One pattern that I received the most compliments about came from a crochet book that was published in 2012 by Author - Ericka Knight




Her boot pattern in this book was most loved in 2012!  I crocheted those boots!

Hook size: 5.5mm
Yarn: Worsted Weight (4 medium)
Brand: Craftsmart in Dusk

Side 1:  Craftsmart in Dusk

SOME BACKGROUND TO THIS DESIGN:
Since this yarn has a variegated quality that uses 5 unique colors I chose 60 single crochets using a 5.5mm hook.  60 single crochets is a multiple of 30 single crochets.

Please work this in a round (versus in rows).  [31 chains; skip the first chain; 30 single crochets on one side of the chain; then 30 single crochets on the other side of the chain; slip stitch into the first single crochet then chain 1; single crochet in the same stitch go around again 60 stitches to build the sack]  The purpose of multiples of 30 worked in a round is that I found that this amount maintains a certain pattern that is inherent in the variegated yarn (see the photos).  You can also read my previous post about working this same yarn with 30 single crochets.

Length: about 7.75 inches (19.5cm)

This pencil case will have an artsy appeal. Maybe use it for colored pencils or gift it to an artist who uses color pencils ><.

Side 2:  Craftsmart in Dusk

If you want to wrap a gift that is small and flat, such as crochet coasters, you could use felt & yarn. Here is a simple gift wrap with a crochet motif and felt. I sewed Aunt Lydia's gold crochet thread on the edges of the felt.

I almost forgot about a gift that I made for someone from earlier this year.  This was my first experience with variegated yarn. This yarn was very well liked by the recipients.  Michaels' Loops & Threads Impeccable brand makes this yarn called Folklore if you want to check it out.

I'm not breaking the bank for this lovely yarn:  Michaels' Craftsmart in Hunter
Swatch Design made with 5.5mm hook... 30 single crochets in 8 rounds
4 inch swatch as packaging suggested
Yarn has 5 colors

Craftsmart in Hunter

30 sc in 8 rounds

36 single crochet in 4 rounds

Sangria

24 single crochets in 8 rounds

Resulting color pattern

Since my last post about my mitten craze I went back to another Craftsmart Yarn called Dusk. 30 chains crocheted with a 5.5mm hook and joined into a ring then single crocheted (sc) in rounds of 30sc yields yet another array of colors in an interesting pattern. It's a similar effect as with the mittens.  30sc seems to keep each color stacked on itself.  Another effect is a grouping of colors on one side (I call the back) versus the other side (I call the front).  There are 5 colors in total.  Three were grouped together on one side versus two on the other side.

Craftsmart Dusk colors: pink,orange, purple, green, blue

three colors on one side

two colors on the other side

Perhaps my results are related to the math that goes into making this yarn?  I don't know. I read the packaging for more details.  The yarn package 'suggests' working a 4inch by 4inch swatch (10cm by 10cm) with a 5.5mm hook.  Guess what?  my discovery swatch measures 8 inches, 4 inches in the front and 4 inches in the back. That can't be a coincidence!

Craftsmart's Canyon

Canyon's other side

Now if I could just reproduce this with rows instead, hmmm.  I'll have to see or wonder how many crochet stitches are needed to keep colors grouped together in the back and forth motion of rows versus rounds?

The smallest thing can sometimes delight. The colors in variegated yarns do just that for me!

Back again to my mitt craze this fall. I'm using Craftsmart Yarn exclusively from Michaels.  I'm taking the  inexpensive route just to test and see designs created using variegated yarn.  I like what I see so far.  As a beginner I don't have much experience with variegated yarn.

CRAFTSMART QUICK REVIEW:  I don't know why Craftsmart solid colors seem so much softer than the variegated colors.  Perhaps steam will soften them up.  

