Argh!!!!

[theworm]

I'm so pathetic!

 

Last Thursday I went to a funeral. It was very sad. My friend's husband died suddenly. I didn't know him, but he left behind a great wife and two young kids. The service was very tasteful, but it was so hard seeing a young boy who really can't understand that his daddy is gone.

 

So, on my way home I stopped at Michaels and bought a LOT of Bernat Boucle and started a comfortghan. I chose soft warm browns and blues, and did a simple open pattern so it wouldn't be too hot for Florida. I was so pleased! It was really looking beautiful.

 

So yesterday, I was almost halfway done with it when I layed it out and realized I had been increasing and increasing and increasing and this thing was a really really odd shape! :sob

 

I did stripes and the boucle is hard to frog, so there was no point in undoing it. I was visiting another friend who was kind enough to say that she wanted it to keep her legs warm when she watches tv. It's a really really odd trapazoid shape.

 

So I started over and I'm using stitch markers in the ends and I have to go and buy a lot more yarn. And I really wanted it to be done this week so I could deliver it soon.

[bettycrackpot]

awww....that sucks! but it is nice of you to make a comfortghan! good luck this time around!!

[hooked2]

You're not pathetic - you made a mistake. Sometimes the best of intentions - and yours were - are thwarted by human imperfection (and all humans are imperfect!) It's hard I know, but make the new comfortghan and deliver it when it's complete. The family will still appreciate the love that prompted your gift.

[Leticia]

awww i'm sorry...good luck with the next one!

[RoseRed]

my first afghan was 1 foot and a half wider at the top than the bottom. it's the only thing my ex still has from the marraige,

[Ramburn]

I think you are great! You have made an afghan for 1 dear friend and are starting another afghan for another dear friend. You are doing great! Keep up the good work.

[Crocus58]

That's a very understandable situation. I made a baby bunting for my new grandson the week my dog had to be put down - I thought I was doing good, but by the time I got it finished, it will fit him when he starts kindergarten!!

 

Your friend is most likely going to be flooded with items, visits and concern in the first couple of weeks after the funeral, it's when people go back to their regular lives that she's going to need your loving thoughts the most. Maybe God wants you to deliver the comforgan a bit later than you wanted.

[JoBug]

Oh BLESS your heart, you were in a hurry to make someone feel good!! Not a mistake, you DID make another happy. good luck now, take your time and count, its hard when we are excited sometimes, this I know too well.

[secretstasher]

Listen like it has been said you made a friend happy not the one you intended but you did make one happy. Get another one done and it will still be appreaciated, when someone dies the few weeks after everyone is sympathetic then you find that you don`t hear from anyone after for a while. A lovely comfortghan in those lonely weeks will go down well I am sure. Mabey that blanket that you set out to make for your bereaved friend wasn`t meant for her and it is the new one you will make that is.

[mizduck]

I have so done that before! Lots of things happen while hookin' to throw us off, ya know! Maybe secretstasher is right, the first just wasn't meant for her....this one will be!

[theworm]

Thanks Everyone! I"m working on a new one, and one of our great "Ville angel is even sending me some of the yarn that she has extra of! I"m marking my rows this time to make sure this one doesn't grow!

[theworm]

 

Sigh.

I started the second comfortghan, and I was so so careful not to increase at the end of the rows. I changed the pattern ever so slightly using hdc instead of sc to make it go a bit faster and it was looking so good. So why oh why did it take me so long to realize that while I wasn't increasing, I was ever so steadily decreasing???

 

I'm very very frustrated.

 

This time though, I was naughty and knotted the yarn between color changes, so that even though I changed colors every few rows, I was able to use my winder to frog it. The color change is subtle, so I'll be able to reuse all the yarn - not for this project, but for some scarves and/or hats.

 

I'm thinking that someone doesn't want me to make this comfortghan. I'm going to try again - tomorrow - I'm too frustrated tonight, and I'm going to use a different pattern. It should be so easy, but I can do more complicated things - I can't seem to keep my row count when I do simple rows straight across. I'm going to use the Homespun open afghan pattern this time. I've had luck with that pattern and I think its so pretty. If that doesn't work, I give up. I want to make a comfortghan for my friend, but now I need comforting because I feel like such a bad crocheter.

