How do you decide?

[suneebeeches]

I always seem to be looking for patterns. I want to make an afghan for my SIL and she requested something colorful, OK easy---NOT! I get my magazines out (not all at once, there wouldn't be any room for my husband and I and 3 cats). Now the hunt begins. You may think I then have it made but wait, I have years and years of magazines & books and now DVDs of patterns. I do know what kind of yarn I will be using so that is not an issue. I open my first magazine and there is a pattern that would work but I think I want to find one I like more so on I go. Looking and finding and finding and finding etc. So my question is how do you decide when there are so many? I know this is not a serious question but I just wondered how others solve this dilemma (sp).

[MsBhaven]

well I think about who I am making it for. then I look for things that I think they would like and the colors they like then if I still can't narrow it down to one I then decided what stitch I want to do. After all no matter how much someone likes something if I don't like working on it its not going to get done anytime soon.

[Theresa L]

I usually ask a few questions to help reduce the number of possibilities, like do they like strips, ripples, granny squares, an open pattern or something more solid, lightweight or heavy. All those things help me narrow the search. I also try to draw from what I know about the person like do they have a hobby or do they collect something specific that make lend itself to a pattern. Hope that helps.

[kl1000]

Hello! I love to look at my patterns dreaming about making them LOL. What s name of this wonderful cat?

[LI Roe]

Usually I look through my patterns and often it will just pop out at me that is the one to do since most of mine are surprise ones. However, since your SIL requested something colorful, I would ask her if she would like something more open like a granny square type afghan or a ripple or shells. If you find a few different ones that you are comfortable doing, you could show her the patterns and have her select one she likes. Problem solved, LOL.

LI Roe

[Judi Gums]

I have several afghan patterns that I like to work on, so I normally pick from one of them, I use the Wave stitch, shell stitch, Herringbone stitch, Seed stitch, one large granny square, and several others that have different textures, I just go with what I am in the mood for at the time.

Hope you find the one you are looking for.
Judi G

[suneebeeches]

Thank you for your advice. It helps me to learn new ways of deciding which one to do. That was Frito. He passed last year and we had him for 7 years before. He was about 3 yrs. when we found him in the country. We have 3 more cats now but I will always miss him! He was our first cat ever.

[MeerKat]

I have to go with MsBehaven idea, I go with what stitch will I be doing because, like she said if it is something I don't like to do I won't finish it. I did a scarf for my GD and I hated the stitch and the thread and it took me 3 months to finish, now I have to make 2 more and I have been putting it off because of the stitches and the thread. Usually I won't finish something like that but my granddaughter wanted it, anyone else and it would have ended up in the trash.

[Lili]

I do the same thing: Usually I ask what colors they like, and then I use the pattern I most like; I agree if I am frustrated with the pattern I get discouraged right off the bat!!!! I am using the Rainbow diagonal afghan pattern mostly at this point because I like the way it turns out and it looks good no matter what colors/type of yarn you use. I posted a pattern for this around 6/11 under forum for patterns. Shirley

[suneebeeches]

Shirley, those pics are amazing! The lines are so straight. Mine would be jagged and not near so smooth looking. You do wonderful work!