Things you need to know before substituting yarn 23 Jan 2023, 7:33 pm

You purchased a new pattern and now it’s time to look at the specific yarn requirements for the patterns. But oh no even though your yarn stash might pass as a yarn shop in disguise you don’t already own the required yarn. This means either placing a new yarn order and helping your yarn stash grow even further or as an alternative you might want to look at substituting the required yarn with something that you already got in your stash. This is something I prefer to do as at the end of the day I’m one of those people that like to add more yarn to their baskets just to make sure that I hit the free-postage threshold :)

So given that for this year I set myself the task of pro-actively decreasing my yarn stash I might have to get thrifty with how to use it up. One way is to design more patterns (watch this space!) Another one is to actually start on the projects I bought the yarn for in the first instance. But what about those mystery yarn packs I bought in the past? Yes, I must admit I really like those too as a special treat for myself. This however lead to an increased amount of yarn, which has been discontinued by now that is still sitting in my stash. This yarn I would usually not use this for designing a new pattern (as you wouldn’t have the chance to replicate the same item). But how would you deal when a designer used yarn in the past which is nowadays not available anymore? Does this mean that you can’t make the pattern anymore? Don’t worry, you can easily substitute yarn with my helpful guide on how to substitute yarn so that your next project is a success even when you don’t have the yarn on hand the pattern is calling for.

Reasons why you might need to swap yarn

There are multiple reasons why you might need to change the yarn used compared to the one recommended in the pattern. There might be others which aren’t listed here but I tried to summarise the most common for you

Yarn has been discontinued

Depending on the type of yarn used in the pattern this can be something this can happen on more regular basis than you might think. I used to design patterns with Deramores yarn and while some of the lines are still available on Lovecraft others were discontinued. Same for my all-time favourite Debbie Bliss yarn, which nowadays doesn’t have the selection anymore it used to have.

Your go-to yarn shops do not stock the suggested yarn

This one is especially common when the pattern is designed by a designer in a different country. I remember always recalling when Red Heart SuperSaver was used on patterns when I first started out on my crochet journey. Something super commonly available in the US, but very difficult (if all!) to get hold of in the UK. After spending some time in Canada and having the pleasure of exploring the yarn shops, I bought some and quickly learned that there are nicer yarns to crochet with. However, I also learned that I liked some Bernat yarns which I couldn’t buy after coming back to the UK. Luckily nowadays the more commonly used yarns can be ordered from sellers that ship worldwide. This might come at a cost, so you might choose to go with something more local. If you want to support a local business my yarn shop finder might help you with that.

Allergies

You might be allergic to a specific type of fibre and therefore might have to swap the yarn to make allow you to enjoy your project. My hands get really dry when I crochet with 100% wool yarn, so I tend to not use it too much in projects.

Costs

Sometimes the yarn which is specified in a pattern might be expensive. One of my designs – the Midcentury Blanket – uses Debbie Bliss Cashmerino yarn for a single-sized blanket. While this is a rather luxurious piece and I loved creating it I’m fully aware that it also comes with a big price tag. I wouldn’t have been able to afford the yarn on my student budget so would have had to swap it for something more affordable.

Dye Lot Issues

You might be working on a bigger project that requires multiple balls of yarn. However, you might not be able to source it all of the same dye lot and using a different one might be very obvious. Sometimes there might also be differences in thickness between different dye lots. I noticed this on Stylecraft Special DK before.

Personal Preference

You may simply prefer to use a different yarn. When I crochet something for my vegan friend I make sure that the yarn I use is vegan-friendly so depending on the project I might have to swap the yarn for her.

Practical Reasons

I’m thinking of those gorgeous merino baby jumpers here. Those amazing masterpieces in hand-dyed yarn. I remember having one for my little boy. I was too scared to put him in it as it was a hand-wash-only item and he was a rather messy baby. When the items would have been made out of a fibre that would have been easier to care for it would have gotten more wear out of it. A real shame as it was a gorgeous jumper!

Those were all of the reasons I’ve come across myself in the past. Did you have to substitute a yarn because of something else? Please let me know so that I can update the list in the future

Happy Crocheting!

