Category: Crochet

I signed up for another one of Sarah’s lovely pattern tests. I’ve managed to crochet a few rows, but will complete the project this weekend.

Of course it’s a crocheted hat, it’s what pulled me into her designs in the first place. Sarah’s crochet designs are so lovely, that I tend to want to make whatever I see on her design page, but since reality tells me this isn’t possible I’ve purchased the ones I like the most, and have tossed them in my long term projects pile.

I thought I had the yarn for the project, I didn’t since the yarn I was planning to use was given to my daughter. I’m supporting her interest in crochet, by giving her some of my yarn. She has her own little fabric/yarn stash.  Since my preferred colors were taken,  I’m using alternate colors. Over the past few weeks, my daughters crochet projects have gotten more complicated,  and I’m more than willing to support this creative habit…within reason of course. At this rate, she’ll surpass me with her crochet skills. 😉

I’m really looking forward to getting lost in Sarah’s lovely designs. I adore colorwork, and aside from a few ‘playing with stitches sessions’ when I tossed in random colors for a few of the crocheted doll dresses I’ve made, I haven’t done any crochet colorwork to blog about… this lovely crocheted hat will change that.

Over the Thanksgiving holidays, my 9yo daughter made her first crocheted doll. She kept begging me to show her how to make one, and I thought she was ready. I started her off simple, the only thing she needed to know was single crochet, how to increase, and how to decrease. No written pattern was used, I simply told her how many rows I wanted her to crochet for each body part.

Since I’ve already mastered those skills, she didn’t have to look for the information online (like I did.) She wanted to finish the doll the same day, but I broke it up into three days.

Yesterday, after she rooted the dolls hair she proudly showed off her work. She was extremely excited.

I’d been saving this yarn for a very special doll (since I thought it would make awesome hair.) But my daughter is more special than any doll I could create, and so I gifted the yarn to her. She was thrilled! Initially she found hair rooting to be challenging, but I reminded her that it only looks easy when I do it, because I’ve been rooting doll hair for years. I told her if she stuck with it, and didn’t give up… it would come easier. It did, I’m proud of her first crocheted doll.

Of course this means, that I’m adding a nice set of crochet hooks (and yarn) to her Christmas list. She’s definitely craft worthy.

Almost two weeks ago, I placed my first Knit Picks yarn order and four days afterwards, it arrived. I’ve had a chance to play around with some of my yarn. I started knitting some yellow mittens..

And while some rave about Wool of the Andes yarn, I wasn’t a fan… well at least not for myself since it feels itchy against my skin. Also, I didn’t find this wool as soft as some of the other wool yarn that I’ve worked with, like Patons Classic Wool. But, I really liked Knit Picks Swish! Swish, didn’t make my skin get all prickly like Knit Picks WOTA, and I thought it was softer. Of course, my reaction to a finished object made with Swish  might be completely different.

Take for example the lovely crocheted scarf, that I made with Patons Classic Wool. I didn’t have an issue while working with the yarn. I even held it up to my skin/neck while working on the scarf,  but now that it’s complete.  It’s itchy. I’m a bit sad since the scarf is so lovey. The good news, is that I already know who’ll be the recipient of that scarf. I have a few finishing touches to add to the scarf, like beads, but I know the recipient will be happy. I’ll be making Sarah’s Windblown leaves scarf for myself, but I’ll use yarn that my skin will tolerate.

I’ve really been enjoying Sarah’s scarf, which she’ll be calling windblown leaves, I think the name is appropriate.

During the process of creating this scarf my daughter got to see me “practice what I preach” , which is…Never give up! I faced a few obstacles (mainly because I’m not as knowledgeable about crochet as knitting) but I persevered and thanks to Sarah’s input, I’m a few steps away from the finish line. I just need to add the fringe. Additionally while crocheting this scarf, I learned a few more crochet techniques in the process. That’s just pure win!

When I took this project, I’d planned on using brightly colored yarns! However, when I frogged the scarf I opted for something completely different. The good news is, these colors look great on me. I must say, that I’ve enjoyed tracking my scarfs progress.

In hindsight I would have crocheted this with a thinner yarn like she used, but I’m really pleased with the thickness of the scarf, and I’ll definitely be making more of these scarves.

It’s  nice to know that the stitches I was doing to ‘get comfortable’ with crochet, actually have a name, right?

I’m pleased that the scarf I’ve been crocheting is actually looking like it’s supposed to, yes I fixed my silly crochet mistakes.

In the above picture, I still had made a few errors, on the third row, but I’ve since corrected them  and crocheted a few more rows. I’ll post pictures either later today, or sometime tomorrow. Sarah graciously extended the deadline for me, it’s due today, and I should be able to wrap it up once I arrive home from work today.

I really enjoy tackling challenging projects…

I was still having issues crocheting the double double treble group, so I looked at the scarf on the patten test, and figured out a few things I was doing wrong. Also helpful, was revisiting Sarah’s pattern testing post. I remembered that she had done small swatch, for another pattern tester, and so I flipped pages until I found her sample. Ding! Ding! After viewing her practice swatch, I saw what else I doing incorrectly.

I figured out that the stitches are connected at the top, but I forgot an important step, I need to connect at the bottom too! Many thanks to Sarah, for commenting on my latest post, to offer additional tips. I really appreciated that.

I’ve stopped working on the scarf today, it’s  time to hang out with my daughter a bit more before it’s her bedtime. However, after work tomorrow, I’ll use the knowledge I’ve learned with my practice swatch, and apply it too the actual scarf. I figured it was wise to work on a practice swatch, until I realized my errors since I didn’t want to keep wrecking my lovely yarn.

When it comes to hand crafts, I’m a visual person, with some techniques I’m fine reading and applying, but with complicated stitches videos or photos are very helpful.

Mistakes happen… learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward.

I stumbled upon triple treble crochet by accident..

Last December, when I l learned to crochet,  after learning the basic stitches I just did my own thing. I called it ‘playing with stitches’. While playing with stitches, I would do various yarn overs, to see how it would look. It was a lot of fun for myself, playing around with crochet, not being concerned about following a pattern. I just wanted to become comfortable with holding a hook.  Fast forward a month later, and I learned that one of the stitches that I adored is called, triple treble crochet! And while triple treble crochet wasn’t new to me, when tackling this scarf, making the double double treble group was…

So while this video isn’t how to make the double double treble group (ddtg) it’s helpful for those wanting to learn how to make the double treble crochet (dtc) aka triple treble crochet (ttc).

You want to know something, the crocheted scarf I’m making would have come in handy at my daughter’s outdoor soccer game this morning. My daughter and I both took a nap, shortly after arriving home from her soccer game. It was chilly! 30F/+1.1C And the wind was blowing which made it colder.

In hindsight I should have brought one of my super thick crocheted or knitted afghans. It would have kept my legs nice and toasty. Cool weather is a great time to flaunt your yarnie creations. My daughter was rocking her knitted owl hat on the soccer field.

It’s time to correct my mistakes with the lovely crocheted scarf. Admittedly, mine isn’t looking too lovely at the moment, but it will once I correct my mistakes, and you better believe I’ll be wearing this scarf! Remember how I mentioned that most animal fibers make me itch, well I’ve found a wool brand that my skin tolerates, and it’s Patons Classic Wool!