Overthinking

   

Hello and welcome to my latest blog post. 

Overthinking 

Very often I accuse my husband of overthinking a project.  He will spend hours and hours perusing something on the internet but not actually starting it.  We have recently brought a Motorhome (Minnie) and we need to sort the drive out so we don't keep having to juggle cars about to get on and off.  I keep moaning at him and saying just rip it up for god sake start somewhere !

But it occurred to me yesterday that actually I can be just as bad.

I'm talking about my crochet of course, I have a design in mind and I tend to overthink it, I spend hours looking on Pinterest for the stitch ideas and different ideas for a design and before I know it I've turned something quite simple into a mammoth task.  I order the yarn and have to keep starting over because I'm just not happy with the results. At the moment I'm up to my armpits in stashed yarn and I am bursting with ideas but I can't seem to pin them down and actually accomplish as much as I want to, or infact much of anything at all.

I look at other designers and I think how do they rattle things off so fast? but actually when I look at their designs they are sometimes so simple and so beautiful in their simplicity, that  no wonder they don't seem to struggle with finishing anything, they probably have an idea and stick to it. I should imagine they don't start something and then just go off on a tangent and start something else.  I have a list of UFO's that is quite embarrassing.

I recently brought some Bernat Blanket, I wanted to make a baby blanket. After struggling with it for hours using a 5mm hook as the pattern stated, I was ready to throw it under a passing bus! The ball stated 8mm hook, but I went with what the pattern said.  My hands were aching and I looked at what I had achieved and thought I'm not going to have anywhere near enough wool! what am I doing wrong? And in reality it was very thick it was more like a rug! I thought you surely wouldn't want to wrap a baby in this? after fighting with it a bit longer I threw it over to Steve and said "does this seem thick to you"?  He said "what is it a bath mat"!!  AGGGGGGHHHH !!!
I should of ordered Bernat Baby Velvet.  Yikes!  of course its quite hard to get hold of in the UK so now I'm spending hours trying to find a substitute as I can't get this pattern out my head.

This was my Bathmat attempt.
 (*** Click on pic to be taken to Love Crafts where you can purchase Bernat yarn.)

Consequently I've spent hours trying out swatches of cable stitches and a variation of the original pattern to make a blanket for our home because I don't want to waste the wool, it is gorgeous. But it's not lending itself to anything with too much texture I need a simpler stitch. and I can't seem to do simple, sigh. I may have to put it aside and carry on with something else because I'm getting tense.

Roary looks unimpressed by all my fuss. 

So ….. I want something to take to France.  I'm literally stuck.  I don't want to get to france and have to think. I want to be able to pick it up and just feel at ease and relaxed and to just crochet with the flow.

I have my little Kindle cover I can take but that won't last me two weeks.

I shall however be taking my Kindle with me. I've had a kindle for years now, it took me some time to get into it, I used to prefer an actual book.  My kindle was the first kind with the keyboard, it took forever to charge and I thought it was about time to get a new one.  when it came I was surprised at the size! it's way smaller but actually I love it. its so light and it fits in my handbag so much better, the old kindle was heavy and cumbersome and made my arm ache with its case which I had to have for the light. This new kindle has a built in light. yipeeeeeeee.  ( I shall keep my old one for reading in the bath ) :) 

All-new Kindle | Now with a built-in front light—with Special Offers—White

Look how tiny it is :) you can still make the print bigger if you want, and my eyes are terrible but I still manage to read it no problem.  Currently reading Jo Jo Moyes One Plus One love her books.

Anyway I've digressed slightly …. back to yarn, and what to take to France ...
I have some gorgeous Caron simply Soft yarn for a baby blanket, but again I have no clue what design to do, so it's probably not a good idea to take tha,t unless I have the pattern set in stone and well under way before we depart.
I have a lovely ball of Scheepjes whirl for a shawl idea and also some yarn from Knitcrate that I ordered for a shawl but all of these require planning, and I fear my overthinking will step in!
I could start another Marjorie June blanket in Grey's and Blue's, that would be simple. Or I could carry on with my Star blanket, but I am worried I will run out of wool and both these blankets require a purchase. I don't feel I can justify buying any more yarn. Steve may be so cross he would probably head off to france without me.

My Star Blanket

I am definitely leaning towards squares or smaller projects thinking about it.  It is going to be hot, well it flippin had better be, and I don't fancy a huge project on my lap.

mmmmmm  I feel I need to think about this. lol.

I have stumbled on a gorgeous design on the Deramores website, which I must say I'm completely in love with.  but its a 13 week CAL and if I can't get the internet while I'm away I will be panicking, mind, who am I trying to kid! There's probably no way I would ever keep up with a 13 week timescale. the first week would last me my holibobs. I'm such a slow crocheter.

what do you think?

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Click on any picture to be taken to Deramores where you can purchase the yarn and download the pattern ***

*** Contains affiliate links 

I'snt it absolutely lush ? x

I know, I know, I did say no more spending.

Before you go I just thought I would show you my knitting UFO.  ( I have much more in the loft but I have no current interest in finishing any of them, whereas this I do ) I started this in 2009. I have had to undo it twice and start again because I couldn't remember where I was with it. AND I also ended up knitting two left fronts and had to undo one and start again.  The pattern certainly isn't something I can pick up and knit infront of the TV I have to really concentrate, which is why I've never finished it. or that's my current excuse anyway.  I've also gone completely off the pattern and nearly sold it as a job lot the pattern and the yarn on ebay.  I am actually so glad I didn't.  I used to be brave enough to wear anything, because lets face it this wouldn't be to everyones taste. When I brought it I was brave I didn't care what people thought of me I was a different person,  confident and a little crazy.  Since then I've lost my confindence and all of my craziness, which is why I nearly sold it.  My daughter would say Mom what are you wearing ! and I would end up not wearing it. But not now, I am glad I didn't sell it, because finally i'm coming back out of my shell, I feel more like my old self every day, and I know if I ever finish it I will be confident enough to wear it.  So I'm trying to pick it up every day and do a couple of rows.  I don't really enjoy knitting so much any more but I want to wear it. I feel it will symbolise the new / old me. and of course its perfect for dog walking.

Thankyou for taking time out to read my Blog xxxx

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( Disclosure .. Some of the pictures and links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, but I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. thankyou x )