Do you like motifs?

[eyrthmother1]

I enjoy making motifs. The variety of patterns, being an easy way to use up scraps, etc. I used to dread them when it came to the joining part until I read about crocheting them together w/ a sc, sl st, or join as you go techniques. It SOSOSO simplified life.

 

Sandy

[CLLinda]

I don't like them at all. I hate all the end weaving that comes along with motifs. I pretty much stick to one piece afghans in one color. Boring, I know.

 

[Ladykats]

I am making a baby blanket that I am doing it pastel shades of blue, pink, yellow, green, white, and a multi-color. I am making 8", 6", and 4" squares and no two square pattern is the same. Not sure how this is going to work out, but so far most of the motifs have been easy and fun... the joining part is going to be my hanging part, I can see it. I was planning on two of these, but have changed to a round ripple for the second blanket in very bright colors.

[oliveoil]

I don't like doing motifs!! I know it's a great "stash buster"(and boy do I have the stash!!) I have a box of granny squares that I made about 14 yrs. ago. Well, the box is still in one of our sheds!! The squares were an assortment of colors. I was bordering the squares with black yarn. I guess it got boring for me that's why it's been 14 yrs. It's all the weaving of the ends and then having to put the squares together,that is a total turn off for me. I have that 63 afghan square book. I bought it over 3 yrs. ago. I will look at it every once in a while. I don't mind doing motifs when someone here at the 'Ville needs them. If I could only find someone to join them for me, then that would be great!!

[Yarnluver]

Although I've admired items made with beautiful and delicate looking ones (usually in thread), I've never made motifs yet and I'm not sure if/when I (ever) will because like you I dread them too, especially those that are joined in a sort of complicated way, as in a lot of tablecloths and runners I've seen. I'm also the type that gets bored easily so I probably would end up hating the project and it would drag on forever. Besides, I don't know anyone on earth that would deserve that much work on my part , or that I could trust to keep it forever, and I mean FOREVER. Maybe my daughter when she gets married but I'm not even sure, I'd have to put her under oath first!

I'm sure down the line when I have lots of scrap yarn I'll try something simple like a "yo-yo" tote, but for now I'm sticking to one piece crocheting or as few pieces as I can get away with. Although last year I wanted to 'do it all', I think with as much as can be done with crochet it's not necessary for me to really try it all to enjoy the variety I enjoy.

[grannyzkraftz]

i havent worked with motifs yet they do look interesting

[Momcrochets]

I'm with Carla...I don't like motifs. Actually, what I don't like is putting them all together at the end! If they can be attached as you go, I just might do it. But otherwise, for me, motifs are consigned to small projects I seem to have no trouble finding take-along projects that won't require assembly later on

[textilefusion]

I like pretty much any kind of crochet, motifs or one-piece. Many motifs seem overwhelming to me, too, but I found a way to ease the anxiety. I lay out a regular motif-crocheting schedule that is not too demanding.

 

If the motif is large, I schedule maybe one per week. If it's small, maybe one per day. I'm always surprised how quickly they pile up when I stick to a plan like that. The important thing is to stop when you've completed your crocheting for the day or week. That way you can do other stuff with a clean conscience.

 

Same with sewing motifs together. If you sew, say, four motifs together each day, it's relatively painless, and eventually you're done!

[LondonLaura]

I don't like making or working with motifs at all. I hate the fiddly small bits of crochet, I hate the endless ends and joining together. But I absolutely love what people create with motifs and really enjoy seeing the colourful and delicate projects. Some of you make the most gorgeous items and I take my hat off to you!

 

Speaking of which, I find hats make a great portable item, are always needed by someone, and don't drive me nuts to make or finish

[Que_66]

I hate changing colors so if the motif calls for a color change or two I am less likely to finish it. I guess I have to be "in the mood" for doing motifs.

 

I have a snowflake afghan that I started several years ago that's made with 2 color hexagon squares. I have the center of about 8 hexs done and 1 or 2 with the blue border done.

