Thanks for the tips and hacks. Started my 1000 jigsaw pieces 2 weeks ago, and still haven't completed. Just finished the border and few inside pieces. Might take more than a month. Enjoying every bit 😊
Great tips,Donnalouise and I agree with them. It's interesting to see how many techniques you describe I also used when building my first 1k puzzle (I'm not new to puzzles, I do them often with kids but they are under 100 pieces with cartoon images where you don't need "advanced "strategies). And upside-down puzzle box just made this video even more interesting/fun to watch. ;) Cheers
I do find that after 2,000 pieces, it's tough to keep up with the sorting. I do enjoy a good 6,000 piece if the image is great. Have you watched my 2,000 piece Puzzle Along series with the lovely Novel Avenue puzzle??
Yes I have started watching it, thank you so much! I'm watching all of your videos. I'm not great with sorting, but you are inspiring me to keep working on it.
I would love to puzzle with you, especially those ravensburger puzzles you’ve mentioned (Novel Ave was by far my favorite puzzle so far and I have the If Fish Could Walk on my long standing wish list.) I watch ALL of your videos and look forward to each and every one but I REALLY loved your 15 tips in this video. It all makes so much sense when you talk it all out. Keep up these videos - they are great entertainment, fun, and informative!!
Honestly wondered what would be in this video. Been working towards bigger puzzles for a long time. Really enjoyed the video. Confirmed some ideas i had and gave me a few to try potentially. Great stuff ❤❤
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Im in the process of packing to move so i cant puzzle for a few weeks 😭 but after i want to do my first 1500,then 2k then 3k. Looking forward to trying some of these strategies.
12 minutes and 10 seconds. I was having a fun side game of wondering how long it would be until it was discovered that the box was upside down. I knew you would be the type of person who could take it well and have a good laugh, or you would have re-shot the video. Great tips.
🤣🤣I was so annoyed but was also like "nope, not refilming" - I'm good at having a laugh at myself. I try to do minimal editing and flashy inserts to just keep my videos more minimalistic and simple. That's my style with a bit (or a lot) of goofiness added. I can't believe it was that long though!! Hehehehe
Lots of great tips I did not know like repeating patterns! Best part was when you saw the box, glad you kept that in, it was fun. Thanks for the tutorial!
If you can't laugh at yourself, than what fun is there in life?? I use the repeat cut pattern a lot! It's so helpful on larger puzzles. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video it was really helpful! I’ve learned tons of other stuff recently too that I never realised before which can help speed up the time it takes to complete a section of sky etc. Not only are there pieces with a different number of outs and ins but each one of them pieces have two variations depending on which direction they fit into puzzle. Some are small and fat while others are longer and skinny. The small fat ones can only face left or right and the longer skinny ones can only face up or down. Sorting by piece shape this way eliminates another half of the pieces you need to test. I learned some of that from Karen Puzzles and a few other sources. I have tried and given up on the 9000 Bombardment of Algiers a number of times but now armed with the knowledge I’ve learned from you and others I’m going try again and hopefully complete it. Thank you for the love of puzzles ❤
Educa puzzle pieces definitely have a direction and I did determine that the large Grafika one kind of did as well. That's a great tip! I didn't notice a piece direction for the larger Ravenburger or Clementoni ones. 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles The bombardment of Algiers is Ravensburger and it has the pieces shaped like that it’s especially noticeable with the 3 prong pieces that I’m so surprised I never noticed it myself until I heard about it. I’m sorting each piece shape into two different sections and then by colour, texture etc and place them on poster board. Most of this 9000 jigsaw is similar colour - just water and sky which is why I gave up. Hopefully with all these new strategies it will be easier.
A most useful video for novices contemplating being challenged by larger puzzles; your explanations were very clear. We consider much of your video as applicable to smaller puzzles as well. Good stuff. Our latest was supposed to be an easy 1000 piece puzzle as a rest from our tough puzzles BUT the pieces were in the original unopened bag and totally different from the pic on the box: the box pic was square and had two black cats, the bag held many cats of different colours and together make a circular puzzle! So, a picture-less puzzle! Whoopee! Nowhere near the easy puzzle we expected... Have fun! ❤
@@fortheloveofpuzzles We wondered. It had been passed to us by a friend of a friend, so we have no solution to that conundrum. 🤪 Incidentally, the cut produced every piece unique in shape.
Like a lot of other people, we started puzzling again during Covid. We did a couple of 500- and 1000-piece puzzles and had so much fun we purchased a Ravensburger 2000 pc Seychelles puzzle. All was fine until we got to the greenery on the left and the sky. It's been almost three years of taking it out putting three or four pieces and putting it away. After watching your video, we have decided it's okay to take it apart and give it to somebody who may actually get it done. Thank you! And yes, we would love to do a puzzle along and add a FINISHED 2k piece puzzle to our done list.
This makes me so happy to read because, it's okay to stop a puzzle and pass it along. Someone else out there will enjoy it and, you enjoyed it as much as you could. I looked it up - looks quite tricky! I don't think even I would attempt it. I'm going to see what 2,000 pieces I have available to me here in NZ and put up a poll on my community tab for people to vote on which puzzle we should all do together. 💜
I already puzzle along with you. No worries on the box. Don't think any of us are looking for perfection... we are just her because of the Love!!! And there is a lot there.
Thank you!! I sat there for a minute thinking I would have to rerecord everything. At least you know what you are getting is authenticity with me! hehehehehe 💜
This video was wonderful especially the discussion on the repeat patterning and the perfect false fit. Yes, I would be interested in doing a puzzle along side.
Great video. The puzzle along series is a great idea. I don't have the space in my apartment to that size puzzle, but I will enjoy the series nonetheless.
Space is always an issue for any hobby really which is unfortunate. Would you be able to build a 2000 piece on a piece of thick foamboard and then store it away under a bed when not in use? 2000 pieces aren’t too much bigger. 💜🧩
@fortheloveofpuzzles This really sounds like a fun series. I want to try, so I just went out and purchased a tri-fold form board and ordered the puzzle from Amazon. I'll figure out the rest. Great activity for your puzzling community. Nervous and excited. Good luck to everyone🧩🧩
@@simplydee4522 Which puzzle did you order? Because I put up a poll on the community tab and it looks like Novel Avenue will be the one we do for the first Puzzle Along. When I went back to look for If Fish Could Walk, it was sold out and I can't find it anywhere else, so I didn't list it as an option. But if you did order a different one, I'm sure you can follow along with whatever one does end up winning. 💜
@fortheloveofpuzzles Yes, that's the one that I purchased. I'll have time to order a different one if the results change. I'm sacrificing my dining room table due to small space in my apartment that makes moving room to room challenging.
Thanks for all the tips and strategies! I'm currently working on a 5000 piece puzzle of Jan van Haasteren (music store) which is very hard to do a good sorting because there are a lot of not distinctive pieces so my pile of miscellaneous pieces is almost a third of the puzzle. I did do a lot of sorting by colour.
I have yet to do a Jan van Haarsteren puzzle but it's on my to-do Wishlist. I think I would approach it like I did the 5000 piece Bizarre Town by Colin Thompson as it is such a busy image. I did a collaboration on that puzzle with Vicky which you may enjoy watching. Keep me posted on how you get on with your big puzzle. Thanks for watching and commenting.
This will cover a few topics. I am a casual puzzler. I basically build 1,000 piece puzzles at a relaxed pace. Puzzling helps me relax, slow down and focus. I checked the cost of Soonness Puzzles - $58 US Dollars. Too expensive. I have recently acquired two 2,000 piece puzzles - Cloudberries "Reflection" and Ravensburger (Demelsa Haughton) "Novel Avenue". I recently built Cloudberries 1,000 piece "Symmetry". I would be interested to see how you tackle "Novel Avenue". I am presently working on Cloudberries "Kitchen". I was recently gifted my first Bluekazoo puzzle - "Out West" (Alisa Lariushkina). I am on a wait list for "Meridian" and "Flower Pot" and hoping Bluekazoo restocks these puzzles soon. I do not intend to buy lots of puzzles, and in fact, once I acquire "Meridian" and "Flower Pot" from Bluekazoo, I may draw the line. I have about 45 puzzles, and that is enough for little ole me. I really enjoyed your review of Bluekazoo puzzles. Exceedingly high quality puzzles and not overpriced. Their premium puzzles are going for $32.00 US Dollars. I am enjoying the Cloudberries Small Batch series of puzzles, also. Have you ever built one of those puzzles? I have a few Art & Fable puzzles, also. Wish the piece cut was thicker, however. New Zealand is a long way away from the American Desert Southwest. It is very hot here at the moment - a good time for puzzling. Keep up the good work with your You Tube Channel. Thanks for contributing to the puzzling community.
Cloudberries Small Batch series of puzzles - I'm not sure if I have or not as not certain which ones are from their small batch series. I did just do Daydream. I have a video series on building Novel Avenue - loved it!! It is down at the jigsaw puzzle display now. Thank you so much for watching and commenting - I really appreciate it.
Great tips!!!! I did a 2000 pc puzzle once, and it took me a month!! I only kept going because I liked the image. And AMEN to your last life lesson. I've stopped puzzles I didnt enjoy because of the quality or just because I was done wanting to do it. I have some friends who cant understand it. If you start it, you HAVE to finish it. That sounds like work to me!! 😄 I enjoy puzzling and can work thru a challenge, but if I start to hate it, depending on how far I'm into it, I will put it back in the box and take it to the local puzzle swap. Also your expression when you realized the box was upside down was priceless!!!
Bravo on you for not forcing yourself to continue with the puzzle that you don't enjoy. Same with books, if I start reading one and am not into it, I don't finish it. That upside-down box did give me an idea for my next video though! 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Totally agree on the books as well!!! I give them a chance, but after awhile, I move on!! OOOHHh cant wait to see what that idea is!!
Did you ever end up doing a puzzle with me series? I just got back into puzzling in Nov 2024 and I think that sounds really fun. I have been loving the world of jigsaw puzzles with RUclips content. I never knew it existed.
I did do Puzzle Along series - one with Novel Avenue 2000 pieces and another with Dream Library with a pick-and-place (or build-as-you-sort). You can find the videos here on my channel. I am planning on doing another such series soon. I'm glad you found so much puzzle content to enjoy! Thanks for watching and commenting. 💜🧩
Building a small distinctive section of the puzzle during the sorting process is a really good tip. Thanks for sharing. :) My dream puzzle is the Educa 24000 Life but I have bought a 1500-piece Educa to try the brand out. The fitting is very, very loose.
