• Crochet

    International Crochet Day

    September 12, 2023 - By 

    It seems fitting that International Crochet Day and Mindfulness Day are on the same day – September 12, both are meant to offer relaxation. This is definitely a necessity for those who need to be quiet, and calm given that September 11 is still a difficult day for many in recent American history.

    I’ve been purging items from the craft room to make more room for other yarns – so it’s been a colorful summer – combining lots of oddballs with my favorite neutrals or even combining coordinating colors together. After playing ‘Yarn chicken” too many times, I discovered that I need to select the right stitch for a scarf because some use more yarn than others and wouldn’t make the scarf wide or long enough. Crochet is an evolving craft, and everything doesn’t always turn out well. I have had multiple starts on projects or just abandon something altogether because it’s not right. Giving up is a step that we sometimes overlook. Just because there is something that you want to try, it may not be the right yarn, pattern, or skill level at the time. Never give up, I was discussing a particular yarn the other day with a friend who is a knitter, and she likes it. I don’t – she likes it because it is slippery and glides easily off of her knitting needles, I dislike it for that reason. I’ve tried it and other manufacturer’s varieties and disliked all of the slippery yarns equally. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s not for me and crocheting is a relaxing pastime – slippery yarn makes crocheting a chore. The remaining yarn will go to the donation bin, instead of using the last bit in other projects. [One down, dozens to go!]

    A few hats were donated to a local project for refugees, including one child’s hat that I never found a specific group to give it to before now.

    Here’s a short compilation of completed projects. We are in the last days of summer, but the crocheting continued through the warm months.

    September 12 is also National Day of Encouragement in the US – so I’m encouraging you to find something you like to do, for your own well-being!

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet - hats

    So long, July!

    July 30, 2023 - By 

    Basketweave style hat and scarf with blocks in a rust colored yarn

    Some people don’t like to crochet or knit during the summer months when it’s hot, or will switch to lighter weight yarns. What I’ve noticed just from looking at pictures of sets that I’ve made from the past few years, certain patterns or motifs are seasonal. Or, at times I become fixated on a pattern and try it out in different yarns.

    I make a few specific patterns during the summer months because I want to try something different and generally I will have reached the halfway point of my goal and don’t want to get bored. I’ll make something I’d like to try in a particular yarn. Maybe it’s the yarn I have and have used before or want to improve upon something. Whatever it is, I’ll notice there might be two or three of the same designs or maybe slight alterations or modifications to a certain design or motif because of something I’ve seen or revisited in one of my pattern books, or got an idea from YouTube. Whatever it is, it seems like I haven’t made that in a while so I’ll make certain patterns. As long as it’s something that is fun and I’m still enjoying what I do who cares?

    Crocheted charcoal colored hat and scarf set with rows of shades of purple

    Crocheted scarf with front and back post stitched blocks in a multi-colored yarn

    Now I’m in a period where I am using up different colors not necessarily small amounts where they’re oddballs but combining different yarns for a small a bit of a color or mini skeins where combined if it’s enough to make a hat and scarf set but too much just for a hat. Some experiments are more interesting than others. I have some mini skeins I bought two sets and combined similar colors in the same color family to make a hat and scarf set with charcoal as a neutral. I think I’ll do that again with another color family and a lighter gray. As I keep trying things and experimenting with yarn in my working stash, I have a better idea of what I want to make with the mystery ball of yarn that I’m creating. Instead of using it alone, I would likely combine it with one of my current favorite neutrals – charcoal to pull it all together.

    Front and back post crocheted hat in a multi colored yarn with hues of blue and purple

    For me, sets are for summer, winter, spring and fall… As July closes, I’ve surpassed the halfway point for completed sets (61 and counting) and four scarves. Hats, well, there are only two solo hats so far. The plan is to make a bunch of hats when I have a lot of small remainders from sets in the fall, for very unique, one of a kind colorways. Stay tuned it’ll be a hat making extravaganza in October or so.

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet - hats

    Hello…July! Well, almost…

    June 28, 2023 - By 

    I haven’t posted in a while, but that does not mean I haven’t been crocheting.

     

    I have been working with a lot of different yarns, I bought some, and was gifted some on a trip (used some of that up already). I’ve been using some that I already had by creating new color combinations with different colorways of one of my favorite yarns with oddballs and making fun color combos. I had to take a little break because I needed to make a shower gift in a hurry. It’s the end of June and most excitingly… I have passed the halfway point of my hat and scarf goal, made a single hat and also made two red scarves. Things are going well, summer has just begun which means lots of outside concerts and movies where I can sit and watch and crochet.