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How to win at Yarn Chicken 3 Jan 2023, 2:41 pm

Have you ever played the “yarn chicken” game? If you are an experienced crocheters and/or knitter you will most likely answer yes to the question. If you are new to the world of yarn craft your answer might be a blanket stare. What is she on about? Has she lost her marbles? “Yarn Chicken” what’s that? And why would I want to win it?

“Yarn chicken” is a term that is commonly used to describe the act of trying to complete a crochet or knitting project using a limited amount of yarn. Have you ever wondered if you are able to make the next round with the yarn you still have available? Then you’ve been playing “yarn chicken” :) You are trying to “race” against the yarn to see who wins. The yarn or you. There is always one clear winner at the end of it.

It might just be me, but I love to find out if I can make it to the end! Especially thrilling when you crocheting a larger project. Sometimes I think that crocheting faster will help me to win the game. Stupid I know as this isn’t actually how you win it!

Therefore I’m sharing some tips and tricks that will help you win your next yarn chicken game:

Gauge Swatch

Unless you’ve got an unlimited supply of your yarn or know that the dye lot won’t have that much of an impact I always recommend making a gauge swatch before starting any new project. This is especially important when you crochet a pattern from “new-to-you” designer. Depending on the gauge the pattern is using your outcome might differ drastically. It is also important if you use a new set of hooks (yes a different hook can have an impact on your gauge!) or if you use a yarn that you haven’t used before.

Check your Stash

That might be an obvious one but always make sure that you’ve got enough yarn before you start your project. A pattern usually states how much yarn you will need. If you checked your gauge and it matches the pattern you’re good to go. If not you may have to buy more yarn or adjust your gauge accordingly to make sure you don’t run out of yarn halfway through your project.

Length method

This method will work best when you do not have any increases in your pattern so that the amount of yarn you need per row/repeat is the same. It’s better when you do it before you adventure on your last repeat which you are certain that you will have enough yarn for. Find the half-way point in your remaining yarn and make a little removable knot. Now you can crochet your next repeat. When you hit your knot while doing so you won’t have enough yarn to add any more repeat. If you finish before hitting the knit you’re good to go on another repeat.

Substitute with a different yarn

If you are having trouble finding the exact yarn which is called for in the pattern, you may be able to substitute with a different yarn of a similar weight and fibre content. This however really depends on the pattern. It might be easier to add a different colour and yarn to a multi-colour project like a granny square than it is to an item that only uses a single colour.

Use your scraps

When it comes to yarn I’m a little bit of a horder. Finished off one project and got some yarn left over? Keep it. I’ve heard horror stories of people binning left over yarn. Please do not do it. When I think I really won’t have any use for the yarn in the future I will always donate my left overs to my children pre-school for crafty activities. But I make sure to have a nice collection of yarn ends in case I need only that tiny little bit to finish a project.

How do I organise my yarn scraps? That will be one topic for another time :) But do you have any tips for storing yarn scraps that you would like to share with me?

Adjust your tension

This one is more of an advanced trick and might work for some projects better than for others. I used it very successfully on a granny square blanket the other day, but it might not work on your project. A tighter tension will use less yarn, but your fabric might be a little bit more stable in this particular place. I recommend going down no further than half a hook size to make the tension difference not to big. But it works perfectly for those projects where you only need a tiny little bit more to make your yarn work out for you.

Weigh your yarn

Now, this is a pro-method, which I personally tend to use when I design a shawl pattern or pattern that uses hand-dyed yarn, which is either expensive to buy and/or difficult to get hold of when you run out of it. You’ll need an extra tool for this to work though and this is a fairly accurate scale. I use my digital kitchen scale for it, your bathroom scale wouldn’t work but there is also no need to go as specialised as the laboratory scales I used during my unidays.

Before you start your next row/round weight the remainder of your yarn. Note down this weight (this is your starting weight).

Now finish the row or repeat and weight the remaining yarn again (this is your repeat weight).

Take away the second weight (your repeat weight) from your starting weight to find the difference. If the difference is greater than your second weight you’re good to go again if your row/repeat is not increasing. When your row/repeat is increasing you will have to do a little bit more maths.

