It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 10: New Year, New Yarn, New Thread!

[QuantumWeatherButterfly]

Time for a new thread for all the lovely yarn crafters!

Old thread here: http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/artsandcrafts/4557189-its-crochet-knit-natter-9-so-many-projects-so-little-time-oh-well-i-almost-made-it-rhymee_

6 months is nothing @Veryfaraway I started my temperature blanket in Jan 2021 - 😂

Hi @Veryfaraway - I was the other way around, as I was a knitter before learning to crochet. I still prefer knitting and would definitely recommend it!

It's exciting knitting with my alpaca yarn - it's kind of weird and wonderful to think that I'll have taken it all the way from a bag of dusty animal fluff to a knitted hat that someone can wear!

I started the hat yesterday evening, but have had to frog and start again with smaller needles, as the brim was looking too loose. It's hard to judge the yarn weight of handspun - well, at least it is when your thickness is still pretty inconsistent like mine! I reckon it varies from bulky to dk

@Fairislefandango knitting with yarn you have spun yourself must be a great feeling!

I’m limiting myself to sock knitting at the moment as we are still on track to move at the end of the month (it will definitely be a rush at the end though if it’s going to go ahead). Half my stash is in a packing box so no more blankets.

@Fairislefandango
It's exciting knitting with my alpaca yarn - it's kind of weird and wonderful to think that I'll have taken it all the way from a bag of dusty animal fluff to a knitted hat that someone can wear!

I think these are the words we can come back to in the future when you’ve bought a plot of land and some alpacas…

I got excited with the temperature and thought it would be a genius idea to do it in chunky so it would be bigger, but then I looked at Instagram and saw how big they get so I’ve ordered some scheepjes acrylic yarn, was gonna do merino but I don’t have that kind of money lol.

oh and I’m doing two this year, one for a place near aviemore in Scotland, and another for baghdad (as that’s where my step mum lived as a teenager and her dad is Iraqi.). So yeah, we’ll see how they goes lol. Hopefully I can maintain this lol.

I’m Not sure how wide to go, I’d like it to be something you can snuggle under on the couch. Would single duvet width be okay? We don’t have a single bed so I’m trying to picture it lol. How wide is everyone else going?

@fidgetcube I would only use chunky if you’re splitting a row into 3 or 4 days, even then it would be quite big. I’ve seen some on FB that are 20ft long, I doubt I could even get that in the washing machine!

How wide to go will depend on your yarn weight, the hook you use and your tension. Oh also personal preference and what you want to do with it after! I would chain 100, lay it across you on the couch, does it cover you, would you want to be able to cocoon yourself a bit more? Lay it on a double bed, does it go roughly halfway? Add a bit more to the chain if you need to. Then do your first row, what is the height of that row? Times that by 365 and that’ll be the height of your blanket. Is that too tall and skinny? Would you prefer the blanket to be a bit wider or a bit shorter? If you want to cover a single bed, you can find the width of one online but a rough guess would be about 150 stitches across and I would use UK dc stitch because otherwise it will probably be too long. I’m making DH a jumper at the minute and it’s (UK) tr followed by dc and that has made a really pretty texture and has been more interesting that just dc but without adding the height of the row. First row is tr followed by dc and ending on a dc. The subsequent rows are ch3 which counts as first tr, dc into the tr from the previous row and tr into the dc. You’ll start each row with a ch 3 and end each row with a dc.

With two different blankets you could look at two different styles/stitches to keep it interesting for you.

Thank you.

yeah I’m returning the chunky and ordered dk.

im doing a baby blanket and it’s chain 182 so I can work off that I think.

I think these are the words we can come back to in the future when you’ve bought a plot of land and some alpacas…

Sadly I don't think I have the land for alpacas... I have heard a rumour that tye family of a girl in one if my classes keeps them though! Might have to drop some hints

Hello! Can anyone recommend where to start from scratch with learning to crochet? I used to do it 30 years ago with my grandma so hoping I can pick it up but really need advice on getting the basic equipment and if books or tutorial videos are the best way to begin.
Thanks so much in advance!

Hi, @PumpkinSpicedTea - I learned by watching Bella Coco on YouTube, a recommendation I got from Mumsnet. She has a series of videos of absolute beginners that cover all the basic stitches. Good luck!

Yes lots of people recommend Bella Coco!

I’m 2 weeks into the sampler blanket KAL - here’s the first 2 squares. The second one taught me I need new glasses!

