More than I can chew?



I've been making these adorable little, itty, bitty squares for the past week or more and you know what?  I think I may have bitten off too much for me to chew this time, my Dear Bloggy Readers.  I think my crochet eyes have been a little too greedy for my crochet belly!

I want to make a blanket for my bedroom.  I selected colours without a real idea in mind and mulled them over with thoughts of granny squares in my head.  I thought of nice small squares, just three or four rows might be pretty.  I tried it out but and kept wanting to stop at the teeny tiniest amount of two rows.  I tried joining a few together - yes, I liked it!

The trouble is, I've been working for many long nights and am seeing very little results.  I know that doesn't sound very shocking given the smallness of these squares, but I confess that I am shocked to be honest.  Normally, once you sit for a few hours, you can see a goodish amount of progress and you feel happy with how things are going and feel happy to continue.




Not this time though.  This time, I'm feeling rather daunted by the whole project.  That little strip you see there is just about half the width I want it to be and that would be the shortest side!

At this rate, I reckon it would take me about a week to make one strip and I'd need 45, maybe 50 strips.  That's an entire year's worth of work!  Wow, when I write that out, it's even worse than I thought.

The tragic part is, I do love the look of it.  I suppose I could make a smaller blanket, but I don't want a smaller blanket.  I don't need a smaller blanket....

So, what to do?

As I found I really wasn't much enjoying making those little squares, with their depressingly slow rate of blankety growth, I scratched around for other ideas.

I recalled a square I'd seen on Ravelry a while ago, a square that I had a pattern for too!  This last weekend I have spend a rather more productive couple of days basing these beauties out...


What do you think?  I don't completely love them, yet.  I do very much like them though.  Yes I do like them a considerable amount.

Let me show you them together, so you can compare.



See what I mean?  One whole week, (at least 7 days) worth of work at the top.  Two days work at the bottom.  Compelling, no?

So, the bottom line is... what do I do?

Do I continue with my mini macro squares, because I do love the end result (even if I don't enjoy getting there).  Or, do I flower-power ahead with the larger, satisfying and very much liked squares?



Please advise me, Dear Reader, for I know not what to think any longer and your wise words will no doubt help me to shed some light, one way, or maybe the other.


S x

Comments

  1. Love all the squares. How about mixing them together - 1 row of the larger squares followed by 2 rows of the smaller squares. I think that would look nice. :)

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  2. I think you should make the body of the blanket in the large squares, and use the little squares as a border! :)

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  3. Hmmm, I see your dilemma!

    I made a scarf which I finished a few weeks ago. It had squares that were two rounds with puff flowers in the middle. It took two hours to make 12 and another 2 hours to stitch them together. It took me 2.5 weeks to make, making at least 6 squares and sewing them together in a day (I may have had a day or so off, I can't recall). Anyway the point is I concur that they take forever, although the more you do, the quicker you get. I also didn't like doing them at first, not for quite a while. But then I did. It did cross my mind just how very long a blanket in the same pattern would take!

    As you say that you need a blanket, I would do the other one for now. Then you can go back and do the little squares one without giving yourself the stress of feeling you have to get a move on - if you want it but don't need it, then, so what if it takes a year?

    However, if it isn't urgent to have another blanket asap. Then I would do the one I really really wanted. Because you love it, it looks fantastic and you will be so proud of yourself when it is done. You will really feel a huge sense of achievement, I know I would anyway.

    I would definitely do it though at some point. Good things come in small packages remember, as well as good things come to those who wait. It will be well worth your time and effort.
    Sara

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  4. You could make a combination. Big ones in the middle with a two rounds of small ones.

    Or you could make a big one, a round of small ones on each edge a big one with a round of small ones and so on.

    the collors are lovely by the way. Sucsess on making your decision.

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  5. Well, you could do what I did and make a cushion cover with the small squares. It's going to look beautiful - that is, if I ever gather the strength to face sewing in all those dangling ends... ;-)
    The bigger squares are lovely and will make a beautiful blanket, I think.

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  6. I'm with Colleen on this one, blanket of big squares, border in small squares. They look so pretty together it would be a shame to separate what looks like a match made in heaven :D
    Lots of love Karen x

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  7. Both squares are really beautiful. I think they look lovely together :)

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  8. I'm with Colleen, together they are really pretty and it's worth the work! You wil keep it the rest of your life and your children willen tell their children that their granny (you) has made that beautiful blanket! LOL

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  9. The bittys could be used as a border on a lovely throw. Even just use them on the top and bottom. They are precious. I too have made the mistake of loving the teenytiny and then spending soooo much time on them it seems crazy when you look at the productive side of it. BUT if you love it, make it a ongoing project. Nothing says it must be done today or even this year. :o) Just you.

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  10. I personally don't like the big blocks with flowers in the middle ... but that's just me. =) You could alternate a "9 patch" of little squares with a larger granny square.

    Your color scheme is beautiful ... no doubt about that. =)

    Erin @ dutch girl diary

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  11. I actually love the flower squares. Is the pattern available on ravelry?? Love your color choices.

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  12. I love the little squares but what a daunting task to make a huge blanket with them. I know I wouldn't have the patience, you could make them bigger by doing 2 more rounds in a contrasting shade for each square, or make a cushion cover as Ella says. I like the bigger squares too but I think a flower centre on each one would be too much I would alternate with plain ones. :)

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  13. Well, I think you should make both, but I am crazy like that. I am knitting all those little hexipuffs for a blanket and it is going to take forever. My 19 year old daughter was home one weekend and said, "oh, how cute. I would like that!" No way, little girl!!!

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  14. I completely love the big squares!!! And the small squares will make the cutest pillow!

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  15. Do some alternating 4, 6 or 8 inch squares with little squares.