The Educa Life puzzle does look like a lot of fun but honestly, I just cannot recommend the brand. The loose fits are doing my head in with my 42,000 Around The World. I should have tried a smaller one of their puzzles first. 💜
I just started the Educa 24k Life puzzle. Never planned to do a huge puzzle, but it was for sale, brand new, for $100, so how could I pass it up? I am documenting the process. Largest one I've done up until now is 3000 Heye Trafalgar. I don't plan on doing any more large ones, but if I really like the image, I could be persuaded. This is a great video. I do my primary sort by looking at every piece, but only pulling out the ones that strike me as identifiable in some way, usually 3 or 4 separate ideas or textures, and I work on those sections until I get stuck, then I go back to the rest of the puzzle and sort again with some other ideas or textures and work on those. I have never tried to be fast, so I'm not. My main reason for puzzling is just to enjoy the puzzle, so if I ever get to a point where I'm not enjoying it, I will either take a break and do another puzzle, or just work on a different section, or simply stop for the day and pick it up again another day.
I hope you enjoy the Educa 24k Life Puzzle - it look quite nice. Keep me posted on your progress. Sounds like you have a very good and run puzzling strategy.
Thanks for all that information. I have 4 2000 piece puzzles and 1 3000 piece puzzle mocking me on my shelf 😂. I will do them, but I am waiting two months until my son moves his stuff out of his bedroom and I get a bigger puzzling space! I think the puzzle alongs sound very fun!
I had to laugh when I read "mocking me" or are they taunting you to do them??? I'd say start with the 3k first once you have the space. I also think it would be fun to do a puzzle along together. 💜
I really love the idea of a puzzle along series! ❤️ I've done a 2000 piece puzzle once, but it took me 31 hours... 😅 Very helpful tips here, thank you so much! ❤️
31 hours sounds really fast. It typically takes me 12-15 hours to do a 1000. I've never done a 2000, but my guess is it would take me at least 4 times the 1000, or 48-60 hours.
@@davidho2977 Thank you David. 🙂 Yes you are right, double amount of pieces doesn't necessarily mean double amount of time - it can be triple or more! 500 piece puzzles are my own favourites (to do fast). 😁❤️
Hi Donnalouise, this is BY FAR the BEST video for tackling larger puzzle sizes. We only started in March on the hobby and we are hooked. Thank you for posting this video it helps tackling our 1500 puzzle much easier and more enjoyable. Happy puzzling 👍😎😃
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Hi Donnalouise it’s the Clementoni ‘The Pirate Ship’ puzzle 1500 pieces. The artwork we find is excellent but challenging so with your approach, we can try it.
That was an interesting video on how to do large piece puzzles. All your tips would work for any size puzzle, it's whatever works for you. I've several times started a puzzle and then found I'm not enjoying it so back in the box it goes and move on to the next. Quite a few times I have turned a puzzle upside down to make it easier to access the top and turned the box image upside down as well. I did that tactic recently with the Flying Scotsman at King's Cross by Falcon. 🚂
That's a trick I need to remember for speed puzzling. When I just have the sky left and so the image won't be that useful anyways, turn the puzzle so that the area I'm working on is closest to me. 💜
Recently I tried a puzzle rental subscription. I discovered I didn't really like any of the puzzles I chose. Apparently I'd rather re-do an old puzzle than do a new puzzle I don't care about. I'm canceling my subscription and making do with less new puzzles but puzzles I like and enjoy. Sure, do those teaching videos. The more I learn, the more I can enjoy puzzling. SUGGESTION: Do the 1500 piece "Written in the Stars" by Buffalo. (Not the 1,000 piece) The trees are a BIG challenge. Thanks for you video!
That's a lovely Buffalo puzzle but unfortunately, I've not been able to find that brand readily for sale in New Zealand. I think someone has a puzzle subscription here in NZ but, I don't think it's the kind of thing I would sign up to either. I'm too picky about my puzzles. Good idea in general but perhaps not for me either. 💜
Ah thank you!! I think it would be a fun series and helpful for those who want to do bigger puzzles but are a bit nervous not knowing where to start. 💜🧩
Thank you so much for this video... very informative.. at this point I am not ready to move past 1000 piece count puzzles but yes i would be interested in "puzzle along with me" I feel I could still pick up helpful hints... and yes thank you for again giving us permission to not finish a puzzle without feeling guilty... I have a black cat one that I just had to put away it , like you said was not fun... Happy Puzzling
Pleased you enjoyed my video. And sticking with 1000 pieces is perfectly fine as long as you are having fun - that's what matters. I think 500 piece is my true happy size. No matter the image, I always feel like I can get through a 500 piece. I am not the best with animal fur so a black cat, would be so tricky for me also. 💜
Excellent video even upside down ! Glad I'm not the only that does stuff like that. I would like to try puzzling together. I looked up both the puzzles you mentioned and they have really cute images ! I think I like the novel avenue one just a smidge more :)
I do like that Novel Avenue more than the other one. Looks like a few people would be interested in a Puzzle Along series...hmmm I think it would be a lot of fun. 💜
Those are really great tips - all puzzlers should watch this TBH. I wouldn't have thought of all of them and maybe I don't follow all of them, but I do agree with all of them haha. Loved the moment when you noticed the box was upside down 🤣. Probably won't puzzle along but would still love to see the videos. And that Ravensburger fish puzzle you mentioned is so pretty. On my wishlist now...hope it goes on sale soon lol.
There are probably some other tips that I forgot to mention but I do hope I covered most of the bases. I don't always apply them all with every puzzle - depends on size and image. Glad you enjoy! 💜
Thanks so much for these tips. I'd love to follow along with you. I didn't know the Cinderella Shoe Method was a "thing". I will do that sometimes when I get stalled. I'm working on one now that I have considered quitting several times. Then I put in a bunch of pieces and I get motivated again. I haven't reached the point where I think " I'm so over this." LOL
I wish I remember the person who commented and gave me the term Cinderella Shoe…I honestly can’t remember. It’s a great method though. Good luck with your puzzle. I hope that you don’t get to the point that you are over it, but if you do, it’s okay - if it’s no longer fun, pick it up and do a different puzzle. 💜🧩
At the beginning on my puzzling journey I did few 1000 puzzles with simple images, and then bought 6000 Sistine chapel, which, even though was divided into 2 3000 pieces bags, drove me nuts. Lesson learned ;-) Watching those tips brought me back to memories when I felt so irritated and frustrated about puzzles, which were not the right fit for me (finished them though! :D). And I soo agree with doing the research, checking the size, shape, quality of the puzzles as it makes huge difference. I also really like what you said about puzzling being source of fun - even recently I quit doing 2000 pieces that felt like obligation to finish, not a joy at all (and I did it without the feeling of failure - cause it should be about enjoyment and fun). Hugs :-)
Exactly! Puzzling is for fun and if you are not having fun, pick it up and do another! I do feel disappointed when I buy a puzzle that I think I'll enjoy but then I don't. But I think we've all done that. Thanks for watching and commenting. 💜
I Love your advice in this video. Starting different piece counts is the best idea. I have a son and he destroyed puzzles I had stored under my bed. So I left home. It's going to be a job to sort through the all those pieces.
Just a thought with regard to cardstock or paper, I found a pack of thin chipboard that is A4 size and 25 to a pack that I use as it is sturdier and it was actually quite reasonably priced and won't have to keep being replaced.
Great advice! However, I absolutely hate sorting. When completing the Karen Puzzle's 3000 piece "Puzzles on Puzzles", I chose to go through all the pieces and sort out one color (red) initially. I am so much faster sorting out just one color from the pieces. It also gave me a chance to see how all the pieces looked. I completed this color, and then sorted out a second color.
I use to just also sort like one colour or one texture at a time. But now I kind of enjoy the feeling of fully sorting a puzzle from the start. Although, I think 2k is my limit. Sorting 6k pieces at once is A LOT! and I tend to do over multiple sittings/days. Thanks for watching and commenting. 💜🧩
I love these tips as I have a few puzzles in the 2,000 and 3,000 pieces range. I wasn't sure how to go about sorting the pieces when I finally cracked them open. Thank you! ETA: I would love to see this series.
So helpful. Thank you. When we crack that 3,000 (after the killer Monet I'm currently doing) we will be sorting. Maybe not as granularly as you do, but we will at least do a gross sort. I will need to become a sorter...
Definitely as the piece count gets larger, some sorting needs to be done. But after the competition, I've gotten much better at the full flip for 500 pieces. 💜🧩
Thanks for the awesome tips! I've done one 6000 piece, my largest so far, and I want to do more. I especially like your tip about the border - I always do that first, but I think I'll follow your advice and do it later. Your discovery of the upside down box was priceless!
Glad you enjoyed the video! Someone commented that we could always build the border just to get an idea of size but them break it apart into smaller sections and set aside until needed. That's a great suggestion too! That box being upside-down gave me the idea for next Tuesday's video - so something good came of it hehehe 💜
Howdy D-L, yes the first thing we all noticed was box lid. We all laughed. Since my recent return to doing puzzles, I have been doing some of those techniques intuitively, others I have gleaned from watching your unboxing and sorting, ie. micro sorting and fitments as you go. I need to refine that even more. Now I’m gunna get some card stock, I’ve seen you use it, but I thought that with the 1k puzzles I do, I wouldn’t need it. I do. I tend to buy cheap puzzles, I am of Scottish heritage, being tight is part (most) of my DNA. Not anymore, missing pieces, crap card stock, so many false positives and blurred colour differentials. Now I am gunna spend nothing less than $10 on a puzzle. Love your work.
I know puzzles can be expensive and yes, you can find some perfect puzzles at second-hand shops. However, I would hate for someone to keep getting bad experiences from crappy puzzles. I think it's worth the money every so often to buy a new puzzle making sure it's an image that you will love building. The price of puzzles here in New Zealand is quite high - I'm lucky to get a new 500 piece for under $20. I do find that I get more bang for my buck on these larger piece count puzzles. 💜
Hi Donnalouise - I love the idea of the puzzle along series. I think that would be extremely helpful for a lot of people who maybe feel daunted by the 2000+ puzzles. I've done the Novel Avenue and really enjoyed that one.
Yes to a puzzle-a-long series! The largest I've done so far is one 1500 piece one of Krakow Poland. I took this week off and will be attempting the 3000 piece Ravensburger one by Karen Puzzles. I'll keep those tips in mind!!
