A mess of mixed motifs

[Afghaniac]

Always trying to destash yarn, have recently destashed patterns, now I'm trying to destash motifs. The picture doesn't really give an accurate idea of how many motifs I've accumulated over the past 15 or so years. Several are simply cases of having made more than I needed for a pattern, some are motifs I tried and didn't work outthe way I  wanted for the project at hand, and some I made just for the heckuvit 'cause I felt like it.

 

Today is the day of reckoning. I gathered all of them in one place and first thought I'd try to make two freeform afghans, one with brights and one with softs. But my stabs at freeform have been miserable failures so far. The thought of assembling them into a shape, adding filler motifs, etc., etc., just seemed too daunting. So now I'm turning some of the flowers and hexagons into squares, making large squares out of tiny ones,and so forth, and see how it goes. I almost donated them for a local yarn bombing, but just couldn't bear to see them out in the weather.

 

Any ideas are welcome.

[Avon Lady]

I would go with the idea of making them all roughly the same size, also.  I'm thinking of doing the very same thing, because I keep finding unfinished projects--that I don't really want to finish!  I'm planning on edging each one with a dark color, either blue, green or black.  (Dark red would be great, too, wouldn't it?) Above all--just have fun with it!!  Happy crocheting!  Be sure to show us the finished project!

[katyallen815]

i just completed something using up stash, caron simply soft stash, a baby afghan for donation, and will post it in the proper place, but you are right, the same size is much easier to place and work with. Good luck on your project, i had fun  with mine!

[ddc]

That sounds like the best plan to me. I foresee something similar in my future down the road, since I can't stand to toss those itty bitty leftovers, that wouldn't even make two rows of a granny stripe or something similar. I told myself a year or so ago that I could only make normal, one color granny squares from them of 2-4 rounds. Eventually I'll border them and put them together. But messing with motifs is my least favorite thing.

[Avon Lady]

 But messing with motifs is my least favorite thing.

I used to feel that way, but now that I know that invisible seam method, I don't mind at all!!

[lynnf2012]

What is the invisible seam method?

[Avon Lady]

 Here's how you do it.

 Materials: finished granny squares, a blunt needle, and your seaming yarn.  Lay your granny squares side to side with the front side facing up.

 

 Insert your needle into the first crochet stitch from the back to the front.

 

 Repeat Step 2 on the opposite side, bringing yarn up from the back of the stitch to the front. Continue this process on each stitch, alternating between sides. It’s sort of like lacing shoes.

 

 To make the seam disappear--lightly pull on both ends of your seaming yarn.

 

 Repeat with all squares, and that’s all there is to invisible seams.  Weave in your ends.

 

[mattenylou]

FWIW- a long time ago, I asked the lady that taught me how to crochet if she would show me how to make a granny square. They were "In" back then in the '60's, everything you can imagine was made from grannies... Pantsuits, jackets, purses... everything!

 

She had been my crafting/sewing/cooking  4-H leader for years and knew me better than I knew myself, I think. She asked me if I wanted to crochet or sew... I told her I wanted to crochet. Lucky for me, she had some squares already done and sat me down in her sewing room and carefully showed me how to stitch them together. That hour of lining up stitches and corners and getting frustrated cured me of making motifs.

 

I always think twice before I start anything I have to sew together. I've tried every method, it's all too fussy for me, I'll stick to my row making patterns!

 

For the record, I have a laundry basket full of panels for an afghan that's been unfinished for over a year, a huge bag of thread motives that should be a tablecloth for my dining room, bits and pieces of several nativity pieces that don't resemble anything and Christmas is coming, .... I won't bore you with the rest, but there's several more that I move around every time I go poking thru my stash..

 

Funny how every time I'm threading my yarn thru that big needle, I can still hear her asking me "Do you want to crochet or sew?" Oh, how well she knew me!

 

Afghaniac, I'd donate the whole kit and kaboodle!

[Afghaniac]

FWIW- a long time ago, I asked the lady that taught me how to crochet if she would show me how to make a granny square. They were "In" back then in the '60's, everything you can imagine was made from grannies... Pantsuits, jackets, purses... everything!

 

She had been my crafting/sewing/cooking  4-H leader for years and knew me better than I knew myself, I think. She asked me if I wanted to crochet or sew... I told her I wanted to crochet. Lucky for me, she had some squares already done and sat me down in her sewing room and carefully showed me how to stitch them together. That hour of lining up stitches and corners and getting frustrated cured me of making motifs.

 

I always think twice before I start anything I have to sew together. I've tried every method, it's all too fussy for me, I'll stick to my row making patterns!

