Learning with Granny

[grrlsmom]

I am still struggling with completing a granny ghan I've been working on for 3-4 years. In fact, if you looked at my old posts, I post about every 6 months, complaining about it!

 

I'm nearing the end, and while it's a saaaaaaaad lookin' thing, I can't help but reflect on how much I've actually learned doing a project this style for the first time. It's so cool after crocheting for so long to still be able to learn something totally new.

 

Always tuck in the ends. Don't think you are gonna go back. It's worse later, trust me! And whip stitching - who knew it left a kind of pattern? Not me, so all my teeny granny sguares are not exactly flowing gracefully into a giant whole!

 

And all WW are not created equally, are they? You need to stick with what you start with or figure out a compromise, or your squares will not be the same size in the end. Fun to learn that!

 

It's getting done, and if I ever (please stop me if I do!)do another project like this, I will be much more careful and just plain more experienced and avoid some of these errors. The ripple ghans I do are actually quite presentable, and someday (but I really hope not!) if I do another granny, it will look better, too. In the meantime, my poor BFF is stuck with this one, if she ever gets it, and has promised to appreciate it for what it is (I also bribed her with a nice Xmas tree skirt and a couple cute ghans for the grand kids!)

[dedekorz]

I know what you mean! I have had 2 grannies (1 adult, 1 baby) started for about 4 years now! Every once in awhile I'll make a few more squares, but I'm dreading the time I have enough & need to put them together!

[angt]

I hear ya too. I started one with the intentions of using up my stash. I have come to the conclusion that if keep that frame of mind, the afghan will be able to wrap around the world about 4 times.....

[texasredhead]

This is for both of you ladies in the previous post. I know your pain!!! But, now that I am older and a bit wiser...hopefully.. Looking at a mound of squares and knowing all of the work ahead to just finish your afghan is coming upon you, may I suggest to you that if you put the rows of squares together as you go, and weave in your ends with each separate square, you will be more inclined to finish your project. Even if you have 6 or 7 squares left to finish a row, you will at least have a 3/4 finished afghan that will not look so intimidating to you. You can always send all of those squares to me and I will put the thing together for you and relieve you of all of this stress!!! No kidding!! I mean it!!! :hug

[pakat]

I have a bag full of grannies. I just dread the thought of putting them together. Putting them together as they were made,.... great idea.... wish I had thought of that.

 

Trish

[texasredhead]

I have a bag full of grannies. I just dread the thought of putting them together. Putting them together as they were made,.... great idea.... wish I had thought of that.

 

Trish

 

Send them to me....I will put them together for you and send them back. You can pay for postage. I am serious. I want you to relax and enjoy your years of work!!!

[Redheart]

I think you ladies would probably enjoy making a Giant Granny Square or Rectangle. All the joy of crocheting and stash-busting without the headache of joining squares. There's a CAL here, complete with pics.

[cgd]

I second the Giant Granny idea. I too cringe at the thought of joining many squares, so the GG was for me. I made an autumn-color stash-buster GG for my mother's DH for Christmas. It turned out great and I got many compliments on it. I also like the flexibility of it--I just would crochet a few rounds with one color, then decide what the next color would be as I went!

[Cherokee2]

I think any afghan is intimidating at first, they require so much work.

I don't mind sewing them together either, it is a little more work, but worth it to see the finished product. And when it gets to a certain point, I am so anxious to get it done, I find that it makes the work go faster.

Just about anything you do includes steps that are not the most fun, but are necessary to complete it. If you dread any of these steps, just keep in mind that not everything we do is enjoyable... like certain housekeeping tasks, or grooming tasks, or changing a baby's messy diaper. But they have to be done. If you only enjoy playing with a baby rather than taking care of one... not much point in having a baby, is it? Same goes with crochet... if you only enjoy the actual crocheting but don't like to do the little things that go with it... like weaving in ends, or sewing pieces together... not much point in picking up the yarn and hook. OR you could just crochet a giant granny and keep going until it covers a whole city.... or the world!

[CrossB4Me]

I also cringe at the thought of piecing and, until recently, would never consider doing another granny afghan. I do love the idea of piecing while you go. And, the granny afghans that look like quilts are truly an inspiration to me. I know I will have to do one of those soon!

 

Patty