You’ll have to check out the puzzle along I did with the 2000 piece Ravensburger Novel Avenue jigsaw puzzle - loved it!! Enjoy your puzzle and let me know how you get on with it. 💜🧩
I would love for you to do a series of videos showing the strategies. I probably wouldn't do the puzzle with you, but use your tips on my puzzle. I love learning how others approach puzzles. Sorting - I need help learning how to sort. I currently have a 3000 piece that I started sorting and then gave up. I wasn't able to tell what the pieces were. I was putting more than half the pieces in a misc pile. The picture is blown up in larger puzzles and it's harder to recognize what the pieces are, at least for me.
@@fortheloveofpuzzles It's Ravensburger Tigers in Paradise. I was trying to sort: yellow flowers, purple flowers, tigers, lake, water falls, sky, rocks, green - plants grass etc. Some was easy to pick out but hundreds and hundreds of pieces, I have no idea what they are.
@@Dexter-ns4of I looked up the image and I think it would tricky. So I suggest you sort out as best as you can the very distinct items and maybe just make two bigger piles of the greens and purples that you couldn't figure out. Then once you've done the easier bits, see if you can sub-sort those bigger piles and go from there. But if you are not enjoying the puzzle at that point, it's okay to move onto something else. 💜
It can but a bit tricky to figure out on your own. Sometimes I ask in puzzle groups of anyone knows if a specific puzzle has a repeat cut pattern, or I Google it. Looking at the puzzle can help figure it out - I try to compare the pieces from the top right to the bottom left sometimes to see if they repeat. Dividing the puzzle into two or four equal sections and comparing pieces sometimes reveals the pattern. And most companies will use the same cut on their larger puzzles so if you have a specific 5k Ravensburger puzzle, if you find out that another of their 5k has a repeat cut pattern, most likely the one you have will have the same. Hope this helps. 💜🧩
I would love to see a series like that. I am interested in the fish could walk puzzle you mentioned. The only 2,000 piece puzzle I have so far attempted is the Ravensburger Disney Stamp Album. I’ve come a long way, but still have a long ways to go. It’s mostly been sitting on the board, I’ve barely touched it in the last couple months. I’ll get back to it, though, and when I do I will be sure to rewatch this video. I also recently bought the 2,000 piece Buffalo Games Beach Vacation from a used book store, so hoping it has all the pieces. That one looks not quite as difficult as the one I’m working on. My typical is 1,000 pieces, but I do like smaller piece count as well.
Oh that 2000 piece Ravensburger Disney Stamp Album looks pretty cool - not sure I'd seen it before. Hopefully maybe some of the tips that I shared might help you finish it. The Beach Vacation one might be pretty good to do as well, lots of colours and things to sort. Just remember to have fun and if you aren't, it's okay to put it away. 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles I saw the If fish could walk puzzle in a book store last week, and may or may not have just purchased it. 😂😂 I will save it for now in case you do the walk through series using it. Plus I need to finish the Disney Stamp Album puzzle first. And now I really need to stop buying puzzles for a while…
I would enjoy watching a puzzle with me type of series. :) Large piece count puzzles have always felt intimidating. My largest so far is 2k but I do 1k and 1.5k regularly. I have a couple 3k and even a 9k (that I may never do lol) but like you said, I'm working up to the larger counts. I have a hard time continuing a puzzle if I'm not regularly putting in pieces. If I can sit down and put several pieces in each time I sit to do it, I'm more likely to continue. I have been known to put a puzzle away to never do it again or even give it away all because I would sit there for ten minutes putting no pieces in. Large piece counts tend to give me the feeling that I will just be sitting there staring at it, which is why I haven't really attempted anything higher than a 2k piece count.
I completely understand the feeling - it can get discouraging to just sit and stare at a puzzle without really putting in any pieces. I think that is why I take so much time and effort to sort - then the building process tends to go a lot faster. And it's perfectly fine to not finish a puzzle and pick it up. Better to move onto another that you will enjoy building. 💜
Thanks for your video! I’m new to puzzling and most of your tips can be applied to smaller-count puzzles as well. Yes, I would like to see you do a puzzle from the very beginning. I like your on-screen presence. =Jeff Mines=
The videos for the first Puzzle Along series are up and there for your viewing. I did the 2,000 piece Novel Avenue from Ravensburger from start to end. It was so much fun! So many have done it also - some for which it was their first 2,000 piece puzzle. Thanks for watching and commenting! 💜🧩
I think you can combine the tips 10 and 12 so that if you really want to build the edges, to see the size of the puzzle, you can do that, then break it in parts (like maybe 20 pieces?), put the parts on a cardboard and when needed, slide those relevant parts in their final places. The puzzle along sounds like a great idea to me, you can do it all in one day, then keep releasing those videos, what, once a week.
Great idea for the border. I do think I have sometimes built the border and just not put it into place until needed. I would probably try to release the Puzzle Along videos every 3 days maybe to keep people motivated to do the puzzle. I realise everyone would puzzle at a different pace. I'm hoping there will be some interest in the comments showing if it is a series I should consider doing or not. 💜
Obrigada pelas dicas!! Eu estou sem condições de espaço para fazer quebra cabeças agora, então assistir seus vídeos compensam essa dificuldade. E quanto a tampa do quebra cabeça colocado ao contrário estava me deixando angustiada por não ter como te avisar!!! Mas, no final, foi divertido, isso faz parte da espontaneidade de seus vídeos. Abraços e fica bem. Ah! Sejam quais forem as suas opções de vídeos, estarei sempre assistindo com muita satisfação!!
Oh, aquela caixa de cabeça para baixo me deixou louco! Eu considerei seriamente refilmar a coisa toda - mas não o fiz. Isso me deu a ideia para o meu próximo vídeo. 💜
Great tips! I would love to join a puzzle-along if you go with that idea! You've given me the idea to try and see if that Grafika 6000 has a repeated cut, could be a game-changer there! I'll send you a progress photo sometime this weekend.
I never even thought about the Vintage Travel but I bet it does have a repeat cut! I would assume that it does though. I can't wait to see how you are getting on with it. 💜
1-- I use flat supermarket boxes for sorting, the kind that canned goods comes in. They're free and I can get as many as I want. 2-- I use a metal spatula to move small built areas onto the main board.
A lot of my puzzles I tape/glue/frame and display up on the walls of my home. I currently have a big jigsaw puzzle display on in town at which many of my puzzles are for public viewing. Some I break down and sale/trade/donate. It all depends on the image and how attached I am to the puzzle. 💜
I would love to puzzle along with you!! 💕💕💕💕💕💕 I have done 1000 piece puzzles and even 1 1200 piece Pintoo puzzle but I don't count that because it was in 4 bags and I kept them separate. I have a 1500 piece puzzle waiting for me. It is the 99 cats puzzle by Ravensburger. I am greatly looking forward to the challenge. Especially since Ravensburger doesn't include posters and I am already aware there is an issue where the image on the box doesn't exactly match the final puzzle so it is going to be a very interesting challenge. I think after that, I would be ready to puzzle along a 2000 piece puzzle. I would love to do the 3000 and 6000 piece versions of an astrology puzzle that Ravensburger has released but don't know when/if I will be up to that. I find puzzling most fun for me if I pick easy images where I don't have to struggle to put in each piece. I know that solid colored puzzles were not made for my enjoyment, lol. I also like taking my time and puzzle at a snail pace, soaking up all the fun. I love that we have the same philosophy about puzzling: You should puzzle what makes you happy and put it together the way that makes you happiest. You are right, it is all for the love of puzzles.
Personally, the 1,200 counts - you can always say "I did a 1,200 piece puzzle that came in 4 bags of 300 pieces each." So don't discount your achievement - you did a 1,200 piece jigsaw puzzle. I'm familiar with the 99 cats puzzle - that looks so tricky! Let me know how you get on with it. And exactly - puzzling is to be fun and enjoyable, so do what you want, as much as you want and they way you want! 💜
I love larger puzzles because if I get tired of a section I can move to a different section. I used up to 8 poster sheets so I can rotate the sheets. Once sections are done I place them on the floor on a new poster sheet.
That's a great solution to work on smaller sections at a time. I wish more people who don't think they have enough room would try this. Big puzzles can be a real joy to build. 💜🧩
@fortheloveofpuzzles that's tremendous. I'd probably still doing this way in sections just so I have a surface to eat on, but would be easier to glue and take videos of the progress
Which Bluebird puzzle is it and how many pieces? It'll most likely have a repeat cut pattern which once you figure out, you can use to your advantage. Bluebird is a sister company to Grafika - I really want to do a Bluebird puzzle someday soon. 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles It is Life is an open Book Paris, 4000 pieces👍👍I have looked for the repeat pattern, but I haven't found it yet🤔 It is a lovely puzzle
@@katejordanlarsen438 What a beautiful puzzle!!! Totally my style of puzzle. If I had to guess, a line down the middle and two repeat cuts of 2,000 pieces each, perhaps rotated. So like the maybe the bottom-right corner matches up with the top-left corner. And often is there is a repeat cut, the pieces along the division or seam, have differently shaped prongs. Hope this helps! 💜
One great example I want to raise about the perfect false fits is that if you try to do that Downtown puzzle so that you start with edges, I can basically guarantee an array of perfect false fits there. There's something like 20-25 sets of four edge pieces that are _exactly_ the same shape, all of them in top/bottom rows. The picture from top/bottom is basically nothing but blue (sky/water), so good luck with selecting the right one of the four options on every single try on your first go. So yeah, totally agreed with Donnalouise, I just wanted to give a concrete example.
Time to return to this video. As I told you, I sent the Disney Gala 6000 to my sister and then got kind of a feeling, that I guess I need to top my sister in this, went to a store today and... Now I have Disney Orchestra 13200 waiting for me to finish this Downtown you actually have in this very video too :) "Go in slow increments" 0 -> 6000 -> 13200... I guess I didn't take that advice then :D
What's the brand and name of the puzzle??? I'm so curious! But I do think 25 years is long enough - pull it out and decide if you want to do it or not. If not, I'm sure someone will want to buy it. 💜🧩
@fortheloveofpuzzles it's Ravensburger an old world map. Peter van den keere? Not sure about spelling. I bought it in 1999. I want to finish it. Life got in the way (kids and military career), but I am an empty-nester now. I'll have to make room to work on it. Thanks for replying! I didn't expect that on an older video. :-).
