Time for fun: what was your worst crochet mistake?

[crochetfun]

We all had those: the squares that mysteriously turned into trapezoids, the doily that would not stay flat, the sweater which was meant for the baby but somehow it fits your four-year old.

I'd love to start this thread with a picture of one of these gone-wrong projects, but unfortunately, my camera is not co-operating.

However, I can tell you the story:

I was making a cute little baby sweater. All I had left to do was the second sleeve, so I was all anxious to finish. And finish I did that night, completed the sleeve, attached it to the armhole, only to discover that I used the wrong hook, and now I had a much larger sleeve on one side:lol

(Let me tell you I was not laughing at the time.)

The lesson:

I usually attach a little tag to my projects at the beginning, with the hook size marked. This time I did not.

 

So, what was yours? And if you can show pictures we can all learn from it and have some fun.

[minwifeof4boys]

Square number 8 in the 63 square afghan LOL

[sprtsbear]

My sister-in-law is the HR for her company. When ever someone is having a baby, she asks me to make a baby blanket. One time she asked and told me the lady had an ultra sound and she was going to have a girl. Quickly turned out a pink and white blanket with the name Riley stitched on. Needless to say little Riley turned out to be a boy. From now on I will not believe ultra sounds. I wait until the darling little one is born.

[Mint]

My mistake has become a running joke between my dad and I .

 

I was making him a blanket for his birthday, and wanted to make it large enough to cover him when he snoozes on the couch. I bought 16 skeins of yarn for the project (thinking that I'd have more than enough), and made my calculations for how my panels were going to be placed (I was doing it all in afghan stitch). So I get my panels made up and put them together, after checking to see they match my length and width calculations. I must have been in a yarn induced haze, because it was really long (more than 6 feet) and really thin (about 3 feet wide). So I try to see if I can rearange the panels, but I can't manage to get a decent shape out of them by doing that. I decide it would be a great idea to put a thick boarder on the sides to make it wider, and a thinner one on the ends. It isn't too long before I realize this isn't going to work . That thing was Heavy! And talk about hideous!

 

So I finished it off and gave it to my dad anyway, feeling more than a little like a for making a blanket like this. He actually uses it the terrible thing! He calls it the "Body Armor" blanket because it's so thick and heavy from the afghan stitch and the ton of yarn used in it.

 

I keep threatening to make him another one

[tlisley]

This is so funny to me... I saw this topic earlier today and thought, well, since I can't think of anything, I must be ok... and decided to skip reading it...

 

So all day today I've been working on finishing up a little baby set... It's very cute, and simple, but the blanket has taken me a while. Anyway, about 3:30 this afternoon I pick up that thing and go to town! I had like 15 rows done from yesterday, so I whip out probably 30 more today (don't laugh, I'm new... for me that's "whipping it out"! ) and I'm thinking something is wrong here... I look and sure enough, I've been dropping stitches really consistently down the right side edge... I frog down all these rows and start again, half way through the row I'm like, why are these stitches so loose? Sure enough, what I started with a K hook I am apparently working with a G!! Like it wasn't bad enough to drop all those stitches! LOL... newbies... what will you do with us??

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

Cutting ends too short and my dd's granny square poncho fell apart Many years ago.

[MamaHooks]

My turn, my turn .... when my DD was about 3 1/2 yrs old I started making her a ripple afghan (my first attempt at making an afghan = clueless ). I was making it out of scrap yarn I had. When I did my chain it was as wide as her bed, I proceeded to start the ripple it was going good. I had four rows of colors (2 rows each) done before bedtime. My DD insisted on taking it to bed with her; I leaned over to kiss her goodnight and then I realize the width of the afghan is 1/2 of what the beginning chain was. When my DD woke-up in the morning she told me it was her best sleepy (blanket) and she loved it! I knew right then that it was going to become a crib size for her and her babies (dolls).