    Here are a few things that I’ve been working on…

    I went into my working stash and pulled out some yarn that I bought at a great discount. After a test run, I bought a lot, so I try to only use a bit of it each year until it’s used up. That way groups won’t get six or seven sets in the same color in a donation batch. The browns (Lion Brand, Shimmerie – discontinued) was my most recent at-work project until I only had a few inches to work on and brought it home to finish. The multi-colored self striping yarn is Red Heart’s discontinued Colorscape in Rome. I really like this yarn, and it was discontinued when I happened upon it. I’m looking for a similar yarn that I would like.

    Premier makes great yarn and I buy from them frequently. Puzzle is one of my current favorites, their sister company, Universal Yarn also makes Major which is the same weight, just different colors and price point. I have a smallish stash of leftover oddballs from projects because one ball of Puzzle or Major won’t quite make a set. So, depending on the pattern, I have varying amounts of the yarn leftover. I decided to take a few colors and use them to make one-of-a-kind colorful sets. Puzzle uses the similar colors but doesn’t follow the same color changes as Major. I had a bit of some yarn from Ice Yarns, a Turkish company. It’s very similar to Puzzle and Major, but doesn’t have specific names and as it happens with me… It was discontinued. The weight is about the same, so I included some of the Ice yarn with the Puzzle/Major combos. I like the variety. Most of all, the yarns are machine wash and dry and soft. I could buy just another ball of the Puzzle but the dye lots may not be the same. The experiments with the colors were interesting.

    There are a few more small balls that I wound into cakes to get a better idea of how much I have and what I can combine into sets. For one set, I played a bit of yarn chicken, and I might just make a few warm hats with what I have combined with a Puzzle yarn that’s in shades of gray, to save me from the frustration.

    Overall, I like the outcome and use up the bits and pieces (something I learned from my grandmothers, not to be wasteful).

    Happy crocheting!

     

  • Crochet - trial and error

    Trying Houndstooth

    April 4, 2023 - By 

    About a week or so ago I saw the crochet houndstooth pattern on YouTube and thought I’d give it a whirl. Traditionally houndstooth is with black and white but that didn’t stop me. Instead I used a couple of colors from my stash, pumpkin and slate. The houndstooth pattern is simple, one single crochet, one double crochet, alternating to the end or the row or round. Then, alternate the colors and stitches. A double in the single in the row below, a single in the double…

    I like the pattern and the look, so I made a hat and it worked up well. Then for the scarf, I worked it in horizontal rows, for fewer color changes. I tried a couple of things so I wouldn’t have to pull the yarn through.

    The first set worked up well, so I wanted to try again with different yarn in different colors to see if I still liked it. For the second attempt, I worked the scarf vertically in a dark charcoal and black and white marl yarn. Halfway through the scarf, I grew tired of the color changes every other row.

    Love the pattern and the look of it, but dislike changing yarn every row especially with the shorter rows for a vertical scarf. There are longer but fewer rows in a horizontal scarf and I think I’d do it that way next time with a border to hide some of the trailing yarn and woven edges. After changing colors so frequently using the houndstooth stitch for the vertical scarf, I found a way that worked for me to keep the edges neat with minimal ends to weave in at the end.

    While the houndstooth pattern takes a while to change colors for an overall project, this pattern has possibilities for fun, colorful designs especially to use mini skeins or oddballs for hats and accents in scarves. The stitches were fine and took a while but remembering or being able to find the single crochet in the dark rows to make a double crochet became mind numbing and I know that several rows aren’t perfect but they worked out, regardless of the non-alternating flub in a few spaces.

    Houndstooth is deceptively simple but requires a lot of attention and isn’t the pattern if you want to relax and crochet. There are some mini skeins from my stash that I have my eye on to add some flair to otherwise simple hats or scarves. For now, I want to go back to some quick and easy projects that don’t require as much attention beyond the set up rows.

    Single crochet, double crochet; single crochet, double to end, change color at end, change color and chain two and turn, then double crochet in single, single in double etc. ad nauseam… It’s the ad nauseam part that makes you doubt everything you know about counting and changing but it works up beautifully.

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet - trial and error

    Dyeing Experiment early 2023

    March 11, 2023 - By 

    Every year or so I have the urge to dye some yarn. Usually, I will buy some Easter Egg dye kits at the end of the season and make some interesting creations. I have a large bag of expired food coloring that was being tossed out from an office move, as well as specifically purchased drink mix packages for dyeing. I still had a couple of hanks of yarn that I had purchased to dye as well as several undyed hanks that I received as part of a mystery box. The goal was to dye at least enough for a couple of scarves to donate to one of my special groups in the fall.

