening.

 

Now we just need to hurry and finish our first afghans! 15 down, 48 (no, isn't it more like 111?) to go!!!

[JulieKay]

HI HO , Vickie ---

Are you OFF to WORK yet on your first square ? Waiting to hear .

Sincerely , Snow White

( or the Wicked Witch )

whichever one I sound more like !!!

[pb&j]

Ha ha! 111 is right!

[JulieKay]

Sue & Celeste --

You guys are real heroes -- you're willing to take on the 63 MORE already. I just think you both have the motivation to do it ! We are going GUNG HO on this first one - WE CAN DO IT --- you'll see .

By the way, I'm back onto my squares again tonight. Temporary lull in the other job til my last few squares arrive !

So be on the lookout for my next square -- it's half done .

[Country_Bumpkin]

Well I got the first square done. I am having trouble getting the gauge for the second square. I have frogged it 3 times so far. *Sigh* So question... when each square is finished (pre-trim) it should measure a 7" square, correct? I was doing it to measure 7" square and I learned I must be crocheting tighter stitches than the person who wrote the pattern because I am not able to stay with the 26 or 27 chain it suggests and still get a 7" square. If I am doing this wrong, please let me know.

[Celestial Seasonings]

Try going up a hook size and see if that helps! Your squares should measure 7" square before you edge them...they wind up closer to 8" when you're done.

 

Keep hookin'!

[JulieKay]

Hi Vickie

Yes, I think the guage problem is what throws so many people off this afghan. If you notice, at the end of each square direction , it'll say APPROXIMATELY 7 INCHES ... well, in my opinion, that's because there's no one that could possibly get each of these squares, with so many different stitches , to turn out each square to measure EXACTLY 7 inches . I have used a G hook throughout, and am still getting closer to 8 inch squares than 7. Each of us crochets differently and the squares aren't all gonna measure to exact specifications .I think your goal is to get them as close os possible, then move on to the next one . That's why it's so easy to give up on this project . If you want each square to measure EXACTLY , you might start this afghan when your children are babies, and it may not get finished til they graduate college !!!

That's just my opinion ...... maybe some of the other ladies whp are pretty far along can drop in and post their opinions on this, but I have found that most of my squares are turning out pretty close to the same size . I am optimistic that once they are sewn together, they will all fit right in like they're supposed to .

THEY WILL FIT -- I'll make sure of that !!

But ,yes , you can try different hook sizes if you'd like -- just don't get too caught up in having each one measure EXACT ..

If I did that , they'd have to hogtie me and cart me off to the looney-bin !

[LibiLou]

I'm having issues with gauge also. I have been using a G hook from the beginning, but I'm still running much larger (ok, so I'm a loose hooker) than the pattern. What I'm doing is adjusting the beginning chain. I love that they put the multiples in, so I can do this. My squares still don't measure exactly 7 inches pretrimmed, but that's ok, it'll all work out in the wash. As long as they're within 1/8 to 1/4 inch, I think I can make it work. Right? I can make it work (someone with more experience than me, please tell me I can make it work).

[Country_Bumpkin]

Thank you ladies for your advice! I am using the H hook and it is my first time the G is my favorite maybe if I go down to the G it will be better. I am not going to burst a vein trying to get them exactly 7 " but wanted to make sure the end result would look nice and didn't know how much play I had in order to make it look ok. I know the first afghan I did in squares I didn't follow a pattern, I just tried to do the squares and sew them together.

 

I didn't know anything about gauge when I did this one ( it is my daughter's baby blanket, I brought it to the hospital when I gave birth 2 months ago)

but I don't think it looks too bad. Maybe I just lucked out hahaha. I just went by rows since it is a basic granny square and then trimmed each one. Yes, so sitting here thinking about it, I am just going to use a G hook and call it a day. lol. You ladies are wonderful with all your help and quick replies!

[JulieKay]

Libi --

Pretty funny ! You're a loose hooker ! I guess I am too, since I'm using a G and they are turning out too big !

I think the guage is important ,to get it as close as possible, but I don't think it's critical to get it EXACT to the .000001th of an inch. I think as long as they are within a pretty close size, say if you lay them one on top of the other ,they match up fairly closely, once you sew them all in together , they'll work out fine .

Also someone told me that it depends on the type yarn you use -- if you are using Red Heart, they will turn out bigger than Caron simply soft, only because the yarns are so different in texture and thickness .

YES, LIBI --- YOU CAN MAKE IT WORK !!!

We have lots of confidence in you !

PS - I have SEEN your work- ----- it is LOVELY and I know you can do this !

[JulieKay]

Vickie

 

PLEASE don't burst a vein getting this afghan done !

 

I think there is definitely some play in the squares-- you can always start with a smaller or larger starting chain ( if you follow their guide at the top that tells what multiples you need for each square, ) you can change hook sizes, or I have even made an extra row of edging for squares that are too small , or one row less edging for squares that are too large .

I think there are lots of ways to counteract this guage problem . I think that's the main reason so few people finish this afghan -- if you get too hung up on guage , you are gonna throw the thing across the room and go work on something easier .

We don't want any of you ladies to do that now, do we ??????

 

JOKING --------

[pb&j]

I'm having a time of it with the gage and ending square size as well. After the first few squares I said, heck with it! I figured that because of the different stitches in each square, they're going to come out different so hopefully when they get sewn together it will all work out. I believe it was JulieKay that told me that you can monkey around a bit when sewing the squares together to get a smooth result. If a square is way too small you can add an extra edge around it. That makes sense to me since all the squares get their final edging in the same color.