[Shelleden]

This is so funny to me... I saw this topic earlier today and thought, well, since I can't think of anything, I must be ok... and decided to skip reading it...

 

So all day today I've been working on finishing up a little baby set... It's very cute, and simple, but the blanket has taken me a while. Anyway, about 3:30 this afternoon I pick up that thing and go to town! I had like 15 rows done from yesterday, so I whip out probably 30 more today (don't laugh, I'm new... for me that's "whipping it out"! ) and I'm thinking something is wrong here... I look and sure enough, I've been dropping stitches really consistently down the right side edge... I frog down all these rows and start again, half way through the row I'm like, why are these stitches so loose? Sure enough, what I started with a K hook I am apparently working with a G!! Like it wasn't bad enough to drop all those stitches! LOL... newbies... what will you do with us??

 

Awww, we love ya anyway!!!

[Ginger]

I was making a poncho that called for a thread type of yarn, but I wanted to use worsted weight. It was beautiful, but looked like a Lucy Ricardo maternity top. It was huge!

 

I abandoned the poncho, frogged it, and made a chicken viking hat.

[Roli]

So I finished it off and gave it to my dad anyway, feeling more than a little like a for making a blanket like this. He actually uses it the terrible thing! He calls it the "Body Armor" blanket because it's so thick and heavy from the afghan stitch and the ton of yarn used in it.

 

 

That is so funny, Mint! :lol

 

My DH had been pestering me to make him a cardigan sweater for those cold days in the RV in the winter. I didn't want to do it because I wasn't too familiar with men's' sizing and I knew a big sweater would take me forever! Plus he wanted it in BROWN:yuck !

 

To make a long story short...I used one of the sweaters that fit him well as a pattern. For some reason, the Lion Woolease worked up very stretchy and that sweater was HUGE on him! I finally gave it to Goodwill because I hated the color and it was more like a blanket than a sweater! It wouldn't fit into any of the cubbies in the RV!

[Roli]

So I finished it off and gave it to my dad anyway, feeling more than a little like a for making a blanket like this. He actually uses it the terrible thing! He calls it the "Body Armor" blanket because it's so thick and heavy from the afghan stitch and the ton of yarn used in it.

 

 

That is so funny, Mint! :lol

 

My DH had been pestering me to make him a cardigan sweater for those cold days in the RV in the winter. I didn't want to do it because I wasn't too familiar with men's' sizing and I knew a big sweater would take me forever! Plus he wanted it in BROWN:yuck !

 

To make a long story short...I used one of the sweaters that fit him well as a pattern. For some reason, the Lion Woolease worked up very stretchy and that sweater was HUGE on him! I finally gave it to Goodwill because I hated the color and it was more like a blanket than a sweater! It wouldn't fit into any of the cubbies in the RV!

[rddugan]

What great stories! When I saw this I reacted like Tracey (tlisley) and couldn't think of anything...then I realized this was AFTER my Prairie Star adventure. You see...

 

I am making the Prairie Star, an afghan that starts with a 6 point star, for the Quilt-ghan cal, and I decided to post a picture. This took some courage as it was my FIRST EVER PICTURE for Crochetville, but the afghan looked nice, so I did it. Of course, all the good people here had nice things to say about the afghan, and then, one wonderful lady said - "oh, and you did a 5 pointed star! HOw neat"....

 

ONly then did I realize I had left a point out. I had a long laugh about it, frog a bit and added a 6th point, but my last mistake was quite a public one. It didn't discourage me from posting pictures, though, only showed me what supportive people are here...

 

But, since it took me sometime to remember this, even after only a couple days, I wonder how many other crochet mistakes I am repressing - Maybe I don't want to know.

[tlisley]

 

But, since it took me sometime to remember this, even after only a couple days, I wonder how many other crochet mistakes I am repressing - Maybe I don't want to know.

 

DENIAL- It's not just a river in Egypt...