Thank you for the tips, and don't worry about the upside down box (I thought it was on purpose 😅) Interestingly, once I get to the solid parts, I don't look for specific piece. Instead, I'm taking one puzzle piece at a time, and I look for a space it could fit. If I don't find any, it goes to the second pile. I usually try to figure, which piece shape has the most potential fits, and I focus on that. Usually one in every three or four pieces finds a spot this way. I find it way less frustrating, than looking for one piece which will fit in that one spot.
That upside-down box gave me my idea for my next video - so some positive!! 😂😂 If ever I designed a puzzle, I promise to never include large areas of solid colours! 💜🧩
I would love to puzzle along with you on a 2000 piece puzzle! The largest piece count I’ve done so far is 1500 and I enjoyed them. I’m new to your channel so I’m not yet familiar with it, but I really like this video and will see what else you’ve done videos on. 😀
I did the Novel Avenue 2,000 puzzle along and it was so much fun! That video series is up and if you can get a copy of the puzzle, I think you would really enjoy it. Thank you for watching and commenting. 💜🧩
I haven't put together a puzzle in years and got given a round thousand piece puzzle it has letters on the pieces so ive sorted it but ive been told to start on the outside
My favourite design for a jigsaw is the old map with the elaborate designs round edge. Biggest one ive got is only a waddingtons 1250, but would love to do a larger 1500 or 2000
I love maps!!! I normally would have my 5,000 piece Ravensburger Antique World Map in my background but it is at my puzzle display. You can see it in many of my earlier videos.
🙃🙃 I can’t believe I didn’t notice sooner. I’m sure glad that I eventually did, I would have felt sillier if I hadn’t! I’ll put up a poll for the Puzzle Along to get everyone’s input as to which puzzle we should do together. 💜🧩
Not a lot of experience beyond 2000 pieces but I generally love panoramic images. Just because there is less reaching to the other side and as the puzzle is shorter in a vertical sense there is usually less glare. So if I can I choose panoramas :)
I have yet to do a panoramic puzzle - on my list to do, I just haven't found one that I really easily buy here and that I will really enjoy. I like the idea of not having to reach too far. 💜
I just stopped doing one today. The pieces were very loose and every moment they slide around and I just was not having it. So, I boxed it all back up and put it in my donate pile. I have no issues putting them away if I'm not enjoying it. Life is too short and puzzling should be fun and relaxing.
Totally agree!!! I promised myself that I would never force myself to finish a jigsaw puzzle if I'm not enjoying it. Too many great brands and images out there to waste my time. 💜🧩
I like your channel but, in this video, I find a serious flaw in logic. Among others you make these points: 1. There are relatively few manufacturers of large count puzzles so choices a limited. 2. Educa puzzles are loose fit, "crumbly" and hard to move sections around. Stay away from Educa is the strong implication. 3. Build sections on cardstock. Point number 2 greatly exacerbates point number 1 and limits our options enormously. Point number 3 is in fact, the solution to point number 2, puts Educa back on the table and greatly softens the blow of point number 1. To put finer detail on point number 3, cut the cardstock to fit a foam board and build sections on the cardstock on the foam board.
I have tried using cardstock and foamboard with Educa puzzles and they are just so crumbly that I can't easily move sections into place. I am having so much trouble with the 42k Around The World - love the image, not enjoying the pieces. I know I will love it once done but am not finding using cardstock helpful all that much. 💜🧩
I like the first strategy tip "have the picture upside down". I think it really does affect the speed. I also love the Cinderella shoe method, although for me it is just the explanation of why I lose most of my pieces around midnight.
A lot of puzzles from 2,000 pieces and up use a repeat cut pattern. Or if the puzzle is packaged in multiple signs, that’s another good indication. It’s pretty common thing in larger count puzzles. To figure out though, you can ask someone who has already done the puzzle and if they noticed a repeat pattern or not, you can study the pieces and see if things repeat every 10 or 20 pieces, you can perhaps even ask the manufacturer. But there is no specific way to figure it out on your own besides noticing it and counting pieces, looking to see if the pattern is upside down from top to bottom, stuff like that. 💜🧩
Lol, I thought at first one of your tips was going to be, get used to puzzling from all angles. If you view the puzzle from upside-down, view the box upside-down. Which maybe is helpful for big puzzling? 😅
I just recently starting using that technique - puzzling upside-down then turn the box upside-down. I don't know why I never thought of that before!! With all the speed puzzling that I've been doing, that's when this was brought to my attention. It's a great tip though and if ever I do an update strategies video, I would definitely add it in. 💜🧩
Your puzzle is beautiful as is your logic. Speaking at 100 words a minute (my estimate ) your video contains 3k words. 6k is a huge number.Do I want to fully sort and make six thousand decisions ? No way. But if I had your energy and motivation I know success means hanging on your every word !
I showed my husband your upside down Downtown box and he said "that's that one over there". I said, yes, and pointed out that my box is also upside down.
It can get overwhelming when the piece count gets up there. The largest I've done in one single bag is 6,000. I think that is my limit but I much prefer a lot less. 💜🧩
What puzzle are you doing? You may also want to watch the Puzzle Along 2000 series that is now all up and available for viewing. We build "Novel Avenue" 2,000 pieces from Ravensburger over three videos. Might have some extra tips to help you out in those videos as well. Good luck and have fun!
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Oh, I do to, but I've gone that high 3-4 times and it's not fun. It becomes laborious and job-like - I loose the fun element, if the jigsaw gets more than 1000. Even 1500 are often tedious and I've done a few more of those. Not to mention, that my biggest board only has room for 3000 pieces and takes up , what feels like, 25% of my living room. In my 200+ puzzle collection only 4 has more than 1000 pieces. Kinda says it all I think. I'll watch the videos anyway 👍🏻
I don’t have children so no, the thought of kids messing with the puzzle never crossed my mind. I mostly hear of cats being the culprits that destroy puzzles. Luckily my pups don’t bother with my puzzles. I am sure there are plenty of people out that there that are avid puzzlers and also have kids. 💜🧩
@@fortheloveofpuzzles sorry I had to edit the comment lol. I hope you still agree. The first thing I do with big puzzles is mix the bags instantly haha. Or else I can’t say in good faith I did a “24000 piece puzzle”
Ah no sorry, I don't agree. There is no such thing as cheating in puzzling - if you are having fun, then you are doing it correctly. It's okay to do a 24,000 piece puzzle and say that it was in X number of bags with X number of pieces each. One still did a 24,000 piece puzzle. Mixing the bags does not make one a more esteemed puzzler in my opinion and I don't understand why some of those who do mix the bag feel that they are somehow better than those who don't. (NOTE that I wrote "some" as not all puzzlers who mix bags act this way.) 💜🧩
@@fortheloveofpuzzles gottcha. I guess better way to phrase it for large puzzle with bags is to “choose your own difficulty” Doing separate bags is puzzling on easy mode Mixing the bags is puzzling on hard mode Same puzzle, but very different challenge
Would you like a Puzzle Along series in which we build a 2,000 piece (to start) together? Thanks so much for watching! Please consider subscribing
The biggest piece puzzle I've heard of is 60k.
@@russell5078084 A yes, the Dowdle jigsaw puzzle. I do wonder if there will soon be a new release of an even bigger puzzle by some other brand.
Thanks for the tips and hacks. Started my 1000 jigsaw pieces 2 weeks ago, and still haven't completed. Just finished the border and few inside pieces. Might take more than a month. Enjoying every bit 😊
Glad you enjoyed the video. Which puzzle are you doing? Brand & Name of Puzzle?
The way I cackled when you finally saw the box upside down! 😂😂😂
Love it!
Thanks for this tips video. I'm feeling more confident to go above 3,000 now
I wonder if there are some nice 4,000 piece puzzles out there?? If you do decide to go bigger, let me know which puzzle you chose. 💜
I think a puzzle along series is a great idea. I definitely would puzzle along! Great tips Donnalouise 😊
Awesome! It looks like there are a few people interested so it might be something to do in the near future! 💜
Great tips,Donnalouise and I agree with them. It's interesting to see how many techniques you describe I also used when building my first 1k puzzle (I'm not new to puzzles, I do them often with kids but they are under 100 pieces with cartoon images where you don't need "advanced "strategies).
And upside-down puzzle box just made this video even more interesting/fun to watch. ;) Cheers
Glad you enjoyed the video - and the upside-down box - I'm a monkey at times! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Finally a tips video with some actual specifics instead of generic vague "tips" that are either obvious or not tips at all. Thank you. :)
You’re welcome! I’m so pleased that you found it helpful. 💜🧩
I love your authenticity 😂
The largest puzzle I have done is a 3000 piece. Loved it!
I do find that after 2,000 pieces, it's tough to keep up with the sorting. I do enjoy a good 6,000 piece if the image is great. Have you watched my 2,000 piece Puzzle Along series with the lovely Novel Avenue puzzle??
Yes I have started watching it, thank you so much! I'm watching all of your videos.
I'm not great with sorting, but you are inspiring me to keep working on it.
I would love to puzzle with you, especially those ravensburger puzzles you’ve mentioned (Novel Ave was by far my favorite puzzle so far and I have the If Fish Could Walk on my long standing wish list.)
I watch ALL of your videos and look forward to each and every one but I REALLY loved your 15 tips in this video. It all makes so much sense when you talk it all out.
Keep up these videos - they are great entertainment, fun, and informative!!
Thank you! I am excited for the Puzzle Along series as well. So pleased you you enjoy my videos. 💜🧩
Honestly wondered what would be in this video. Been working towards bigger puzzles for a long time. Really enjoyed the video. Confirmed some ideas i had and gave me a few to try potentially. Great stuff ❤❤
Glad you found it helpful! I'm about to crack open a 5k bag of pieces soon. I love big puzzles! 💜🧩
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Im in the process of packing to move so i cant puzzle for a few weeks 😭 but after i want to do my first 1500,then 2k then 3k. Looking forward to trying some of these strategies.
12 minutes and 10 seconds. I was having a fun side game of wondering how long it would be until it was discovered that the box was upside down. I knew you would be the type of person who could take it well and have a good laugh, or you would have re-shot the video. Great tips.
🤣🤣I was so annoyed but was also like "nope, not refilming" - I'm good at having a laugh at myself. I try to do minimal editing and flashy inserts to just keep my videos more minimalistic and simple. That's my style with a bit (or a lot) of goofiness added. I can't believe it was that long though!! Hehehehe
Lots of great tips I did not know like repeating patterns! Best part was when you saw the box, glad you kept that in, it was fun. Thanks for the tutorial!
