Crochet, Design, Handspun Yarn
Last week we talked about the parts of a chain stitch and why it’s the foundation of crochet. Today I want to do a bit of an editorial on why I choose to do the first row in the back hump of my chain stitches. The only time I stray from this is if I am working in the round, such as a Granny square, a triangular shawl, or a cowl.
Continue reading “Beginner Crochet Series – Inserting Your Hook into the Chain’s Back Hump”
In honor of the snow that fell yesterday, I spun a wintry batt that is reflecting today’s melting snow. The sparkle nestled in the white Romney looks like the sunlight on the snow this morning. It’s amazing how the dreariness of yesterday’s storm evolved into something so beautiful today. The snow is continuing to fall, but this time it’s the sun melting the snow on the tree branches.
Continue reading “What’s on My Bobbin? – Spinning a Wintry Batt”
There are many times that adapting a pattern to suit your needs is something that you have to do. Whether you don’t have enough yarn or you need to adjust the size, the pattern as it is written may need some tweaking. In this situation you need to step out of your comfort zone and do a little math with some trial and error before you get the result you want.
Sometimes you may need to scrap the pattern altogether and find another project for your yarn. I’ve been known to put my yarn aside for quite a while as I wait for the right pattern to come along.
Continue reading “Adapting a Pattern to Suit Your Needs”
Today’s WIP is a combo project using some of the handspun yarn I spindle spun in the beginning of my spinning adventures. (Is you head spinning yet from that sentence? Mine is. LOL) The yarn has been sitting in a box at the foot of my bed for over a year. As the spring cleaning bug continues in my home, I decided to wind the skeins into balls so I was sure to use them.
With the sparkle and green that I plied with gray, I didn’t want a fancy stitch lost in the colors. When I thought about it, the Granny Stitch seemed like the best option. Quick and easy was the way to go because I really want this project done. I don’t want it to sit around for ages.
Continue reading “WIP Tuesday – Using Some of My First Handspun Yarn”
This morning has been hectic and nerve-racking. Yuki, the white and black bun sister, wasn’t eating her breakfast. For a rabbit, refusing to eat is not a good sign so I went into watchful panic mode, silently begging her to nibble something. Then I ran out of hay and was dangerously close to running out of bunny greens. So off to Tractor Supply and the local grocery store I went.
Continue reading “Be Kind – Words to Live By”
When I first started crocheting, the first row of crochet after the chain stitches was the most frustrating part of any project. Either I was missing a chain here and there or putting two stitches into the same chain. My stitch counts were never right and it was enough to put me off a pattern. Sometimes I even wanted to totally give up crochet.
Continue reading “Beginner Crochet Series – Parts of a Chain Stitch”
While I was trying to find something for today’s “What’s on My Bobbin?”, I got sidetracked. Instead, I ended up doing a bit of spring cleaning. This is not what I planned when I woke up this morning. Spinning was on the agenda, not sorting fiber and yarn.
I’ll probably thank myself in the long run, but right now I am frustrated. Grrr……
Continue reading “Spring Cleaning My Fiber Stash”
Today is the 30th anniversary of Pi Day where we celebrate π (aka: Pi) or the ratio between the circumference and diameter of a circle. What? Not relevant to crochet, you say? How many patterns have you done in the round, dear readers? Yesterday’s shawl pattern started with a circle of twelve double crochets in a chain 3 space. Some granny squares start off as circles. The bottom of round bags and baskets usually start as circles. We may not need to calculate Pi in our daily crochet lives, but we do use math to figure out a repeat, increase, or decrease.
Continue reading “Happy Pi Day Everyone!”
Today’s WIP Tuesday project is the Tea Cakes Shawl designed by Mikey of The Crochet Crowd. I have a confession. This pattern really confused me at first. It drove me bonkers! I almost gave up. Grasping the concept was almost beyond my comprehension. Or so I thought. Then I realized I was reading between the lines and making it harder than it actually was. Do the pattern just as it is written, silly. (*face palm) Duh!
Continue reading “WIP Tuesday – Crochet Tea Cakes Shawl”
Here is my yarn story for today’s Misc. Monday: Once upon a time and for a fleeting moment shortly after I began spinning, I felt my soul being drawn towards a certain negative force. It felt so wrong. It’s just not who I am. However, I couldn’t fight it. I was being drawn into the depths of yarn hell!. Then, like the protagonist in a shape-shifting monster anime, I resisted that negativity and regained myself. Ahhh…. Zen….
What was this horrible force drawing me into the void, you may ask. It was the awful enemy, “The Yarn Snob”. It looks down on Red Heart Super Saver. It scoffs at Lion Brand Pound of Love. It sneers at Caron Simply Soft. It also considers certain other yarns (depending on its branch of yarn religion) less than dirt. It’s a horrible enemy that must be quashed!. It must be annihilated!
Continue reading “Why I’m not a Yarn Snob”