It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 9: So Many Projects, So Little Time. (Oh well - I almost made it rhyme!)

[Fairislefandango]

A thread for woolly crafters of all types and levels.
Previous thread here

You’ll never believe what my FIL turned up with, a giant knitted pumpkin with decorations! It’s absolutely amazing and I don’t like to think of how long it took to make, I’m sure he had no idea what he was asking when he asked the maker to make us one

Those are lovely colours in your blanket @tizwozliz, I think you may have trouble keeping it for yourself by the looks of it grin

Yay! Well done on defeating the ridge @QuantumWeatherButterfly

It's not the blanket I have to worry about, twice this week I've found crochet hooks in the dogs bed! They're irresistible to her it seems

Just checking in, lots of lovely things made!

I love the idea of crocheted pumpkins but I always leave it til the last minute and then it's pointless making them! I'm hoping to take the DC to a pumpkin patch this year so we'll hopefully have a few real ones scattered about!

I've made a hat for one of my DC's, and I'm in the middle of making some slipper socks for my mum, I think I'd like to do the new sirdar Christmas crochet along, aslong as they release the pattern on their website and not just Facebook!

Oops @tizwozliz did she at least have the decency to look a bit guilty when you caught her on?

Hi @sophs29! I always have good intentions of making autumn decorations but I’ve had a pattern I’d always liked for about 3 years and so far nothing Starting Christmas now sounds do able

There’s a program on BBC Alba on iPlayer that anyone interested in Shetland crafts might like, it’s called Fillte - tales of textiles.

@sophs29 the Christmas crochet along blanket is beautiful and starting now would mean it wasn’t stressful.

I’ll look out for the Shetland crafts program @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound it sounds right up my street!

Hi, everyone - I have a couple of questions for the more experienced crochet-ers here.

I've been having another go at making a mug cosy. You start with a chain of 35, joined with a ss, then row 1 is htr worked into the foundation chain.

I've been working each htr into the top loop of the foundation chains, and this is leaving an unsightly (to me) ring of loops (the bottom loops) around the bottom.

I did some googling, and learned that there are different techniques for this that you can use, depending on what effect you want, so I am going to try something different next time.

However, I didn't have this issue at all when I did my cowl recently. The differences were that the stiches were tr and not htr, and I was working with thicker yarn and a bigger hook, but I still worked into the top loop.

Does anyone have any thoughts on why this is happening with the mug cosy when it didn't with the cowl? What is making the difference? And what loop of the foundation chain do you work into?

@QuantumWeatherButterfly I don't know why it's happening on the mug cosy but not other things, could be a mismatch between the hook size and yarn thickness.

I always crochet into the back bump on the starting chain. It gives a lovely neat finish.

@CrochetBug I was hoping someone was going to say about the back bump, that was what I was going to try next😀

@QuantumWeatherButterfly i would also go for the back bump on that pattern.

Another vote for back loop @QuantumWeatherButterfly good luck! ☺️

I finally have something finished to share, my mums sock/slippers for her birthday next week! She bought me the pattern as a hint that she wanted some 😂 it was a tricky pattern as it was just a diagram/key? I had to follow, but I'm so proud for working it out and finishing them! Even if they do look a bit elf like when they're not on 😂

They look very cosy@sophs29 !

They look great @sophs29 and well done on following a diagram only pattern. I bought a pattern once without realizing it wasn't written instructions and it has thus far defeated me.

Wow - those are fab, @sophs29 ! I need a written pattern - I can't deal with diagrams!

It's the 3rd meeting of Knitting and Crochet club tomorrow, and I have a 6th form volunteer helper - hurrah! And then it's half term - phew! I won't have any finished projects to show you for aaages, unless I take a break from my endless but relaxing sleeve scarf and try one of those pumpkins - I'm very tempted!

Thank you everyone 😁 I won't be reaching for a diagram only again! I wrote out all the steps thinking I had it, then when I actually started crocheting I was like 'nope that's not right' so just done it as I went! It's much easier ticking off a written pattern as I go! I will tell mum when she opens them how much of a pain in the bum they were 😂

@Fairislefandango I think it's great you've had so much interest, and obviously even better now you have a helper! Have many of the students acquired their own hooks/yarn yet?

I don't know! I hope so! I had a massive bag of largely cheap yarn that I'd bought years ago or had inherited from random people, so I've let the beginners use thsr to practice so far, but I'm hoping they get their own soon.

Oh, @sophs29 ! They are glorious! I’m full of admiration!

I’m glad your club is going well, @Fairislefandango. I would have loved something like that at school.

I present to you all a pair of completed mug cosies, the mint row is the first one, with top loop row on on the right and back loop row one on the left. Back loop is the clear winner, I’d definitely do that again, but crikey I found it difficult! The chains seemed to tighten up so easily no matter how much I pinched, but I got there in the end.

Neither is especially neat, and I can’t say I enjoyed them a lot, they seemed really fiddly. But they’ll be very functional, and it was good to practice both htr and changing colours.

I’m away for the weekend this weekend. Don’t know if I’ll get much time to crochet, but I think I’ll take my bag and see if I can make any progress on the second handle.

Oo lovely bright colours on both the socks and the mug cosies. Fab.
nneed tO come up with a project which is quick. I don't have time for rows of 200 stitches at the mo. Progress on my blanket.... Well it doesn't exist.

Those socks are ace @sophs29! I’m in awe of you managing from a diagram, that’s impressive!

Gorgeous colours @QuantumWeatherButterfly! That’s such a difference just from crocheting into the back loop, the left one looks taller and the colours are in clearer bands

Your club sounds like it’s going really well@Fairislefandango! Would spare crochet hooks be any use to you? I have a few somewhere, I’d just have to find them!

Oh, @MerylSqueak I saw this which I liked www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crazy-magic-classic-cowl
I’m thinking it might use useful to use up coordinating leftovers

In case anyone is interested, this is aimed at spinners but might appeal to anyone with an interest in wool and sheepy facts. It says non British wool but that’s a typo, it’s a one or two session online course about British wool and it’s history and use. It’s a paid one but much cheaper than attending courses in person! I love zoom.

hilltopcloudshop.co.uk/collections/frontpage/products/live-online-non-british-wool-workshop-15th-and-16th-november?variant=40074120822862

I love the colours on that cowl and I'm a fan of that stitch. Thanks @SpinMeRightRoundBabyRightRound . The course looks great.

Well, ask and ye will receive. I've just been asked to make another scargmf by my friend who gets all my best stuff. It's only about a month until her birthday so I'm hoping to do something super chunky. Has anyone ever knitted with Drops air? Looks very much like Sky though I've not compared composition. I'm wondering if I could hold it double.bits not on sale at the moment, which is frustrating.

I made a baby pumpkin

Cute!

My DM is knitting a vest with it at the moment @MerylSqueak , it would definitely be bulky if it was held double but I think it might be a bit of a pain to actually knit two stitches at a time, it’s really quite fluffy.

That is very cute @tizwozliz I love how you’ve done the stalk!

I can’t seem to settle into knitting a jumper pattern, I’ve frogged the wool I'm using 4 times now. I tried a different way to warp my loom yesterday and woke up this morning feeling like I’d been doing weighted squats, ouch, it made sense to me at the time but I think it took me twice as long.