    I started out with bare yarn, soaked it in water and added several containers of food coloring and the red drink mix to the dye pot with water and some vinegar. Then I let the yarn simmer. For this larger amount of yarn, I got out the dye pot that is only used for non-food/craft items. Think tie dying a shirt, not just yarn. The yarn simmered and took most of the dye and became a lovely darker coral-ish color. I wanted a deeper red for one of the hanks, so I purchased some RIT dye and then overdyed one hank and it took on a glorious, lovely deep red shade with darker sections where it was darker in the first dyeing.

    The results are great and both dyeing experiments for early 2023 turned out well. For the future, I think I will use more food coloring, and less water to make the color more concentrated. Either way, it’s for fun and I enjoyed the process and like the results. Most of the yarn is really a mystery because I received it unbanded from a mystery box from a company that I’m not familiar with, so the yarn will truly be one of a kind and will make a special gift.

    Since I have no plans to use it right away, I will wait to wind it and start a project, But for now, I’m just happy admiring my handiwork.

    Happy crocheting!

  • Creative reuse - Crochet

    Back to Basics

    February 8, 2023 - By 

    I like using openwork stitches that work up fast. My favorite is the Granny Stitch. The term loosely lumps many fan or shell stitches together when they are worked in a square or other multi-sided work. The Granny Stitch isn’t the warmest to use for hats or scarves, because of the spaces but is wonderful for blankets.

    Bulky yarn isn’t my favorite but I was gifted two giant balls and figured why not make a lapghan in a granny rectangle? It’s working up nicely and bulky yarn gives an almost immediate sense of accomplishment. A lady asked me about blanket yarn when I was buying yarn in a large store and I said I had an idea for a project, but it’s not my favorite. The yarn was gifted to me.  It’s soft, feels like velvet and  is not too difficult to rip out, if necessary. It’s just not something I would choose, it’s looking nice so far.

    After a few false starts, the afghan I started making using one of my mystery balls has taken off! This time I started a using a rectangular Granny Square. The mystery balls are composed of leftover yarn wound up with black between colors. Same stitch, different yarn: Fun happy project. The bold, irregular sections of color are offset by the black. It has been almost three years since I completed the last mystery ball, and there are five. Each one is roughly the size of a small bowling ball. Now that I found the right stitch to showcase the colors, I’m enjoying the project immensely.

    Lapghans aren’t part of this year’s goal, but I miss making Granny Square afghans, and lapghans work up quickly and they will be donated. The use of Granny Stitch, especially in the blanket yarn will yield warm and cozy blankets similar to thermal blankets. I miss making afghans, which I used to regularly make and donate but stopped when I switched to smaller projects. Making lapghans using the Granny Stitch is a happy medium and allows a lot of variety and flexibility. Depending on how large I make the lapghan, I might be able to make four or five from the mystery balls.

    The fans in the motif don’t use as much yarn as others, so I should be able to make a few colorful pieces, all while using my favorite stitch.

    I’ll keep you posted on my lapghan progress!

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet

    Gliding into 2023

    January 2, 2023 - By 

    Before we get too far into the New Year, I need to share my totals for 2022:

          • 115 hat and scarf sets
          • 12 red scarves
          • 36 hats

    plus… a few things made for family and friends.!

     

     

     

    My crochet goals for the 2022 were 25 hats, 100 hat and scarf sets, and 12 red scarves. It may seem like I’m bragging but I’m proud of myself for what I made in 2022.

    Maybe my 2023 crochet goals will remain the same?

    • 12 Red scarves
    • 100 sets
    • 25 hats

    There are a few other non-crocheting projects that I want to work on, so to give me some breathing room… And a chance to live, experiment and play, I’m keeping my goals the same.

    Unfinished: 

    I still didn’t finish the scrapghan that I made the yarn balls for, and I’ve been stashing leftover Puzzle yarn and Mandala Ombre to make a couple of fun throws or lap robes.

    For Christmas I got a lot of Puzzle yarn and I know I’ll have some leftover from sets so throws may be on the docket for this year.

    All I know for sure is that I crochet practically every day, some more days than others and I find it enjoyable. That’s the sentiment I want to carry throughout this new year!

    Happy crocheting!

    Happy 2023!

  • Crochet - Hat and scarf goals

    19 Days Until Christmas

    December 6, 2022 - By 

    Nineteen more days until Christmas. This is just a little pep talk for people who are stressing about making a gift or not making a gift. If you’ve decided to make a gift and you don’t have time to finish it, what about wrapping a promissory note? “I’m making you something but I will finish it by (future date)” and wrap the partially finished product. Unless you have to mail it off. Don’t stress, the holidays don’t need additional stress. Take time to enjoy the holidays. If you have made something or you still have someone else you need to make something for… Relax. I’ve been there – making things at the last minute and it’s not pleasant. Many worst case scenarios arise: You run out of materials, your gauge is off, or you run into a tangle. Best case: If you finish what you have started, at least you started. Congratulate yourself – you made the effort to give someone a handmade gift. Preserving your peace by not making any gifts is fine too! Enjoy the holidays or make something for yourself at a leisurely pace.

