any ugly rules?

[snugsmontreal]

i have a lot of yarn not big enough to do a project so i made up about 100 granny squares. i was thinking pairing up some similar colors and making some blankets

my question is is ugly a factor in crochet for charity, i was thinking taking them to the local project linus or a womens shelter... but if the "look" is a problem i might just make a bunch of small cage liners for the SPCA, since dogs/cats are colorblind they wont care!

let me know what you think please

[Daisy]

I think that the group "Warming Families", will take anything they can get. In my eyes, no yarn or squares are ugly. They just need to be dressed up a bit. Oh, if you make something from your scraps, that you think is 'ugly', you can make small 'ugly' blankets for your local animal shelter. They need little blankies for the animals to lie on, while waiting to be adopted. I gave many of these blankies and the animals do not care what colors they are. Not picky like us humans.

http://www.warmingfamilies.org/

[Pam Gillette]

I volunteer for Warm Up America and we take all colors, you name, all mixes, then when putting it all together for an afghan, we try to use a boarder to "pull it all together".

[Jimmie Lu]

I take gahns to mexico and love Ugly wild blankets!!! Check the blog in my signature!!

[eyenowhour]

I don't think most places will turn down a blanket just because it is "ugly". What one person sees as "ugly", another person may see as beautiful, rebellious or "cool"/trendy.

[Chrome Kitty]

I agree with eyenowhour, plus you might find out it's not so ugly once you put them together. I got some (s)crap yarn from someone in lifeless green and bright rust along with a variegated blah. I decided to make an ugly blanket and give it back, but once it was done, we were both surprised how nice it looked. Anyway, ugly isn't a factor when you're freezing.

[snugsmontreal]

Anyway, ugly isn't a factor when you're freezing.

 

cant disagree with that point!

[funkyreporter]

My (deceased) MIL who had her first of seven children in 1953 at the tender age of 16 could not be 'picky' and she felt any color of any yarn could be put together as long as a neutral was used to 'put it all together' - she found a way to keep those seven babies warm! And a few of those 'ugly' blankets are still around, one sitting prominantly and proudly right in the living room of our house! Wouldn't have it any other way.

[head2toepets2go]

Snugs,

 

When I first started making scrap-ghans, I did a couple of rows (2 strands worked together) and literally cried it was so ugly (actually I nearly threw up), but once I finished they have all turned out great, and I've made over 65 of them! It helped when I did a solid-colored border around the edge (black) and my kids LOVED them. Hope this helps!

 

Fran

[angelfire]

no such thing as ugly when you are cold and lonely. A gift from someone that cared enough to put in time is still a gift and what better way to gift something.My first granny square afghan for my mother had seventeen different colors that I varied with each square. I crochet a common color border around each one and it is her favorite cover even now/ 30 years later...oh my am I getting older.

[CLLinda]

Sometimes just by adding one other color, the pattern is not so ugly anymore. And if you use a nice color as a border, it will be fine. And as people have said, Color doesn't matter when you are freezing.

 

Linda:cheer

[BarbaraJean]

I'm making a granny square afghan with scrap yarn too.

 

My first instinct was also - who will ever want this?

 

Maybe it's just that you fall in love with a project when you put so much time into it but now I'm thinking it's not so ugly. I think that perhaps somebody will enjoy it.

[Nichole]

would one of those "common colors to bring it all together" be black? I'm making an ughan right now as well... I was thinking bordering the whole deal in black.

[crochetgoddess]

i think as long as you don't purposely make it ugly then it would be okay.

 

even though some people do have scraps lying around and put them together in an afghan, it may not always look the best and even though it is for charity or especially for charity, I would think that IMO that it should be given as much thought and consideration as any other crochet project.

[nucki]

As someone who has actually BEEN in homeless and women's shelters, and been the recipient of "comfortghans" (or whatever you choose to call them), I can honestly tell you that the person recieving it will not care one iota what color(s) they are.

When you're cold, scared, in a strange place with strange people, and someone comes over and hands you something that's obviously handmade, something that you KNOW they had to put time, energy, and thought into, it's not the color of the thing that gets to you. It's the realization that someone, somewhere, had enough love in their heart to sit down and spend their own precious spare time to make something that would give a complete stranger just a little bit of comfort.

But on a completely asthetic note, I have to agree with the others - use a separate yarn to "pull the thing together," and you'll be surprised at how NON-ugly the thing actually turns out to be.

And yes, I think black would be a perfect color to use. It's one of those colors that goes with EVERY other color in the rainbow (and even the ones that AREN'T in the rainbow!).