If you can't laugh at yourself, than what fun is there in life?? I use the repeat cut pattern a lot! It's so helpful on larger puzzles. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video it was really helpful!
I’ve learned tons of other stuff recently too that I never realised before which can help speed up the time it takes to complete a section of sky etc.
Not only are there pieces with a different number of outs and ins but each one of them pieces have two variations depending on which direction they fit into puzzle. Some are small and fat while others are longer and skinny.
The small fat ones can only face left or right and the longer skinny ones can only face up or down. Sorting by piece shape this way eliminates another half of the pieces you need to test.
I learned some of that from Karen Puzzles and a few other sources. I have tried and given up on the 9000 Bombardment of Algiers a number of times but now armed with the knowledge I’ve learned from you and others I’m going try again and hopefully complete it.
Thank you for the love of puzzles ❤
Educa puzzle pieces definitely have a direction and I did determine that the large Grafika one kind of did as well. That's a great tip! I didn't notice a piece direction for the larger Ravenburger or Clementoni ones. 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles The bombardment of Algiers is Ravensburger and it has the pieces shaped like that it’s especially noticeable with the 3 prong pieces that I’m so surprised I never noticed it myself until I heard about it. I’m sorting each piece shape into two different sections and then by colour, texture etc and place them on poster board. Most of this 9000 jigsaw is similar colour - just water and sky which is why I gave up. Hopefully with all these new strategies it will be easier.
A most useful video for novices contemplating being challenged by larger puzzles; your explanations were very clear. We consider much of your video as applicable to smaller puzzles as well. Good stuff. Our latest was supposed to be an easy 1000 piece puzzle as a rest from our tough puzzles BUT the pieces were in the original unopened bag and totally different from the pic on the box: the box pic was square and had two black cats, the bag held many cats of different colours and together make a circular puzzle! So, a picture-less puzzle! Whoopee! Nowhere near the easy puzzle we expected... Have fun! ❤
Thank you! Was the puzzle suppose to be different from the image, or is there a manufacturing mistake somewhere?? 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles We wondered. It had been passed to us by a friend of a friend, so we have no solution to that conundrum. 🤪 Incidentally, the cut produced every piece unique in shape.
Like a lot of other people, we started puzzling again during Covid. We did a couple of 500- and 1000-piece puzzles and had so much fun we purchased a Ravensburger 2000 pc Seychelles puzzle. All was fine until we got to the greenery on the left and the sky. It's been almost three years of taking it out putting three or four pieces and putting it away. After watching your video, we have decided it's okay to take it apart and give it to somebody who may actually get it done. Thank you!
And yes, we would love to do a puzzle along and add a FINISHED 2k piece puzzle to our done list.
This makes me so happy to read because, it's okay to stop a puzzle and pass it along. Someone else out there will enjoy it and, you enjoyed it as much as you could. I looked it up - looks quite tricky! I don't think even I would attempt it. I'm going to see what 2,000 pieces I have available to me here in NZ and put up a poll on my community tab for people to vote on which puzzle we should all do together. 💜
I already puzzle along with you. No worries on the box. Don't think any of us are looking for perfection... we are just her because of the Love!!! And there is a lot there.
Thank you!! I sat there for a minute thinking I would have to rerecord everything. At least you know what you are getting is authenticity with me! hehehehehe 💜
This video was wonderful especially the discussion on the repeat patterning and the perfect false fit. Yes, I would be interested in doing a puzzle along side.
Glad you enjoyed it! And that you would be interested in the Puzzle Along series. 💜
Great video. The puzzle along series is a great idea. I don't have the space in my apartment to that size puzzle, but I will enjoy the series nonetheless.
Space is always an issue for any hobby really which is unfortunate. Would you be able to build a 2000 piece on a piece of thick foamboard and then store it away under a bed when not in use? 2000 pieces aren’t too much bigger. 💜🧩
@fortheloveofpuzzles This really sounds like a fun series. I want to try, so I just went out and purchased a tri-fold form board and ordered the puzzle from Amazon. I'll figure out the rest. Great activity for your puzzling community. Nervous and excited. Good luck to everyone🧩🧩
@@simplydee4522 Which puzzle did you order? Because I put up a poll on the community tab and it looks like Novel Avenue will be the one we do for the first Puzzle Along. When I went back to look for If Fish Could Walk, it was sold out and I can't find it anywhere else, so I didn't list it as an option. But if you did order a different one, I'm sure you can follow along with whatever one does end up winning. 💜
@fortheloveofpuzzles Yes, that's the one that I purchased. I'll have time to order a different one if the results change. I'm sacrificing my dining room table due to small space in my apartment that makes moving room to room challenging.
Thanks for all the tips and strategies! I'm currently working on a 5000 piece puzzle of Jan van Haasteren (music store) which is very hard to do a good sorting because there are a lot of not distinctive pieces so my pile of miscellaneous pieces is almost a third of the puzzle. I did do a lot of sorting by colour.
I have yet to do a Jan van Haarsteren puzzle but it's on my to-do Wishlist. I think I would approach it like I did the 5000 piece Bizarre Town by Colin Thompson as it is such a busy image. I did a collaboration on that puzzle with Vicky which you may enjoy watching. Keep me posted on how you get on with your big puzzle. Thanks for watching and commenting.
This will cover a few topics. I am a casual puzzler. I basically build 1,000 piece puzzles at a relaxed pace. Puzzling helps me relax, slow down and focus. I checked the cost of Soonness Puzzles - $58 US Dollars. Too expensive. I have recently acquired two 2,000 piece puzzles - Cloudberries "Reflection" and Ravensburger (Demelsa Haughton) "Novel Avenue". I recently built Cloudberries 1,000 piece "Symmetry". I would be interested to see how you tackle "Novel Avenue". I am presently working on Cloudberries "Kitchen". I was recently gifted my first Bluekazoo puzzle - "Out West" (Alisa Lariushkina). I am on a wait list for "Meridian" and "Flower Pot" and hoping Bluekazoo restocks these puzzles soon. I do not intend to buy lots of puzzles, and in fact, once I acquire "Meridian" and "Flower Pot" from Bluekazoo, I may draw the line. I have about 45 puzzles, and that is enough for little ole me. I really enjoyed your review of Bluekazoo puzzles. Exceedingly high quality puzzles and not overpriced. Their premium puzzles are going for $32.00 US Dollars. I am enjoying the Cloudberries Small Batch series of puzzles, also. Have you ever built one of those puzzles? I have a few Art & Fable puzzles, also. Wish the piece cut was thicker, however. New Zealand is a long way away from the American Desert Southwest. It is very hot here at the moment - a good time for puzzling. Keep up the good work with your You Tube Channel. Thanks for contributing to the puzzling community.
Cloudberries Small Batch series of puzzles - I'm not sure if I have or not as not certain which ones are from their small batch series. I did just do Daydream. I have a video series on building Novel Avenue - loved it!! It is down at the jigsaw puzzle display now. Thank you so much for watching and commenting - I really appreciate it.
Great tips!!!! I did a 2000 pc puzzle once, and it took me a month!! I only kept going because I liked the image. And AMEN to your last life lesson. I've stopped puzzles I didnt enjoy because of the quality or just because I was done wanting to do it. I have some friends who cant understand it. If you start it, you HAVE to finish it. That sounds like work to me!! 😄 I enjoy puzzling and can work thru a challenge, but if I start to hate it, depending on how far I'm into it, I will put it back in the box and take it to the local puzzle swap.
Also your expression when you realized the box was upside down was priceless!!!
Bravo on you for not forcing yourself to continue with the puzzle that you don't enjoy. Same with books, if I start reading one and am not into it, I don't finish it. That upside-down box did give me an idea for my next video though! 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Totally agree on the books as well!!! I give them a chance, but after awhile, I move on!! OOOHHh cant wait to see what that idea is!!
Did you ever end up doing a puzzle with me series? I just got back into puzzling in Nov 2024 and I think that sounds really fun. I have been loving the world of jigsaw puzzles with RUclips content. I never knew it existed.
I did do Puzzle Along series - one with Novel Avenue 2000 pieces and another with Dream Library with a pick-and-place (or build-as-you-sort). You can find the videos here on my channel. I am planning on doing another such series soon. I'm glad you found so much puzzle content to enjoy! Thanks for watching and commenting. 💜🧩
Building a small distinctive section of the puzzle during the sorting process is a really good tip. Thanks for sharing. :) My dream puzzle is the Educa 24000 Life but I have bought a 1500-piece Educa to try the brand out. The fitting is very, very loose.
The Educa Life puzzle does look like a lot of fun but honestly, I just cannot recommend the brand. The loose fits are doing my head in with my 42,000 Around The World. I should have tried a smaller one of their puzzles first. 💜
I just started the Educa 24k Life puzzle. Never planned to do a huge puzzle, but it was for sale, brand new, for $100, so how could I pass it up? I am documenting the process. Largest one I've done up until now is 3000 Heye Trafalgar. I don't plan on doing any more large ones, but if I really like the image, I could be persuaded. This is a great video. I do my primary sort by looking at every piece, but only pulling out the ones that strike me as identifiable in some way, usually 3 or 4 separate ideas or textures, and I work on those sections until I get stuck, then I go back to the rest of the puzzle and sort again with some other ideas or textures and work on those. I have never tried to be fast, so I'm not. My main reason for puzzling is just to enjoy the puzzle, so if I ever get to a point where I'm not enjoying it, I will either take a break and do another puzzle, or just work on a different section, or simply stop for the day and pick it up again another day.
I hope you enjoy the Educa 24k Life Puzzle - it look quite nice. Keep me posted on your progress. Sounds like you have a very good and run puzzling strategy.
Thanks for all that information. I have 4 2000 piece puzzles and 1 3000 piece puzzle mocking me on my shelf 😂. I will do them, but I am waiting two months until my son moves his stuff out of his bedroom and I get a bigger puzzling space! I think the puzzle alongs sound very fun!
I had to laugh when I read "mocking me" or are they taunting you to do them??? I'd say start with the 3k first once you have the space. I also think it would be fun to do a puzzle along together. 💜
Thank you for this. You have some good advice.
Not that you need advice - you’re a pro at large puzzles! 💜🧩
I really love the idea of a puzzle along series! ❤️ I've done a 2000 piece puzzle once, but it took me 31 hours... 😅 Very helpful tips here, thank you so much! ❤️
Hopefully you’ll join in this puzzle along if you can find the puzzle we choose to buy. 💜🧩
31 hours sounds really fast. It typically takes me 12-15 hours to do a 1000. I've never done a 2000, but my guess is it would take me at least 4 times the 1000, or 48-60 hours.