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  16. I love them both so would do some alternating.

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  17. I don't really like the big squares, but I'm loving the small ones! I can't imagine trying to make a full-sized blanket with them, but I really love them. Maybe this project could be like one of those sock-yarn blankets where you do a little at a time over a long period of time. It may take a while, but the result is fabulous and you will love it in the end! :o)

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  18. what beautiful squares! I'm sure that will come of it wonderful plaid

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  19. The small squares would make the most beautiful blanket, but I am with you, that because it would take a while to make, you might end up hating the thing! A cushion would be nice too. Combining them both in strips might be a plan as was suggested.

    Making a blanket with just the flower squares would be so pretty, or mixing in between little granny squares made using all the same bright colour combinations would be really pretty too.

    Don't think I have helped! Either way, your projects are beautiful!

    Have a lovely day!

    Vanessa x

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  20. Do the tiny squares as a two row along the top, middle and bottom and then fill in with a row of flower squares and a row of grannies and just mix it up a bit - maybe even some stripes as well. It will look awesome especially in those colours. I have just finished a cushion in those tiny squares - just needs buttons and it looks fab. Just need the buttons then I can take some snaps. x

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  21. The answer is: BOTH! ;)
    xo,
    wink

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  22. I think you should use them both somehow, maybe use the small ones as a border around a group of 4 bigger squares. Good luck, I am sure whatever you decide it will be beautiful as the you picked such wonderfully delicious colors!

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  23. Tiny squares! No choice. Even though they're micro-tiny, they are much much prettier. What about edging each of them, this will add at least 0.5 or 1 cm?

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  24. You could use a patchwork quilt pattern. Use 9 little ones to make 9 patch blocks and put them together with larger blocks the same size as the 9 patch blocks. Hope that makes sense!

    Can't get my Google account to work, so I'm sorry to be anonymous!

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  25. BEAUTIFUL... Whatever you do, I'm ;ooking forward to seeing the results, Sue
    loveinterwoven.blogspot.com

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  26. Firstly, I LOVE the colours!! They look wonderful together!

    What to do... I don't know! The mini squares look gorgeous, but I would be so put off by the time it would take to finish. The big flower squares are also beautiful - I think they'd make a lovely blanket. I think I'd go with them, just for speed and quicker satisfaction! And they are lovely!

    You could make a cushion cover out of the smaller squares??

    Maria x

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  27. I love the smaller squares, I would love a blanket of any size made with those.

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  28. I love both squares! Could you use the big ones for a blanket and small ones as a border and maybe as a coordinating cushion??

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  29. My initial thought was combining the two in some way. That could be the best of both worlds! I agree with all the others on the color choice. So lovely. All the joining and weaving is a rather daunting thought. I just finished a granny square blankie for my daughter and said never again, but I am about to recant that comment. They are beautiful!

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  30. I see a few other people have already suggested but why not use both? You could make the border out of those little squares, because they are so adorable, but I do remember abandoning a similar idea once for it took oh so long to make teeny tiny squares. I love that flower square though do your remember what the pattern was called. xx

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  31. I love both, and think it would look great if you decided to combine both in the one blanket. If you'd rather choose one or the other I'd probably choose the big ones for your bed and I think the little ones would look great as a baby blanket.

    Really, though, whatever you choose will look fabulous :)

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  32. Your blog is adorable i love it so much your crochet is amazing and so pretty and colourful its all gorgeous x

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  33. Add then together - make a border of teeny tiny squares around each flower square...

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  34. oh my goodness those lil ity city squares are delicious and i would love a blanket made of those squares, it may take a while but they are beautiful.

    the larger squares are lush too.

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  35. Sandra, estou encantada com os 2 tipos de squares mas não os juntava. Fazia um só com os grandes e outro só com os pequenos.As cores escolhidas são lindas.Estou curiosa para ver o que vai decidir. :))

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  36. If you need a blanket, make one in the bigger squares. Keep yarn in a cosmetic bag in your purse to make bitty squares when you're out and about, and so what if it takes you a year (or five) to finish.

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  37. Now I just love those ickle tiny squares and (personally) prefer the look of them in your blanket.
    Oh, what a decision!!
    Good luck!
    Xx

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  38. Love the small squares the best. They are more work and more time, but just imagine the satisfaction you'd have when it's finished.

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  39. Wow what a lovely choice in colours, I like the little ones, but feel your pain, how about making it a long term project which you fit around other projects (please realise that while I suggest this I am rubbish at long term myself!) you'll probably be surprised how quickly it grows when you are not stressing about it.

    They would make an equally nice cushion!

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  40. I made my son a blankie last spring, you can see it here, where I ran into a similar dilemma:
    http://www.ravelry.com/projects/frankiedavis/yarn-blankie
    I too, started with small squares, but it was too busy. My suggestion is to follow the general idea of my son's blankie... outlining each of your flower squares with the tiny squares. My squares weren't as tiny as yours. Can't wait to see what you decide!

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  41. Oh my...how gorgeous! I like them all! How about placing one little square between 4 big ones? I think I would do that and small ones along the border.

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  42. those flower ones are SO pretty! i just found your blog & love it. am now following! <3

    MaDonna
    www.MeMaDonna.com

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  43. I don't know if you have made a decision yet but I thinknI am with you on loving the little squares, yes it will take a long time but boy the results in the in will be gorgeously but also the larger flowers in the middle with the smaller squares as a border would be very pretty also.

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  44. LOL I KNOW IM A LITTLE LATE BUT I WOULD GO FOR THE TINY SQUARES, I LIKE THE LOOK OF THEM. THE LARGER ARE PRETTY BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE LITTLE ONES...I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOU MADE...WITH LOVE JANICE @ spoonwither.blogspot.com HAVE A GREAT DAY..

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