Friday 4 May 2018

Rip It Up And Start Again

This is all that's left of my Spice Of Life blanket.


I started it back in September 2015 when Sandra from Cherry Heart was running a crochet along and I wrote about it in my Spice Of Life Crochet Along post. Well, as you can imagine the crochet along finished a very long time ago but I lost my mojo with this blanket. I really didn't know whether to force myself to finish it or pull it all out and use the yarn for something else and I asked my readers' opinions in my Stitch Or Ditch? post. You can see how far I got with the blanket in that post too. I got a lot of encouragement to continue with the project and I did, in fact, pick it up and add some more to the blanket but by then it was just too late, I was completely out of love with it and the enjoyment of working on it had been lost. I pulled the lot out.


I'd been running short of yarn for the blanket so I'd bought a few more balls, so I've got five full balls as well as the yarn that's been rewound.


There's also this bag of odds and ends which were left over, and I've just noticed that there's another full ball of the light green in there too.


The yarn is Rico Baby Classic DK, a 50% acrylic 50% polyamide mix, and it's lovely and soft so I definitely intend to do something with it. I think all the odds and ends cry out granny square blanket so I think that's what it will probably become.

Watch this space.

48 comments:

  1. Awww that's a shame after all the work you put into it, but if you are not loving it then the yarn is best put to another use. I've used the Rico yarn for some baby cardigans and it is lovely and soft. I'm sure something lovely will catch your eye to use the yarn for.
    Have a lovely weekend x

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    1. It feels a relief now not to have it hanging around awaiting my attention. It's lovely yarn so I don't want it to go to waste, I'll definitely make something else with it.

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  2. If your heart's not in it then you did the right thing. Creating should feel like a pleasure, not a chore.
    I'm looking forward to seeing some granny squares flying off your hook. X

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    1. I agree, there isn't enough hours in the day to work on the things I want to work on without having to give my attention to something I no longer enjoy. I don't know about granny squares flying off my hook though, it's knitting which is grabbing me at the moment.

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  3. I always find I have to love what I am crafting, well done for the second try. Can't wait to see what you make with your stash.

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    1. I know I'd got quite far on in the blanket but I just couldn't bring myself to finish it off, I really wasn't enjoying it. It's lovely yarn though so I'm looking forward to making something else with it.

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  4. When you’ve lost the enjoyment of working on something there’s no point in plodding on. Too little time! Looking forward to seeing the new one!

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    1. I agree. It's been sitting there long enough waiting for me to come back to it and it just isn't going to happen so I might as well make something else that I'll enjoy far more with the yarn.

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  5. Its awful when you get to this stage with a WIP I've been there and the last one I did eventually finish and gave to the Blankets for the Homeless project who had a stall at Yarndale last year so even though I had fallen out of love with it, it did go to a good cause and hopefully kept somebody warm during the cold winter we had this year. In fact I have some wool put to one side which I am making more squares from to either send or donate to Blankets for the Homeless again this year.

    Look forward to seeing what your wool turns into soon.

    Mitzi

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    1. It's good that your blanket went to a good cause. It wasn't a case of me not liking the blanket, I still do, it's the working on it which I wasn't enjoying any longer and I couldn't see myself picking it up and finishing it off so I might as well make something different.

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  6. Oh I love granny square blankets. I think you were right to save all your yarn for a project you will enjoy xxx

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    1. I'm quite looking forward to embarking on a new crochet project, it's a long time since I've picked up my hook.

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  7. You could make anything and that's half the problem trying to decide! Once you get going, I'm sure you'll breeze along. 😊

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    1. I think the smaller quantities of yarn lend themselves to a granny square blanket. I think granny squares with a different colour in each round would be a good idea.

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  8. Decision made - what a sense of relief you must feel! I think I'd like to try a solid colour square blanket. I am saving all my odd and sods to make one. I think it'll be a kind of make where you do an odd square and make it over a few years maybe......

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    1. I like a project which is planned to be long term, there's no rush to get it finished and you don't beat yourself up if you put it on a back burner whilst you get on with something else. I think this next project will be one of those for me too.

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  9. It's a shame but when the love goes, it's won't return. I'm sure you'll have much more fun with a granny blanket. Lovely selection of colours.

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    1. They're great colours and they work so well together so I definitely want to do something with it, I think a granny square blanket will look good.

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  10. The yarn is so beautiful and much too lovely to waste on a project you are not in love with. Good luck with your next project. A good granny square blanket will always work perfectly.