[mwedzi]

When I was making my gold summer top, I was running really short on yarn. I figured it could have sleeves but not very long ones. So I made a small sleeve and sewed it onto the body and tried it on before making another sleeve, to see if the first was alright. Well, mysteriously my arm barely fit in through the sleeve hole. It was really tight, and I don't have very big arms. I couldn't understand it, I mean, I knew I had made it small but not that small. So I figured I had better make the other sleeve bigger and unravel the first. Well, that's what I did, in that order. Made the second sleeve a little bigger and then got ready to cut the seaming from the first sleeve and that's when I saw it. When I sewed the sleeve onto the body, I had accidently sewn right through the middle of the sleeve hole, making it about 3/4 the diameter that it would have been. No wonder it was so tight. After snipping the yarn in the middle, I found the first sleeve fit perfectly. But since I had already made the second one differently, I still had to unravel and make the first one all over again.

[crochetfun]

To all of you who responded:

I love your posts. Had a good laugh:lol and now I don't feel quite as bad about my past mistakes.

[crochetmama]

Good ones! There should be a special place to memorialize all those extra mismatched sleeves, "Lucy Ricardo maternity" Conastoga wagons, too-big, too-small, unraveled, too-big-to-fit-in-the-RV, mystery projects! Instead of post-traumatic stress disorder....we'd have post-crocheting stress disorder!.....no, come to think of it, we'd probably all end up giggling too hard to call it stress! Great stories, everyone!

[irikel]

Well let me take a crack at this....I laugh at it now but I sure didn't when it happend...When I finished my Elmo afgahan....I didn't quite like the outline in the arms..so I decided to do some cross stitching on it to fix the little problem....well...part of the cross stitching didn't turn out so kool so I decided to cut the stitches out ...well I cut more than the stitches ...I CUT RIGHT THE WRONG YARN. ..!!! I cut a sc instead of the cross stitch and I had a hole as bigger than a half dollar... it unraveled .I made a patch of s c and patched it up...not too cute but...helped out alot...you really cant tell.

[Lorrie]

I made an afghan for my BIL he asked for it out of thin chenille and 3 different colors. I bought the yarn off ebay. they were not from the same seller, so all 3 were different types. First mistake. i didn't pay that close attention to how i was changinf colors. needless to say it turned out looking like an hourglass.

 

 

 

I still use it at home as a throw folded in half on the couch. My BIL is still waiting for an afghan. I will be making it out of lb homespun instead.

[crochetfun]

[quote name=craftybutterfly

 

 

It kinda looked like a conastoga wagon without the wheels! I've fixed it and will be putting on the sleeves this weekend' date=' so I'll post a pic of what it SHOULD look like, next week.[/quote]

Love the picture:)

Can't wait for the "new improved" version!

[crochetfun]

Well let me take a crack at this....I laugh at it now but I sure didn't when it happend...When I finished my Elmo afgahan....I didn't quite like the outline in the arms..so I decided to do some cross stitching on it to fix the little problem....well...part of the cross stitching didn't turn out so kool so I decided to cut the stitches out ...well I cut more than the stitches ...I CUT RIGHT THE WRONG YARN. ..!!! I cut a sc instead of the cross stitch and I had a hole as bigger than a half dollar... it unraveled .I made a patch of s c and patched it up...not too cute but...helped out alot...you really cant tell.

 

I would have been devastated. Good for you that you find a way to correct it.

[terrijo]

Not really a "crochet" mistake but......