@@davidho2977 Thank you David. 🙂 Yes you are right, double amount of pieces doesn't necessarily mean double amount of time - it can be triple or more! 500 piece puzzles are my own favourites (to do fast). 😁❤️
Hi Donnalouise, this is BY FAR the BEST video for tackling larger puzzle sizes. We only started in March on the hobby and we are hooked. Thank you for posting this video it helps tackling our 1500 puzzle much easier and more enjoyable. Happy puzzling 👍😎😃
So pleased you found this helpful and enjoyable. What's the 1500 piece you are both doing now? 💜🧩
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Hi Donnalouise it’s the Clementoni ‘The Pirate Ship’ puzzle 1500 pieces. The artwork we find is excellent but challenging so with your approach, we can try it.
That was an interesting video on how to do large piece puzzles. All your tips would work for any size puzzle, it's whatever works for you. I've several times started a puzzle and then found I'm not enjoying it so back in the box it goes and move on to the next. Quite a few times I have turned a puzzle upside down to make it easier to access the top and turned the box image upside down as well. I did that tactic recently with the Flying Scotsman at King's Cross by Falcon. 🚂
That's a trick I need to remember for speed puzzling. When I just have the sky left and so the image won't be that useful anyways, turn the puzzle so that the area I'm working on is closest to me. 💜
Recently I tried a puzzle rental subscription. I discovered I didn't really like any of the puzzles I chose. Apparently I'd rather re-do an old puzzle than do a new puzzle I don't care about. I'm canceling my subscription and making do with less new puzzles but puzzles I like and enjoy. Sure, do those teaching videos. The more I learn, the more I can enjoy puzzling. SUGGESTION: Do the 1500 piece "Written in the Stars" by Buffalo. (Not the 1,000 piece) The trees are a BIG challenge. Thanks for you video!
That's a lovely Buffalo puzzle but unfortunately, I've not been able to find that brand readily for sale in New Zealand. I think someone has a puzzle subscription here in NZ but, I don't think it's the kind of thing I would sign up to either. I'm too picky about my puzzles. Good idea in general but perhaps not for me either. 💜
I don’t think it matters what kind of puzzling videos you do, I will probably watch them 😊. But puzzling along does sound fun
Ah thank you!! I think it would be a fun series and helpful for those who want to do bigger puzzles but are a bit nervous not knowing where to start. 💜🧩
Really great video- Very informative. Thank you!
So pleased you enjoyed it! 💜
Thank you so much for this video... very informative.. at this point I am not ready to move past 1000 piece count puzzles but yes i would be interested in "puzzle along with me" I feel I could still pick up helpful hints... and yes thank you for again giving us permission to not finish a puzzle without feeling guilty... I have a black cat one that I just had to put away it , like you said was not fun... Happy Puzzling
Pleased you enjoyed my video. And sticking with 1000 pieces is perfectly fine as long as you are having fun - that's what matters. I think 500 piece is my true happy size. No matter the image, I always feel like I can get through a 500 piece. I am not the best with animal fur so a black cat, would be so tricky for me also. 💜
Great videos ! Thanks for this !
So pleased you enjoyed - thanks for watching and commenting! 💜🧩
Excellent video even upside down ! Glad I'm not the only that does stuff like that. I would like to try puzzling together. I looked up both the puzzles you mentioned and they have really cute images ! I think I like the novel avenue one just a smidge more :)
I do like that Novel Avenue more than the other one. Looks like a few people would be interested in a Puzzle Along series...hmmm I think it would be a lot of fun. 💜
Those are really great tips - all puzzlers should watch this TBH. I wouldn't have thought of all of them and maybe I don't follow all of them, but I do agree with all of them haha. Loved the moment when you noticed the box was upside down 🤣. Probably won't puzzle along but would still love to see the videos. And that Ravensburger fish puzzle you mentioned is so pretty. On my wishlist now...hope it goes on sale soon lol.
There are probably some other tips that I forgot to mention but I do hope I covered most of the bases. I don't always apply them all with every puzzle - depends on size and image. Glad you enjoy! 💜
Thanks so much for these tips. I'd love to follow along with you. I didn't know the Cinderella Shoe Method was a "thing". I will do that sometimes when I get stalled. I'm working on one now that I have considered quitting several times. Then I put in a bunch of pieces and I get motivated again. I haven't reached the point where I think " I'm so over this." LOL
I wish I remember the person who commented and gave me the term Cinderella Shoe…I honestly can’t remember. It’s a great method though. Good luck with your puzzle. I hope that you don’t get to the point that you are over it, but if you do, it’s okay - if it’s no longer fun, pick it up and do a different puzzle. 💜🧩
At the beginning on my puzzling journey I did few 1000 puzzles with simple images, and then bought 6000 Sistine chapel, which, even though was divided into 2 3000 pieces bags, drove me nuts. Lesson learned ;-) Watching those tips brought me back to memories when I felt so irritated and frustrated about puzzles, which were not the right fit for me (finished them though! :D). And I soo agree with doing the research, checking the size, shape, quality of the puzzles as it makes huge difference. I also really like what you said about puzzling being source of fun - even recently I quit doing 2000 pieces that felt like obligation to finish, not a joy at all (and I did it without the feeling of failure - cause it should be about enjoyment and fun). Hugs :-)
Exactly! Puzzling is for fun and if you are not having fun, pick it up and do another! I do feel disappointed when I buy a puzzle that I think I'll enjoy but then I don't. But I think we've all done that. Thanks for watching and commenting. 💜
I Love your advice in this video. Starting different piece counts is the best idea. I have a son and he destroyed puzzles I had stored under my bed. So I left home. It's going to be a job to sort through the all those pieces.
I do regret not trying out a smaller piece count from Educa before having bought the large 42,000 piece one. 💜🧩
My opinion try a smaller piece counts. Just for fun.
Just a thought with regard to cardstock or paper, I found a pack of thin chipboard that is A4 size and 25 to a pack that I use as it is sturdier and it was actually quite reasonably priced and won't have to keep being replaced.
Thin chipboard - that's smart. I'll have to keep an eye out for something like that.
Great advice! However, I absolutely hate sorting. When completing the Karen Puzzle's 3000 piece "Puzzles on Puzzles", I chose to go through all the pieces and sort out one color (red) initially. I am so much faster sorting out just one color from the pieces. It also gave me a chance to see how all the pieces looked. I completed this color, and then sorted out a second color.
I use to just also sort like one colour or one texture at a time. But now I kind of enjoy the feeling of fully sorting a puzzle from the start. Although, I think 2k is my limit. Sorting 6k pieces at once is A LOT! and I tend to do over multiple sittings/days. Thanks for watching and commenting. 💜🧩
I love these tips as I have a few puzzles in the 2,000 and 3,000 pieces range. I wasn't sure how to go about sorting the pieces when I finally cracked them open. Thank you!
ETA: I would love to see this series.
Hope my tips can help and you'll enjoy doing your bigger puzzles. 💜
So helpful. Thank you. When we crack that 3,000 (after the killer Monet I'm currently doing) we will be sorting. Maybe not as granularly as you do, but we will at least do a gross sort. I will need to become a sorter...
Definitely as the piece count gets larger, some sorting needs to be done. But after the competition, I've gotten much better at the full flip for 500 pieces. 💜🧩
Thanks for the awesome tips! I've done one 6000 piece, my largest so far, and I want to do more. I especially like your tip about the border - I always do that first, but I think I'll follow your advice and do it later. Your discovery of the upside down box was priceless!
Glad you enjoyed the video! Someone commented that we could always build the border just to get an idea of size but them break it apart into smaller sections and set aside until needed. That's a great suggestion too! That box being upside-down gave me the idea for next Tuesday's video - so something good came of it hehehe 💜
Howdy D-L, yes the first thing we all noticed was box lid. We all laughed. Since my recent return to doing puzzles, I have been doing some of those techniques intuitively, others I have gleaned from watching your unboxing and sorting, ie. micro sorting and fitments as you go. I need to refine that even more. Now I’m gunna get some card stock, I’ve seen you use it, but I thought that with the 1k puzzles I do, I wouldn’t need it. I do. I tend to buy cheap puzzles, I am of Scottish heritage, being tight is part (most) of my DNA. Not anymore, missing pieces, crap card stock, so many false positives and blurred colour differentials. Now I am gunna spend nothing less than $10 on a puzzle. Love your work.
I know puzzles can be expensive and yes, you can find some perfect puzzles at second-hand shops. However, I would hate for someone to keep getting bad experiences from crappy puzzles. I think it's worth the money every so often to buy a new puzzle making sure it's an image that you will love building. The price of puzzles here in New Zealand is quite high - I'm lucky to get a new 500 piece for under $20. I do find that I get more bang for my buck on these larger piece count puzzles. 💜
Hi Donnalouise - I love the idea of the puzzle along series. I think that would be extremely helpful for a lot of people who maybe feel daunted by the 2000+ puzzles. I've done the Novel Avenue and really enjoyed that one.
So many are excited about the Puzzle Along - I’m really pleased and can’t wait to start! 💜🧩
Yes to a puzzle-a-long series! The largest I've done so far is one 1500 piece one of Krakow Poland. I took this week off and will be attempting the 3000 piece Ravensburger one by Karen Puzzles. I'll keep those tips in mind!!
You’ll have to check out the puzzle along I did with the 2000 piece Ravensburger Novel Avenue jigsaw puzzle - loved it!! Enjoy your puzzle and let me know how you get on with it. 💜🧩
I would love for you to do a series of videos showing the strategies. I probably wouldn't do the puzzle with you, but use your tips on my puzzle. I love learning how others approach puzzles. Sorting - I need help learning how to sort. I currently have a 3000 piece that I started sorting and then gave up. I wasn't able to tell what the pieces were. I was putting more than half the pieces in a misc pile. The picture is blown up in larger puzzles and it's harder to recognize what the pieces are, at least for me.
What is the name/brand of the 3,000 piece puzzle that you have? I can look it up and see if I can provide any tips for you on how to sort it. 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles It's Ravensburger Tigers in Paradise. I was trying to sort: yellow flowers, purple flowers, tigers, lake, water falls, sky, rocks, green - plants grass etc. Some was easy to pick out but hundreds and hundreds of pieces, I have no idea what they are.
