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my creative space

my creative space

This week in my creative space I’m unraveling a sweater. I wasn’t planning to buy anymore sweaters. I don’t need anymore yarn. But I saw these little sparkles and all I could think of was a patchwork baby blanket.

I love the primary colors. New parents are always swimming in pastels. Bright colors are a nice change, don’t you think? Plus, take another look at those sparkles!

my creative space

I’m planning to crochet solid color squares, so this will be the perfect vacation project. (Yes, I’m planning ahead for vacation projects.) I’ll seam them up when they are all finished. It would be easier to join them as I go, but I need a portable project for the plane, the beach, sitting in traffic, etc.

I’m getting pretty good at this unraveling thing. I hardly had any waste yarn — just a bunch of pesky knots at the end of each color change. And even they didn’t go to waste. My daughter took the pile of ends and put them in a bowl for her stuffed dog. He had ramen yarn noodles for lunch.

Make sure to visit more creative spaces over at Kirsty’s blog.

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how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

I first heard about this at knitting retreat. It’s a really simple idea and I can’t believe it has never occurred to me on my own. I love skinny stripes, but breaking yarn at each row leaves too many ends to weave. I always figured that I’d have to do two rows of each color in order to carry the yarn. But, if you do three colors, there’s yarn at the end of every row just waiting to be carried up. So simple! So cool!

how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

This works for both knitting and crochet. I’ll show you what I mean on my dishcloth in progress, which happens to be crochet. (Knitters, ignore the chain row and cast on with Color A. Row 1 begins with Color B, etc.)

how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

Chain your number of stitches in Color A (navy).
R1: DC across in Color A (navy).
R2: Join in Color B (tan) and DC across.
R3: Join in Color C (light blue) and DC across.
R4: Carry up Color A and DC across.
R5: Carry up Color B and DC across.
R6: Carry up Color C and DC across.
repeat rows 4-6 until finished.

When you carry up the yarn, your edges will look like this.

how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

I know some crocheters like to incorporate the transition from one yarn to the other in their chain stitches, but I prefer to start my rows with the faux double crochet, so here’s how I catch the yarn on the way up. I assume you know how to do a double crochet, so I’m not including pics of all the stitch steps, just the ones that are different.

how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

Work across until you have one stitch left. Bring the next yarn up and over your working yarn.

how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

Continue on as usual with the working yarn. See how the carried yarn is getting tucked neatly in the work?

how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

When you have two loops left on your hook, drop the working yarn and pick up the new yarn. Yarn over and pull through the last too loops.

how to: crochet or knit single row stripes

Look at that! Now you are ready to turn your work and start the next row with the new yarn!

stash: This is an awesome stash busting idea. Imagine how many more odds and ends you can use up with this method!

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my creative space

blue chromium star blanket

I delivered the Chromium Star baby blanket tonight. I am in love and it was hard parting with it. The pic is before I put it in the wash. It looks even more beautiful once blocked. Would it be weird to make one for myself? I think just a little bit.

I think I can officially say that crochet is faster than knit for me. I finished this in 10 days without really trying too hard. I’m getting ready to start another little blanket, also from a sweater. I’ll have some before pics soon!

recycled: This blanket used to be a sweater. I happened to know the knitter, so I can tell you that the yarn is Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. It washes (gentle cycle in cold) and dries (on low) beautifully.

Don’t forget to visit Kirsty’s blog to see what all the crafty peeps have going on in their spaces.

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thrifty thursday

I was all ready to post about something else when this sweater literally came over to my house and never left. My friend Tana is destashing some of her hand knit sweaters. I told her I’d be interested in the cardigans and she stopped by this afternoon with them. There were a couple of pullovers in the bag, but I’m constantly hot/cold/hot/cold/etc. and don’t wear them much anymore.

blue sweater unravel

I couldn’t stop looking at this one, though. It was such a lovely color blue. I loved the gray accent. I didn’t think I’d ever wear it, but Tana said I could do what ever I wanted with it, so you know what happened next, right?

blue sweater unravel

I’ve abandoned that silly vintage wool for now and have started making the Chromium Star blanket out of this yarn instead. It is already turning out much better than I had even imagined. Thanks for the two fabulous cardigans and this wonderful yarn, Tana!

reuse: Hand knit sweaters are such a joy to unravel. They are always seamed together with such care. I wish all sweaters unraveled this nicely. I didn’t lose one bit of yarn!