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    1. I think I enjoy the process of making something rather than what I get at the end of it so enjoying what I'm working on is the most important thing to me. It's no good carrying on with something just for the sake of it.

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  11. The colours of the yarn are so lovely I can understand anyone being confused about what to make. I'm dreadful for being indecisive.

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    1. I really like the Spice of Life blanket, I just stopped enjoying working on it, a bit of a shame really but I'm sure I'll find a new project which I'll enjoy more.

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  12. Looking forward to seeing something you love come from this lovely assortment.
    Good luck with whatever you choose to go with.
    Lisa x

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    1. There's some gorgeous colours and the yarn is so squishy so I'm sure I'll enjoy making something with the yarn eventually.

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  13. Such a shame but not worth the effort if you are not enjoying the process. Such a wonderful array of beautiful coloured yarn.

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    1. I think you have to enjoy what you're working on, afterall, a hobby is meant to be fun. It does feel a bit of a relief now I know it's not waiting for me to finish it.

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  14. I think I was one of the people who suggested you rip it out and start something else which made you happier. I'm sure your next project will bring you more joy - here's hoping anyway! :o)

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    1. I did have a go at finishing it but I really wasn't enjoying it so I feel much better now that I can start something else. The yarn won't get wasted anyway.

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  15. Looking forward to seeing what you decide to do with this super soft wool.

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    1. I'm pretty sure it will end up as a blanket of one sort or another.

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  16. Wow, I know exactly how you feel. I had started a ripple blanket and it just wasn't working. Hence, the yarn and uncompleted project sat for two years. I took it out and had the most time making Sophie's Universe https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sophies-universe-cal I'm sure you will have fun creating a blanket that you enjoy making. Enjoy! Pat

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    1. You can definitely tell how much you're enjoying a project by how long it sits untouched waiting for attention. I think it's much better to start again on something you'll enjoy making than struggle on.

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  17. The exact same thing has happened to me with the Sunshine and Showers Blanket which also has different patterns in sections and so is also a terror for tension. I started it because I thought it would be good experience to try all the different stitches - and it was - but I got to a certain section and wasn't enjoying it all so hibernated it. I've seen so many finished versions with very wavy edges which doesn't encourage me so I may well do what you have done, use the wool to start something else and put it down to experience. Enjoy your next project!!

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    1. It sounds like we've both had the exact same experience, albeit with different projects. It feels like a huge relief now that I've made the decision and taken the plunge to pull it all out. I'm sure I'll enjoy the next project more.

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  18. Hope you enjoy your next project with the yarn. Always a difficult choice but much better to start something new that you will enjoy than finish just for the sake of it xcx

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    1. I'm sure I will, the yarn is lovely so it will be nice to work with again. I'm looking forward to embarking on something new.

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  19. I'm sure a granny square blanket would work well, but wait to see what you decide.

    Enjoy the bank holiday weekend - today's weather has been so lovely and sunny.

    All the best Jan

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    1. I'm pretty sure it will be a granny square blanket but there's still time for me to change my mind. Another lovely day here today, it makes a change to get some good weather on a bank holiday weekend.

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  20. Don't look back, Jo - this pile of yarn is full of new possibilities.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Good advice. I think the most exciting thing about craft is all the possibilities which lie ahead.

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  21. Definitely the best decision - much better to have lots of exciting possibilities for a pile of yarn than an unloved unfinish blanket :)

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    1. That's very true. I think the most exciting part of a project is the planning and beginning so I get to do all that again with this yarn.

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  22. Now that was a surprise from you, as you finish way more than me. I've lots of UFO's, but I'll definitely be watching this space. I'm on a bit of a catch up with blog reading at the moment, as our visitor is away for 2 days. Aaaah!!! Have a lovely long weekend & take care.

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    1. I must admit that I rarely give up on a project but sometimes it's just the right thing to do. I feel much better already having made the decision and pulled it all out.

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  23. Sometimes it's just best to give it up. I'm finding it harder to do projects that I just don't find enjoyable - too little time and too many other projects!

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    1. It's hard to give up on a project but, as you say, there's so many other things to be getting on with. The yarn definitely won't go to waste.

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  24. Once you fall out of love with a project it's best to abandon ship. I like the sound of the granny blanket.xxx

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    1. I'm quite excited now about what I'll make with the yarn, it looks lovely and colourful all balled up in the basket.

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