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

1000 replies

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 01/01/2023 19:56

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_

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274
Fairislefandango · 13/01/2023 19:11

I need a HP Blanket. I don't, but I want one.

Totally same here!

Sirzy · 13/01/2023 19:36

www.blacksheepwools.com/products/harry-potter-crochet-wizardry-by-lee-sartori?_pos=1&_sid=9f6945896&_ss=r I got that book for my birthday so the blanket is the first make from it

Fairislefandango · 13/01/2023 19:54

I got a Harry Potter knitting book last Christmas and I haven't made anything from it yet. I started making the Cornish Pixie, but I just wasn't enjoying it. I've come to the conclusion that I just don't like making toys! A blanket though...

BooksAndHooks · 13/01/2023 23:15

I’ve had a very productive day. Managed to finish crocheting a bunch of daffodils for my Godmother, get up to date with the temperature blanket and start trying to work out Easter outfits for my daughter’s crochet mice. I’m Currently testing out if I can adapt the Halloween pumpkin costume pattern to make an Easter chick costume.

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 14/01/2023 08:14

@Sirzy oh dear. I should NOT have looked at that book! The clothes especially sound fun. How complicated are they?

@BooksAndHooks I enjoy seeing crocheted plants and flowers. I have a vague idea about making some sort of house plant at some stage, since I inevitably kill any real ones.

Today is (possibly) and exciting day! The jumper is finished all bar the cuffs and a very few ends to sew in - I'm currently very glad I made myself stop and do them in batches while I was working through! So, if I can find an hour to myself later, it ought to get finished... and then it is poncho time!

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WeCanLiveLikeJackAndSally · 14/01/2023 08:52

We need to go to Ikea today and it’s over an hour away. None of my projects are portable at the minute so I might actually have to talk to my husband… that or sit on FB But we will be buying storage solutions (do you buy anything other than storage solutions at ikea?) so my yarn stash might be organised. DH might also discover the full size of my stash 😬

Skiphopbump · 14/01/2023 10:12

The Harry Potter book looks fab, the sorting hat looks really impressive.

My cotton yarn arrived and it feels really nice to crochet with. I’m trying to make the first 50 stitches square and keep starting over- I find crocheting in the round so easy but not so much side to side, I think I’m being too fussy!

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 14/01/2023 10:37

@WeCanLiveLikeJackAndSally Shopping for storage solutions at IKEA sounds like my dream weekend, especially if you throw in meatballs and chips for lunch😀

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MerylSqueak · 14/01/2023 11:09

@MyOtherCarIsAPorsche Snap! When I made those little sheep at Christmas everyone wanted one. Nice but also annoying!

Tbh I am getting a bit fed up of making things for other people. I'm even getting fed up of turning them down. It's my blooming hobby! I just want to do things I want to do. If I was a runner, no one would be requesting me to run particular distances or speeds. Just leave me alone!

On that note, I have a question. My question is: what is your favourite quick project? I'm looking for small things to do but I don't actually want a lot of the things I can find like slippers and bed socks. Anyone have any whizzy little projects they like to do? I'm a knitter but pretty interested in anything!

GlowWine · 14/01/2023 11:50

Hello, another newbie here. Been knitting since I was a teen (those big colourful 80s jumpers!), with large breaks in between. My teen daughter taught herself to knit over the last year and instantly took to it - making elaborate stuff I would never have dreamt of tackling as a beginner. Anyway that inspired me to finish some of my UFOs , a pair of socks that took a few years, and I finally finished the wrap cardigan that only needed sewing up and the shawl collar adding, it had sat there for 5? 10? years, temporarily abandoned as my eyesight worsened (it's black). However now I'm back, and into working through my stash of sock yarn - made two pairs of fingerless gloves + slouchy hats this winter. My current project is a lace scarf using recycled yarn from a small triangular scarf (a present) that the moths had got to. I unpicked and properly stretched the yarn to get the kinks out. It's single strand some soft natural wool (I have no idea), so I am trying my hand at a lace pattern for the very first time, it will be just enough for a shortish scarf.

I knit 'continental' style as taught to me by my gran. And I can only do one style of cast on (thumb loop method?). I have done some crochet for edging etc, but can't really crochet.

It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 10: New Year, New Yarn, New Thread!
It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 10: New Year, New Yarn, New Thread!
GlowWine · 14/01/2023 11:55

@MerylSqueak I've already made two pairs of these gloves, a very comfortable shape to wear: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pioneer-gloves
It's the photo in the previous post

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 14/01/2023 12:16

@GlowWine welcome! I'm in awe of that lovely work, gorgeous colours too.

@MerylSqueak you can never have too many takeaway cup sleeves! Also, I saw a pencil case pattern I quite fancied trying as a project when I need a break from the bigger stuff on my list. They're crochet patterns so I won't link to them, but there are bound to be knitted equivalents.

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MyOtherCarIsAPorsche · 14/01/2023 12:22

@MerylSqueak

The animals are quite time consuming aren't they. But worth it as they're quite exquisite - that's why they're in demand. Word of mouth soon spreads and that's it! Everyone wants one.

The only things that knit up quickly for me are baby clothes and things knitted with big wool (I prefer 4 ply but just bought an expensive stash of Rowan aran weight wool - something for myself finally).

I once made a below knee length coat from Rowan Big Wool in two days. It was so quick to knit up. It had huge bobble cuffs - very striking. Never worn it. 😬. There's too much stuff in my wardrobe which remains unworn due to 'saving for best', including an angora jumper which is beautiful but shedded far to much fluff. My mum once asked H (husband) if he'd had a dog in the car and he replied 'Aye - your daughter.'

