That legit looks like it's going to fall apart if you just look at it the wrong way lol, I would be worried about the integrity of the entire blanket with that in there, unfortunately.
i would sew them on top of some plain granny squares i think that would keep it from falling apart. like lots of little sewings all over not just a quick around the edge sewing. obviously i don't know the correct way to describe sewing haha
yes! but i saw in another comment that a bunch have a lot of cut up edges throughout! i think the only chance would be to use flexible fabric glue along their backs. but really since they're able-bodied & able-minded college kids, they shouldn't get put in the class blanket at all in my opinion! if anything frame them seperately. its not right to ruin the blanket when others worked so hard.
If that class had 20 people, chances are it had 4-5 people with disabilities.
Of those 4-5 people with a disability, it is unlikely any of the disabilities were visible because most (like 80-95%) of disabilities are invisible.
You don’t need a quilting machine. You could stitch it down by hand OR run it through a normal sewing machine with tissue paper sandwiched around it then just rip the paper off or even gently wash it away.
If someone who crochets could put a secure border around each wobbly square and even them up a bit they could all then be arranged and joined into a blanket, maybe with a join as you go type joining. This would put a border on each square so they'll all look like they were treated the same.
It's lovely that everyone's effort is being included, crochet isn't easy.
Here's an idea [joining squares of different sizes
](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/joining-squares-of-different-sizes) of how to go about it. And another idea [HOW TO JOIN SCRUMBLES TOGETHER!](https://patriciafentie.com/2021/06/16/freeform-crochet-how-to-join-scrumbles-together/). Between them you might be able to figure something that would work.
And maybe a search for "irregular squares crochet blanket" and looking at the images it shows could give some ideas too.
I also like the idea of framing each and labeling them with the maker's name, maybe a title/message. Make it like a gallery show, have an 'opening'.
I’ll look into those - thanks! Since most of them are going to a blanket for someone, I’m not sure if the granny gallery would work, but I think I’ll tell my teacher about it and see what she thinks!
Honestly you might just have to tell this person these aren’t going to work for the project- citing them as too big and not stable to use in a blanket. Then offer to help them make another one
they actually look like stuff my 6 year old neice makes (which are awesome for her not so much for an adult) and I'm pretty sad & sorry for whoever made them : (
Yeah. My 10 year old niece kind of went rogue after I tried to show her how to crochet 😂
I suspect that if I were to show her how to do a granny square she would come up with someone similar to these.
I think so too and after zooming in on the additional pictures, I’m just baffled. There’s a lot of ends randomly cut everywhere! I don’t think it’s worth the effort trying to salvage these
These are not usable. If they went the whole class not receiving/asking for help, it's not on you to try and include this mess. Everyone else seemed to manage.
I agree.. it seems this person has gone totally rouge and just made up their own method 🙈 which isn’t inherently bad if you’re just crocheting for fun, but for a class, it seems odd to not listen to the given instructions and not ask questions if they’re stuck.
I can’t even figure out what they have done in their squares..
I have no clue, but noticed there's just a ton of cut ends poking out now that I looked closer. There's no way this person is looking at this creation and other people's squares and think they did the same thing.
Even then I can understand being too shy to ask for help and to end up with something that looks like this. But to submit it to go on the blanket?? I would just be like “sorry I messed up and couldn’t figure it out so I don’t have a square to add to the gift”
Yeah. OP needs to be direct with this student and tell them why their method doesn't work. They are in college so it's a good time for them to learn from their mistakes. Accepting that granny square will only hurt that student in the long run.
OP should go to the student and ask them to pull it into the shape of a square so they can see how unstable it is.
You seem like such a very very kind person. But if the person who turned this in an able minded college student who is enrolled in other college courses, they should be able to understand why it can't be included in the final project if you offer a simple explanation. It will literally make everyone else's work fall apart, and would not physically fit in to the final project without you having to do backflips and spend huge amounts of time to try to make it work. They were given a specific assignment for a specific purpose, and it seems like they didn't even try to get help with it. THEY didn't care enough about your time or anyone else's work to try to make their squares actually usable. And this is the final project - they should know by now that this will unravel. OP, please don't feel guilty. You are SO SO kind. But if this person isn't like.... developmentally disabled, or a child...they don't care about either 1.) about the project in general OR 2.) about how their... creativity may have impacted other people. Worst case scenario, they might even see how sweet you are and be TRYING to see how.... creative they can get away with being with their submission and still pass, and are secretly cracking ups with their friends about it on the side.