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star swatch no.2: felted (i think)

It occurred to me last night after I posted the pic of my swatch that a before shot would have been nice. How else would you be able to tell that the stitch definition had been lost?

star blanket swatch

I crocheted another one last night and remembered to take a “before” shot this time. The second swatch was washed in cold. It also felted. Except that it didn’t shrink. Before and after are the same size and shape. Maybe “felted” is the wrong term.

It’s like the yarn is blooming. It’s incredibly soft. I’m starting to think I might even like it. I’m going to wash it again — maybe a few times — to see how it holds up. What’s more important to a newborn: soft and cuddly or nice stitch definition? I’m thinking soft and cuddly.

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star swatch no.1: felted

star blanket swatch

I usually don’t swatch. When I do, it’s never the 4×4 inch square I’m supposed to make. Mine are small. Calling them 2×2 inches is generous. Usually gauge doesn’t matter for a lot of the items I make.

Last week I made a swatch, not to check gauge, but to check the yarn label’s claim: machine washable and dryable. 100% virgin wool. Keyword that was missing: superwash. I put the swatch in with some linens on the warm setting. It didn’t felt that much, but a lot of the stitch definition has disappeared. I’m going to try another swatch washed in cold. After that, I’ll be stash diving for some cotton.

vintage yarn: I am in love with the color blue of this yarn. I read somewhere that a lot of wool used to contain recycled bits, so that’s why so many of the vintage yarns say 100% “virgin” wool. I can’t help but giggle when I read it. Apparently I have the sense of humor of a twelve-year-old.

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stitch patterns: crochet washcloths

crochet cotton washcloths

My latest gift-giving obsession continues: fancy soap and washcloths. I know so many people who deserve a little bit of pampering, but are too busy to take time for themselves. Hopefully these will help them relax and wash their stress away. They are crocheted out of the super soft Aunt Lydia’s cotton.

Want to make some yourself? Here are the patterns.

Note: You’ll notice that I don’t chain at the beginning of each row. I’ve started using faux double crochets instead. They really make your edges much neater.

crochet cotton washcloths

Basket Weave
gauge: 4 stitches per inch, blocked to 10 inches
first stitch in each row is a faux double crochet instead of chain 3

  • Row 1: chain 40
  • Row 2: dc across
  • Row 3-6: *5 dc through the front post, 5 dc through the back post* repeat until 5 stitches left, 5 dc through the front post
  • Row 7-10: *5 dc through the back post, 5 dc through the front post* repeat until 5 stitches left, 5 dc through the back post
  • Repeat rows 3-10 four more times.

crochet cotton washcloths

Columns
gauge: 4 stitches per inch, blocked to 10 inches
first stitch in each row is a faux double crochet instead of chain 3

  • Row 1: chain 39
  • Row 2: dc across
  • Row 3: *4 dc, dc through front post* repeat until 4 stitches left, 4 dc
  • Row 4: *4 dc, dc through back post* repeat until 4 stitches left, 4 dc
  • Repeat rows 3-4 until you have a square.
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shop: handmade cotton coasters

crochet coasters

Remember my stash-busting garden scarf? I still have some little bits of those pretty colors left and have been working on some projects to use them all up. Combining them with natural colored yarn again, I designed these cute coasters. You can find more pictures and details in my shop. I’m working on some other stash buster ideas, too. Stay tuned!

p.s. I plan to have the pattern available in my shop soon!

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shop: set of upcycled crochet covered vases

set of two upcycled crochet covered vases

They’re finally here! I think I love these too much to list them, but I can make more. Lots more, actually. I used wool from the big spool and clear plastic containers handpicked out of my very own recycle bin. More photos and all the details are in my shop.

Have a great weekend everyone!