From experience, I usually add about 10% as a safety buffer when increases are involved. However, if you even want to take the guesswork out of this you can do this by weighing another repeat. When you take the difference between the two repeat weights you will see how much yarn you require for each increase.

I really hope those tips and tricks will help you to win your next “yarn chicken” game. Do you have another tip that I could add to my list? Please feel free to reach out to me and tell me about it!

Happy Crocheting!

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All About Hand Dyed Yarn 12 Dec 2022, 10:07 pm

Have you ever squished some hand-dyed yarn before? if your answer to this question is yes, you will understand why I’m so obsessed with it. And it’s not only the squishiness that makes hand-dyed yarn so attractive. Every single skein is unique and so beautiful to look at. A piece of art, that turns crocheting into a truly special treat. You might find that there are more knitting patterns available for hand-dyed yarns. But don’t be fooled, hand dyed yarn isn’t inclusively for knitters it is and I’m here to show you how beautiful it is to crochet with it.

But before I show you what you can do with it, you might want to know what makes it so special.

Why is indie dyed yarn so special?

Indie dyed yarn is a type of yarn that has been dyed on a small scale by an independent business. The most common yarn bases are either cotton or wool, which can com from independent or small-scale farmers. Indie yarn is often hand-dyed using natural dyes, which adds to its uniqueness and beauty.

Where to best find and buy indie dyed yarn?

I can help you with this. I’m currently in the process of collecting a list for you. So stay turned until this post gets updated soon. This directory of indie dyers won’t be exhaustive, so if I have forgotten to add your favourite yarn fairy please let me know and I will make sure that I add them to my list. I will also sorted them for you by country. This way you can explore and find out if someone very local is producing amazing yarn. I personally try to buy my yarn as locally as possible.

Why do indie dyed yarns come in skeins?

Ever wondered why indie yarns tend to come in skeins? There are a couple of very simple reasons. Firstly it is much easier for the dye to penetrate the yarn when it is a loose skein. Having the yarn as a skein also enables the dyer to be more targeted on where they apply their dye to achieve a certain effect. It is also a perfect way to store the yarn in a way which doesn’t stretch it. As yarns do not carry a “use by” date (imagine if so!) the producer doesn’t know how long it will be until you start using your yarn so keeping it as a skein will keep it in its ideal state until you’re ready to use it.

Should I turn my skein into a ball?

Absolutely, yes you should but not straight away. Please store your skein as a skein, your yarn will thank you for that. Just wind it into a ball before you are about to start a project. Don’t try to actually crochet straight from a skein. I’ve made this mistake for you before. It ended in a big pile of yarn vomit. So really cannot recommend trying to crochet straight from a skein. It will become tangled no matter how careful you are.

How to use indie dyed yarn

So you wound your skein into a ball but what’s next? Time to get started on your special project. This could be a shawl, scarves or maybe a hat? A perfect one skein wonder. Or why not splash out and make a garment for yourself or some home decor items? Given that indie yarn is generally dyed in small batches each skein is unique, which all a special touch to any of your projects. To make the best out of your indie-dyed yarn try combining it with different colours and textures to create an interesting effect. I tend to pair it with solid-coloured yarn to help your luxurious yarn truly shine. So experiment and go wild, but always remember to swatch your yarn before starting a project. You don’t want to play yarn chicken with your precious yarn as it won’t be easy to “buy another one” to ensure that you can finish your project.

Happy Crocheting!

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Heart Christmas Stocking 1 Dec 2022, 5:08 pm

The holiday season is the time for handmade treasures. The treasures that come out year after year and bring your family joy. Did you ever make something that reminds you that the festive season has started?

For me, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without getting my heart Christmas Stocking out of the Christmas box. Originally featured in Inside Crochet back in 2015 (how has time passed by the way?!) it’s turned into one of my Christmas staple presents giving at least one stocking every year to friends and family.

But don’t worry if you missed the pattern when it was first published in the magazine. It is now available on my blog, in Ravelry and also on Lovecrafts available for purchase.

But what is making this Stocking so special?

