Thursday 20 February 2014

Crochet Mood Blanket

Hello Ladies,

Hope you'reall having a good week.

My Mood Blanket......well I think I've fallen out of love with it.
When the idea was first introduced back at the end of December, I was so
excited. I really wanted to take part in a years journey of a Blanket.
I myself am not very good with colour, I tend to wear a lot of black,
navy blue or grey. If I wear colour it can't be patterned
and more often than not it has to have black in it or I'll
wear it with something black.
When I made my first Blanket, it was white with multicoloured
flowers. Even half way through I began to have doubts, but I carried on and
finished it.
I have it on the bed in the small room and don't really like it at all.
I think I leave it there as I know all the work that went into it.
I tend to go towards muted colours or shades of one colour.
I look at all the beautiful multicoloured blankets out there,
on Pinterest, Ravelry and Blogland and there are loads
that I love the look of and get huge Blanket envy.
So when it came to the Mood Blanket, I was very excited,
I thought it was a fantastic idea and wanted to give
It a go. But even though I tried
I was not able to put random colours together.

If you can, picture me standing in front of all my yarn.
It's all out around me, all the lovely colours that I've
picked and bought
So today I'm happy, so I think yellow or something bright. Tomorrow
is a tired day, so maybe blue or pale grey. Okay so what grey will go
with the yellow, hmmm nothing, ok change the yellow, ooooh that pale
pink works nicely.
Can you see what I mean, I can't do the random.
I've even tried shutting my eyes and picking a colour, but
that doesn't work either.
So then I looked at all my yarns and decided on the pink and lilac
shades. Where this idea has come from I haven't a clue, I am the
least pink person out there. I've obviously seen something amazing
on Ravelry, Pinterest or Blogland and decided that's what I want.
But the more it's growing, the more I'm thinking, "no! no! no,"
I've tried to ignore it, but when I added last weeks blocks at the
weekend, I knew in my heart it was something I wouldn't enjoy
finishing or using.
What am I going to do with it?
I haven't a clue.

I saw this motif on Pinterest and thought this would be brilliant.
Most of it is uniformed colour, with just a small amount of
randomness in the centre. So I sat upstairs with all my yarn out
around me, making little circle centres
Yesssss, this is it, this is what I want.
I've made just over a 100. I sat and sewed the ends so they are
just perfect little circles.
Then I looked at them all in a pile, I looked
and looked some more and guess what? That green does not go
with that pink and that copper colour is not going to with
anything in the pile. So I'm back to square one.
Although when my youngest daughter Amie came for
dinner last night, she said it was a brilliant idea and
would love it for her bed
As far as the pink and lilac Blanket goes, I was going to
continue till it was 5 or 6 rows wide and perhaps just use it at the
bottom of the bed.
But I won't, I've fallen out of love with it and
I'm really not sure what to do with it.
If any of you of you ladies have any suggestions, it would be
greatly appreciated.
As for the Mood Blanket, I might need a rethink on that one.

I'm going to link up with Hazel this week over at Hazels Crochet,
so if you have time, go see what others are doing with
their Mood Blankets.

Take care everyone
Sally xxx

22 comments:

  1. Sorry that you are not getting on with this! If your daughter likes the start of the mood blanket you could just finish the current row and she could use it as a throw on the bed or a scarf or shawl or something perhaps? Your middles could be made into flowers very easily to make some bunting, or you could even go all modern and just do a garland of little circles, that could look very cute and then you could give it as a gift to someone who likes lots of colour - perhaps a little girl? I think though that you have learned that you are not a multi colour crochet person, so that is a good thing as now you know more where you are headed with your colours! Hope that you work it out and that you are happy with it, I am sure that you will. xx

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    1. I think that's maybe what I'll do, add another couple of rows and use it for the bottom of the bed. I like the grey Granny hexie and I think I can work with random colours just being in the centre. The thing is I love seeing other people multicoloured blankets, but I am unable to be so random.
      Thanks Amy for your suggestions, it all helps.
      Take care
      Sally xxx

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  2. Sally you do yourself an injustice! Your first blanket is lovely and colourful, maybe not what you had envisaged yourself but still a work of art and a thing of beauty!
    And your pink and lilacs one will be lovely too - perhaps you've fallen out of love with it as they are not really your colours, in which case, as Amy says, maybe there is someone you know who will love it.
    Your latest project will be gorgeous! I don't think it matters that the colours don't look like they will "go" together as they will be surrounded by the soft greys and will be just a pop of eye-catching colour in the centre, and far away from the other pops of colour.
    Your daughter is right, it will look wonderful - have some faith in yourself!
    Gill xx

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    1. Thank you Gilly, I will continue with the Pink and Lilac till it's about 5 rows and just use it as a bed runner for the bottom of the bed. The grey hexies, I think your right about the colours popping and am looking forward to seeing how random I can be with it.
      Take care
      Sally xxx

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  3. We here all unanimously agree that your first blanket is stunning!

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    1. Thank you all so much, that's a lovely compliment.
      Sally x

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  4. I think you are being too hard on yourself. I think all your crochet work is stunning especially the big flowery blanket. Maybe a year long project is a bit daunting. I agree the idea of a mood blanket is an interesting one but if you are not enjoying it, then take a break for a while. There are charities that would welcome your blankets if you really don't like them.

