Here it is: One huge THANK YOU to everyone who read and commented on my last post. It’s so much fun connecting with you all this way! Let’s get right to it, shall we? It’s time for more unsolicited crochet advice.

Crochet Problem: You Want to Crochet a Million Things. We are so fortunate to be around during this fabulous time for crochet. Never before have there been so many diverse and inspiring patterns all so accessible to us at a moment’s notice. How many times have you gotten lost in Pinterest for hours just taking in all of the beautiful options for crochet projects?

And what about Ravelry? Do you have over 200 projects in your queue? And you already have a billion favorites, right? Don’t get me started on Rachel’s patterns. With so many awesome patterns right here on the blog and also in the Crochet Spot store, we could be busy for years just crocheting through this blog alone!

Why is everything so darn cute?

We all should be very proud to be a part of the crochet community at this very special time in crochet history. It is perfectly natural that we’d want to enjoy every pattern and yarn there is to offer. Yet with this wonderful abundance comes a tough truth: You can’t crochet it all. I know. It’s a bummer. The upswing? You can crochet a lot and you can crochet each day! How do we select our projects?
read more »

Did you know that crochet has a professional organization? Don’t be surprised! Crochet is a really big deal! The most recent public data from the Craft and Hobby Association estimates that of the 62.5 million U.S. crafters, 14.7 million crocheted at least once in 2012. That’s almost a quarter of all crafters! Furthermore, the U.S. Census states there were approximately 313.9 million people in the country that same year. That brings our crochet data to another level. That means that almost 5% of THE POPULATION crocheted in 2012. You’re in good company.
read more »

Today’s Yarns for You selection is a novel classic, Vickie Howell’s Sheep(ish).

Yarn Facts: Vickie Howell’s Sheep(ish) is a blend of 30% wool and 70% acrylic spun into a versatile, single-ply, workhorse yarn that is soft to the touch but is suitable for projects for the whole family. A true medium worsted weight yarn, it’s machine washable in cold water and should be laid flat to dry. It’s best not to iron this yarn. A size H/8 (5 mm) hook is recommended to achieve a 4″x4″ (10 cm x 10 cm) gauge swatch at 17 sc across and 22 rows up. The yarn comes in a very fresh palette of 19 saturated colors that just draw you in and work together very well. I should also mention that there is a related yarn line called Sheep(ish) Stripes that comes in 6 different colorways.

read more »

Well, you never asked for it, but I’m going to advise you anyway! Read on, because maybe these are problems you’ve grappled with, or perhaps these are problems you didn’t even know you had! I am not only pointing out crochet problems, but offering solutions as well!

I got my Ph.D. in hook theory with a concentration in yarn.

Hello, Crochet Spotters!! Thank you for reading this first edition of Yarns for You! I was so glad to have heard from you on the introductory post, and there’s still quite a conversation going on there. That is exactly what I wanted for this series, so – AWESOME!

Today’s Yarns for You selection is the beautiful and smooth Paton’s Silk Bamboo.

Yarn Facts: Paton’s Silk Bamboo is a blend of 30% silk and 70% bamboo, resulting in a lovely and durable light DK weight yarn. It’s hand washable, and should be dried flat. A size G/6 hook is recommended to acheive a 4″x 4″ (10 cm x 10 cm) gauge swatch at 16 sc across and 20 rows up. Right now the yarn is available in 19 rich colors and jewel tones that are perfect for garment and accessory crafting.

read more »

No, I’m not talking about throwing your crochet project into the pool when you’re frustrated. Pooling is a phenomenon that happens while working with variegated yarns. It is often talked about with knitting, but I wanted to explore this aspect of yarn with crochet.

What is pooling? In knitting, pooling is when like colors in variegated yarn end up next to each other row by row, or round by round. The effect could create a kind of unintentional visual pattern. For example, if I have a blue-purple-green variegated yarn, the blues, purples, and greens would “line up” either occasionally or regularly while I’m working on my project. I’m not talking about self-striping sock yarn, where this type of patterning is intentional and looks intentional. It could happen with any kind of variegated yarn – either hand-painted or conventionally dyed yarn.
read more »

I am excited to annouce a new series on Crochet Spot – “Yarns for You” Crochet Yarn Reviews! The purpose of “Yarns for You” is to share a crocheter’s point of view about what makes a yarn good/bad/fun/useful/etc. to crochet with! This will be different from the “Focus on Fiber” series in that I will be reviewing specific types of yarn by name. As always, it would be great to hear from other Crochet Spotters in the comments section!

Why a crochet yarn review? Did you ever notice how sometimes yarn makers put all of the knitting information on the label and have knitted samples in the store, but may overlook crochet? Truthfully, some yarn is better for knitting and some is better for crochet. It has to do with how the yarn is constructed.
read more »

Stitch markers are one of the most basic and sometimes the one of the most fun crochet tools. For those who haven’t used them yet, crochet stitch markers are a removable tool that you place on your crochet as you are working. They serve the purpose of marking a spot in your crochet work where you are supposed to “do something,” such as start a new round, make an increase, change colors, etc. Stitch markers are often mentioned in the pattern but sometimes you’re crocheting along and you realize you could benefit from using a stitch marker. Stitch markers can be helpful in keeping count on long pieces, and a single stitch marker can hold your active crochet stitch in place while your transporting your work from place to place!

I wanted to share some of the random things I’ve used as stitch markers over the years. While I love fancy handmade stitch markers from Etsy, and I have certainly used the perfectly-sized, removable, plastic stitch markers from Clover, I have used the following items to hold my crochet for just a moment, or for a while.
read more »

How many of you love watching awards shows? I definitely think it’s fun, although I could do without all of the judgment about who looks terrible. I love to see the celebrities dressed up in their finery, but the catty criticism has got to go! They usually all look great, and if they don’t- oh well! They should still be having fun attending the Oscars! Right?

Anyway, since film awards season has finally culminated in the ultimate gala, the Academy Awards, I was thinking about how crochet can be glamorous. Crochet is a very versatile craft and has a long history of being used for formal wear. Futhermore, many major celebrities crochet, including Alyssa Milano, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Eva Longoria, and Meryl Streep! (Source) So why not glam it up with crochet?

Imagine you’re attending a gala and would like to accessorize your formal dress with crochet. Before you say that you never attend formal events, don’t forget that prom & wedding seasons are just around the corner, so you just may have occasion to try these suggestions & Crochet Spot patterns!
read more »

The inspiration for this post came from the wonderful comments in one of my previous posts, Crochet is Child’s Play. I loved hearing everyone’s stories about learning crochet and then passing it on. One Crochet Spotter, Pearl, mentioned that she was trying to teach her six-year-old brother and asked for advice. Before long, Marcia G (a fellow Crochet Spotter) directed Pearl to Rachel’s “How to Crochet” instructions. Hooray! This is EXACTLY what the Crochet Spot community is about!
read more »