Gauge Square for Rowan's Sampler Afghan
Row 1: With J-hook, chain 14, double crochet (dc) in 3rd chain (ch) from hook and each ch across. (12 dc) Row 2: Ch 2, dc in each dc across. Repeat Row 2 for a total of 7 rows. Should equal approximately 4” square. If larger than 4” try the same swatch with an I-hook. If smaller try with a K-hook.
Why is Gauge Important?
Most Crochet patterns give you a gauge square to make before you begin the project. The tension with which we hold our yarn varies from one crocheter to another making the same pattern with the same hook appear looser or tighter. Checking your gauge will allow you to change to a larger or smaller hook to adjust your stitches to the size you need for your pattern. Taking time to complete this small square will allow you to create a finished project in the size you actually want.
In general, it is better to go a little on the small side than slightly bigger. For this project, if your gauge swatch measures 4 ¼”, by the time you make a 9” square it will measure at least ½” larger. You can always add to a too small square, but there is no way to fix a too large square except to pull it all out and start over again.
When do I Need the Gauge?
If you are making a hat, sweater, or other garment, I highly recommend checking your gauge. Otherwise you may get half way through your project and realize you have to start all over because the garment will never fit. Or hopefully you have a friend or relative who is actually the right size you can give it to. My aunts each got a sweater years ago they probably never wore. But at least I felt good about giving a handmade gift.
When making an afghan or scarf or other flat item, the gauge square is not quite as important. As long as you do not mind it being a bit bigger or smaller. However, I would recommend checking your gauge for this Sampler Afghan Pattern. Because we are using so many different stitches and in case you decide to make a few squares to donate on their own, it is important to check your gauge so your 9" squares can be combined with those made by others.
What Do I Do With All Those Little Squares?
Some people just pull out their guage swatches so they can reuse the yarn for their project. But I like to save them. My 1 year old has a lot of them mixed in with her toys. She likes to feel the various textures. They also make great blankets for her littlest dolls, or sew a few together for a bigger doll. I have also used a number of my test swatches in making the Playscapes I designed for my son a couple years ago.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Yarn and Hook Recommendations
Yarn Weight
Rowan's Sampler Afghan is designed to be made with Worsted Weight Yarn, using a size I or J hook. I am currently working up 2 afghans as I work out the patterns for each square. I selected Red Heart Super Saver as a typical, inexpensive worsted weight acrylic yarn, similar to many other brands. I also selected some Caron Simply Soft as it is softer than most typical acrylic yarn, which is nice to work with and softer for babies. While I generally prefer working with more natural fibers, most NICUs only want acrylic or possibly cotton blankets.
Hook Size
Your hook size will depend on the gauge square, but that is for another post. I am using a J-hook with the Red Heart yarn, but if your gauge is looser or tighter you can switch to an I or a K size hook. I am using a K-hook with the Simply Soft to get the same size squares because the softer yarn works up a bit tighter than the regular, denser acrylic yarns.
Color(s)
Multi-colored "Ombre" yarns can be fun to work with. But for this project I recommend sticking with solid colors to show off your fancy stitches. I am making both of my samples using 2 coordinating colors (aqua/mint and mauve/lavender) and plan to sew them together alternating the colors. If you have a multi-colored yarn you just have to use, make the plainer squares with that yarn and choose a complementary solid for the more textured squares. Another option is using up your scrap balls making each square a different color, which can be tied together by using the same color for the single crochet edging which goes around each square.
How Much Yarn
I have not completed all of the squares for a sample quite yet, but I believe it will take about 20oz. of yarn for the whole blanket. For a 2 color blanket I need two 7oz. skiens of each color for a total of 4 skiens. If you make the entire pattern in just one color, which would also look lovely with so many different stitches, I believe only 3 skiens would be enough.
Where To Get Yarn
I always like to support Local Yarn Shops (LYS). They have beautiful yarns you cannot get at the big box stores and are a dying breed. The only one left in our area is It's A Crewel World in Washougal (though I bhave heard the name is chsnging with a new owner). But for charity projects quantity is often more important than quality, so the bigger stores are the place to go to get coupons and sales on already cheap yarn. This is Customer Appreciation Week at Michael's. You can get a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase here, just remember to print it out before you go in to the store. I am planning to stock up on Red Heart, Pound of Love, Simply Soft, and Vanna's Choice yarns in lots of lovely babyish colors (not just pastels to have on hand for locals wanting to join the Crochet Along.