Using about 30 single crochets in rounds seems to give a fancy outcome.  I call it digitized crochet. I'm not finished but take a look at how this is turning out.

mitten on side 1

Same mitten on side 2

Craftsmart in Canyon and Purple

Starting a pattern for fingerless mitts that calls for fingering weight yarn.  Finger weight is pricier than Caron Simply Soft Light.  Substituting with Caron Simply Soft Light seems to yield comparable results. Mmmm, super soft.

fingerless mitt

It already feels like fall, and when that happens you get excited about crochet season! Something new for me to try, baby mittens. This calls for another challenge, using baby yarn.  I purchased some fine yarn from Turkey a while back that's a blend of 30% wool and 70% acrylic and wavy stranded (brown & green ones).   It is so soft and easy to crochet.  I also used Caron Simply Soft Light for a thicker affect (pink one).  So far I found that using single crochet stitches works up easy and fast with finer yarns, especially if you use a hook that is about one half size smaller than the yarn requires (this is just my opinion for this particular project). Instead of 3.0mm I used 2.5mm hook on the green & brown mitts.

Since I never took up sewing I have to create all of my fabric by crochet.  Sometimes I combine yarns together for a different look, like how I did the green and pink one on the right. You can also crochet two strands at once, like how I mixed white and brown strands in the cozy on the left. Not only does the white strand help thicken the fabric but it also gave it a fuzzier wintery effect. Here are the sample fabrics for my iphone cozies:

About one year ago I purchased yarn from China.  Loved the results.  I keep thinking about it desiring to have more of it. It's a luxury to have.  One blend was 70% bamboo 30% cotton (silky to touch; somewhat stringy to work with; not for a beginner really).  The other was a cashmere milky cotton blend (gorgeous soft).  I have made fingerless gloves, a beanie hat, and other stuff.

bamboo cotton

cashmere milky

beanie hat

fingerless gloves

peacock fan stitch

picot trellis stitch

Since the last post on finding lace patterns for a headband, I've spent about this long finishing two more designs. I tried the peacock fan stitch and the picot trellis stitch. They both seem to be good candidates.  Although, the peacock stitch has a lot more dimension to it.

acrobatic stitch - crochet thread 10 & 1.3mm hook

This is the intro to a page on my blog, Crochet Lace. Lace patterns are everywhere in crochet. I'm experimenting with outcomes of different stitch patterns. The first photo is two rows of the acrobatic stitch. It seemed a bit curvy for a headband.

petal stitch

This second photo is two rows of the petal stitch. This may turn out to be more ideal for a headband as it's less curvy.

Work In Progress
...
using Caron Simply Soft Light

simply soft light in bubblegum

not all yarn sizes are created equal....My bad experience substituting yarn has become a lesson learned.

I really liked this new yarn by Caron up until I found out that it is not really the size it claims to be.  It's making things shrink. Here's what I mean....I am working on an adorable baby sweater. I measured the gauge to be o.k. Now unless I measured wrong this sweater shrunk!

The pattern calls for DK weight. The yarn I bought says it's DK. After doing a little math to compare yards per ounce it seems there is a difference between the weight of the yarn called for in the pattern and the weight of my yarn, even though they are both supposed to be DK. I was getting so frustrated until I realized that it's a breakthrough in disguise. This ordeal explains some of my many inconsistencies in results after substituting yarn.

Here's a sample botched substitute:

Redheart, Loops&Threads, ICE (left to right)

The pattern calls for a yarn category 4-medium weight (70 yd per oz according to my calculation)

I tried three different category 4-medium yarns (out of pure excitement). I tried 1) ICE spiral blend 80 yd per oz, and 2) Redheart super saver 52 yd per oz, then 3) Loops & threads impeccable 61 yd per oz

THE RESULTS: 3 different size booties

MY FINAL MEASUREMENTS: 1) 3.5 inches, 2) 4 inches, 3) 4 inches

Next time I work on a pattern that calls for a particular yarn I'll just compare the yards per ounce before I choose which yarn to use.