Interweave Crochet Blog
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Another Warm Welcome
With many thanks to Kat and the Interweave Web Team, I welcome you to the Interweave Crochet blog! I look forward to keeping in closer touch with you than our quarterly magazine publication allows, and to learning more about you and what you love about crochet. Assistant editor Toni Rexroat will also be dropping by the blog every so often; I'm certain you'll enjoy getting to know her.
One of the things I'm most excited about is sharing news and features with you here that we can't fit into our limited number of print pages. I'll dive right into just that.
One of my favourite parts of putting together an issue of Interweave Crochet is preparing my Yarn Spotlight. I get to unplug for a while and play with delicious yarn. I could only fit three swatches into my spotlight from the fall issue, but I actually made six in my exploration of variegated yarns. I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted yarn and a 5mm hook for each swatch (click images for larger versions).
Swatch #4: Here's a classic granny square, one of my current obsessions. Just like in the French Square swatch in the fall issue of the magazine, the positive and negative space in the square allows the bold colours to breathe and breaks up any pooling effects that might be tempted to pop up.
Swatch #5: This swatch is a simple 5-chain mesh. I had a tough time getting it to lay flat and even in my scanner, but I think this image tells its tale. Like the granny square, the positive and negative space allow the bold colours to breathe. Maybe its the wonkiness of the mesh, though, but I prefer the uniformity of the granny square. In swatch form, that is. But imagine this mesh used in a garment -- I think it would be pretty spectacular, and surprisingly subtle.
Swatch #6: This one is plain-old single crochet. Here's that dread pooling effect, and not in a cool pattern like the diamonds that developed in my granite stitch swatch in the magazine. I don't mind it so much in this small swatch, but I think I'd start to mind if it were a larger project. I do love, however, how the small stitches create an almost pointillism effect. The swatch almost looks painted.
I very much enjoyed this Yarn Spotlight, and I'm excited about working on my piece for the winter 2007 issue in the next week or two (hint: my stomach is grumbling). What do you think? Do these swatches make you see variegated yarns in a new light?
Have you ever picked up an odd ball of variegated yarn without knowing what you'd do with it? How did you approach it? Did you swatch like mad like I did, or did you dive right in? Were you surprised by the way the colours behaved? Leave a comment* and let us all know.
* We are terribly excited about the interactivity this blog will allow us to enter into with you. We will read every comment you make, but unfortunately we won't be able to answer them all. We'll do our best to chime in within the comments section so all readers can read our responses.
One of the things I'm most excited about is sharing news and features with you here that we can't fit into our limited number of print pages. I'll dive right into just that.
One of my favourite parts of putting together an issue of Interweave Crochet is preparing my Yarn Spotlight. I get to unplug for a while and play with delicious yarn. I could only fit three swatches into my spotlight from the fall issue, but I actually made six in my exploration of variegated yarns. I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted yarn and a 5mm hook for each swatch (click images for larger versions).
Swatch #4: Here's a classic granny square, one of my current obsessions. Just like in the French Square swatch in the fall issue of the magazine, the positive and negative space in the square allows the bold colours to breathe and breaks up any pooling effects that might be tempted to pop up.
Swatch #5: This swatch is a simple 5-chain mesh. I had a tough time getting it to lay flat and even in my scanner, but I think this image tells its tale. Like the granny square, the positive and negative space allow the bold colours to breathe. Maybe its the wonkiness of the mesh, though, but I prefer the uniformity of the granny square. In swatch form, that is. But imagine this mesh used in a garment -- I think it would be pretty spectacular, and surprisingly subtle.
Swatch #6: This one is plain-old single crochet. Here's that dread pooling effect, and not in a cool pattern like the diamonds that developed in my granite stitch swatch in the magazine. I don't mind it so much in this small swatch, but I think I'd start to mind if it were a larger project. I do love, however, how the small stitches create an almost pointillism effect. The swatch almost looks painted.
I very much enjoyed this Yarn Spotlight, and I'm excited about working on my piece for the winter 2007 issue in the next week or two (hint: my stomach is grumbling). What do you think? Do these swatches make you see variegated yarns in a new light?
Have you ever picked up an odd ball of variegated yarn without knowing what you'd do with it? How did you approach it? Did you swatch like mad like I did, or did you dive right in? Were you surprised by the way the colours behaved? Leave a comment* and let us all know.
* We are terribly excited about the interactivity this blog will allow us to enter into with you. We will read every comment you make, but unfortunately we won't be able to answer them all. We'll do our best to chime in within the comments section so all readers can read our responses.