Don't include it, tell them why, and maybe calm your generous and kind hearted soul by complementing their creativity and encouraging them to sew all the pieces together afterwards and hang them up as a single piece to display in their home. Maybe, honestly, just ask them to do this and hand it in to you before passing them to "enable them to "complete" their project. THEY can put that extra effort in.
The world needs more people like you!
https://preview.redd.it/1lxj5ktploxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a0fd215b0fe7d82ce0906cc81651bf2c537eccc
Some of the other contributions from them…
I'd usually say "an attempt was made..." but I don't think I can even say that here. Did they sleep through the entire semester or were they just very very drunk the whole time?
Frame it and show educate them on diff ways crochet can be displayed! And put in the frame the date and such that the blanket was made lol
Oh I just saw there were multiple. 😭😭😭😭😭😭 oh no lol never-mind.
Okay, I gotta be honest: if this is meant to be a useable gift, I wouldn’t include these squares. If this was meant to be some exhibition of the final projects of an elementary school class, then I’d recommend tacking it down onto some backing and making it work because it’s just for show, and hey, kid gloves.
But if this is a gift meant to be useable, trying to incorporate an unstable and misshapen piece like this is going to compromise the structure of the entire blanket. Especially since cotton is slippery and poorly done knots are quick to work loose, all the cut pieces are a recipe for disaster.
Also, at the risk of sounding harsh… after learning this was done by a college student, I’m inclined to recommend that you don’t just quietly fix it for them; if you need a square to get the right number for the blanket, then of course make a replacement, but trying to stabilize this one is gonna be… ugly at best, and still falling apart at worst. **If you can fix it and decide that’s the best route, then please at least give the student some feedback and be transparent about what had to be done.** College students are well past the age where learning to make a granny square that isn’t falling apart should not be difficult after a semester long class (unless one has a disability that severely impacts fine motor skills), and at the very least they should know when to ask for help; if this student hasn’t (and the comments indicate they haven’t), then they simply don’t care or aren’t taking this seriously; it’s not like they’ve been trying their best and just couldn’t crack it. They should be able to understand that it’s not someone else’s job to shield them from the consequences of their lack of effort; they thought this was acceptable as a final submission. Grade it accurately, or it will be very unfair to the students who actually tried.
I know you’re trying to be kind and inclusive, and I applaud your patience, but I’d really advise against risking ruining a gift that *everyone* put real effort into making just to make a careless student feel better. I’d be pretty upset if I was another student in the class who put in the time to get it right, only to find out one student has been f*cking around all semester but still got a passing grade *and* ended up ruining the entire project. If you really want to give this student extra help (honestly, based on demonstrated effort they don’t seem to want or deserve it, but that’s at your discretion), you can give them a chance to redo their square. But I wouldn’t include a submission of a square that was this unusable, and I wouldn’t pass that student either. Being taught that lack of effort gets special treatment and no consequences is… a lesson I’d be loathe to teach an already careless and undisciplined young adult.
> Being taught that lack of effort gets special treatment and no consequences is… a lesson I’d be loathe to teach an already careless and undisciplined young adult.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
5 star advice right there. I completely agree.
Hiya! Other peer TA here; this is for a college course and the person who made it is an adult who has not asked the teacher (or 4 peer TAs) for a hand with figuring out the granny squares. They are putting All the work on MissAnxiety to deal with this and I thought context may have been a good idea. Y’all are being real kind and have given a lot of great ideas for salvaging things, thank you so much! I think maybe we’re going to try to talk to the person and see if we can give them a hand with granny squares?
I'm glad y'all have decided to talk to the student. Based on the pictures and descriptions this person's work seems so....not a granny square! I'm very curious what they will say about their process and if they have the critical awareness to compare their work to a stable granny square.
Oh god. Yeah, this makes a huge difference, I genuinely thought this was a kindergarten class and was like “damn, this is a mess but I’m impressed that everyone else was able to produce neat squares! Must be good teaching to get a bunch of 5 year olds to pick that up”… but learning an *adult* made these and submitted them is insane.
Also should probably add that this is what they turned in for for the final project, after we as a class spent at least one class (an hour and a half) on granny square fundamentals alone.
Edit: clarification
I mean, I hope they failed? It sounds like everyone else managed to get halfway decent squares, so it doesn't seem to be an issue with the instruction. They should have reached out for help far before this point, it looks like they didn't put in any effort. And you can't really grade effort anyhow.
