How to sort your yarns – method 2, a follow on to method 1 (funny that). This is another way to manage your yarns and can be used with method 1 or instead of. This is a wonderful system and it really works, as does method 1. It works in the hands of somebody organized, although I must admit even I have employed this system with great success, I use it in conjunction with method 1 (method 1 is still is stored in the bedroom) and I think I am getting on top of things finally.
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Yarn, thread, fibre, I don’t care what you call it but it breeds. Yes, breeds, unlike the money in your savings account. If your yarn hasn’t started breeding it soon will. If per chance it does not start multiplying then I have to conclude that the yarn is owned by somebody with this elusive thing called “self control”.

Now this is advice for people who have breeding yarn and those who can see signs that it is beginning, even on a small scale. The people who purchase yarn with only a vague idea of what they are going to do with it, for the “future project”. How do you know what you have? I am fortunate enough to have a craft room so you would think that everything would be in there – wrong. For some reason it is also in my bedroom and in the room where the TV is and in a camphor chest in yet another room in the house. Would it fit in the craft room, probably, if I get in there and organize it, but that’s another story.
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It’s a common misconception that crochet is mainly for winter accessories and afghans. With the varying yarn weights, types and a vast array of colors, your Spring projects might very well turn out better than your winter ones!

• Experimenting with different types of yarn: DK and Worsted weights acrylic yarns are great, but branching out into using more unique fibers brings a totally different ‘flavor’ to your everyday crocheting. Find a cotton/satin or cotton/silk mix (these types are often found in fingering weight) and use it to make The Timeless Scarf.
• Try your hand at crocheting garments: Shawls, shrugs and boleros are great Spring projects! A lot of these garments are designed for a chilly, but not wintery, Spring evening or morning. Check out The Yuet Shawl or The Convertible Lace Shrug and get started on a fun spring garment.
• Make some Easter Crafts: Fill your childrens easter baskets with these fun projects: Easter Crochet Patterns.
• Change up your usual colors:No more golds, teals and burgundies! Fill your yarn containers with duckling yellow, baby blue and bubble gum pink. Make a baby blankey with fun colors, lightweight yarn and this fun stitch: Pop-Out Flower Stitch and enjoy!

I’m looking forward to not just the weather of Spring, but the projects too. Share your own Spring projects with us in the comments below!

Crochet – still thought of by some as a “granny’s thing”. I mean, who would want that old crochet stuff now? How very wrong. I know for my grandmother that crochet and knitting were a necessity. She would get old clothing that had been discarded by others, and pull them apart to remake a garment. It happens when you have 7 children and live in a 2 bedroom house with no running water – no money. The old multi-coloured afghans could be make up using the little bits that happen when you unravel things. For some, these things were a reminder of poorer days.

Not so now – the good old ‘granny square’ has made a comeback big time. Crochet is now the ‘in’ thing. It has had a face lift, funnily enough a lot is being made with grandma’s generation patterns.
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Guest Post by Veronica Smith.

So the time has come, your grandma or mum is aging. You can see her once all seeing eyes deteriorating, her beautiful hands that she nursed and hugged you with getting less agile with age. Everything she ever made you is more precious than it has ever been. What happens now? Well you keep using it of course, that is why she made it for you. When she passes you will have lovely memories around you.
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A Guest Post by Veronica Smith.

So you’ve found the perfect pattern, you’ve found the perfect yarn. You have done your swatch and all is right with the world. Off you go, obeying all the instructions, counting stitches and counting rows. It looks kind of right, maybe a bit wobbly, but you are doing it by the pattern so all will be good in the end.
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A Guest Post by Veronica Smith.

We’ve all done it………. Gone to the magic store that sells all the wools, yarns and threads and stood there drooling over the expensive yet impractical yarns. You know the ones. The ones that cost a week’s worth of milk and bread for one ball, the ones with ‘hand spun’ and ‘hand dyed’ printed on the gold plated label (well, maybe not gold plated but it should be). You have no idea what you’d do with this stuff but you want it so bad – just one cuddle won’t hurt will it? Then you’re off to the sale section and the budget yarns.
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I love finding and sharing fun, unusual crocheted things! Unusual crocheted cozies seem to be a popular occurrence these days, such as the Smart Car Cozy, and the Bicycle Cozy.

Here is a quick video of an artist who is covering the Charging Bull on Wall Street with a crocheted cozy:

What do you think about this unusual cozy? If you would like to learn more about the artist, feel free to visit Olek’s website.

Crocheted gifts are always popular during the holidays! They are typically inexpensive to make and there are tons for crochet patterns to work with and choose from. Did you give or get a crocheted gift this year? If you gave a crocheted gift, what was it and how did your recipient react to it? If you got a crocheted gift, what did you get and how do you like it?

Often times, crocheted gifts are either appreciated and loved or dreaded. Maybe it’s the hideous crochet Christmas sweater that most folks dread to get. But now a days, crocheting is more fun and modern!

Feel free to share your experience with giving and getting crocheted gifts!