@PumpkinSpicedTea I also learnt from Bella Coco’s tutorials, I started with a granny square. I started with this set and I’ve bought some nicer hooks since but I still really like my first set, they’re a bit like some comfy slippers. Most online wool places are free delivery over £25-30 so for your first bit of yarn I would probably go to a local yarn shop or home bargains/B&M to pick some up. Most people recommend starting with a Double Knitting (DK) weight yarn but I find aran or chunky weight a bit easier to start with, I find it easier to see the stitches and it works up a bit quicker so feels like you’ve accomplished something a bit quicker. You’ll probably want to start with an acrylic yarn because they’re cheaper but going in person you can squish the wool to make sure you like the feel of it. Pick a bright colour (or a few bright colours) and it’ll be easier to see you stitches.

I’m pleased to have found this thread. I tried crocheting on and off for a few years but always got frustrated as I wasn’t neat enough. Finally at the end of last year I started to feel like I found my way with it.
I’m making a blanket from hexagons but they are small so it’s taking a long time! Made some wrist warmers, somehow I miss counted and they ended up being a bit bigger than expected, and a small star blanket as smaller projects.

@12roundsofwhitelowfatspread I really like your sampler blanket and will try to find something similar for crochet as I really only use treble stitches at the moment.

@PumpkinSpicedTea I tend to find a pattern and then look on YouTube to learn how to how the stitches. Once I’ve learnt the stitch I’ll look in one of my books if I need a reminder.

My kids jumper is on hold while I wait for the new yarn. When it arrives, I'll make an assessment on if/how I can fix the dodgy sleeve.

In the meantime, I'm trying to learn foundation stitches, as I hate crocheting into the chain. I started with fhtc last night. It looked really neat, except I really can't work out how to join it in the round. I understand the theory, it's working out how to hold it and where/which way to insert the hook that's the problem. I managed, but it looks messy.

I was also surprised by how much deeper the foundation row was. I made a striped coffee cup sleeve and the first stripe that includes the foundation is a lot wider. I'm sure it's wider than foundation chain + row 1.

I'm going to have another go this evening - DH has requested as many cup sleeves as I can make so he can secrete them in all his bags/pockets!

Though as I was typing, I got a notification that my jumper yarn is coming this evening, so perhaps further cup sleeves will have to wait.

I love your sampler blanket squares, @12roundsofwhitelowfatspread ! I made 2 sampler-type crochet blankets during the lockdowns, but they were row ones where you changed stitch eveey few rows. I've also been making crochet granny squares very very slowly over several years, theoretically to eventually make a blanket. At this rate it will take me a decade - which is no problem, because I absolutely hate sewing things up!

Thank you for your suggestions. I'm going to check our Bella Coco and I've added the starter kit on Amazon to my wishlist!

@PumpkinSpicedTea One more recommendation - do get yourself some decent yarn. @WeCanLiveLikeJackAndSally has some good suggestions above, or Paintbox yarn from Love Crafts is less then £2 a ball. I was tempted by a set of cheap 'craft wool' on Amazon, and honestly it was so hard to work with - it didn't slip through my fingers, and it split every time I got a hook anywhere near it. It made it so much harder to learn. Good luck!

In other news - I opened the extra yarn I bought, and while the pink is a good match, the green is nowhere near. But I do have a bit more of the green left, and I can join what I take back, so I think I'm going to undo the rubbish section. Worst case, I can always make the ribbing at the cuff deeper, I've got plenty of yarn in the right colour for that.

If you are looking for a crochet sampler blanket I can recommend the 50 stitches Crochet along blanket. I did it last year and learnt stitches I’d never have cause to use usually. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks @BooksAndHooks , that looks fantastic! I found a book I have at home called 200 crochet blocks but will get some Aran wool (only have DK) and also try out that 50 stitches blanket - thanks again and still exactly the kind of thing I was looking for.

I’ve made two blocks since yesterday, they are supposed to be the same size but one is slightly bigger than the other. I make another and see where that fits in size wise.

Oh, @BooksAndHooks - I have been resisting blanket making so far, because I firmly believe that craft should have a practical and useful outcome and I have no need of blankets. Even so, I've been pondering having a go at Sophie's Universe later in the year to help build my skills, but I think that 50 stitches one might just be perfect for that purpose!

Plus, because it is so modular, I can manage it alongside my current project list too.

<heads off to yarn shop>

I use mine as a decorative throw on the sofa as I’m not supposed to make any more blankets. Says me whilst I’m currently sitting working on the huge temperature blanket.

I can't even get away with sofa throws - DH will just chuck it on the floor! Plus the cats will shred it. I will need to think creatively!