Total Frustration---first try at "winging" a purse

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

If I ever forgot why I pick out patterns and follow them, I clearly and painfully now remember.

 

In another thread recently someone asked who follows patterns, and I responded, explainging why I do.

 

Well, I have always envied people who can design their own patterns, so I decided I wanted to try it at least once. I have made a couple felted bags before and since I found the felting process to be so forgiving, I thought a felted purse would be a good choice for my first attempt at designing a pattern.

 

Ugh. Well, I was so excited---I bought some of that lovely Patons SWS for the first time and new I just had to use that to make a felted purse for someone's Christmas present.

 

I even crocheted up a swatch and measured it and felted it and it didn't felt as quickly as others have reported and it didn't felt as small as I thought, but I forged ahead anyway.

 

I'm having a hideous time trying to decide how big I should make it. I've crocheted a ball and a half and ripped it out four times now I think. First, oh, that's too deep; no, now that's too wide; ugh, now it looks too wide AND too deep. (Dont' ask how I ended up with the same problem again.)

 

I'm just such a moron at this. I am ready to just throw away this yarn. And, I definitely don't recommend it for anything other than felting, because with use, the yarn gets very fuzzy and the softness goes away---it kind of starts felting.

 

Anyway, I am just so frustrated and I had to get it out. I am going to go and frog it AGAIN and I am going to just forge forward no matter what I think of it. I think. I just don't want it to end up too small, but I don't want it too big, either; it is so frustrating.

 

Thanks for listening,

Nicole

[Ixa]

It's all about planning. I think it helps if you don't start crocheting until you've mapped out what you want to do. Sometimes it helps to measure a purse you like the size of. It doesn't sound like you're a moron at this at all. Your problem is just that you keep changing your mind, and that's nothing to feel bad about!

[craftybutterfly]

Ah! but that's how we learn oh if i only had a penny for every winged project I've ripped and ripped and ripped till i got it just right. dont give up yet!! keep trying

[LadyyOftheOak]

Amen... she who frogs.. learns!! Don't be so rough on yourself definitely. I've learned to wing it on items but it sure took alot of work and patience on my part.. and a whole HERD of froggies as well lol

 

Maybe winging something without having to try to worry about a size change during felting would be easier for your first attempt? I would have all the same issues I think with something felted especially if it had to be a certain size when it came out the other end. Maybe try it in a scrap yarn first to get a feel for the gauge and depth/width? Then it won't be frogging expensive yarn but old scrap yarn that could be chucked if it didn't turn out like you had hoped? then once you get the "rough draft" done you can convert that to the Paton's yarn and complete it with felting?

 

Hang in there.. you'll get it.. I have faith

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

Thanks, everyone, for the encouragement! I frogged it after I took a break and now I am happy with the base size, and I was going along pretty well, and then I noticed that the seam was curving. My goodness. So I frogged some more and am trying to work that out. I don't know why I can make a hat in joined rounds with hardly a visible seam, but this isn't working, so I am experimenting with it a bit.

 

You're all right---you frog, and you learn. I will get it eventually, and if my seam is a bit crooked, well, that isn't the end of the world, I guess.

 

Nicole

[JCB]

Thanks' date=' everyone, for the encouragement! I frogged it after I took a break and now I am happy with the base size, and I was going along pretty well, and then I noticed that the seam was curving. My goodness. So I frogged some more and am trying to work that out. I don't know why I can make a hat in joined rounds with hardly a visible seam, but this isn't working, so I am experimenting with it a bit.

 

You're all right---you frog, and you learn. I will get it eventually, and if my seam is a bit crooked, well, that isn't the end of the world, I guess.

 

Nicole[/quote']

 

One of the great things about felting is that no one will see your 'seam'... the stitches melt away! But if you are just using the SWS, with no color changes (except what the yarn does by self striping) why not just go around and around without slip stitch joining.

 

I'm a big fan of 'winging it' and have done lots of frogging... I call it one stitch forward, two stitches back.

 

Joan

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

One of the great things about felting is that no one will see your 'seam'... the stitches melt away! But if you are just using the SWS, with no color changes (except what the yarn does by self striping) why not just go around and around without slip stitch joining.

 

I'm a big fan of 'winging it' and have done lots of frogging... I call it one stitch forward, two stitches back.

 

Joan

 

Well, this is embarrassing, but I don't know how to work in a spiral like that and end off properly. How do you do it with out getting that slope or bump where the last hdc spiral ends andyou have to join it to the previous one? I've done a felted bag done in a spiral before, and the slope/bump was extremely noticeable. Do you have any tips for me on how that would work? It would definitely be easier.

 

Thanks, Nicole