The beautiful heart motif that gives it a special touch and also show the gift receiver what they mean to you. It’s also perfect for all skill levels. It enjoyable to crochet both for beginners and experienced crocheters. Not sure about red and white? Be bold and creative and change the colour theme to go together with your deco. Consider trying gold and cream for a more sophisticated look, or modern brights like turquoise and pink for something more playful. Whatever you choose, the heart motif is versatile enough to shine in any palette.

But where can I put this stocking?

I’m traditional and always hang my stocking on my mantel piece but you can also hand it on your staircase or even as apart of a festive wall display (especially when you live ina flat and don’t have a mantel piece or staircase readily available!).

When you get crocheting make sure that you share the finished stockings with me. I always love to see my patterns comes to live all over the world :)

May your holidays be filled with joy, love and lots of yarn!

Happy Crocheting!

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Charlotte’s Universe CAL Part 1 1 Aug 2021, 6:49 pm

How exciting is this the Charlotte’s Universe CAL has finally started and I’m right at it :) We shall see how long I can sort of keep up with the pace of it. I fell super behind halfway through the Sophie’s Universe CAL 6 years ago so I’ve got the slight suspicion that I won’t be able to keep up with the speed of it. However, working from home gives me the advantage that I can actually crochet during my lunch break. At least one good thing that this pandemic has brought is when you’re asking me I’m more than happily continue working from home. The other thing is that I get some extra time with my favourite little people in the morning. Just need a little bit more space in this house!

Anyways back to Charlotte :) As I promised you last week I’m taking you through my colour choices as an inspiration for your Charlotte. Hope you’ll enjoy it :)

Charlotte’s Universe CAL – Part 1

Find the free pattern on Dedri’s wonderful blog (click here)

I’m using:

• 4.5 mm hook
• Stylecraft Naturals Cotton and Bamboo in Downpour, Umber, Thyme and Nutmeg

Round 1-2: Nutmeg

Round 3: Umber

Round 4: Umber

Round 5: Thyme

Round 6-7: Umber

Round 8: Thyme

Round 9: Umber

Round 10: Thyme

Round 11: Umber

Round 12: Thyme

Round 13: Thyme

Round 14: Thyme

Round 15: Thyme

Round 16: Downpour

Round 17-18: Downpour

I hope I’ve inspired you to take part in Charlotte’s Universe CAL if you haven’t started so far!

Happy Crocheting!

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Charlotte’s Universe CAL 25 Jul 2021, 6:23 pm

Oh is there another crochet-along happening you might think? Yes, there is, but this one will be truly special and you shouldn’t miss out. When you have been crocheting for a while you might have heard of Sophie’s Universe. If you haven’t you have missed out on a great piece in crochet history. I highly recommend reading up on it! Sophie was truly special and to date the only crochet-along I actually finished! I really enjoyed being pushed out of my comfort zone and crochet a style I wouldn’t normally crochet. And in case you haven’t come across it yet I designed my Garden of Roses Square in honour of the rose stitches I got first introduced through Sophie :)

I can’t believe that it’s been now over 6 years ago since this CAL happened. Where has the time gone?! Sometimes I can’t believe it. My finished Sophie now lives happily with my mum back in Germany. So when Dedri announced that she is doing another CAL I was all ears :) Over the last couple of years, I focused on designing patterns in my not really existing spare time. So when I choose to follow someone else’s pattern it has to be truly special. And I know that Dedri put so much thought and love into her patterns that it will be a pure pleasure to follow.

So here is to another CAL, pushing my boundaries again.

The first boundary to push was my yarn choice. I didn’t stick to the yarn choice of Sophie so why would I stick this time to it ;) As it’s going to be another special piece I wanted a special yarn for it. I settled on Stylecraft Natural Cotton and Bamboo which I managed to buy during a LoveCrafts Sale. 30% off means more yarn for my budget :) It’s a really nice yarn to work with. Will write more about the yarn when I get around to it.

The second boundary to push was my colour theme. I was naturally drawn again to a beige/green/violet theme until hubby pointed out that this would have been exactly the same as my Sophie’s theme… So while this would have been beautiful I wanted something different. And my final colour scheme is different. In fact, it is very different from the type of colours I would usually use:

My Charlotte will feature an earthy colour scheme. Something calm, while still with a little bit of contrast to add highlights along the way. Can’t wait to see how it is going to turn out.