 

I think I need to make myself a schedule for completing the hexs and "just do it."

[Afghaniac]

Unless there's a variety of stitches, as in an Aran afghan, I find one-piece afghans way too boring and repetitive. Ever since I taught myself to crochet -- with granny squares -- I've loved motifs, especially floral ones. But I've made every kind, from hexagons to Spanish tiles to kitty cats and hats. I like crocheting them in a multitude of coordinating colors or all in a single color. There's just something very satisfying about finishing several small "projects" every night, then after two or three weeks seeing how they look together and, finally, adding a beautiful border around the whole thing.

 

Having learned the hard way, I now make sure that I weave in ends at least after every five or six motifs are crocheted, because there are always more ends to weave in after the sewing is done. Awhile back, I crocheted more than 200 small floral motifs, each in several colors, then left them in a basket for over two years before I finally started weaving in ends and piecing together. Now that was daunting. Now days I actually don't mind the formerly dreaded sewing, because it's kind of a relief for my hand, which gets sore now after too much hooking.

[rascalsmom]

I like SMALL things made with motifs...like doilies or smallish runners. Kathy (Katchkan) has a few patterns with motifs, and the wonderful thing about her patterns are that they are join-as-you-go, and the joinings are NOT difficult.

 

I am presently working on a doily with motifs....a rose in the middle, and six "shamrocks" around it. It's a join-as-you-go, and since the motifs are relatively few, you can really see the doily forming quickly.

 

I know I wouldn't have the patience (maybe a better word is perseverance!) to make a tablecloth, but I would love to have one.

 

I am making an afghan with 10" squares right now, and I am positively dreading the putting-together of that thing. I don't like crocheting with yarn to begin with, and now I have to somehow figure out how to join these squares and make it look nice (it's going to be a gift). Ugh.

[misteph]

I've been working on a motif tablecloth for 2 years now! It's been my summer project for two summers. I live in the desert and light thread for the summer is a must.

This school year I started working on it while waiting for DC to finish band, track, or bus pick up. I'm over half way now.

 

I really like making motifs but this tablecloth is a join as you go and is getting rather large now. Each motif is joined to the tablecloth with another smaller motif. The end result is really nice. It's my favorite method of joining- using a filler motif.

I've memorized the pattern and weave the two ends the same way each time.

I've tried to make more motifs a day-a schedule to finish the tablecloth by May. It never works. I like working one motif in the morning and joining it; with another set to do in the afternoon.

 

I'm happy with it being a long term project. I'm on my third cone of size 20 thread and this should be my last cone of thread for this tablecloth.

 

I will definately make another one when I finish.

Michelle in Southern AZ

[Yarnluver]

I certainly admire your patience, I can't imagine myself working on anything for even 6 months let alone 2 years. One thing I noticed at a thrift store where I got some yarn once were the bags with lots of motifs that never made it into a whole "whatever", so I wondered if the persons who made them passed away before they could finish them so I'd be afraid that would happen to my hard work!

[misteph]

I don't have a lot of patience. I only worked on the tablecloth during summer vacations and swimming lessons. It would be a finished tablecloth if I worked on it and nothing else!

 

I've thought about never getting to finish it and what my family would do with it. My eldest DD crochets with thread and I hope she would finish it one day. She doesn't crochet much, the dyes irritate her hands, but she knows how.

 

I have never found half finished projects. I definately go to the wrong stores!

Michelle in Southern AZ

[Yarnluver]

A couple of months before my Mom passed away last year, one of my sisters and I found a tote bag with my mother's knitting (which she apparently quit a long time ago) and there was a nearly finished sleeveless top in a pretty checkered 2-color pattern, I don't knit so I could not finish it. My sister had taken classes with Mom a looong time ago but she quit knitting too and she didn't remember anything, but she said she'd try to take lessons again so someday she could finish that top.