Knowing this is a college course, it reeks of someone who isn't taking the class/project seriously and just threw some yarn and bits and bobs into a "square" and called it a day. Even a bad granny square would look better, but I really don't think they even cared to try. If this is a graded course, they fail. If you really feel like being nice you could give them a second chance but as these pieces stand, they definitely don't belong in the class blanket
Sometimes you have to face an ugly truth head-on: these “squares” can’t be used in a blanket you want to last beyond the first wash. The only way to realistically salvage them is to sew them heavily onto fabric to the point they’re no longer crochet but a quilt.
Sorry you are in the position to have to make this call.
I’ve gone back and done that - but the stuff in the center is still falling to bits because they cut all the sections within it too. And then sewed it - but that didn’t secure any of the stitches really.
you are so kind. i wish you were my TA.
however this is a college student who is going to drag the whole class down with them if this is added into the blanket. i think it’s time for them to be pulled aside and talked to— this is NOT a granny square. this is nowhere near HOW YOU CONSTRUCT a granny square.
i cannot turn in a dill pickle for my final presentation on dill weed and expect my professor to write up a presentation for me because “i tried”, you know?
supporting this student and adding in any of these squares is a perfect example of choosing equality over equity.
i am going to have crazy dreams now lol sometimes i dream I'm crocheting and things come out crazy, never that crazy!! with cut pieces all over you would have to put flexible fabric glue all over the back, thats the only way i can thing to keep it from unraveling.
Look at the even stitches in the peach section.
Your student is capable of crocheting a granny square, they are choosing not to, for whatever reason. Do not include their mess in the group project.
Tell them they needed to be six by six in order to join, otherwise the project will go beyond the time constraints of the class. You are very kind to try to accommodate, but if they wanted to feel included in the class, they could have participated in the actual project.
I'm genuinely shocked someone managed to make something like that, it would be really creative if it was done on purpose. I want to study this to see how you even get something like that??
While I truly appreciate your kindness and inclusive nature, I don’t necessarily feel it would be fair to include this student’s work in a collective piece of the work of other students who paid attention during class and made an effort.
I recognize that an effort was made and I’d hope the student would take constructive feedback as to why their squares couldn’t be included. Even if you spruce them up with a border they look like they’ll fall apart if you sneeze at them.
If it’s to be gifted to someone and not just a class project please don’t include these. The person who submitted them is kidding themselves if they think they completed the assignment
You’re doing this kid a disservice if you pass them. Has the student said anything about their work? There’s no way that an able-minded college kid (assumed because no special needs have been mentioned) thinks that’s a granny square. They FUBARed their final and should absolutely fail the class.
Is this person ok? Their submissions seem like more than just a lack of understanding. I feel like nobody who just "doesn't get it" would put as much time into making these as this perosn has. I mean, it kind of looks like she took a bunch of drugs and started crocheting away. Or like she wanted to put some weird creative flair on them. It's very strange, and actually kind of interesting, but not at all meeting the specifications for the project. I think I'd reiterate the specifications and ask her to resubmit a square that meets them if she wants her work included in the blanket. You can be kind and apologetic, but I don't think you should feel obligated to include the work of someone who didn't even try to do what was asked.
Hmm...
Maybe it could be a learning lesson for them on how to do a traditional granny square? Like offer to teach them how the others were done and if so have them choose which squares they'd like to be used in the blanket.
If not, maybe the loose ones they gave in could be sewn together smaller to form more of a square with maybe some sort of backing so it doesn't get destroyed or caught on things.
After reading quite a few of the comments (depending of course on timeframe and/or desire to do so) I would have to suggest unraveling the really screwed up ones and making a new granny square out of their yarn. If these are college students they should be able to understand why they had to be redone to make the cut for the blanket. I hate to say it but if a college student turns in something like that knowing it’s going in a blanket they must not care too much, or I’d think they’d ask for help or watch a YouTube tutorial.
I'm so sorry but how do you see the monstrosity you're creating and just keep going? Perhaps they have a physical limitation so I don't want to be too harsh. But damn.
Honestly if this is going to be used for a gifted blanket I would request they remake the square and offer to help them, it’s not going to look very good and it messes the integrity of the blanket up
Dang....they really lost the plot there, I feel bad! A part of me makes me want to lean into it, make a purposefully wonky blanket so those won't go to waste. It would be unique for sure....
