Can't resist them tumbling blocks...

Hi Spampot,

If your suvery is like the one I had, it's only three short questions. LOL Oh, I'll have to look for that Luster Sheen when I get to Walmarts.

Hugs,

Nora

Nora,

You're right, what a letdown. Well, if Michael's or JoAnn's can't order me the colors I need, Lion is going to hear from me!

Now I'm wondering whether I can't knit the tumbling blocks border along with the rest of the afghan...well, maybe I can do the bottom border, then start the pattern...lemme get out the calculator...

Oh, and I AM still working on the draft FAQ!

Have fun with it! I've been working on mine for quite some time, and it is a fun project. Of course, I'm mixing all sorts of colors and yarns together from my leftovers - I'm not sure I'm ever going to be able to wash the thing.

Now I have an excuse to start more projects. I need more leftovers! Dora

When I read this, I thought I had posted it ! I just finished the 63rd square of the Sampler Afghan, using the Leisure Arts Booklet. And, my squares are all made in Soft Beige in Mainstays (WalMart's brand) that my dd picked out. I found that some of the squares were confusing to do, and did not make the project any easier. I finally decided that I wouldn't do all the 63 different squares as given in the booklet - when I found a square pattern that I enjoyed doing, I made several of those squares. Believe me, it made it much easier, and much more fun to do. Now I have to try to get the squares to somewhere near the same size, as even strictly following the directions, I have squares from 6" to 8" and all sizes in between.

Afghan (and I need to start looking through the box of completed squares to see which ones I've done, since, with sixty patterns, it's easy to lose track)

Hi Rusty,

It won't be that hard to make them all the same size. Just looks that way. You'll have to make them all 8x8.

Hugs,

Nora

Nora, I may have to holler up to you for help with this. I know you put all the secret projects together, so by now you surely must be an expert in getting squares to all fit together.

Rusty in CT and Dusty the Shi Poo

way. You'll have to make them all 8x8.

Hugs,

Nora

Augh! I just called Lion Brand and about 3/4 of the colors required for that pattern are discontinued! How dare they! They should stop posting the pattern, or update their $*&(% web site (which says nearly all the colors ARE available). Why why why did I buy those four colors...maybe I"ll return them. This is too much math and color for my poor brain.

Funny enough, in the same Lion Brand newsletter that offered the survey there was a link to their latest batch of helpful hints, one of which suggested crocheting a chain the number of stitches required and then picking them up on the needle. I don't knit so I hope I'm explaining this correctly.

Judy in UK Remove NOSPAM to reply

That's a great idea! I guess I need to start reading those newsletters ;)

I think you're treating the pattern with too much reverence. I used the Kaffe Fasset pattern, but it isn't that much different. You need one dark color, one medium, and one light or bright color for each block. You put the colors in the same place for each block, e.g. dark color on top, light on front, medium on side. It's not like you are going to speed knit your way through this one. You have time as you're knitting to decide what color you're going to have on the next row, or to pick up a color you like while meandering through Joanne's.

Dora

Thanks for your vote of confidence, Dora, but I have absolutely no color sense...I mean I know what I like when it comes to a few colors together, but the number of color sets in this pattern really throws me. But your explanation of how it works really enlightened me once I looked at the picture after reading your post, so thanks very much! I may be able to work my way through this after all.

Heee Dora , that SOUNDS very much me ???? i have done more nice stuff with my Leftovers than i can rememember ,>

mirjam , who is now trying to really finnish some leftover piles

Spampot BREATH DEEPLY ,,,,,,,, Again .... Open the window , BREATH IN again . NOW that your Chance of becoming CREATIVE. You say you have many squares that are to be joined , and you have`t gotten all trhe Original Pattern mentioned Colors ,,,,, Thus Work with those you Have and New leftovers ,,, and rearrange the pattern with WHAT you have ,,,,, and you will have a ONE OF a TIME UNIQUE afghan Anyway who said THEIR color choice was right ,,,, ask yourself why they stopped it ??? Maybe the colors were unpopular ???? mirjam

Spampot , there is another little trick , to this as well . When you are `not sure` of a color take a ruler or make one from cardboard. Roll sme rows of wanted color 1, on it ! add wnated color 2 , and 3 ,,, if you like the combination Ok if not change it . If you still can`t make up your mind , Zerux this combination , the darker colors should have more Black in them on the zerox page . A good excercize to teaching your eyes to see , .... Take a picture you like make a squared opening in a piece of paper , put it on the picture , and now pick up threads [ from sewing to knitting] in the colors and Hues you see in this square,,,, and hang it somewhere that you will see ,,,,, after doing several excercizes like this with various pictures , you will find that you will pick matching colors much easier ,,, you will grow Color `muscles` ,, mirjam

Hallo Rusty !! How are you ? I have not done a systematic samplers` work like you do, But i colected my own guague swatches , i made over some years, and than had to Modular them into one size, i just crocheted 2 colors i used Only for the enlarging /equalizing job ,, i used white and black ,,,, it sort of Unified and regulated the whole work , into one overall pattern, and believe me colors, wool sorts and patterns were as wildly different as you can imagine . mirjam

You are braver than I am, Dora! I have to confess that this is why I have not yet done the rumbling blocks pattern. I have both an afghan pattern plus Kaffe's sweater, both of which I adore. Some day, when I get the nerve, I will get my shades of green and do one or both of them.

Katherine

I feel as you do, Spampot!

Katherine

spampot:

You could do the entire thing in 3 shades of beige. (grin) (which I think could be quite lovely, actually.) It's a project that requires commitment though and you're working on other things. Dora