Rowan's Sampler Afghan is designed to be made with Worsted Weight Yarn, using a size I or J hook. I am currently working up 2 afghans as I work out the patterns for each square. I selected Red Heart Super Saver as a typical, inexpensive worsted weight acrylic yarn, similar to many other brands. I also selected some Caron Simply Soft as it is softer than most typical acrylic yarn, which is nice to work with and softer for babies. While I generally prefer working with more natural fibers, most NICUs only want acrylic or possibly cotton blankets.
Hook Size
Your hook size will depend on the gauge square, but that is for another post. I am using a J-hook with the Red Heart yarn, but if your gauge is looser or tighter you can switch to an I or a K size hook. I am using a K-hook with the Simply Soft to get the same size squares because the softer yarn works up a bit tighter than the regular, denser acrylic yarns.
Color(s)
Multi-colored "Ombre" yarns can be fun to work with. But for this project I recommend sticking with solid colors to show off your fancy stitches. I am making both of my samples using 2 coordinating colors (aqua/mint and mauve/lavender) and plan to sew them together alternating the colors. If you have a multi-colored yarn you just have to use, make the plainer squares with that yarn and choose a complementary solid for the more textured squares. Another option is using up your scrap balls making each square a different color, which can be tied together by using the same color for the single crochet edging which goes around each square.
How Much Yarn
I have not completed all of the squares for a sample quite yet, but I believe it will take about 20oz. of yarn for the whole blanket. For a 2 color blanket I need two 7oz. skiens of each color for a total of 4 skiens. If you make the entire pattern in just one color, which would also look lovely with so many different stitches, I believe only 3 skiens would be enough.
Where To Get Yarn
I always like to support Local Yarn Shops (LYS). They have beautiful yarns you cannot get at the big box stores and are a dying breed. The only one left in our area is It's A Crewel World in Washougal (though I bhave heard the name is chsnging with a new owner). But for charity projects quantity is often more important than quality, so the bigger stores are the place to go to get coupons and sales on already cheap yarn. This is Customer Appreciation Week at Michael's. You can get a coupon for 20% off your entire purchase here, just remember to print it out before you go in to the store. I am planning to stock up on Red Heart, Pound of Love, Simply Soft, and Vanna's Choice yarns in lots of lovely babyish colors (not just pastels to have on hand for locals wanting to join the Crochet Along.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Sampler Stitches Preview
Just a preview of the stitches we will be doing in "Rowan's Sampler Afghan". Check out all the fun stitches we will be doing in this project:
April: The Basics - Double Crochet, Half Double Crochet Ridges, Single Crochet "Moss" Stitch, and Shells
May: Combining Stitches - Waves, Chevrons, Crosshatches and Catherine's Wheels
June: XYZ - V-Stitch, X-Stitch, Spikes, and it's a mystery
July: Textures - Basket Weave, Bobbles, Puffs, and Popcorn Stitches
Skills will include:Working in Front Loops, Chain Spaces, Space Between Stitches, Behind Previous Stitches, Into Lower Rows, Around Front and Back Posts.
Increases, Decreases, and Clusters.
General Abbreviations:
beg - begin(ning)
ch sp - chain space
dec - decrease
inc - increase
rep - repeat
rs – right side
sk - skip
st(s) - stitch(es)
tog - together
ws – wrong side
yo - yarn over
Stitch Abbreviations:
ch(s) - chain(s)
slst - slipstitch
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
tr - treble (triple) crochet
fp - front post
bp - back post
There may be a few more, but this covers most of what will come up in this project. Sign up today to join my Crochet Along, beginning April 1st!
April: The Basics - Double Crochet, Half Double Crochet Ridges, Single Crochet "Moss" Stitch, and Shells
May: Combining Stitches - Waves, Chevrons, Crosshatches and Catherine's Wheels
June: XYZ - V-Stitch, X-Stitch, Spikes, and it's a mystery
July: Textures - Basket Weave, Bobbles, Puffs, and Popcorn Stitches
Skills will include:Working in Front Loops, Chain Spaces, Space Between Stitches, Behind Previous Stitches, Into Lower Rows, Around Front and Back Posts.
Increases, Decreases, and Clusters.