I put myself in the Shawl Exchange. Having never made a shawl before it took me quite awhile to find a pattern. Then I had some really colorful yarn that I decided to use. I finally got the thing done when my daughter said it was nice but what if my recipient didn't like how "busy" it was. So, I decided to make one out of aran to also send so she had a choice. Well, on Wednesday April 26th, 5 days before the deadline to mail them and 4 rows plus the border from being finished, I was at my grandsons baseball game tending to my 2 month old grandaughter in my van because it was really too cold for her to be outside and sprinkling. Her mom had just nursed her and left her with me to burp while she went and watched the game. I was burping away and doing a good job of it. I turned her around to sit sideways on my lap so I could talk to her and keep burping her. Well, that movement "upset the cookie cart" so to speak, because she BARFED in my yarn bag----all over my 2 shawls!!!!!!! I was in shock! ( my 2 daughters weren't---they dang near wet their pants laughing because I'm such a freak about my crochet things) Anyway, the next day I finished the aran one--it was kinda stiff in places and then I threw them both in the wash. So, my recipient gets nice, clean shawls---thanks to Emma!

[naidascrochet]

oh my gosh, too funny everyone...lol....I have a few crochet nightmares happen to me too:

 

when I first began to crochet again, I used to hold the hook so hard, I got blisters on my fingers and the stitches were so tight I couldnt barely work the rows! I had the hardest time just making the starting chain. And reading patterns was like reading chinese...I had no clue what the heck all the abbreviations meant! I tried so hard and got so upset, that I even dreamt I was crocheting!

 

Then I never knew how to end the row and turn the piece the right way, my first ripple blanket ended up being shaped like a triangle instead of a square! lol

 

one time I decided to make a kids size blanket using a whole bunch of squares, it was an easy pattern to follow, just make 24 plain squares and sew them together....I ended up sewing the squares together, the blanket looked ok, until little by little the squares began falling apart! When I finished making the squares, I had cut the yarn too short and tied a knot, so it all unraveled!!!! I wish I had saved that blanket to post a pic, it was all in pieces...lol!!!

 

and one other time I made a hat, I made it so big it was too big on my hubbys head...lol...he said 'who is gonna wear this hat? a gorilla? its huge!'

 

naida

[Yarn Duck]

Well, my biggest mistake happened just recently. I made a Sunflower afghan. It was a very challenging project and one I had been looking forward to doing ever since I had seen the kit. I was so proud of having actually completed the thing!

The finished afghan is a bit large so I had to spread it out on the floor in order to photograph it. (And since the floor is The Cat's domain, she had to get in the picture.) Anyway, I posted a thread here in Show & Tell with a photo. Two days later, I'm reading thru my thread and happened to glance at the picture.

:eekIt was then that I noticed a small problem. One square, actually the flower that The Cat is facing, is upside down! All the fpdc and cluster stitches are on the back instead of the front where they belong. Luckily, it is a square on the side border and the problem can be fixed but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

[sparkles]

Okay, I gotta get in on this:

 

Forgot the time, and the chain for my youngest son's afghan was WWWAAAAYYYYYYYY long! Thought it would "shrink" as all beginning chains seem to do. Well, his afghan is something like 8' x 9'! That's FEET, ladies!

 

First actual wearable: made a sweater for a friend's boy. Did my swatch measurement and all, but don't know if it was the pattern or what. A size 10 boys sweater turned out almost 2 feet wide and only about 16" tall! With front post stripes and nice little stripes of different colors. Then the first sleeve ended up skinny and LONG! And, believe it or not, since I didn't have him here to measure against somehow I didn't even notice it until after I had that first sleeve attached:ohdear

 

Then, I made a really cute little hat for this same friend's oldest girl. Didn't realize when I started the hat I miscounted the starting stitch, which set the head size, and was 10 stitches short! Brought it to her house, and it didn't fit the oldest, nor the second oldest, ... nor the baby! And it was too big for the biggest DOLL... And yet she won't let me take it back and because she says it's so cute Actually, it is really cute! It has a wide brim pinned back with a flower... it just doesn't FIT anyone!

[Ellie 13]

People wonder why I don't make Hats (or other clothing), My hats don't fit anyone either. I made scarves that seem too short or too long (I like long ones) for the people I give the to. I know this isn't really a mistake, but most of my stuff comes out OK.

 

Ellie 13