If you want to follow along with me on the journey you can find the pattern to Charlotte over on Dedri’s Blog here. A new part will be released every Sunday but all the sneak peeks I’ve seen of the finished pattern look truly magnificent. Can’t wait :)

Like I did for Sophie’s Universe I will also be trying to show you my colour selection by round in case you want to follow along :)

• Charlotte’s Universe Part 1

Happy Crocheting!

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Rainbow Hat and Snood Set 5 Feb 2021, 9:29 pm

It’s time to do another happy dance, which can only mean I’ve published another pattern in Inside Crochet. And believe it or not this pattern makes me really happy. The world might be not the brightest right now but crochet helps me cope with everything life throws at us. There is nothing more therapeutic than making one crochet stitch after another and turning it into something that excites the imagination. Even more so when it’s something I created together with my little girl. We might not be able to go on all the adventures we used to go on but this means we’ve got more time to get creative. And if there is one thing my little girl really loves more than colouring in, it’s things made by mummy.

If you would ask her, she would most likely cover the whole world in rainbows and unicorns – a much brighter outlook on the world! Sometimes I wish I could be 4 again and not have all the worries adult life brings. But now back to the design in this month’s Inside Crochet.

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Isn’t this a super happy design? So bright and yet so special. I’m really in love with the third loop half double/treble crochet stitch. It gives so many possibilities to design unusual textures in a project, while ensuring that it doesn’t turn into something too complicated.

In fact, if you’ve followed me for a while this happy design might ring a bell. Nearly two years ago I designed a bonnet in the exact same colour combo and both sets will match :) Which means that with this added version you get a happy set from newborn, right up to adult. The whole family can match… If you want to :)

Overall this design has most likely been one of my most favourite designs ever. And, I’ve actually designed something else that will match this cute set, but more about this another time.

In the meantime I will leave you with a picture of this – a rainbow hook and rainbow of stitch markers. These always come in handy, you just need to make sure that the kids don’t get hold of them. And the best bit is that they come as part of this month’s Inside Crochet Issue. So a double win :)

And you know what would make me even happier? To see my pattern worn, so if you make it please don’t forget to tag me.

Happy Crocheting!

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Russian Doll C2C Pillow 10 Jan 2021, 3:48 pm

If you’ve crocheted for a while you might have found yourself in the same situation as myself. Plenty of leftover yarn from various projects, but there might not be enough of one colour to make a whole new item.

When I designed the Russian Pinafore Dress for my little girl a couple of months ago she asked me if I could make her something matching that she can cuddle. My first thought was maybe a Russian Doll Amigurumi. But to make something that truly matched I didn’t have enough yarn leftover. So what else could I make that she could cuddle instead? A pillow!

To ensure that the pillow matched I wanted to incorporate the Russian Doll Cross-stitch design from the dress into the pillow. And tada! A truly matching item was created.

I decided to make the pillow not reversible. Instead, I wanted to make sure that the pillow was stash-busting using an equal amount of yarn. There is nothing more annoying than ending up with loads of half-used balls of yarn. And if you are as – let’s say disorganised – like myself, you might end up wondering what yarn this half-used ball actually assembles. Over the years I’ve collected so much yarn that it is difficult to keep track. How do you keep track of your yarn? Any special tricks you want to share with me to help me get better organised in 2021?

Back to the Pillow. Of course, there is nothing better than stripes for stash busting, so a stripey back was needed.

I’m also not a huge fan of adding buttons to projects, so an envelope closure ensures that it was a really easy make without the need to add buttons onto it. And also made sure that it didn’t end up in my WIP like the other 123926753 projects that still needs some minor finishing touches. However, if you wish to you can of course always add a button :)

If you fancy making a Russian Doll Pillow yourself you can find the pattern for it over in my pattern shop.

Happy Crocheting!

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Russian Doll Pinafore Dress 18 Nov 2020, 1:06 pm

You can’t believe how excited I am to be finally able to share this design with you. It’s a milestone project for me and something I’m incredibly proud of.