@@Dexter-ns4of I looked up the image and I think it would tricky. So I suggest you sort out as best as you can the very distinct items and maybe just make two bigger piles of the greens and purples that you couldn't figure out. Then once you've done the easier bits, see if you can sub-sort those bigger piles and go from there. But if you are not enjoying the puzzle at that point, it's okay to move onto something else. 💜
I don't mean to brag, but I put together a puzzle in 1 day and the box said 2-4 years..
😂😂😂😂😂😂💜🧩
:-D
Ha ha 🙄
Great video!
I just don't know how to know if it is a repeat cut?
It can but a bit tricky to figure out on your own. Sometimes I ask in puzzle groups of anyone knows if a specific puzzle has a repeat cut pattern, or I Google it. Looking at the puzzle can help figure it out - I try to compare the pieces from the top right to the bottom left sometimes to see if they repeat. Dividing the puzzle into two or four equal sections and comparing pieces sometimes reveals the pattern. And most companies will use the same cut on their larger puzzles so if you have a specific 5k Ravensburger puzzle, if you find out that another of their 5k has a repeat cut pattern, most likely the one you have will have the same. Hope this helps. 💜🧩
Brilliant video thank you , my next buy is the pirate battle 6000 clementoni 😅
Oh...that one looks beautiful but tricky. Have fun with it! 💜🧩
I would love to see a series like that. I am interested in the fish could walk puzzle you mentioned. The only 2,000 piece puzzle I have so far attempted is the Ravensburger Disney Stamp Album. I’ve come a long way, but still have a long ways to go. It’s mostly been sitting on the board, I’ve barely touched it in the last couple months. I’ll get back to it, though, and when I do I will be sure to rewatch this video.
I also recently bought the 2,000 piece Buffalo Games Beach Vacation from a used book store, so hoping it has all the pieces. That one looks not quite as difficult as the one I’m working on.
My typical is 1,000 pieces, but I do like smaller piece count as well.
Oh that 2000 piece Ravensburger Disney Stamp Album looks pretty cool - not sure I'd seen it before. Hopefully maybe some of the tips that I shared might help you finish it. The Beach Vacation one might be pretty good to do as well, lots of colours and things to sort. Just remember to have fun and if you aren't, it's okay to put it away. 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles I saw the If fish could walk puzzle in a book store last week, and may or may not have just purchased it. 😂😂 I will save it for now in case you do the walk through series using it. Plus I need to finish the Disney Stamp Album puzzle first. And now I really need to stop buying puzzles for a while…
Stop buying puzzles?! That’s like trying to stop breathing! It’s impossible! 🤣🤣🤣
I would enjoy watching a puzzle with me type of series. :) Large piece count puzzles have always felt intimidating. My largest so far is 2k but I do 1k and 1.5k regularly. I have a couple 3k and even a 9k (that I may never do lol) but like you said, I'm working up to the larger counts. I have a hard time continuing a puzzle if I'm not regularly putting in pieces. If I can sit down and put several pieces in each time I sit to do it, I'm more likely to continue. I have been known to put a puzzle away to never do it again or even give it away all because I would sit there for ten minutes putting no pieces in. Large piece counts tend to give me the feeling that I will just be sitting there staring at it, which is why I haven't really attempted anything higher than a 2k piece count.
I completely understand the feeling - it can get discouraging to just sit and stare at a puzzle without really putting in any pieces. I think that is why I take so much time and effort to sort - then the building process tends to go a lot faster. And it's perfectly fine to not finish a puzzle and pick it up. Better to move onto another that you will enjoy building. 💜
Thanks for your video! I’m new to puzzling and most of your tips can be applied to smaller-count puzzles as well. Yes, I would like to see you do a puzzle from the very beginning. I like your on-screen presence. =Jeff Mines=
The videos for the first Puzzle Along series are up and there for your viewing. I did the 2,000 piece Novel Avenue from Ravensburger from start to end. It was so much fun! So many have done it also - some for which it was their first 2,000 piece puzzle. Thanks for watching and commenting! 💜🧩
I think you can combine the tips 10 and 12 so that if you really want to build the edges, to see the size of the puzzle, you can do that, then break it in parts (like maybe 20 pieces?), put the parts on a cardboard and when needed, slide those relevant parts in their final places.
The puzzle along sounds like a great idea to me, you can do it all in one day, then keep releasing those videos, what, once a week.
Great idea for the border. I do think I have sometimes built the border and just not put it into place until needed. I would probably try to release the Puzzle Along videos every 3 days maybe to keep people motivated to do the puzzle. I realise everyone would puzzle at a different pace. I'm hoping there will be some interest in the comments showing if it is a series I should consider doing or not. 💜
My biggest is 3000 so far.....moving to 6000 soon. Thx for the tips.
Oh!!! What 6000 are you planning on doing??? 💜🧩
Have not decided yet. But leaning towards into the bedroom.....???? Looking at some Ravebsburger though.
Oh yeah, Vicky from @vickymakesandbuilds did Into the Bedroom - quite cool but I am not good with animal fur. 💜🧩
Obrigada pelas dicas!! Eu estou sem condições de espaço para fazer quebra cabeças agora, então assistir seus vídeos compensam essa dificuldade. E quanto a tampa do quebra cabeça colocado ao contrário estava me deixando angustiada por não ter como te avisar!!! Mas, no final, foi divertido, isso faz parte da espontaneidade de seus vídeos. Abraços e fica bem. Ah! Sejam quais forem as suas opções de vídeos, estarei sempre assistindo com muita satisfação!!
Oh, aquela caixa de cabeça para baixo me deixou louco! Eu considerei seriamente refilmar a coisa toda - mas não o fiz. Isso me deu a ideia para o meu próximo vídeo. 💜
Great tips! I would love to join a puzzle-along if you go with that idea! You've given me the idea to try and see if that Grafika 6000 has a repeated cut, could be a game-changer there! I'll send you a progress photo sometime this weekend.
I never even thought about the Vintage Travel but I bet it does have a repeat cut! I would assume that it does though. I can't wait to see how you are getting on with it. 💜
1-- I use flat supermarket boxes for sorting, the kind that canned goods comes in. They're free and I can get as many as I want. 2-- I use a metal spatula to move small built areas onto the main board.
I really should get myself a spatula to use when moving pieces...great idea!
Thank you!
I looove puzzles. Largest I've done is 1000. What do you do with them after you've put them together?
A lot of my puzzles I tape/glue/frame and display up on the walls of my home. I currently have a big jigsaw puzzle display on in town at which many of my puzzles are for public viewing. Some I break down and sale/trade/donate. It all depends on the image and how attached I am to the puzzle. 💜
I would love to puzzle along with you!! 💕💕💕💕💕💕 I have done 1000 piece puzzles and even 1 1200 piece Pintoo puzzle but I don't count that because it was in 4 bags and I kept them separate. I have a 1500 piece puzzle waiting for me. It is the 99 cats puzzle by Ravensburger. I am greatly looking forward to the challenge. Especially since Ravensburger doesn't include posters and I am already aware there is an issue where the image on the box doesn't exactly match the final puzzle so it is going to be a very interesting challenge. I think after that, I would be ready to puzzle along a 2000 piece puzzle. I would love to do the 3000 and 6000 piece versions of an astrology puzzle that Ravensburger has released but don't know when/if I will be up to that. I find puzzling most fun for me if I pick easy images where I don't have to struggle to put in each piece. I know that solid colored puzzles were not made for my enjoyment, lol. I also like taking my time and puzzle at a snail pace, soaking up all the fun. I love that we have the same philosophy about puzzling: You should puzzle what makes you happy and put it together the way that makes you happiest. You are right, it is all for the love of puzzles.
Personally, the 1,200 counts - you can always say "I did a 1,200 piece puzzle that came in 4 bags of 300 pieces each." So don't discount your achievement - you did a 1,200 piece jigsaw puzzle. I'm familiar with the 99 cats puzzle - that looks so tricky! Let me know how you get on with it. And exactly - puzzling is to be fun and enjoyable, so do what you want, as much as you want and they way you want! 💜
I love larger puzzles because if I get tired of a section I can move to a different section. I used up to 8 poster sheets so I can rotate the sheets. Once sections are done I place them on the floor on a new poster sheet.
That's a great solution to work on smaller sections at a time. I wish more people who don't think they have enough room would try this. Big puzzles can be a real joy to build. 💜🧩
@fortheloveofpuzzles my reels show my set up. It's literally my bed lol
@@JoePuzzlin Janette use to always puzzle on her bed. She just finally moved to a bigger place and now has a proper table to build on.
@fortheloveofpuzzles that's tremendous. I'd probably still doing this way in sections just so I have a surface to eat on, but would be easier to glue and take videos of the progress
If you have the room, collapsible tables are a great help for the pieces themselves. They store under a bed when not in use.
Great suggestion! I have a few and in a recent video of a large piece count puzzle, I put one up and have the pieces spread out on it. 💜🧩
Hi, and thanks for your advices😊 I am doing a Bluebird Puzzle now. It came in two bags but I decided to to mix them😮
Which Bluebird puzzle is it and how many pieces? It'll most likely have a repeat cut pattern which once you figure out, you can use to your advantage. Bluebird is a sister company to Grafika - I really want to do a Bluebird puzzle someday soon. 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles It is Life is an open Book Paris, 4000 pieces👍👍I have looked for the repeat pattern, but I haven't found it yet🤔 It is a lovely puzzle
@@katejordanlarsen438 What a beautiful puzzle!!! Totally my style of puzzle. If I had to guess, a line down the middle and two repeat cuts of 2,000 pieces each, perhaps rotated. So like the maybe the bottom-right corner matches up with the top-left corner. And often is there is a repeat cut, the pieces along the division or seam, have differently shaped prongs. Hope this helps! 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles yes you are right😙👍the buttom-right corner matches up with the top-left corner. Thanks for your help 👍👍
One great example I want to raise about the perfect false fits is that if you try to do that Downtown puzzle so that you start with edges, I can basically guarantee an array of perfect false fits there. There's something like 20-25 sets of four edge pieces that are _exactly_ the same shape, all of them in top/bottom rows. The picture from top/bottom is basically nothing but blue (sky/water), so good luck with selecting the right one of the four options on every single try on your first go.
So yeah, totally agreed with Donnalouise, I just wanted to give a concrete example.