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    1. Thank you Una for your lovely compliment, as for the mood blanket, I think I'll continue till it's 5 rows wide and then see how it looks.
      Take care
      Sally xxx

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  5. Oh Sally what a dilemma, I really think that you are thinking too much. Most of the blankets I make go to charity that way any colour goes because someone is sure to love it. Why not finish your purple and pink blanket and send it to a charity or give it as a gift, it's beautiful! as is your white multicolour one. I love your cog wheels that's what I'm doing at the moment for my huge, never ending mood blanket, you know what any colour goes as long as you have a common theme running through, just go with the flow and if you don't like what you come up with someone out there is just going to love it. xxx

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    1. Thank you Linda, I never thought of giving them away, which is silly really as Ive made quite a few Patchwork quilts for children's charities. Not sure why I thought they wouldn't want crochet ones.
      As for my Cog Wheels, I think I'm going to enjoy this one, because as you say it will have a common colour theme running through.
      Take care
      Sally xxx

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  6. Hello Sally,
    Your crochet is fab! I think you should always enjoy what your making it makes a hobby pleasurable xx

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for you lovely compliment. I agree with you on the enjoying. I think I might leave the Pink and Lilac for a bit and see how I get on with the grey hexies,
      Take care
      Sally xxx

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  7. Hello Sally!
    I must tell you that I spend a lot of time unraveling a piece after I have decided that the color will not do, it might not match exactly, etc. etc. You know what I mean!
    I also must tell you that your colourful blanket outlined in white is GORGEOUS!
    You are so talented, I am very impressed with your work on the squares. I have only been crocheting for about 40 years now, you would think I would be better at it! HA!
    Kay :-) 40 years...that's correct, not a typo!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Kay, thank you for your lovely comments. I totally understand about the undoing. My trouble is I see an amazing piece of crochet on the internet and I think that I would love to be able to make it, but when I start, it's then I realise the colours are not my colours and because I'm not overly colour confident I can't picture the same pattern in my colours.
      I don't think it matters whether it's 1 year or 40 years, there will always be that project we are not happy with.
      It would be lovely to see some of your work.
      Take care
      Sally xxx

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  8. Finish your rows that you want to with the pink and purple blanket, then set it aside for a break. Just go for it with those multicoloured circles, the greys will calm your senses when they are overloaded by circles that just don't match in your eyes - I completely and totally understand what you mean by colour combos and inspiration and trepidation, just look at my Nordic Shawl and how I realised it matches all the other projects I do! I'm a taupe and pastel person, no matter how I long to be bright red and turquoise! Embrace your colour personna, and jazz it up a bit with those circles that make you a bit uncomfortable, I bet you'll be happy you did! Chrissie xxx

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    1. Thank you Chrissie, I totally understand what you mean with the taupe and pastel. Most of my home is taupe and pastel, with MAYBE a little colour in there somewhere. And yes I would love to be able to be a brilliant red or green person, but it's just not happening. I will just have to admire others beautiful and colourful works.
      Your Nordic Shawl is beautiful.
      Take care.
      Xxx

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  9. Oh no Sally! I'm sorry to hear this! I totally understand though as it's taking me out of my comfort zone too!
    I must say I love your flower blanket! So pretty!
    Stacey xxx

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    1. Thank you Stacey, isn't funny how colour can relax us, make us happy or be totally uncomfortable. I must say I still want to continue with the mood blanket and I think it will be the grey and multicoloured centred hexagons. I've had a play and I'm happy and comfortable with how that works.
      Take care
      Xxx

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  10. I completely understand, I get so mixed up with color. But I love the blanket you made and I love the pinks and purples. The circles are beautiful, and while you might not like the green with another color, when you put them in a big blanket they will work out beautifully.

    Good luck, and don't get caught up in all the color stuff, crochet with what moves you and it will all work out.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  11. I am visiting from Hazel's blog. I like you am not in for the bright and colorful blankets. I love to admire them when others make them but they do not work for me personally. I wear brown, grey, blanket and blue. I decorate with brown and grey. Once I made a colorful quilt to think out of the box. It now lives with my mother who loves color. Lol.

    I think your circles work great. Why? Because you would create a link by using a neutral coloring for the rest of the hexie. It would make all the difference and the various colors would become subtle that way and create a link. Maybe you can still give it a chance. I hope you do as I can really see it working well.

    Greetings from Holland,
    Heidi

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  12. Oh I love all of your blankets, although I am very sorry to hear that you are having problems with them. The best thing you can do is what you feel most comfortable with. The worst thing you can do is not have fun trying to crochet something you don't like!

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  13. I just saw your beautiful multicolored blanket on Ravelry yesterday and today had to go back and look at it closer! Its gorgeous and the random colors are exquisitely put together. So bright and cheerful! I think you've probably looked at it too much and have lost perspective. You aren't giving yourself the credit you deserve, its a beautiful blanket! The pink and purple is just lovely as well. I know the feeling though, as you work on something you look at it and eventually think, "I really don't know about this one!" I think that feeling stems from looking at it too much. As for your 100 little circles, have fun with them and don't overthink the color combinations. SOme colors I have put together thinking what a terrible combination they are, work beautifully in the finished blanket. Some I have tried to carefully work out with color wheel and all aren't half as striking as the ones put together helter skelter. Close your eyes and pick random colors and work with them even if you hate them. As I said, your colorful afghan is gorgeous! You are overthinking!

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