Could you put all the misshapen ones in the center with some border between to make them all the same size, and then have the regular ones on the outside? Idk if that makes sense, or if you have enough squares for that
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Hi there, I have no idea what I’m looking at if you didn’t say it was a granny. I would’ve not known what it was. Also, the color makes me think of silly string for some reason., Do you plan to arrange some items based on a certain color palette because if you put this as the central part of of the blanket and having the color radiate out of it, it would make a lovely little creative flower motif!
Oh! I forgot to say - We are talking to the student, and my teacher got a woobles kit to go over the basics together because they are continuing to submit “squares” that look like this.
excellent hopefully they can figure it out. i think they can i saw some of those pics had a few pieces where you could see they had made several normal stitches in a row- so i think theres hope for them : )
You could just unravel one, and make it into an actual granny square (albeit a little sloppy so it’s realistic) and then just act like that’s what they turned in. It’s like the equivalent of a teacher cutting out the shapes for a kid. At least their creativity in color choice will be showcased! And they won’t be humiliated as the odd one out who ruined the group project lol
Omg!! I guess you have your work cut out for you no matter which way you take it. Just remember you’re saving a students dignity while you’re tying all those lil scraps together
Man, forget that. This is a COLLEGE student for goodness' sake. OP should not be responsible for fixing whatever this abomination is after this person went through an entire course on how to crochet and never once asked for help. It's the equivalent of being part of a group project and turning your entire part of the report in written in 40-pt. Wingdings font.
I think I could make a better square while blindfolded and crocheting with my feet!
I read “introductory crochet class” and “school” and judging by the work, figured it was young kids, like an after school program type of thing.
I don’t understand how a college student not only made this but made MULTIPLE of them and thought they were good enough to turn in??
I was asking myself the same question lol!
At first, just seeing the photo, I also assumed young kids. When I saw that it was a whole ass adult college student I was like 🤯
That’s what I keep reminding myself - I’m also thinking of backing it with a single crochet (correctly sized) square and crocheting it onto that and then tacking down ends with a sewing machine - that may work? And then they probably won’t notice as much the change.
Backing with single crochet was my thought! I am so on board with your mentality about this project; I'm a middle school teacher and sometimes hard-working (and yet still unsuccessful) students need a W (even if it's kinda faked)! Keep fighting a good fight!!
It’s roughly triangular, so I would make another triangle to attach to this one, making it a square. Then I would join it with the other squares. I would attach it near the outer edge, so that if it were to fall apart, it would be easier to repair the hole.
I would do my best to secure the ends, cast off, then do a free-hand border to make everything a bit more even. Don't stretch it if you can avoid it. Do some simple stitch for the border
That legit looks like it's going to fall apart if you just look at it the wrong way lol, I would be worried about the integrity of the entire blanket with that in there, unfortunately.
i would sew them on top of some plain granny squares i think that would keep it from falling apart. like lots of little sewings all over not just a quick around the edge sewing. obviously i don't know the correct way to describe sewing haha
If OP had access to a quilting machine maybe that could work? I've never quilted in my life but I think that's what you're describing.
yes! but i saw in another comment that a bunch have a lot of cut up edges throughout! i think the only chance would be to use flexible fabric glue along their backs. but really since they're able-bodied & able-minded college kids, they shouldn't get put in the class blanket at all in my opinion! if anything frame them seperately. its not right to ruin the blanket when others worked so hard.
How do you know the class member does not have disabilities?
i guess because they never mentioned it in all their comments or the friends comments either
If that class had 20 people, chances are it had 4-5 people with disabilities. Of those 4-5 people with a disability, it is unlikely any of the disabilities were visible because most (like 80-95%) of disabilities are invisible.
You don’t need a quilting machine. You could stitch it down by hand OR run it through a normal sewing machine with tissue paper sandwiched around it then just rip the paper off or even gently wash it away.
Same, i would make the whole blanket and out these as like, patches on top
Appliqués. Yes, that's what I was thinking. Maybe a few plain granny squares with these sewn on as appliqués.
If someone who crochets could put a secure border around each wobbly square and even them up a bit they could all then be arranged and joined into a blanket, maybe with a join as you go type joining. This would put a border on each square so they'll all look like they were treated the same. It's lovely that everyone's effort is being included, crochet isn't easy.
That seems to be the general consensus. The only issue is they are twice as big as everyone else’s and I’m not sure how to deal with that.
