Sunday, February 11, 2018

Dance Line-up...

Putting all 48 squares together last week I don't know if I was more overwhelmed or underwhelmed.  Laid out (even without a border) I could tell that forty-eight 9-inch squares was going to make a huge blanket.  While I've seen pictures of this blanket made large enough to cover a queen sized bed, it wasn't until I saw all those squares laid out in person that I knew I didn't want a blanket that large.

And then there were so many gray squares!   Why did I think 3 shades of gray (4, if you count graphite as gray - but it sort of looks brown, too) would look good in one blanket?  And then add the light blue...   well, it just completely underwhelmed me.

I had it on the floor for a few hours - trying out different arrangements, even adding some bolder yarn to the mix - wondering if I should make even more (brighter) squares...

~~~~~


And then I decided to just pull most of the gray squares out.  That definitely improved things.  Both visually, and I liked the size better.   But turning my 48-square blanket into a 35-square blanket filled me with regret at all the time (and yarn) spent making those now unnecessary squares.

And then I got an idea.   I stacked all the light blue and several shades of gray squares together.


Huh.   Those don't look bad together!   Maybe add some squares in a darker blue (a medium blue) and white?  Maybe?   As is, I've easily got enough squares already to make a baby blanket.  Add a few accent squares of darker blue and white (? - not sure why the white makes me hesitate), - and I've got enough squares for a child-size blanket!   Yay!  Two blankets out of this Last Dance CAL!  I'm not going to jump into making the second blanket just yet, but I'm saving the squares above 'till I figure out what to add to them.  Maybe add some soft lime green?   I dunno.

I'm open to suggestions.

Anyway...  Happy enough that I had come up with a plan for all the squares above, I started joining these:


It's slow going, but after several mistakes I finally got all but one vertical seam finished.

Since I can't get a decent color picture today, I'll just give you four seamed squares in black & white. 


And then it's on to the horizontal seams. The good thing is the horizontal seams are shorter than the vertical seams so they should finish up quicker.  The bad thing is there are more horizontal seams than vertical seams so they may take longer.  Another good thing is now that I know what I'm doing and since I don't have to fiddle so much with the squares, the horizontal seaming might still go quicker.

The plan is to get this thing finished by next Sunday.  Seamed, blocked if necessary, border finished.

I think I can do it.  What do you think?

To see what other YOPpers are up to visit our group on Ravelry.




2018 Yarn Stash-Down:  11.26/100 Skeins

17 comments:

  1. I'm not great at colour combo suggestions as I tend to be too conservative and too matchy-matchy. The blue and grey ones look lovely together in that pile. Thank goodness you were able to find squares to work the way you want them to! Also, you may have whole new insights if you take a break from them and then come back to them later, with fresh eyes.

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    1. I do think taking a break from the blues and grays will help me see them with fresh eyes later. Thank you for that thought, Lynn.

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  2. Great idea for a second blanket! They look great in the pile...maybe not a bright white, but more of an ecru? If it's making you hesitate so much....good luck!

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    1. I will see what I think of ecru, or a more "soft" white, Tammy. Thank you for the suggestion!

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  3. Hmmmmmm....if the white is making you hesitant than do not use it. I think something softer would work though. How about a pale lavender. But hold it up to your blues and grays to make sute it blends well.

    I am really excite to see both finished blankets now.

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    1. After reading yours and Tammy's comments above I'm thinking it's probably the starkness that a white/white would bring that makes me think it might not work well - at least not without a darker color to balance it. I hadn't even though of lavender as a possibility. That might be really cool. I'll definitely check it out!

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  4. You have such great color combo sense that I am not even going to suggest anything..although my favorite color is yellow. I think it goes with everything but I'm prejudiced. The squares all piled up look so pretty together and your seaming is impeccable. Your crochet items always ook so perfectly stitched....mine never look that good. You are "professional grade"! I can't wait to see it all together. Have a great week and I hope it all goes smoothly for you.

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    1. Oh, but Sam, I don't. Have very good color sense. The sad thing is, I understand color theory, but combining colors (even though I know the formulas) just doesn't come very naturally to me. I'm tad bit color-phobic (at least when it comes to making decisions and going with it.

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  5. Hi Becki! How exciting! :) Those blues and grays really looks nice together!

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    1. Thanks, Rain. I'm really pleased they go so well together.

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  6. That's brilliant, two blankets from one. Looking forward to seeing what you decide for the baby blanket.

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  7. As I read your post my first thought was making two blankets out of the squares so we're on the same page with that. What if.....you made a border around the squares (similar to sashing on a quilt) in a contrasting colour?

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    1. Now that's an idea I don't think I'd have ever come up with! Do you have suggestions on colors? Predictable ol' me is imagining dark gray or a medium dark blue. Or maybe a soft white (though I'm hesitant to edge in white just because it might get dingy quickly). Do you have some crazy color idea for me to consider? ;^) Or do you think my ideas are good?

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  8. You totally have got this and I love that you are getting two blankets for the effort of one! Yay!

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  9. GREAT JOB my friend!
    these knitted pieces look amazing

    i am sure your blanket will be so pretty and comfy

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  10. That's terrific that you'll get a two-fer out of all these great squares.

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