Thank you!!! 💜🧩
Time to return to this video. As I told you, I sent the Disney Gala 6000 to my sister and then got kind of a feeling, that I guess I need to top my sister in this, went to a store today and... Now I have Disney Orchestra 13200 waiting for me to finish this Downtown you actually have in this very video too :)
"Go in slow increments" 0 -> 6000 -> 13200... I guess I didn't take that advice then :D
😂😂 I should have defined “slow” a bit better. I’m sure you will love the Disney Orchestra. Let me know how many bags that it comes divided into. 💜🧩
@@fortheloveofpuzzles It is six bags, two rows and three columns.
I have a 9000 that I started 25 years ago and put it away. It's been there ever since. Is that too long?
What's the brand and name of the puzzle??? I'm so curious! But I do think 25 years is long enough - pull it out and decide if you want to do it or not. If not, I'm sure someone will want to buy it. 💜🧩
@fortheloveofpuzzles it's Ravensburger an old world map. Peter van den keere? Not sure about spelling. I bought it in 1999. I want to finish it. Life got in the way (kids and military career), but I am an empty-nester now. I'll have to make room to work on it. Thanks for replying! I didn't expect that on an older video. :-).
@@wulfslaed I looked it up and I LOVE IT!!! I love maps so much and my big 5k Ravensburger one is down at the jigsaw puzzle display.
@@fortheloveofpuzzles I just got that one, it looks very difficult, and i just started sorting. Great tip telling to sort lots of piles
Thank you for the tips, and don't worry about the upside down box (I thought it was on purpose 😅)
Interestingly, once I get to the solid parts, I don't look for specific piece. Instead, I'm taking one puzzle piece at a time, and I look for a space it could fit. If I don't find any, it goes to the second pile. I usually try to figure, which piece shape has the most potential fits, and I focus on that. Usually one in every three or four pieces finds a spot this way. I find it way less frustrating, than looking for one piece which will fit in that one spot.
That upside-down box gave me my idea for my next video - so some positive!! 😂😂 If ever I designed a puzzle, I promise to never include large areas of solid colours! 💜🧩
I would love to puzzle along with you on a 2000 piece puzzle! The largest piece count I’ve done so far is 1500 and I enjoyed them.
I’m new to your channel so I’m not yet familiar with it, but I really like this video and will see what else you’ve done videos on. 😀
I did the Novel Avenue 2,000 puzzle along and it was so much fun! That video series is up and if you can get a copy of the puzzle, I think you would really enjoy it. Thank you for watching and commenting. 💜🧩
I haven't put together a puzzle in years and got given a round thousand piece puzzle it has letters on the pieces so ive sorted it but ive been told to start on the outside
What's the name and brand of the puzzle? Often I find with circle puzzles that it's best to start in the middle - but it does depend on the image.
My favourite design for a jigsaw is the old map with the elaborate designs round edge. Biggest one ive got is only a waddingtons 1250, but would love to do a larger 1500 or 2000
I love maps!!! I normally would have my 5,000 piece Ravensburger Antique World Map in my background but it is at my puzzle display. You can see it in many of my earlier videos.
I would love to puzzle along with you. Don’t worry about box being upside down, I didn’t even notice until you did.
🙃🙃 I can’t believe I didn’t notice sooner. I’m sure glad that
I eventually did, I would have felt sillier if I hadn’t! I’ll put up a poll for the Puzzle Along to get everyone’s input as to which puzzle we should do together. 💜🧩
Not a lot of experience beyond 2000 pieces but I generally love panoramic images. Just because there is less reaching to the other side and as the puzzle is shorter in a vertical sense there is usually less glare. So if I can I choose panoramas :)
I have yet to do a panoramic puzzle - on my list to do, I just haven't found one that I really easily buy here and that I will really enjoy. I like the idea of not having to reach too far. 💜
I just stopped doing one today. The pieces were very loose and every moment they slide around and I just was not having it. So, I boxed it all back up and put it in my donate pile. I have no issues putting them away if I'm not enjoying it. Life is too short and puzzling should be fun and relaxing.
Totally agree!!! I promised myself that I would never force myself to finish a jigsaw puzzle if I'm not enjoying it. Too many great brands and images out there to waste my time. 💜🧩
I like your channel but, in this video, I find a serious flaw in logic. Among others you make these points:
1. There are relatively few manufacturers of large count puzzles so choices a limited.
2. Educa puzzles are loose fit, "crumbly" and hard to move sections around. Stay away from Educa is the strong implication.
3. Build sections on cardstock.
Point number 2 greatly exacerbates point number 1 and limits our options enormously.
Point number 3 is in fact, the solution to point number 2, puts Educa back on the table and greatly softens the blow of point number 1.
To put finer detail on point number 3, cut the cardstock to fit a foam board and build sections on the cardstock on the foam board.
I have tried using cardstock and foamboard with Educa puzzles and they are just so crumbly that I can't easily move sections into place. I am having so much trouble with the 42k Around The World - love the image, not enjoying the pieces. I know I will love it once done but am not finding using cardstock helpful all that much. 💜🧩
I like the first strategy tip "have the picture upside down". I think it really does affect the speed.
I also love the Cinderella shoe method, although for me it is just the explanation of why I lose most of my pieces around midnight.
🤣🤣🤣🤣Please don't ever stop commenting on my videos! 💜
I identify with your warning about logistics. I started a 2000 piece and THEN realized my table was too small. Thanks for doing this video!
While I don't do large puzzles, I always check for the completed size before purchasing a puzzle.
Ah bummer! My Dowtown was nearly too big for my puzzle boards. I had but a few millimetres to spare. 💜🧩
I do appreciate when the finished dimensions are written on the box. 💜🧩
How can you figure out if a puzzle has a repeat cut pattern?
Is that a common thing?
Is this something you can do a video on?
A lot of puzzles from 2,000 pieces and up use a repeat cut pattern. Or if the puzzle is packaged in multiple signs, that’s another good indication. It’s pretty common thing in larger count puzzles. To figure out though, you can ask someone who has already done the puzzle and if they noticed a repeat pattern or not, you can study the pieces and see if things repeat every 10 or 20 pieces, you can perhaps even ask the manufacturer. But there is no specific way to figure it out on your own besides noticing it and counting pieces, looking to see if the pattern is upside down from top to bottom, stuff like that. 💜🧩
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Awesome. Thanks for the info!! 😀
Lol, I thought at first one of your tips was going to be, get used to puzzling from all angles. If you view the puzzle from upside-down, view the box upside-down. Which maybe is helpful for big puzzling? 😅
I just recently starting using that technique - puzzling upside-down then turn the box upside-down. I don't know why I never thought of that before!! With all the speed puzzling that I've been doing, that's when this was brought to my attention. It's a great tip though and if ever I do an update strategies video, I would definitely add it in. 💜🧩
Your puzzle is beautiful as is your logic. Speaking at 100 words a minute (my estimate ) your video contains 3k words. 6k is a huge number.Do I want to fully sort and make six thousand decisions ? No way. But if I had your energy and motivation I know success means hanging on your every word !
It is a lot to sort 6,000 pieces - probably the most I would ever want to do in a single bag. This was probably one of my most talkative videos! 💜
I showed my husband your upside down Downtown box and he said "that's that one over there". I said, yes, and pointed out that my box is also upside down.
😂😂 That’s too funny!! Perhaps it’s meant to be that way! 💜🧩
@@fortheloveofpuzzles it was meant to be 😂
I love 1000 piece puzzles or 1500, no more.
thanks
It can get overwhelming when the piece count gets up there. The largest I've done in one single bag is 6,000. I think that is my limit but I much prefer a lot less. 💜🧩
Not me making a 2000 piece without previous puzzle making experience and now looking for tips mid way because I’m stuck 😅
What puzzle are you doing? You may also want to watch the Puzzle Along 2000 series that is now all up and available for viewing. We build "Novel Avenue" 2,000 pieces from Ravensburger over three videos. Might have some extra tips to help you out in those videos as well. Good luck and have fun!
@@fortheloveofpuzzles I’m making Jiuzhaigou national park china, landscape edition from KING. Will check out the series for sure !💪🏽🤍
Like this comment if you give Donnalouise permission to abandon that awful awful Around the World Educa puzzle.
Seriously, if this got like 100 likes, I probably would stop building it!! 😂😂
I'm not interested in the big-count videos. I'm never gonna go beyond 3000
3000 is larger than I think most people would tackle. I consider it to be a large piece count puzzle. 💜
@@fortheloveofpuzzles Oh, I do to, but I've gone that high 3-4 times and it's not fun. It becomes laborious and job-like - I loose the fun element, if the jigsaw gets more than 1000. Even 1500 are often tedious and I've done a few more of those.
Not to mention, that my biggest board only has room for 3000 pieces and takes up , what feels like, 25% of my living room.
In my 200+ puzzle collection only 4 has more than 1000 pieces. Kinda says it all I think.
I'll watch the videos anyway 👍🏻
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Hello
I highly recommend If Fish Could Walk.
It's definitely on my wishlist! 💜🧩
Is this a hobby for people without kids? I'm just asking because you never mentioned the possibility that small kids would interfere with it 😂
I don’t have children so no, the thought of kids messing with the puzzle never crossed my mind. I mostly hear of cats being the culprits that destroy puzzles. Luckily my pups don’t bother with my puzzles. I am sure there are plenty of people out that there that are avid puzzlers and also have kids. 💜🧩
I suppose you have puzzles in a locked room.
Only joking. But the card stock is annoying.
😜 Yeah, it can be helpful but also annoying. I need to get sturdier stuff some of mine are too flimsy. 💜🧩
#6: don’t mix the bags
It’s cheating if you DO NOT mix the bags
@@fortheloveofpuzzles sorry I had to edit the comment lol. I hope you still agree.
The first thing I do with big puzzles is mix the bags instantly haha.
Or else I can’t say in good faith I did a “24000 piece puzzle”
Ah no sorry, I don't agree. There is no such thing as cheating in puzzling - if you are having fun, then you are doing it correctly. It's okay to do a 24,000 piece puzzle and say that it was in X number of bags with X number of pieces each. One still did a 24,000 piece puzzle. Mixing the bags does not make one a more esteemed puzzler in my opinion and I don't understand why some of those who do mix the bag feel that they are somehow better than those who don't. (NOTE that I wrote "some" as not all puzzlers who mix bags act this way.) 💜🧩
@@fortheloveofpuzzles gottcha. I guess better way to phrase it for large puzzle with bags is to “choose your own difficulty”
Doing separate bags is puzzling on easy mode
Mixing the bags is puzzling on hard mode
Same puzzle, but very different challenge