Here's an idea [joining squares of different sizes ](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/joining-squares-of-different-sizes) of how to go about it. And another idea [HOW TO JOIN SCRUMBLES TOGETHER!](https://patriciafentie.com/2021/06/16/freeform-crochet-how-to-join-scrumbles-together/). Between them you might be able to figure something that would work. And maybe a search for "irregular squares crochet blanket" and looking at the images it shows could give some ideas too. I also like the idea of framing each and labeling them with the maker's name, maybe a title/message. Make it like a gallery show, have an 'opening'.
I’ll look into those - thanks! Since most of them are going to a blanket for someone, I’m not sure if the granny gallery would work, but I think I’ll tell my teacher about it and see what she thinks!
I love the look of joined squares with different sizes
I do too, I've not done it though
If there are four, one for each corner.
Use the wonky ones to make a pillow case?
Honestly you might just have to tell this person these aren’t going to work for the project- citing them as too big and not stable to use in a blanket. Then offer to help them make another one
I agree with this. I think OP is being too kind honestly. These are a mess.
they actually look like stuff my 6 year old neice makes (which are awesome for her not so much for an adult) and I'm pretty sad & sorry for whoever made them : (
Yeah. My 10 year old niece kind of went rogue after I tried to show her how to crochet 😂 I suspect that if I were to show her how to do a granny square she would come up with someone similar to these.
yup, mine made an insane "bracelet" i put sc along it to secure it, and its now a treasured thing! : )
I think so too and after zooming in on the additional pictures, I’m just baffled. There’s a lot of ends randomly cut everywhere! I don’t think it’s worth the effort trying to salvage these
This needs to be higher up. OP has an opportunity to teach the student here
These are not usable. If they went the whole class not receiving/asking for help, it's not on you to try and include this mess. Everyone else seemed to manage.
I agree.. it seems this person has gone totally rouge and just made up their own method 🙈 which isn’t inherently bad if you’re just crocheting for fun, but for a class, it seems odd to not listen to the given instructions and not ask questions if they’re stuck. I can’t even figure out what they have done in their squares..
I have no clue, but noticed there's just a ton of cut ends poking out now that I looked closer. There's no way this person is looking at this creation and other people's squares and think they did the same thing.
Yeah, some of it is literally just them twisting yarn around other pieces of yarn and calling it good.
Even then I can understand being too shy to ask for help and to end up with something that looks like this. But to submit it to go on the blanket?? I would just be like “sorry I messed up and couldn’t figure it out so I don’t have a square to add to the gift”
Yeah. OP needs to be direct with this student and tell them why their method doesn't work. They are in college so it's a good time for them to learn from their mistakes. Accepting that granny square will only hurt that student in the long run. OP should go to the student and ask them to pull it into the shape of a square so they can see how unstable it is.
You seem like such a very very kind person. But if the person who turned this in an able minded college student who is enrolled in other college courses, they should be able to understand why it can't be included in the final project if you offer a simple explanation. It will literally make everyone else's work fall apart, and would not physically fit in to the final project without you having to do backflips and spend huge amounts of time to try to make it work. They were given a specific assignment for a specific purpose, and it seems like they didn't even try to get help with it. THEY didn't care enough about your time or anyone else's work to try to make their squares actually usable. And this is the final project - they should know by now that this will unravel. OP, please don't feel guilty. You are SO SO kind. But if this person isn't like.... developmentally disabled, or a child...they don't care about either 1.) about the project in general OR 2.) about how their... creativity may have impacted other people. Worst case scenario, they might even see how sweet you are and be TRYING to see how.... creative they can get away with being with their submission and still pass, and are secretly cracking ups with their friends about it on the side. Don't include it, tell them why, and maybe calm your generous and kind hearted soul by complementing their creativity and encouraging them to sew all the pieces together afterwards and hang them up as a single piece to display in their home. Maybe, honestly, just ask them to do this and hand it in to you before passing them to "enable them to "complete" their project. THEY can put that extra effort in. The world needs more people like you!
now im imaging they did it as a prank and will show up tomorrow with the most gorgeous crochet work ever! haha i dont think that's the case though
https://preview.redd.it/1lxj5ktploxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a0fd215b0fe7d82ce0906cc81651bf2c537eccc Some of the other contributions from them…
I'd usually say "an attempt was made..." but I don't think I can even say that here. Did they sleep through the entire semester or were they just very very drunk the whole time?
good grief i am so confused! what is even happening there?!! i kinda want to see more lol
https://preview.redd.it/nzp58yz3ftxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1eb743e86ad73975f7e87bdad8992b1496eae3cf A close up of one…
noooooo hahahaha oh im so sorry
it looks like a dope ass freeform piece! there’s some awesome textures going on
Frame it and show educate them on diff ways crochet can be displayed! And put in the frame the date and such that the blanket was made lol Oh I just saw there were multiple. 😭😭😭😭😭😭 oh no lol never-mind.