[lindamry]

Blegh, you have my sympathy and a . I have a hard time with rectangles, too. They keep wanting to turn into triangles. I made simple afghans for my husband and son and they both have one end wider than the other end. . . Good thing neither is picky, they just love their nice warm blanky.

 

Good luck when you restart. You might consider making a granny square type ghan. . .

 

Linda Y

 

p.s. if you are worried about getting the ghan to your friend soon I wouldn't worry about it too much, if you give it to her a month or so after the funeral that's when she's most likely to be feeling lonely as everyone else gets back to their own life.

[OzRebel]

[Crocus58]

Take your time - work on something else for a day or so then come back to the comfortgan. It sounds like your emotions are still too raw, or shook up to work on that right now. Don't go for a deadline. As has been said, in a month or so is when she is probably going to be feeling very lonely, when people go back to their own lives. Here's some more hugs to keep you focused. :hug :hug

[Misa]

Nope, not pathetic at all. It's happened to all of us one time or another Happened to me recently after I finished a whole ghan for my sissy's b-day...seems my tension wasn't consistent and I was in a hurry, too. Had to frog the whole thing and start over. I think you're a super sweetheart for wanting to help a very confused, sad little boy

[theworm]

#3 may be the charm. I'm doing the Lion openwork afghan instead. I really loved the look of the simple stripe I was trying to do, but it obviously wasn't happening. This one is only about 18" so far, but its going well. Except that I wasted about 7 skeins of yarn and now I ran out. Tomorrow I have a stress test scheduled in the morning - then its off to Michaels. No better way to destress than buying yarn!

[RoseRed]

Maybe the 1st comfortghan is meant for the kids. We all know that they love interesting shapes.

 

I have to agree with you - I don't think you're supposed to make this one either. when I have this many problems with a project - it's just time to put it away.

 

I know you really want to make something beautiful but I would think (and I'm probably wrong) that If the widow loves this ghan and does indeed draw comfort from the love instilled in it - it will probably end up a very private piece.

 

She doesn't need a showpeice right now (and you can always make one later) but I'm sure that she would love to have something filled with love.

 

Maybe the trapezoid is supposed to go to her. No one's perfect and it is the love and compassion behind it that should be remembered.

 

I really think the family should have the one that you first made since it is so completely filled with love and care.

 

that's just the feeling I got after reading thru the thread again. I just hope that you are comfortable with whatever you decide to do.

[Ladykats]

This isn't total off topic, but a story that will maybe a little comforting. My sister collects these beaded necklaces from the 30's and 40's, I can't remember the name just this moment, but anywho, everyone one of them is beautifully designed and almost perfect except one small bead in the back of the necklace is totally off. I asked her why and she said, "Honey, only God's iis perfect! The people that made the necklaces would add a wrong bead to make it imperfect on purpose." So from that day on, I don't stress to get eveything exactly perfect, after all we are human.

[truckin Patty]

After all the stress I hope your Stress Test went alright. I'm glad #3 is coming along.

[theworm]

Thanks, Everyone!

 

Tracey - I love that story! Thanks!

 

Well - #3 is going well. I'll post a photo is when I get it done. I liked the design of the first two better, but..... anyway - we're in Florida and this is a more open design, so it's more practical.

 

The trapezoid one was only about 2.5 feel long and quite wide, so it's not ok for the kids. I was going to throw it out when my good friend wanted it as a foot warmer, so I warmed one friends feet, I frogged the second and have 3 huge cakes of striped yarn ( I was naughty and knotted the yarn as I went), and I'll have this third one for my friend and her boys.

 

The stress test was inconclusive and I have to go for a more intense one in a week. That means no gym again this week and more time to crochet and get this ghan done.

[Lorrie]

I understand. I made a afgan for a good friend out of thin chenelle. In the end it was an hour glass shape. Couldn't frog it for anything. Did I mention it was for a queen bed?

[RoseRed]

I'm glad it's working out well for you. Can't wait to see it!

[theworm]

I understand. I made a afgan for a good friend out of thin chenelle. In the end it was an hour glass shape. Couldn't frog it for anything. Did I mention it was for a queen bed?

 

Ouch!

[theworm]

Finally.

This took a lot longer than I had hoped, but I finally finished. I hope to make 2 smaller ones for the boys, but I'm not sure I have it in me. I'll try.