 

For the record, I have a laundry basket full of panels for an afghan that's been unfinished for over a year, a huge bag of thread motives that should be a tablecloth for my dining room, bits and pieces of several nativity pieces that don't resemble anything and Christmas is coming, .... I won't bore you with the rest, but there's several more that I move around every time I go poking thru my stash..

 

Funny how every time I'm threading my yarn thru that big needle, I can still hear her asking me "Do you want to crochet or sew?" Oh, how well she knew me!

 

 

Afghaniac, I'd donate the whole kit and kaboodle!

 

Point well taken! However, I'm the seemingly rare bird who doesn't mind sewing motifs together. Motif afghans are my faves, since I get really, really bored making the same stitch back and forth, over and over. In another thread, I've posted a pic of the first afghan cobbled together from mostly blue bits. Now a little bogged down on a second effort, am back to an actual pattern for a Field of Flowers sampler afghan that somebody else designed. I think I'll eventually use some of those odd motifs, but will unwind others for scrap yarn.

[mattenylou]

Afghaniac... You have waaay more patience than me! I'll fiddle and fuss with teeny little crochet hooks and thread, but for some reason, I can't pick up a needle and thread of any kind. I've even crocheted those darn motives together, I usually give up part way thru (I have a beautiful hex throw over a corner chair - picture perfect- except it's missing a third of it's hexes that should be hanging down the back, I only did enough to make it look nice on the chair, How bad is that?)

 

Now that I think about it, I wonder if Mrs N's aversion to sewing came down to me? HMmmm She soured me on making those squares before I even got started.

 

Hummmpfff... Maybe I need an attitude adjustment! what's it been- 50 years?.... yeesh!

[Afghaniac]

Afghaniac... You have waaay more patience than me! I'll fiddle and fuss with teeny little crochet hooks and thread, but for some reason, I can't pick up a needle and thread of any kind. I've even crocheted those darn motives together, I usually give up part way thru (I have a beautiful hex throw over a corner chair - picture perfect- except it's missing a third of it's hexes that should be hanging down the back, I only did enough to make it look nice on the chair, How bad is that?)

 

Now that I think about it, I wonder if Mrs N's aversion to sewing came down to me? HMmmm She soured me on making those squares before I even got started.

 

Hummmpfff... Maybe I need an attitude adjustment! what's it been- 50 years?.... yeesh!

Well, I have no patience for "regular" sewing. Any skills I had in that area began and ended with making maternity pants with elasticized patches -- fitted pants -- fuggedaboutit. Then there was the set-in sleeve fiasco. Back in the day, I had at least two or three dresses in my closet with one set-in sleeve apiece. Sewing yarn pieces is a piece of cake next to all that stuff. Have you tried join-as-you-go motifs? I've done some, though sometimes the pattern instructions for JAYG are kind of confusing to me.

[katyallen815]

Oh boy,just was reviewing this thread, and laughed!!Squares and motifs have friends out there among us, and ememies, lol.. I don't mind joining them either, it;s a little bit zen like, and meditational for me!! I would love if Afganiac would update this post and show us what she ended up doing with those lovely little buggers!!!!!!!!!!! What say Aganiac, how bout pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[katyallen815]

did you ever get those used up afghaniac??/  we still are waiting for pics, lol...

[ReniC]

Afghaniac no longer posts here. Sure do miss her.

[katyallen815]

oh thats a shame, where did she go, off the ville?? i miss her posts here too, and wanted to see that ghan, lol

[ReniC]

katyallen8090, on 15 Apr 2016 - 12:01 AM, said:katyallen8090, on 15 Apr 2016 - 12:01 AM, said:katyallen8090, on 15 Apr 2016 - 12:01 AM, said:

oh thats a shame, where did she go, off the ville?? i miss her posts here too, and wanted to see that ghan, lol

Don't know where she went. I read her blog, crochet curmudgeon (sp) once in awhile but she stopped that too a few years ago. She had a way with written words but that was her profession. She's on Pinterest and Ravelry. Maybe that afghan is in her one of her folders. Wish we could contact her- I'd love to get info on a 12" circle in a granny square that's in her "Another neutrals sampler" on Ravelry.

[katyallen815]

Don't know where she went. I read her blog- crochet curmudgeon (sp) once in awhile but she stopped that too a few years ago. She had a way with written words but that was her profession. She's on Pinterest and Ravelry, maybe that afghan is in her one of her folders.

thanks renni, i will check that out maybe, i know too,happyoldcro isn't on anymore either, i think for somerthing  with her heath maybe, i miss her too, she used to write those poems you know, when you were mailintg off a gift of crochet, she could make a poem about anything!!

[Ellie 13]

I usually crochet my motifs together. I've been making pocket prayer shawls and have been thinking about sewing them together with some plain squares to make a regular prayer shawl. The invisible seam sounds easy, I might try it with this project.

Ellie 13