Monday, August 6, 2007

What Would You Do?

Hi everybody! I haven't posted in a very long time, but I"m facing a rippling dilemma, and I'm hoping you can help.

I started a Soft Waves ripple in Knitpicks Shine Sport (which works up beautifully, by the way; I highly recommend it), with the goal of making it big enough to cover a double bed. But at nearly 300 stitches, the going is soooooooo slow. In the course of the entire summer I have done maybe ten stripes, which is like an eighth of the blanket. My question is: faced with this kind of snail-pacery, would you frog back and make a smaller blanket, or would you soldier on, even knowing that the balnket will probably not be done for another year or so? I'm undecided, but sorely tempted...

11 comments:

nanaofnc said...

Personally, I'd frog;I've frogged afghans where I was more far along than that. I believe you need to love what you're working on, otherwise, it's drudgery. At least that's my opinion.

Anina said...

I think you should keep going. The moment you take the pressure off yourself to finish it in a certain time period, you'll probably enjoy the process more. Just pick it up and work on it when you have a spare minute, but don't set a deadline.

Biscuitbear said...

I would definitely continue. It's not a race, is it? As long as you think it looks good, I think it doesn't matter if it takes a while until it's finished. Mine is very slow too and will take at least another 6 months I think. I work on it when I can and am enjoying the colors and the knowledge that in the end I'll have a pretty throw that until recently I never thought I'd have the courage to make myself.

Carola said...

I'd move on if I like the blanket itself. If I don't. I'd frog. But ... if you feel that the slow progress is killing you, you might need to do other stuff, that finishes off faster in between, just for the satisfaction of seeing work finished. That will make the blanket go even slower of course, but it'd be more enjoyable. Right?

Monique Marie Sauniere said...

Mine is about 1/3 -1/2 of the way done and I put it away until the weather gets cooler. As others have said, unless it is a race to get it done and if you LIKE the pattern you are making, keep on going. I have a 60" X 90" oval hooked rug that is just shy of 1/2 done. I have been working on it since 1977. But I have not given up yet! My daughters think it is a great joke to rib me about the rug. See if I don't leave it to someone else in my will!

Rae said...

Carry on. I'm making a full-size with Zara, a fine merino, and it's taken me since February to get to the halfway point. It might be done in time to use in the coldest part of winter but maybe not! The time will pass, and you'll be glad you kept at it.

Lindsey said...

Soldier on! 22 years ago I crocheted a ripple stitch afghan big enough to fit a queen sized bed. I spent many, many months working on it for several hours every night. It's been a cherished possession ever since. I say "keep on truckin'!" It's soooo worth it!

Nancy said...

Keep going! Mine is on hold due to it being summer time and I will pick it back up in the fall. Mine is a KING sized afghan that falls over the sides of the bed 6 inches. Talk about BIG! lol I have it about 1/5th done as I write. I have no ending time set, just work on it when I want to just have something in my hands and don't have to concentrate. lol

You can DO IT!

gracehoper said...

What about setting it aside for awhile and starting on a new project, then going back to it. Even if it takes another year - it won't be so bad if you take breaks now and then. It could be your Christmas 2008 blanket and later you can tell stories to your granchildren like, "see this blue stripe that's when I went on a vacation to Tahiti" or "This red ripple was done on Christmas 2007" or "This green stripe was done in November 2008 - the day I voted for Hilary Clinton" OR whatever little stories are true for you.

~*Sarah*~ said...

soldier on!

If that's what you want, it will be so worth it to have it finished. It will take a while, but think of how many YEARS you'll use it. :)

N. said...

I decided to make mine a short blanket - I saw a similar-sized blanket in Debbie Bliss Home (the front cover blanket) and it only covers the foot of the bed. Thought I might as well join the hip and trendy too and if my daughter gets tired of it covering only her feet, she can turn it so the stripes go vertically and she has a blanket that covers her bed.