Labels: Fall 2007, Yarn Spotlight
Comments:
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Kim, I just dive right in! I love variegated yarns for several reasons. (1) I'm not all that great with color so this gives me many colors without having to worry if they play well together. (2) I hate weaving in ends and variegated yarns give you plenty of color with very few yarn ends. (3) They come in such great colorways. And (4) they even play well with solids.
I dive right in -- 'cause I love surprises. That's the beauty of variegated yarn. What you see in the skein is often so different once you start working it up. Granite stitch is my favorite stitch to use with variegated yarn. I "discovered" it when I was working with a camouflage variegated yarn. Using the granite stitch actually made the project look splotchy just like the fabric.
your column really made me think about things in a new way. I always thought variegated yarn "should" be used in a simple stitch, that the stitch pattern and variegation of the yarn would compete with each other. And I always thought swatches were just for gauge.
Now I think when I'm trying to pick a pattern to go with a yarn and vice versa, I will do different stitch/pattern swatches and see what the yarn tells me.
Thanks!
Now I think when I'm trying to pick a pattern to go with a yarn and vice versa, I will do different stitch/pattern swatches and see what the yarn tells me.
Thanks!
I love that your comments (the first three on the blog!) are so different. I agree that variegated yarns are a super simple way to inject colour into a project without having to deal with weaving in ends, and I also enjoy the surprises.
Anonymous: I'm so thrilled by your response! I hope you enjoy all the swatching. :)
Anonymous: I'm so thrilled by your response! I hope you enjoy all the swatching. :)
This is going to sound silly and I do apologize for going off the topic...I had a preference to learn knitting mostly because Grandma Betty crochets and I wanted to be different. Grandma Betty now lives far away and so do all the crocheters in my family for that matter. Well, now I subscribe to IC. I do not know how to crochet! Yes, I do not know how to crochet!! I really want to learn and I am looking forward to what the future holds for IC. Thanks very much for making crochet cool, fun and so enticing to learn!
Christina, thank you so much for your comment! I hope you find a good crochet class in your area, or pick up a good book so you can start crocheting soon. I hope you enjoy doing it as much as you've been enjoying the magazine!
It's true that some variegated yarns can lead to pooling when crocheted, but I've also found the opposite is true too--a yarn that pools when knit will splotch in a pleasing random way when crocheted. I love to crochet "self-striping" yarns for instance which rarely end up striped in my projects.
Cheers,
Amyi
Cheers,
Amyi
Hi Kim and others! I am delighted there's a Crochet blog and so happy to see crochet moving from the back of the bus! I just posted a comment, about the 200th, on Sandi's Knitting Daily blog where she "dared to say the C word" -- I couldn't believe how many of those otherwise warm and wonderful knitters posting comments seemed to get all humorless about how crochet was tainting their KD experience! It's better to be the underdog, I guess. I do love Sandi's knitting blog -- knitters and crocheters have YARN and GARMENTS and FITTING and TEXTURE and COLOR in common! And COMMUNITY! So glad that the Crochet Community is coming together and having the Crochet Conversation!
As for yarn? I'm playing with Trekking XXL self-striping -- crocheted some sox and now I'm making a shoulder bag with it because it's very entertaining to see the color changes and I don't have a bunch of ends so it goes quickly.
P.S. Do see the YouTube movie on the K vs. C feud: http://youtube.com/watch?v=JZcUjYpjKZs).
As for yarn? I'm playing with Trekking XXL self-striping -- crocheted some sox and now I'm making a shoulder bag with it because it's very entertaining to see the color changes and I don't have a bunch of ends so it goes quickly.
P.S. Do see the YouTube movie on the K vs. C feud: http://youtube.com/watch?v=JZcUjYpjKZs).
I was just reading the Yarn Spotlight in the new fall 2007 magazine about crocheting with varigated yarns. I would like to share a tidbit I picked up when using varigated yarns. If you use two skeins of varigated yarn at the same time and alternate between the two skeins every third row,(carrying the unused yarn loosely up the edge) it helps to eliminate those pools of color that sometimes form and makes for a more random color pattern. I recently knit a toddler dress using TLC Cotton Plus and the result was wonderful. A number of People commented on the dress and asked me how I got the colors to come out that way.......
I love the five chain mesh. I did a great hat with it in Koigu then promptly lost the blinking directions!
I needz it... keep it on your list of things to publish? Please?
Francine
I needz it... keep it on your list of things to publish? Please?