Looking back to 2016 was an incredibly busy year. I was working on several commissions while pregnant with my first child. Looking back I overdid the number of commissions that year as all I was doing was hitting one deadline after another. It seemed to never stop. Everyone kept on telling me you will have so much time to crochet while on maternity leave. However, somehow no one knew that I would end up with a never sleeping, and what felt endless feeding, child. So my loads of time to crochet turned into no time to crochet at all and to be honest I also completely lost my CroJo after all those commissions.

Fast forward 4 years and I’m slowly but steadily getting my love of crochet back. It helped me personally to stay sane during lockdown and most importantly keeps me balanced between my day job and looking after my two mini people.

So why is this Russian Doll Pinafore Dress now a milestone do you think? Well, it’s my first step back into the commission world as it’s designed for Inside Crochet 130 :)

And besides being a magazine commission it was designed with the input of its future wearer, my little girl. She chose the colours for the initial design submission and even though my drawings were rather rocky it turned out very cute. She also tested the twirly ability of the design and gaining her stamp of approval must mean it is a good one :)

This was my submission sketch, I know that sketching isn’t a particular strength of mine… But this is also to show you that there is always room for improvement :) My big goal for next year is to make sketches that are a little bit less child-like. Even though I’m sure my 4-year-old has better drawing skills than me!

The pinafore dress is designed with one of my favourite yarns Debbie Bliss Baby Cashermerino. In fact, I’ve now got several designs in this yarn. Like my mid-century blanket, the ocean weave blanket, the I love you socks, and many more which are currently not published. I love its colour palette and it’s so nice to work with.

It features a pocket with a cross-stitch detail Russian Doll. Every girl needs a pocket, so I had to make sure there is one on this dress too. The straps feature also a little cross-stitch detail.

The border of the skirt features even more cross-stitch :) I do love to combine different crafts, it always adds a little bit more interest to a project, without making it too difficult at the same time.

Can’t wait to put my little girl in this dress at Christmas. Even though she tried the sample on for fitting purposes, it’s now safely hidden away till she can unwrap it on Christmas Day.

Do you have any special crochet Christmas present planned for this year? Or want to make some Christmas decorations that work up quickly? Check out my Christmas round-up post summarizing all of my Christmas patterns I designed over the year. I’m sure there will be something there for you too.

Happy Crocheting!

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Yarn over versus yarn under in crochet 15 Nov 2020, 10:55 am

After you crocheted for a while you might have noticed that there are actually two different ways how to “grab” the yarn before you pull it through your loop. When you primarily crochet blankets as long as you grab the yarn in a consistent way it won’t matter that much. However, when you tend to make little cuddly toys – so-called amigurumi – you might want to think about how you grab your yarn more consciously as the result in how you grab your yarn will be more noticeable.

Traditionally you would wrap the yarn around your hook before pulling through. This means at the moment when your hook comes first into contact with the yarn is over your hook. You then wrap the yarn around your hook to be able to pull it through the loop. We call this yarn over and this little video shows you how it looks for a single (US term)/ double (UK/Aus term) crochet stitch:

While having consistent tension can be tricky as a beginner it is especially important when you start making items that will require to be stuffed afterwards. I’m thinking here of cuddly toys that show their stuffing rather than your nice stitches. Ideally, we want to avoid this to happen especially when the cuddly toy is given to a child to play with. But luckily there is one rather simple trick. It will take a little bit to get used to but I promise you after you made the first couple of rows like that you don’t even have to think about it anymore.

And it goes like that. Instead of approaching the yarn as mentioned before you have it under your hook. This means there is no need for you to wrap the yarn around your hook before pulling it through the loop. Your tension will automatically increase and you end up using less yarn per stitch. This results in a much denser crochet work which will avoid stuffing shining through. And as an added bonus you’ll have mini kisses pop up in your crochet work. Who could say no to that?

This little video shows you how to make a yarn under single (US term)/ double (UK/Aus term) crochet stitch:

Want to try your newly found skills on a pattern? Following of my patterns use a single (US term)/ double (UK/Aus term) crochet stitch:

Happy Crocheting!

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