 

I'm also using a G hook, H came out way too big. Still, my squares tend to be on the big side but if all of them are then it should sew together pretty well. I made a blanket for my daughter with a similar concept to this one: different patterned squares sewn together. Those squares came out slightly different too but when I sewed them together they came out to a nice blanket.

 

Progress: I finished squares 16 and 17, that makes 1-17 for me! Number 17, the square with the eNORmous bobble stitches is not my favorite. What a wonky square! All I could think of when I was making it was, "Gee Grandma, what big bobbles you have!"

 

Country Bumpkin, congrats on the baby! The blanket you made for her is beautiful. I'm sure she'll treasure it!

[JulieKay]

Sue-

The below post is a repeat about that doggone BIG BOBBLE SQUARE you are talking about - it's been the worst so far --

~~~~~~WARNING~~~~~~~~~~

DO NOT GET ALARMED ----

THIS IS ONLY A WARNING .

 

I have renamed the square # 17 ( Cluster Square ) ... .....drumroll please ...

The PREACHERCUSS SQUARE .

 

Do not attempt this if you :

1- Are babysitting a 3 year old with more steam than a locomotive .

2- Are watching BLUE'S CLUES

3- Are trying to also read the new Curious George Halloween book you just bought at Walmart .

 

DOGGONE --- WHAT A MESS ...

 

I WILL GET IT RIGHT .

1- Blue is now thrown across the room in the corner .

2-The 3 year old is safely home with Dad .

3-Curious George is Curious as to why a 47 year old woman is now cussing a BLUE streak .

 

Better luck to you all on this one .

 

Where are all my cheerleaders now ? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE ?????????

__________________

~*~ JulieKay ~*~

[Country_Bumpkin]

"Gee Grandma, what big bobbles you have!"

 

hahahahaha I love this quote! Thanks so much on the congrats.. I hope she will treasure it:yay

[JulieKay]

Just a note to all you ladies that are having a little difficulty with square sizes.

Don't fret about it too much .

This is just for fun .

I recently was in charge of putting together squares from 21 ladies in our town who were making squares for the local nursing home patients ,to make lapghans .

I put together 44 of them suckers .

I had squares of just about every shape and size . There ARE ways of getting them to fit and they look nice when done .

I found that edging played a big part --- never hesitate to add or take away a row if needed .

Once you start sewing them in together, you can always sc 2 together in a few spots if need be , to get the larger ones to fit in ....

Believe me, once you put together 44 of them you learn every trick in the book.

We'll use them all if need be to help you ladies get your afghans done !

[JulieKay]

Progress: I finished squares 16 and 17, that makes 1-17 for me! Number 17

 

Sue--

So far, you are over the hurdle -- you have the worst one done .

[pb&j]

Yes, JulieKay! The preachercuss square iis exactly it! It was a bear to make and I don't really like it all that well since it doesn't lie flat but I finished it and can pat myself on the back!

 

When I finish this project and if I really don't like the square any better, and if I have any green yarn left over I may try and make something a little more subtle. I guess I can alway frog it and use that yarn. I don't know, I'll have to see. It may be mighty ambitious words now which later may not seem so important.

 

County Bumpkin, is this your first baby? Are you getting any sleep yet? My son slept through the night when he was 3 months old. My daughter, on the other hand, didn't sleep through the night until she was around six months old. I remember crying in the middle of the night when she was 5 months old! I was so tired! Thankfully, they're now 15 and 11 and everyone is sleeping through the night on a regular basis!

[Celestial Seasonings]

I have yet to meet the preachercuss square. . . but I'll be there soon! 3 more done, and only 3 white squares remaining. You know what that means. . . 18 down, 45 to go. Look out, ladies!

[Country_Bumpkin]

Square #2 & #3 finished lol and 1/2 way done with #4.

 

Sorry I had to correct myself.

[pb&j]

Great job, Vickie! Way to go!

 

 

Celeste, we are running about neck and neck. I'm working on # 18 right now, hope to have it finished before I have to go out tonight!

 

I've updated my photo album, squares # 14-17 are now available for viewing.

[Celestial Seasonings]

Uh oh. . . luckily for me, tonight is my super special crochet show: Law and Order! It's good for at least two squares. . . here I come, Sue!

 

Nothing like a little healthy competition!

[crochetlady]

Yippe for me I finished square #16 and I am contemplating whether to start sq #17 or skip to for later:) But I think I have more time now so I better tackle it right away! Good news is that I will be getting a new cable for my camera tomorrow so I am hoping that i would be able to post pics latest by Saturday. I am going to be visiting my in-laws and my parents(they both are in the same city!) for 4 days starting Oct 9th! Will be back on 13th Oct. I am taking my crochet along with me so I should atleast be able to make one square a day!

 

hugs

Vims

[Country_Bumpkin]

woo hoo vims!!

Why put off till tomorrow what you can crochet today I say. lol

I am sure you will get alot done while visiting your family!

[JulieKay]

Celeste-

 

You are doing great !!! 18 done .. We are all waiting with baited breath to hear how you do with the Dreaded Preachercuss.

 

(That'll slow her down, for those of you ladies that are almost tied with her .... that'll give you a little jump on her )