My favourite things to knit up quickly are Terry's chocolate orange hats/covers and cadburys cream egg covers - they take less than an hour and I make loads of them on and off throughout the year and donate them to charity. (I provide the chocolate to boot.) Our local primary school loves them for their school fairs/fetes.

WeCanLiveLikeJackAndSally · 14/01/2023 12:29

@GlowWine i taught myself to crochet and then taught myself to knit (although I’ve not knitted for a while and I’m still very beginner on knitting), I knit continental style as apparently it’s the easiest way to learn how to knit as a crocheter. If you do some crochet edging, you’ll be able to do other crochet (if you wanted), I think the fiddly bit for will be doing your foundation row (crocheting into the chain) but if you do the foundation chain that might be easier as you build the stitches as you cast on. I don’t think I’ve explained it properly but there are YouTube videos which can do a lot better job at explaining.

We weren’t buying specifically yarn storage at IKEA but some of my books will probably end up on the shelves we bought and the old bookcase it’s moving to be my yarn storage. However, I know we’re hoping to move and @StillNiceCardigan is moving and everyone is always on the hunt for nice looking yarn storage - I think the Kallax shelves are the way to go. You can buy doors to hide some of the WIPs that are sat in the naughty corner, drawers to hide ribbons, scissors, amigurumi eyes, you have the boxes to hide the yarn swift and winder, the ugly yarn, the scrap yarn and the finished projects you’ve not managed to give away yet and the cross inserts to divide your yarn and make it look like you’re in a yarn shop. I’ve told DH that if we manage to move this year that I’ll take the box room and basically one wall is going to be yarn related things and I’ll squeeze my desk into the room somehow.

@QuantumWeatherButterfly the queue for food was insane so we did not get meatballs. Although I think DH was wanting to give DD meatballs as it would be her first experience of Ikea’s meatballs.

fidgetcube · 14/01/2023 14:05

I love knitting toys, I really want to try crocheting them, I started a crocheted Snoopy a few years ago but I think I need to start again as his head was massive, much bigger than I expected. So I think I went wrong lol.

I do like knitting/crocheting for others but only if I want to, I hate doing it for money or on demand, it stresses me out big time.

I also got a shade card for my first temperature blanket. So I just threaded it all up.

It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 10: New Year, New Yarn, New Thread!
StillNiceCardigan · 14/01/2023 15:11

I really like the gloves pattern @GlowWine i’ve got some nice bits of yarn that would work.

I have open shelves with baskets on for storing yarn in my study/craft room so I think I’ll be able to do the same sort of thing in the new house. We will have less rooms so I will need to share my space with (hopefully not too much) other stuff.

The photo is the yarn that is not being packed and is staying with me so that I don’t lose any knit/crochet days!

It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 10: New Year, New Yarn, New Thread!
Fairislefandango · 14/01/2023 15:33

@WeCanLiveLikeJackAndSally Shopping for storage solutions at IKEA sounds like my dream weekend, especially if you throw in meatballs and chips for lunch.

Me too. Sooo jealous Envy. I haven't been to Ikea for years - I think our nearest one is about a 90 min drive away!

fidgetcube · 14/01/2023 22:28

I have finally finished week 1 of one of the temperature blankets I’m doing this year. The yarn for the other one finally came today and it is scheepjes merino soft, which is really pretty colours.

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 14/01/2023 23:06

Drum roll please! The kids granny-go-round jumper I made is finished! And it fits DD! I had just enough yarn in the end, even after I fixed my mistake. The only thing I'm not pleased about is that the pattern left quite large gaps under each arm. I'm confident I didn't make any mistakes, what I had done matched the picture in the pattern. I just thought it looked weird. So, I used the ends to kind of pinch it together. It's not the neatest but it will pass muster and won't really be seen under the arms.

Tomorrow, I'm starting my poncho. I'm actually quite nervous - it's the first thing I've made with yarn bought specially so I hope it goes okay. I'd hate to waste it!

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Fairislefandango · 15/01/2023 08:12

Well done @QuantumWeatherButterfly - sounds fab, do we get to see a pic?

I'm getting on well with my handspun alpaca hat! It's pretty easy, and includes a stitch I haven't done before - the Right Twist.

I'm really pleased - the owner of the lovely yarn shop around the corner from my school has agreed to come and to an informal talk to my knitting and crochet club! She's all about British yarn and sells her own range of yarn from her own flock too, so I'm hoping she'll talk about that. I've also just planned to take my spinning wheel and carders in a week on Friday to do a demo and q&a session!

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 15/01/2023 10:25

Your knit and crochet club sounds fantastic, @Fairislefandango - can I come please?!

Your wish is my command! It's a bit on the twist, but the pattern does specifically say not to turn, and who am I to argue?

(Oh, and anyone else that was struggling with photos from the app because it showed oldest first - it is fixed!)

It's Crochet, Knit & Natter 10: New Year, New Yarn, New Thread!
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Skiphopbump · 15/01/2023 11:00

Lovely jumper @QuantumWeatherButterfly

I’ve just discovered that I’ve been doing treble crochet wrong - pulling through 1 loop then 2 then 2 rather than pulling through two loops twice.

SparkleMonster · 15/01/2023 12:44

Hi lovely crafters 👋 I'm new to knitting and crochet, and I'd like to have a go at making . Can anyone recommend a good brand/website for the yarn that's recommended? I think it's called tubular yarn, although I might be wrong about that!

QuantumWeatherButterfly · 15/01/2023 12:48

Hi, @SparkleMonster - I don’t know that particular kind of yarn, but I generally use either Love Crafts or Wool Warehouse. There are lots of reputable ones though. I know my knitter mum uses Black Sheep Wool quite a lot.

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SparkleMonster · 15/01/2023 12:55

@QuantumWeatherButterfly thanks, I'll have a look! The YouTube video is by an American lady, so the yarn she uses might be known as something different here.

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