Francine
I love letting a varigated yarn find its own pattern!
The Sentiments Afghan in my blog's Gallery is a great example..
I bought 10 balls of Pink to Plum to Purple to lilac mohair and made 20 squares. Then went back and bought 20 more balls which turned out not to be the same dyelot (although I swear to GOD that I checked 12 times).
Then made more squares and then the most wonderful and natural pattern showed up amongst the squares.
I just trusted to the yarn!
Love your Magazine - just wish it wasnt so hard to get out where I live!!!
The Sentiments Afghan in my blog's Gallery is a great example..
I bought 10 balls of Pink to Plum to Purple to lilac mohair and made 20 squares. Then went back and bought 20 more balls which turned out not to be the same dyelot (although I swear to GOD that I checked 12 times).
Then made more squares and then the most wonderful and natural pattern showed up amongst the squares.
I just trusted to the yarn!
Love your Magazine - just wish it wasnt so hard to get out where I live!!!
I often find that crochet will dance with a variegated that just stumbled when I tried to knit it. If all else fails, I usually will like a variegated using linked doubles or trebles or taller, depending on the spacing of the colour changes.
Your Lady Editorship, please do not forget the men in future issues! I am used to summer crochet issues being a zero for men, since they tend to take advantage of cool lace, but Fall and Winter? We get cold and pattern-starved also!
Pippin
Your Lady Editorship, please do not forget the men in future issues! I am used to summer crochet issues being a zero for men, since they tend to take advantage of cool lace, but Fall and Winter? We get cold and pattern-starved also!
Pippin
Wow the dreaded pooling looks like a perfect streak of sunshine pattern to me! Love this yarn to pieces in all the examples.
Hi Kim,
Granny Squares are one of my current obsessions, also! I love working them in unusual yarns - check out my blog:
http://notyourgrannyscrochet-marty.blogspot.com
Granny Squares are one of my current obsessions, also! I love working them in unusual yarns - check out my blog:
http://notyourgrannyscrochet-marty.blogspot.com
Love the variegated yarn swatches. I can find something I like in each of them. I remember the variegated yarns my grandmother used to crochet--I didn't usually like the colors and the way the colors played on each other. The new colors are great!
BTW, your Lady Editorship, how often will you be contributing to the blog?
BTW, your Lady Editorship, how often will you be contributing to the blog?
I am so glad you wrote about crochet ina knitting forum. (My comments are about your note in Knitting Daily. You requested comments, but I did not see a spot just for replies.) I am tired of the knitting vs. crochet fighting. They both have good points to offer and are complimentary to each other. I enjoy making garments that combine them. I love the Melange sweater!! Is the pattern available?
Have you ever played with sock yarns in combination to crocheting? You can create very tight cuffs for socks this way! The foot is usually knitted and the results can be smashing.(hint)The socks on this page are small ones I made - http://littleblueclipper.4t.com/catalog.html
I usually use a 1.5 mm hook to do so.
But in a cold home like mine, we also love to play with thicker yarns to create a rug for our youngest to play with:
http://lansingerland.blogspot.com/2007/09/bericht-voor-oma-en-opa.html
Enjoyed your guest-editorial :-)
I usually use a 1.5 mm hook to do so.
But in a cold home like mine, we also love to play with thicker yarns to create a rug for our youngest to play with:
http://lansingerland.blogspot.com/2007/09/bericht-voor-oma-en-opa.html
Enjoyed your guest-editorial :-)
i've tried crochet.. i can't "see" it, so i've ceased my frustrating attempts...but as a knitter embarrassed by some of the rude knit oriented commentors...i thought i'd stop over here and let you know how impressed i am with the new patterns and more fluid styles that you're publishing...someone noted on KD that we're all kittens with opposable thumbs. works for me...
Hi, I was paging through your magazine and loved the granny squares you highlighted. Can you provide the pattern or the link to the pattern for those? Many thanks!
Hi everyone,
I wee follow-up to some of your comments:
Pippin - Check out the man's and boy's sweaters in our Winter issue.
Val - The French Square motif pattern is in our Fall issue as part of the Overlay Felted Tote pattern. The rest are from stitch dictionaries. You can find a basic granny square pattern by Googling for it.
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I wee follow-up to some of your comments:
Pippin - Check out the man's and boy's sweaters in our Winter issue.
Val - The French Square motif pattern is in our Fall issue as part of the Overlay Felted Tote pattern. The rest are from stitch dictionaries. You can find a basic granny square pattern by Googling for it.
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