Do you like motifs?

[HomekeepingGran]

Do you like working with motifs? I find myself dreading making the same 4" piece over and over and have never completed a thing made with them. They can be so beautiful, too... I look longingly at the gorgeous thread tablecloths and bedspreads with the dainty blocks and know it would be a lost cause, a total waste of time and thread. The same with yarn — no motifs.

 

Am I alone?

[crochettreasures]

I usually use motifs to use up scrap thread or yarn, then I get a pile of them and depending - I either donate them or put them together but only when I have gathered enough to make something out ot them.

 

this way I "sprinkle" making motifs around other projects

[watersprite]

I do like them, usually because I like to have a portable project I can do anywhere or during lunch hour and once I've done the pattern a couple of times I can remember it without having to refer to it.

[Cliffnote]

I am like you, and hate making motives. I dont mind doing a few here and few there. But when I have to make so many of them,I get sick of it. I have to make 20 12" squares and I have 7 & a 1/2 done. I havent touched it in weeks. i will though, slowly!

[Nila]

It depends on the motif. Generally I like them, but if I have to keep dragging out the written instructions to remind myself of the rounds, then I don't...lol The bigger the motif, the less of them you have to make.

[Hookerangel]

I have to say I agree with you Carla. I am not overkeen on making and joining lots of motifs (although I have done it). I think I am a lazy crocheter and prefer making afghans in one entire block. I have seen so many beautiful afghans make from motifs and envy those who have the dilegence and patience to make such fabulous afghans.

[darski]

I love motifs. There are so many beautiful squares out there and they are handy for take along projects.

[Lady_of_Roses]

I think there are a lot of beautiful motifs out there. They are great for portability. I too, however, hate the whole joining aspect at the end, as well as weaving in the ends.

[Krakovianka]

I don't mind making a motif-based project if it doesn't require TOO many motifs. Last year, I made a huge table-runner that took 108 pieces. That was too many, and I won't do that again. I, too, feel that a motif-based tablecloth or bedspread is something I probably won't ever do.

 

I just finished a round ripple (first one ever), and I had a some yarn left over. It didn't match *anything* else I have, and I rarely buy acrylic yarn, so I started making squares with what I had (two colors). I managed to make 12 squares, and sewed them together into a tote. Now I have 8 million ends (give or take a few million) to weave in, and I just feel like glaring at it. I didn't plan this bag, don't really want it, and it has ends to weave in and needs to be lined (sewing! agh!).

 

Just at the moment, I'm not feeling charitable toward motifs.

[papersmiles]

I absolutely LOVE crocheting motifs especially in thread. They are elegant, small, easy to remember the pattern and so very portable. I often just pop a small ball of thread and hook into a ziplock and then into my purse for a "waiting time" activity. They are also a great "conversation starter" for people who have never seen Lacy Patterns done with crochet.

 

I absolutely cringe at putting together ALL THOSE MOTIFS (...looking at Tote full of motifs and granny squares....)

 

Obviously, I have a Love/Hate relationship with Motifs (LOL).

[eyrthmother1]

Until recently, I was not very fond of motifs and rarely made any. My mindframe was jut the fact of whipstitching them together freaked me out. Then I found this wonderful site and saw others talking about sc'ing them or sl st'ing them or even the join as you go method. NOW! im more favorable towards them.

 

Even fact, I have a box of motifs finished w/ ends wove of over 100 waiting for me to crochet them together. The reason for so many is I worked up the main part 1st of all of them, and then went back to put the bg border on them (i was debating over using black or white). Now the delay is to decide if I want to use white (the color I used as the border) or use black (as a contrast color) to join them

 

Ya, I know, I make things difficult, lol. I am also working on the same motif as the other 2 for a 3rd afghan like that (1 is in darks, 1 in light, and this 3rd will be in varigated colors).

 

Tho, I can work w/ thread, but I am not as much a fan of working w/ it tho. That would probably make the motifs for a tablecloth or similar of less favor w/ me.

 

Sandy

[Ellie 13]

I like the 6 to 8 inch sizes best and crochet them together. I like the join as you go motifs too. I've even made my own designs. I don't like making one piece afghans where you have to make a million chains to start (BTDT- hated it). I've done a 36 in. hexagon which wasn't too bad. I might try a RR or one large granny square some day.

Ellie 13

[Sylviaf]

I love the look and portability, hate the joining and repetitiveness. I also hate that you do all of this work and still have more to do to assemble it. The nice thing about not doing motifs is if the project is half done, you can actually see it! Doing half of your motifs means you are still less than halfway to the end of the project. While I enjoy the process of crocheting, I also like to see projects finished.

[HomekeepingGran]

It's interesting to hear all the different takes on this. Some of you love them for their portability and some of you dislike them like I do.

 

I guess part of my problem is the boredom of repetitiveness. The only thing I've done with motifs (and finished) in a very long time was a poncho for one of my granddaughters. It had small granny squares at the neck and hem and I was ecstatic to finish all those little squares. She loved the poncho but... I won't do another one.

[amdm]

I like motifs, but get bored very easily, so I always combine a number of different motifs into a project. And, I always join as I go - I DO NOT like sewing them together.

[snowbird74365]

I like the 6 to 8 inch sizes best and crochet them together. I like the join as you go motifs too. I've even made my own designs. I don't like making one piece afghans where you have to make a million chains to start (BTDT- hated it). I've done a 36 in. hexagon which wasn't too bad. I might try a RR or one large granny square some day.

Ellie 13

 

I am doing a pineapple tablecloth in motifs but it is a join as you go and i guess i don't understand the directions is there another way to join the motifs that will look good.

[grrlsmom]

I loooove motifs. I could make motifs all day. It's the JOINING that gets me.

[_Stacy_]

I think motifs can be very pretty but they are not for me. Right now, I have 2 snowflake afghans started but cannot finish them because I'm bored with the pattern and hate sewing ends. If I ever finish them, I will not do another motif-based project.

[Martha C]

I love making motifs but I HATE to sew them together. Sl st ing them together sounds like a wonderful idea though.

[mariah9999]

Oooh, I love them. I guess because of their portability and the fact that I feel that I've accomplished something big when each one is finished. I'm kind of silly like that though!

[Katchkan]

I don't mind motifs as long as they are join as you go. I do prefer to use them on smaller projects than tablecloths or bedspreads. Though I must admit I am working on a tablecloth using motifs. I expect this one to last a long time on my wip list. I only work on it between other projects or when the project I am working on isn't very portable. But It will get done sooner or later, Probably later

[Avon Lady]

I love doing motifs--especially that old stand-by--the granny square! I like the portability of them. And then, if I'm doing them at home--I go ahead and join them as I work them, 'cause it just makes it easier, and less boring and monotonous!

[rolling_backpack]

I love making them too! I have a bunch of them laying around my room in different places lol. I don't really find anything to do with them either. Sometimes when I find 7'' ones I like and want to try making, I donate them to a professor at my school who uses them. They are quick, and fun, and there are soooo many out there to try

[misssmaggie]

:cloverI don't find motifs to be something I want to look forward to making. I don't like to join them. I would make a stack of dish cloths...same pattern time after time...but I don't have to join them.:clover

[sandra2469]

My SIL asked me to make a tablecloth in thread for her LARGE dining room table. I agreed, but warned her that it would take me quite some time (probably over a year). The only way I can do it & make it look good is to use motifs. I found a pretty pattern and am joining as I go, but this isn't going to be my favorite project. I'm estimating that I'll need about 150+ motifs based on the size of her table.