    If you forgot to get something for someone and you think you can make something – great! Unsure but still want to try and make something? It’s go time! Don’t stress – make something small. Let’s go back to the promissory note. Write a fun little note “hey, I’m planning on making you *blank* but I ran out of time. I’ll finish it shortly!” Remember – don’t stress yourself. Stress adds pressure, which just makes for mistakes, which creates more stress… relax.

    Whether you crochet fast or slow, you are a crocheter. It’s not a race, crocheting is a craft. Whether you use materials from the dollar store, thrifted materials or a handmade hook out of fine wood using qiviut, you are a crocheter. Use what you can afford, use what you like and grow from the experience. Craft, learn and grow!

    Don’t stress… Do what you can, breathe!

    Happy crocheting!

  • Crochet - Hats and scarves

    55 days until Christmas

    October 31, 2022 - By 

    It’s Halloween and that means that there are 55 days until Christmas! Time to get moving on those holiday gifts!

    No tricks… Just a treat and tip that the holidays are approaching soon and if you plan to make any gifts, you need to start working on them, especially if you need to buy materials.

    There are a couple of things that I am making for Christmas but I already made sure that I have enough, or at least I hope I have enough yarn to make a throw. This was yarn from another project. I have been in that position before furiously crocheting on Christmas Eve or December 23rd aka Christmas Eve-eve trying to finish a gift. I crochet faster now, but I also prefer to have gifts made well ahead of time and then just relax after I have admired my work.

    If you haven’t planned what you are making for a winter holiday, then do it, because it may take a while to get the yarn you need. ALSO – pro-tip – don’t buy just enough of what you need, if you can, purchase an extra skein of yarn. Depending on your gauge and tension, you might use more than the pattern calls for or the yardage may vary from the amount in the skein or hank. Yarn chicken around the holidays is not fun!

    Friendly advice, start on those holiday gifts and projects now, so you will have less stress and more time to spend with those you love.

    I’ve slowed a bit on the crochet goals, since I have met the hat and scarf goal, though I’m still making more. There are two red scarves in progress and a bag of assorted yarn to be used for hats. Hats work up quickly (an hour to 90 minutes depending on the pattern) so I’ve got time before the end of the year.

    Happy crocheting!!!

  • Crochet - Hat and scarf goals - Hats and scarves

    Ninety-one, ninety-two… ninety-nine and a half

    September 23, 2022 - By 

    One hundred sets!

    I went on a cross country train trip to San Diego and crocheted, it was delightful. As I prepared for my vacation, I made the decision not to take any yarn that I hadn’t used before and didn’t attempt any patterns that I hadn’t already tried. I was happy that I’d brought the appropriate amount of yarn: because I finished three sets going, two sets while I was in San Diego and almost five sets on the return trip. Most of the time, during the day while looking out the window enjoying the scenery, I was just happily crocheting the day away.

    Crocheting allowed me to enjoy the scenery when there was daylight as well as take a few photos with breaks for meals and fresh air when we were at longer stops. Also I could have conversations with people while riding unlike reading which is a “closed” activity. In the evenings once the sun set, the activities changed slightly… instead of looking out the window and taking the occasional photograph I read and crocheted. Day and evening I also listened to music and listened to the entire Ring Cycle (Das Rheingold and Die Walkurie going, and Siegfried and Gotterdammerung on the way back).

    Using yarn that I was familiar with was a good plan. Different colors don’t really change the functionality of the yarn but different weights do, so all of the yarn I took with me was yarn I was familiar with, so I could just dig in my bag and work on a project. As I was leaving home, at the last moment, I threw a couple extra skeins of yarn in my bag and they came in handy so I had enough for the entire trip.

    The plan was very good using untried yarns can be frustrating Since my return, I haven’t completed as many projects. I have made a hat, but I’ve also restarted a scarf with a new or yarn, and gave up on a project with another new yarn (that yarn is now in the donation bag). Also, I’ve been combining some odds and ends to make more hats, and started a couple of red scarves.

    During 10-day trip I was able to finish nine and a half hat and scarf sets. The last half of the scarf was completed once I returned home but I still consider it part of the vacation crocheting projects and the cross country train trip put me at my goal of 100 sets! Whoo hoo!

    Three more months to go in 2022, and still lots of yarn in my working stash! Though I have a couple of gifts to make, I will likely hit 110 sets with no difficulty.

    Happy crocheting!