 

But it was really very sad to see that and also some unfinished sewing, all grim reminders that all that had ended for her because we knew she would not recover. Since then I've made a point to finish what I start 'cause in the past I was guilty of the same thing, I have a couple of unfinished dresses from when I was much thinner saved with my old sewing stuff and I now regret not having finished them at least so I could give them away

[misteph]

It is sad to see what we leave unfinished in this life.

 

We all start projects and hope to see them through to the end. Some we get to see completed, some we abandoned because we can't/won't/shouldn't finish them and others we get to pass on to others to finish the job we started.

 

I think that applies to more than just craft projects don't you? Thanks for the reminder, especially during Lent.

 

I hope you find someone to finish your mother's knitting.

Michelle in Southern AZ

[Yarnluver]

Most of us will inevitably leave unfinished things when we leave but there's a difference between things we recently started and those we just put off or were too involved. I know it may sound kind of negative to not want to engage in a long project because of that but I'm not so young anymore and I've watched so many of my relatives leave this world in recent years that I cannot help not wanting to make long-term plans anymore.

 

Also, I recently received one of those "Fwd" e-mails about what a man found in his wife's lingery drawer (a never worn nighty) and the advice was not to save anything for "special occasions", etc., which made think. I'm bothered now by a bunch of "skinny" clothes (some never worn) that I have that I don't want to get rid off because it would be like giving up hope of losing weight...

[misteph]

I completely understand that. It doesn't sound negative at all, just practical. I like your intention to finish what you start and don't put off good things.

My Grandmother had a trunk full beautiful gifts: nightclothes, linens, dinnerware and such. Never used because she was saving them-she never thought she was special enough to use them. I try to avoid that mistake.

But I'm not putting off a big/long term project because I just might finish them and what a joy they will be to use. Take care.

Michelle in Southern AZ

[Yarnluver]

But I'm not putting off a big/long term project because I just might finish them and what a joy they will be to use. Take care.

Michelle in Southern AZ

And you shouldn't, when it comes to motifs it may be the other reasons I mention that keep me from doing it... But whether I dare some day or not, I will continue to admire those of you who make such beautiful work!

[Afghaniac]

I like SMALL things made with motifs...like doilies or smallish runners. Kathy (Katchkan) has a few patterns with motifs, and the wonderful thing about her patterns are that they are join-as-you-go, and the joinings are NOT difficult.

 

I am presently working on a doily with motifs....a rose in the middle, and six "shamrocks" around it. It's a join-as-you-go, and since the motifs are relatively few, you can really see the doily forming quickly.

 

I know I wouldn't have the patience (maybe a better word is perseverance!) to make a tablecloth, but I would love to have one.

 

I am making an afghan with 10" squares right now, and I am positively dreading the putting-together of that thing. I don't like crocheting with yarn to begin with, and now I have to somehow figure out how to join these squares and make it look nice (it's going to be a gift). Ugh.

 

Large squares are -- trust me -- a piece of cake to join, especially compared to two-or three-inch motifs with mulitple colors. A clever lady on another forum made a suggestion that I follow whenever I'm working with large squares like that: Holding two squares together, loop and tie a piece of contrasting-color yarn through at the middle and maybe a couple more intervals along the edges to hold them together evenly while you sew them together. This is especially helpful when you get to sewing together the long strips.

[Autumn]

The mood tends to come and go with me. At the moment, I'm in the, love to do granny squares, stage again.

 

When I do motifs, I always weave in the ends before I start on another motif and when I get enough for a row to the project I'm doing completed, I join them for that row. Then when I get another joined row together, I join the two rows and then put it aside until I have the motifs done for the next row. It sure saves repetitive joinings or end weavings. Then when I get to the last motif, I only have to join them for the last row and then join the last row to finish the project except for the edging is there is one.

 

When I do my joinings, I put stitch marker (holding the two motifs to be joined together) every 5 or 6 loops. Then when I do my sc the motifs together or whip stitching them together, I get it right the first time and they are joined stitch to stitch.