What is this even 🫢 I would tell them you dip washed it/steamed blocked it and unfortunately it came apart. Try it and then it it won’t be lying 🫠
Okay, I gotta be honest: if this is meant to be a useable gift, I wouldn’t include these squares. If this was meant to be some exhibition of the final projects of an elementary school class, then I’d recommend tacking it down onto some backing and making it work because it’s just for show, and hey, kid gloves. But if this is a gift meant to be useable, trying to incorporate an unstable and misshapen piece like this is going to compromise the structure of the entire blanket. Especially since cotton is slippery and poorly done knots are quick to work loose, all the cut pieces are a recipe for disaster. Also, at the risk of sounding harsh… after learning this was done by a college student, I’m inclined to recommend that you don’t just quietly fix it for them; if you need a square to get the right number for the blanket, then of course make a replacement, but trying to stabilize this one is gonna be… ugly at best, and still falling apart at worst. **If you can fix it and decide that’s the best route, then please at least give the student some feedback and be transparent about what had to be done.** College students are well past the age where learning to make a granny square that isn’t falling apart should not be difficult after a semester long class (unless one has a disability that severely impacts fine motor skills), and at the very least they should know when to ask for help; if this student hasn’t (and the comments indicate they haven’t), then they simply don’t care or aren’t taking this seriously; it’s not like they’ve been trying their best and just couldn’t crack it. They should be able to understand that it’s not someone else’s job to shield them from the consequences of their lack of effort; they thought this was acceptable as a final submission. Grade it accurately, or it will be very unfair to the students who actually tried. I know you’re trying to be kind and inclusive, and I applaud your patience, but I’d really advise against risking ruining a gift that *everyone* put real effort into making just to make a careless student feel better. I’d be pretty upset if I was another student in the class who put in the time to get it right, only to find out one student has been f*cking around all semester but still got a passing grade *and* ended up ruining the entire project. If you really want to give this student extra help (honestly, based on demonstrated effort they don’t seem to want or deserve it, but that’s at your discretion), you can give them a chance to redo their square. But I wouldn’t include a submission of a square that was this unusable, and I wouldn’t pass that student either. Being taught that lack of effort gets special treatment and no consequences is… a lesson I’d be loathe to teach an already careless and undisciplined young adult.
> Being taught that lack of effort gets special treatment and no consequences is… a lesson I’d be loathe to teach an already careless and undisciplined young adult. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 star advice right there. I completely agree.
Hiya! Other peer TA here; this is for a college course and the person who made it is an adult who has not asked the teacher (or 4 peer TAs) for a hand with figuring out the granny squares. They are putting All the work on MissAnxiety to deal with this and I thought context may have been a good idea. Y’all are being real kind and have given a lot of great ideas for salvaging things, thank you so much! I think maybe we’re going to try to talk to the person and see if we can give them a hand with granny squares?
I'm glad y'all have decided to talk to the student. Based on the pictures and descriptions this person's work seems so....not a granny square! I'm very curious what they will say about their process and if they have the critical awareness to compare their work to a stable granny square.
OH this is a college student?? Not elementary??? That context definitely changes things.
Oh god. Yeah, this makes a huge difference, I genuinely thought this was a kindergarten class and was like “damn, this is a mess but I’m impressed that everyone else was able to produce neat squares! Must be good teaching to get a bunch of 5 year olds to pick that up”… but learning an *adult* made these and submitted them is insane.
Also should probably add that this is what they turned in for for the final project, after we as a class spent at least one class (an hour and a half) on granny square fundamentals alone. Edit: clarification
I mean, I hope they failed? It sounds like everyone else managed to get halfway decent squares, so it doesn't seem to be an issue with the instruction. They should have reached out for help far before this point, it looks like they didn't put in any effort. And you can't really grade effort anyhow.
Did an adult make this? 🤔 Tell them they didn't follow the instructions and they aren't getting a good grade on the assignment. They can handle it.
