Crochet Gone Bad

So here I am with my first post after my "ah ha" moment.  And guess what?  It's all about crocheting.  Today will probably be the first of many posts about crocheting.  I'm fairly obsessed with it so it's a good assumption that it will show up many times.  I never really wanted to write about crocheting because I don't intend for this blog to be a crocheting blog. There are certainly enough of those out there and most of them are much better at the art than me. Also, I kind of figured it would be boring.  But, it's who I am and since this blog is about me...you get crocheting.  If you're bored, I won't hold it against it you if you just move along to the next blog on your list.  That's what I would do.  If you stick around and leave a comment I promise to return the favor.  Onward...

A little background for those of you who don't know me very well: 

I've been crocheting for 34 years.  My best friend taught me to crochet and then I fell in love with her brother and married him.  I had three kids and was really busy with Little League, girls scouts, violin lessons, orchestra, softball, and band.  Oh, and I worked full time too.  I crocheted when time permitted but it wasn't a lot. It hasn't been until my recent "empty nest" experience that I have really become obsessed with it.  My husband is convinced that I don't even know what I'm making anymore.  He says I "just make and make and make and never take a break".  But I DO know what I'm making, which is mostly afghans, and mostly for gifts.  So this brings us to my current WIP (work in progress for you non-crochet types ;) 

It started out as this lovely idea for a baby afghan.  I modified a larger pattern down to baby size.  The visual effect of this afghan is pretty cool...but you'll just have to take my word for it because I don't have any pictures of it that don't belong to someone else.  Yeah, I'm not going there again...so anyway, you'll have to wait for the finished product for that.  Here is my progress in pictures, with a few comments...and a lot of frustration.  You'll see what I mean....

I started out with these lovely colors....I love the colorway...it makes me happy :) 

And this is what the individual squares look like.  I was pretty happy with them at this point.  The container is filled with half done squares.  I crochet assembly style as I find it is much faster...even if I have to finish off all the colors and tie in all the ends....oh those wonderful ends...where's that sarcastic font when I need it?

All the sad little yarn ends...waiting to be tossed.  336 ends to be exact.  Woven into the work and cut off.  So much fun....not.  This is my least favorite part of crocheting...or at least it was until I started trying to put this together.  When I found this pattern I didn't think far enough ahead and ask myself  "how will this be stitched together?"  I didn't even think of asking myself this question because I never have, and I have never had a problem.  Until now. 

Here's the problem.  All the squares get stitched together in random fashion (which will eventually make sense when it's completed) and the colors don't match up.  So, you can't use one color to stitch them together...you have to use two or three and change them as needed.  I think you can figure out what I mean by looking at the picture.  I also had to find a new seaming technique which requires me to sit at the table and not in my comfy chair in front of the TV.  This is a problem.  I'm pretty sure I've said this before at some point, but it bears repeating.  The real reason I crochet is so I can justify watching TV.  I love TV.  I probably love TV more than crocheting...but don't tell anyone.  You'll blow my cover.  If I'm crocheting, then I'm not wasting my time while watching TV...or so I've convinced myself.  Anywayyy....

I decided to make it my mission last weekend to just sit down at the table and get the dang thing done.  I worked on it about 3 hours on Saturday...only finishing 3 strips.  Did I mention this seaming technique is also time consuming?  No?  Well, it's time consuming, frustrating and I can't do it in front of the TV.  It is the pure definition of crochet gone bad.  Even having my little shadow for company couldn't make it better.  So, I put it away and didn't work on it the rest of the weekend. 

Instead, I made this for my youngest daughter.  It's a table scarf for an end table.  It was way more fun...and I got to watch TV while I made it!  Win, win.

I am on vacation next week so my plan is to work on the evil one for a couple of hours each day in hopes of getting it done.  It's not gonna beat me...I don't think...

Ok, if you made it all the way through that...you are now my best friend and I promise to crochet something special just for you ;) 
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I hope you noticed, in the background of the pictures, the cute blanket that my cute and thoughtful daughter made for me.  She made it in honor of my mother whom I lost to breast cancer.  October is breast cancer awareness month.  Do your breast exams, get your mammograms and see your doctor regularly.  I hate this disease and I don't want to lose anyone else to it. 

Hope everyone has a great week!