General Abbreviations:
beg - begin(ning)
ch sp - chain space
dec - decrease
inc - increase
rep - repeat
rs – right side
sk - skip
st(s) - stitch(es)
tog - together
ws – wrong side
yo - yarn over
Stitch Abbreviations:
ch(s) - chain(s)
slst - slipstitch
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
tr - treble (triple) crochet
fp - front post
bp - back post
There may be a few more, but this covers most of what will come up in this project. Sign up today to join my Crochet Along, beginning April 1st!
Crochet Along With Me!
Join me in my first "Crochet Along"! Beginning April 1st I will post new instructions every Friday for the next 16 weeks to complete "Rowan's Sampler Afghan".
For this year's Remembering Rowan Project Donation, we will be collecting crocheted, knitted, and quilted 9 inch squares to be sewn together into baby afghans and quilts to donate to our local NICUs on Rowan's Birthday, August 10th. This summer our town is having their first Quilting and Fiber Arts Festival (which I am helping plan) and they offered to collect squares for our project.
To tie in with the 9 inch square idea, I am designing a Sampler Afghan made up of 16 nine inch squares. We will start with a simple Double Crochet square and move through lots of fun stitches and textures. I want to give new crocheters the chance to start with easy, basic stitches while including some challenges for more experienced stitchers. By the time you have completed this afghan, you will be familiar with most of the stitches and techniques you would come across in typical crochet patterns.
For beginners, I will provide detailed step by step instructions and abbreviations for each new stitch, as well as links to diagrams and even videos of stitches for those who are more visually oriented. And will be glad to answer any questions or help you work out problems with new stitches.
So will you join me? Just 1 nine inch square each week. You could easily make two of each square per week, and create a blanket for your own child and one to donate.
It's Simple:
1. Follow my blog.
2. Pick out some yarn.
3. Check back every Friday April through July.
4. Make a square or two every week.
5. Sew them together! That's it!
6. (Optional) If you decide to donate a blanket, or even just a couple 9" squares, please email me at laurithree-blogatyahoodotcom.
For this year's Remembering Rowan Project Donation, we will be collecting crocheted, knitted, and quilted 9 inch squares to be sewn together into baby afghans and quilts to donate to our local NICUs on Rowan's Birthday, August 10th. This summer our town is having their first Quilting and Fiber Arts Festival (which I am helping plan) and they offered to collect squares for our project.
To tie in with the 9 inch square idea, I am designing a Sampler Afghan made up of 16 nine inch squares. We will start with a simple Double Crochet square and move through lots of fun stitches and textures. I want to give new crocheters the chance to start with easy, basic stitches while including some challenges for more experienced stitchers. By the time you have completed this afghan, you will be familiar with most of the stitches and techniques you would come across in typical crochet patterns.
For beginners, I will provide detailed step by step instructions and abbreviations for each new stitch, as well as links to diagrams and even videos of stitches for those who are more visually oriented. And will be glad to answer any questions or help you work out problems with new stitches.
So will you join me? Just 1 nine inch square each week. You could easily make two of each square per week, and create a blanket for your own child and one to donate.
It's Simple:
1. Follow my blog.
2. Pick out some yarn.
3. Check back every Friday April through July.
4. Make a square or two every week.
5. Sew them together! That's it!
6. (Optional) If you decide to donate a blanket, or even just a couple 9" squares, please email me at laurithree-blogatyahoodotcom.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Giant Leprechaun Hat Trap
Inspired by seeing a picture of a "Leprechaun Trap" in Family Fun Magazine a few weeks ago, my 5 1/2 year old son Griffin designed and made this Giant Hat Trap before I ever looked up the instructions online. Every month when we receive our new issue of Family Fun Magazine Griffin and I sit down together to look at all the crafts and ideas for things we can make and cook together. But it is even more fun when we just see a picture for inspiration and come up with our own ideas for how to recreate what we have seen.
With structural help from his engineer Dad and artistic help from me, we built the trap to his specification. Dad used a Large Cardboard Box (though Griffin felt it should be much larger) bent into a circle, with the ends on 1 end cut into slits for the Leprechaun to fall in to. We then stuck green, black, and yellow Tissue Paper Squares all over the box with glue sticks.