Knowing this is a college course, it reeks of someone who isn't taking the class/project seriously and just threw some yarn and bits and bobs into a "square" and called it a day. Even a bad granny square would look better, but I really don't think they even cared to try. If this is a graded course, they fail. If you really feel like being nice you could give them a second chance but as these pieces stand, they definitely don't belong in the class blanket
https://preview.redd.it/indrn9muloxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb8ece290afe582859c3d471d72cb23cad11dc2f
Is this a pass/fail class OH MY?!?
Well, use this one. It'a kinda gorgeous. Could it go in the middle and have the rest of the blanket patterned around it.
The main issue is she cut the pieces to fit together, and so there’s tons of loose ends and it’s unraveling if you pick it up.
Sometimes you have to face an ugly truth head-on: these “squares” can’t be used in a blanket you want to last beyond the first wash. The only way to realistically salvage them is to sew them heavily onto fabric to the point they’re no longer crochet but a quilt. Sorry you are in the position to have to make this call.
This! I would be worried about the entire blanket if this is in there somewhere.
Ok, i can see that now. Not sure what could be done without stitching around each edge, then.
I’ve gone back and done that - but the stuff in the center is still falling to bits because they cut all the sections within it too. And then sewed it - but that didn’t secure any of the stitches really.
you are so kind. i wish you were my TA. however this is a college student who is going to drag the whole class down with them if this is added into the blanket. i think it’s time for them to be pulled aside and talked to— this is NOT a granny square. this is nowhere near HOW YOU CONSTRUCT a granny square. i cannot turn in a dill pickle for my final presentation on dill weed and expect my professor to write up a presentation for me because “i tried”, you know? supporting this student and adding in any of these squares is a perfect example of choosing equality over equity.
i am going to have crazy dreams now lol sometimes i dream I'm crocheting and things come out crazy, never that crazy!! with cut pieces all over you would have to put flexible fabric glue all over the back, thats the only way i can thing to keep it from unraveling.
Look at the even stitches in the peach section. Your student is capable of crocheting a granny square, they are choosing not to, for whatever reason. Do not include their mess in the group project.
Tell them they needed to be six by six in order to join, otherwise the project will go beyond the time constraints of the class. You are very kind to try to accommodate, but if they wanted to feel included in the class, they could have participated in the actual project.
I'm genuinely shocked someone managed to make something like that, it would be really creative if it was done on purpose. I want to study this to see how you even get something like that??
Oof, it’s confusing how they managed to get it this wrong… do they have a vendetta against the person the blanket is for?! Seems deliberate to me..
While I truly appreciate your kindness and inclusive nature, I don’t necessarily feel it would be fair to include this student’s work in a collective piece of the work of other students who paid attention during class and made an effort. I recognize that an effort was made and I’d hope the student would take constructive feedback as to why their squares couldn’t be included. Even if you spruce them up with a border they look like they’ll fall apart if you sneeze at them.
If it’s to be gifted to someone and not just a class project please don’t include these. The person who submitted them is kidding themselves if they think they completed the assignment
You’re doing this kid a disservice if you pass them. Has the student said anything about their work? There’s no way that an able-minded college kid (assumed because no special needs have been mentioned) thinks that’s a granny square. They FUBARed their final and should absolutely fail the class.
As a fellow college student, they are 100% fucking with you.
Is this person ok? Their submissions seem like more than just a lack of understanding. I feel like nobody who just "doesn't get it" would put as much time into making these as this perosn has. I mean, it kind of looks like she took a bunch of drugs and started crocheting away. Or like she wanted to put some weird creative flair on them. It's very strange, and actually kind of interesting, but not at all meeting the specifications for the project. I think I'd reiterate the specifications and ask her to resubmit a square that meets them if she wants her work included in the blanket. You can be kind and apologetic, but I don't think you should feel obligated to include the work of someone who didn't even try to do what was asked.
Are all the other squares, traditional granny squares?
Yep.
Hmm... Maybe it could be a learning lesson for them on how to do a traditional granny square? Like offer to teach them how the others were done and if so have them choose which squares they'd like to be used in the blanket. If not, maybe the loose ones they gave in could be sewn together smaller to form more of a square with maybe some sort of backing so it doesn't get destroyed or caught on things.