HTH

[BarbaraJean]

Thanks for sharing with us, Nucki!

[neicy crochets]

I did an "ugly" lapghan for my sister last year. She's mobility impared and uses a wheelchair 95% of the time. She lives in Alberta, I'm in Nova Scotia...a long ways in between. She tells me that everytime she 's in her chair, wrapped in "Neicy's Ugly Blanket" it's like getting a great big colorful hug from me! So, as far as "ugly" goes, I'm a firm believer that what is made with love will be received with love, regardless.

BTW, my sister is only 42, and a single mom of 2 beautiful boys ( 25 years old and 22 years old) The 22 year old recently moved back in with her and the two go on plenty of excursions in the chair so my "ugly blanket" has received MANY wonderful comments. Now the boys are after me to make ones for them. Hmmm...think I'll go take another look at my stash right now!

[sakurasaku]

would one of those "common colors to bring it all together" be black? I'm making an ughan right now as well... I was thinking bordering the whole deal in black.

 

I think bordering in black makes for a stained glass effect that is quite pretty against bright colors in a scrap afghan.

 

Case in point: "Scraps Afghan Extraordinaire" (was an AA free pattern of the day, and from Annies Scrap Crochet Club SCC30, © Copyright 2005) by Martha Stein is quite striking. I can't find it as a free pattern, but the basic idea is to group similarly-colored squres in a diagonal pattern and to border each square in black. The squares are oriented in the diamond direction, so that the borders are zig-zag.

 

The Fall Flowers Afghan might be some people's "ugly", but I think it could look quite stunning if done right and in the right decor.

 

And I agree with what others said about no afghan being "ugly" when the thoughts befind them are beautiful!

[Calesmommy]

The best part of a scrap gan is all the different colors in it. Put them together add a border and see what happens.

[luvmnms]

Last year I made several squares for Warm Up America. I used all my scraps left over from other projects throughout the year. When I went to donate them to my local Michael's I found out that no one had showed up to join the squares together, so I took my bag of squares and went home. I found a couple of skeins of white yarn and decided to join them myself, put a border on it and then take the blanket to Michael's. I had not made these squares to all be used in one blanket, I thought they would be paired with other squares that other people had donated, so I thought it would be one of the ugliest things I ever made. When I finished the blanket my DH saw it, asked what I was going to do with it, and when I explained, he seemed hurt, I asked him what was wrong and he said, "that's just too pretty to give away, are you sure we don't want to keep it?" (If I do say so myself, it really did turn out prettier than I ever thought it would.)

 

So, what you think is ugly, someone else will see the beauty in it.

 

BTW: I donated the blanket, that was my original intent.

[crochetluvknot]

i did what i thought was quite an ugly ghan i had several balls of varigated yarns that i threw together in a granny square pattern well it was not real big maybe 40x40 or a little smaller than that i went with a friend to drop of project linus ghans to the kids at the hospital and one little girl came up and saw it and asked for it it was all i could do to not cry she picked it up and carried it back to her room with the biggest grin on her face so no ghan is really ever ugly every one has different tastes

[Aggie May]

"The poor little ugly duckling, with feathers all stuffy & brown......"

Remember, it turned into a beautiful Swan.

 

The border on each square idea is perfect, especially if it is Black then one round on the outside edge and you have the perfect, almost "Stained Glass Window." effect.

Have fun.

Colleen:hug

[chrispersmom]

My mom always used up every scrap of yarn she had making grannies and then she would put them together with black or white. They didn't need to match and all were beautiful. alot of times , people would Buy them from her. So , I wouldn't worry about them being ugly. Once put together, they are always pretty.

[saribear28]

Sometimes all you need to do is put the ugly square by different colors. It's amazing the difference that positioning makes. Also, I agree that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. People all have different tastes.

[parisjem]

Firstly, well done to all who have made blankets for those in need. Putting your skills to good use - bravo!! Next, you purchase your own yarn (mostly), so why did you buy ugly yarn??? Something to think on. Of course sometimes it is the combinations of colors. Maybe it would be better to make two smaller afghans to separate the colors that look gross when together. If you are making squares to join together then border each square in the same yarn and then border and edge the whole thing in the same yarn. I agree that black borders look great with bright colors. White or cream looks great with pastels. Planning the afghan with careful positioning of squares demonstrates your caring. Show these people respect by putting thoughtful consideration into your project. Each stitch you crochet shows your warmth and love.