Granny Struggle!

First things first ...welcome to my new followers.....thanks for popping by and I've enjoyed all your comments. 

and VIVA I say!!

 Words cannot describe the satisfaction I feel at present on having finished my Granny square cushion at last!!!

Now due to self-pride I cannot NOT mention that I consider myself an experienced crocheter ...I've been at it for about 45 years!! I have made numerous cushion covers in the past and successfully so.

So much for boasting about my crochet attributes and here comes the simile,it was like a bucket of cold water when it finally dawned on me, after unpicking the back of this cushion cover for the umpteenth time, that I had become supremely overconfident where my crochet expertise was concerned or in other words the yarn and the hook had got the better of me!





The Granny square was no problem and although its never as quick with cotton as with wool it was finished in an acceptable amount of time considering my work agenda.
I was working with Coats cotton Nº 5 and 2.00 crochet hook (if you saw my previous post about Granny squares you will see the reason I chose cotton over wool).
Now tension is everything with crochet and my tension tends to be loose so I usually drop down in hook size but I didn't this time, it was a little loose but the appearance was fine.
One of the main reasons for making a Granny square cushion was precisely to try out Cherry Heart button back cushion cover. I'd never done one like that before and I really liked the one Cherry Heart had on her blog, among other things because she has some fab ideas and makes...do pop in there if you haven't already. Getting back to my ordeal.....I followed Cherry Heart's tutorial ,which you can find here, with no problems whatsoever because her instructions are perfectly clear and each stage is accompanied by photos.  It really is a breeze to follow.
When I reached approximately half way down the first piece of the back (its done in two pieces) I realized that it wasn't as neat as it should be and I could see it sagging and getting baggy, so I unpicked it all and went back to the beginning and assumed that my tension had got too loose and dropped down to a 1.75 hook and merrily started again

...CLANGER Nº 1

 I was totally confident that it was resolved and carried on again right down to the end of the first piece not even considering that there would be any other adjustments to make

Leaning back to admire my work I saw it was baggy again and it didn't convince me at all!

I reviewed the tutorial word by word and came to the conclusion I had missed something so off I went unpicking the lot and started again, by this time the button cushion cover back idea wasn't looking so attractive to me, but it was also a challenge and an annoying thought that I couldn't do a crochet cover back...ridiculous totally out of the question!
So off I went again but warily and vigilant, very vigilant checking each two rows and I was following the instructions diligently. At about the fourth row down I could see it bulging again so I unpicked all that ...by then I was getting a little irritated and I thought that's it drastic measures are required and I dropped down to a 1.50 hook and off I went again. Fortunately this did the trick and I managed to finish the first piece. I was happy then I knew I had it ALL under control and ALL resolved.....





...CLANGER Nº2







 I whizzed in with a new colour and started the second piece of the back ,the part that overlaps the first piece ...off I went crocheting merrily, merrily not bothering to follow the instructions because after all it was a repeat of the first piece. 
It was half way down when I thought to admire it and saw the sides were stretching and pulling down the crochet stitches, so back I went to analyze the situation. On checking the instructions I realized I was jumping to the gap between trebles and not going into the centre treble as well at the sides.

 


 ...CLANGER Nº3







I felt quite guilty then and I am sure I blushed......... good job only Willie the cat could see me.
Me the experienced crocheter what a laugh!

Back I go unpicking the lot carefully, carefully following the instructions and you know what!!!!!
I finished it !......oh my dear readers what a relief...you know that relief when you've just had your baby .....well  ........ I'll be generous and accept that I am exaggerating just a tiny bit but nothing really can describe that feeling of relief better than that.

What is the moral of this tale?

When you see a great haircut and you want yours like it don't think that it is going to look the same on you!

OR

Review what you are going to make before you make it;think it out. If you are going to use different materials take that into consideration. Check your work constantly! The yarn and the hook don't lie. They are in control.
 

Trouble maker

  Bye for now 

Amanda :-)