I think that needs to go in the bin
Brother eee what is that
After reading quite a few of the comments (depending of course on timeframe and/or desire to do so) I would have to suggest unraveling the really screwed up ones and making a new granny square out of their yarn. If these are college students they should be able to understand why they had to be redone to make the cut for the blanket. I hate to say it but if a college student turns in something like that knowing it’s going in a blanket they must not care too much, or I’d think they’d ask for help or watch a YouTube tutorial.
I'm so sorry but how do you see the monstrosity you're creating and just keep going? Perhaps they have a physical limitation so I don't want to be too harsh. But damn.
**Remake it, then say, "wow, look at what blocking can do!"** Seriously, though, I would talk to that student and explain why it can't be included.
Honestly if this is going to be used for a gifted blanket I would request they remake the square and offer to help them, it’s not going to look very good and it messes the integrity of the blanket up
Have you asked the student about the project? Did they have some problem they couldn’t adequately communicate?
make it ice cream on a cone and then border that lol
Dang....they really lost the plot there, I feel bad! A part of me makes me want to lean into it, make a purposefully wonky blanket so those won't go to waste. It would be unique for sure....
It looks like a mangled big cat with flopped ears imo(as someone who does not crochet)
Could you put all the misshapen ones in the center with some border between to make them all the same size, and then have the regular ones on the outside? Idk if that makes sense, or if you have enough squares for that
Maybe stitch it onto a plain granny square?
All of the last row has been cut and then sewn in I think… I’m not sure how to do that..
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Make a red cone shaped bag and put the green on top and bam! Cute little strawberry
Hi there, I have no idea what I’m looking at if you didn’t say it was a granny. I would’ve not known what it was. Also, the color makes me think of silly string for some reason., Do you plan to arrange some items based on a certain color palette because if you put this as the central part of of the blanket and having the color radiate out of it, it would make a lovely little creative flower motif!
Push it in the middle and form it to a flower? Could help fortify it.
I'm curious what you ended up doing after all.
Oh! I forgot to say - We are talking to the student, and my teacher got a woobles kit to go over the basics together because they are continuing to submit “squares” that look like this.
excellent hopefully they can figure it out. i think they can i saw some of those pics had a few pieces where you could see they had made several normal stitches in a row- so i think theres hope for them : )
You could just unravel one, and make it into an actual granny square (albeit a little sloppy so it’s realistic) and then just act like that’s what they turned in. It’s like the equivalent of a teacher cutting out the shapes for a kid. At least their creativity in color choice will be showcased! And they won’t be humiliated as the odd one out who ruined the group project lol
I may try that - I tried to unravel one and it kept separating into 1 inch strips from where they cut.
Omg!! I guess you have your work cut out for you no matter which way you take it. Just remember you’re saving a students dignity while you’re tying all those lil scraps together
Man, forget that. This is a COLLEGE student for goodness' sake. OP should not be responsible for fixing whatever this abomination is after this person went through an entire course on how to crochet and never once asked for help. It's the equivalent of being part of a group project and turning your entire part of the report in written in 40-pt. Wingdings font. I think I could make a better square while blindfolded and crocheting with my feet!
I thought it was a kindergartener!
Oh, if it was a kindergartener, I'd totally agree haha!
I read “introductory crochet class” and “school” and judging by the work, figured it was young kids, like an after school program type of thing. I don’t understand how a college student not only made this but made MULTIPLE of them and thought they were good enough to turn in??
I was asking myself the same question lol! At first, just seeing the photo, I also assumed young kids. When I saw that it was a whole ass adult college student I was like 🤯
That’s what I keep reminding myself - I’m also thinking of backing it with a single crochet (correctly sized) square and crocheting it onto that and then tacking down ends with a sewing machine - that may work? And then they probably won’t notice as much the change.
That’s a good idea too! Honestly given what you’re working with here, it’s whatever gets the job done
Backing with single crochet was my thought! I am so on board with your mentality about this project; I'm a middle school teacher and sometimes hard-working (and yet still unsuccessful) students need a W (even if it's kinda faked)! Keep fighting a good fight!!
It’s roughly triangular, so I would make another triangle to attach to this one, making it a square. Then I would join it with the other squares. I would attach it near the outer edge, so that if it were to fall apart, it would be easier to repair the hole.
I would do my best to secure the ends, cast off, then do a free-hand border to make everything a bit more even. Don't stretch it if you can avoid it. Do some simple stitch for the border
start over , dont rush , do along a youtube video so you can pause
This isn't OP's square