For the Brim of the Hat we found a large flat piece of recycled Cardboard. To make a nice round circle I poked an Awl into the center then tied a piece of Yarn to the Awl and a Green Pen and traced a circle all the way around. Dad cut out the circle with a large Exacto Knife. Then Griffin used a Sponge and Acrylic Paint to paint the whole thing green. They taped the top of the hat onto the brim and cut 4 pieces of green copy paper to fit the top. Finally we made a Ladder with Twigs from Griffin's "stick collection" tied together with Green Hemp String so the Leprechaun can climb up to the top to get to the gold.
The top is sturdy enough to hold a few gold coins to lure a Leprechaun, then give way if he climbs on top. Our only concern now is that Griffin will be very disappointed if he thinks the Leprechaun got out of his trap. I guess the Leprechaun needs to leave him something really cool if he doesn't fall for the trap. Griffin still thinks we should have found a bigger box.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Laurinda’s Craft Café
Creativity, Coffee, and Fun
After a couple years of organizing, rearranging, and decorating, I believe my craft studio is finally nearly complete. My studio space is the entire upstairs of the two bedroom apartment attached to the back of our house, including the kitchen/living room/dining room area, and even a huge closet in the bathroom and a large`attic for extra storage. I have struggled with how to organize and balance my variety of artistic interests and classes I host with the need to have plenty of creative activities for my busy five and a half year old. All while creating a safe space for my newly toddling and climbing one year old (and often some her friends) to explore as we create.
Every few weeks I try to tackle the mountain of bins and boxes which have accumulated over the years, as every item that does not have a home in the rest of the house gets dumped into my studio space, and I continually expand my stash of materials to try new and different techniques and mediums. I empty many boxes, but there always seems to be more. Then it is time for a class or a party and everything gets hidden once more in the attic, the closet, or even the bathtub.
But I have finally come to a crossroads. When I go in to sort through the few bins that are left, or collect items from the rest of the house that really do belong in the studio, I can picture exactly where they go and put them there immediately, instead of just another transitional container which may or may not ever find it’s home. Nearly everything finally has a place, or goes in the donation bin.
Just yesterday I pulled out my 2nd (okay, maybe 4th, but they are all different) rotary cutting mat, and Griffin grabbed it and said, “You have two of these, you need to donate this one. Let’s put it outside to donate!” He did not quite understand that I need different sized mats for different projects, and hosting quilting playdates. But I think it is a good sign that we are on the right track, both of us learning to give up what we do not need or use.
I have just two main categories to organize still: Miscellaneous Yarn and Paperwork (more than half of which will be recycled). Then just a few more items to complete the décor I have envisioned all these years, and I will feel that I am ready to submit “Laurinda’s Craft Café” to Studios Magazine, one of my new year’s resolutions.
After a couple years of organizing, rearranging, and decorating, I believe my craft studio is finally nearly complete. My studio space is the entire upstairs of the two bedroom apartment attached to the back of our house, including the kitchen/living room/dining room area, and even a huge closet in the bathroom and a large`attic for extra storage. I have struggled with how to organize and balance my variety of artistic interests and classes I host with the need to have plenty of creative activities for my busy five and a half year old. All while creating a safe space for my newly toddling and climbing one year old (and often some her friends) to explore as we create.
Every few weeks I try to tackle the mountain of bins and boxes which have accumulated over the years, as every item that does not have a home in the rest of the house gets dumped into my studio space, and I continually expand my stash of materials to try new and different techniques and mediums. I empty many boxes, but there always seems to be more. Then it is time for a class or a party and everything gets hidden once more in the attic, the closet, or even the bathtub.
But I have finally come to a crossroads. When I go in to sort through the few bins that are left, or collect items from the rest of the house that really do belong in the studio, I can picture exactly where they go and put them there immediately, instead of just another transitional container which may or may not ever find it’s home. Nearly everything finally has a place, or goes in the donation bin.
Just yesterday I pulled out my 2nd (okay, maybe 4th, but they are all different) rotary cutting mat, and Griffin grabbed it and said, “You have two of these, you need to donate this one. Let’s put it outside to donate!” He did not quite understand that I need different sized mats for different projects, and hosting quilting playdates. But I think it is a good sign that we are on the right track, both of us learning to give up what we do not need or use.
I have just two main categories to organize still: Miscellaneous Yarn and Paperwork (more than half of which will be recycled). Then just a few more items to complete the décor I have envisioned all these years, and I will feel that I am ready to submit “Laurinda’s Craft Café” to Studios Magazine, one of my new year’s resolutions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
