Archive for December, 2009

It’s always nice to be able to get the yarn recommended in the pattern, but sometimes it’s not possible.  So, with that in mind, I have come up with some substitutions for some of the patterns in this edition of Interweave Crochet.

The substitutions I suggest, of course, are all yarn brands which I stock or which I can order in.

1.  ‘Sunset Ruana’ by Sharon Falkner -

Sunset Ruana, by Sharon Falkner

Yarn suggested:  Wisdom Yarns ‘Limerick’ – distributed by Universal Yarns – 15 balls (50g/175 yards – total of 2,625 yards)

Approximate Cost:  US$135.00/AUD$155 (not including postage)

Composition – 100% merino superwash, DK weight (8 ply), multi (ombre) yarn

My substitution: Happy Feet DK – by Plymouth Yarn – 90% merino superwash, 10% nylon – (100g/262 yards) – total of 10 balls required

Approximate Cost:  AUD$140.00 (plus postage of $10 – anywhere in Australia).

2.  Tatiana Pullover, by Marlaina Bird

Tatiana Pullover - crochet - by Marlaina Bird

Yarn suggested:  Blue Sky Alpacas ‘Melange’ – 100% baby alpaca – 50g/110 yard ball – (7-16 skeins required – 770 to 1760 yards)

Approximate Cost:  AUD$12.50 per ball – $87.50 to $200 total cost (excluding postage)

My substitution:  Baby Alpaca DK by Plymouth Yarn – 50g/125 yard ball – (7-14 balls required)

Approximate Cost:  AUD$11 per ball – $77 to $176 (plus postage of $10 anywhere in Australia)

3.  Twilight Duster – by Doris Chan

Twilight Duster, by Doris Chan

Yarn suggested:  Tahki Dove – 44% extrafine Merino, 44% alpaca, 12% nylon) – 163 yard/50g balls -DK weight

Amounts required:  6-9 balls of one colour (978 – 1467 yards) PLUS 4-7 balls of a contrast colour (652 – 1141 yards).  TOTAL of 10-16 balls.

Approximate cost:  US$8.85 per ball ($88.50 – $141.60) – excluding postage

My substitution: Debbie Stoller for Red Heart “Alpaca Love”

Alpaca Love

80% wool, 20% alpaca – 132 yard/85g ball – 8 – 12 balls of one colour PLUS 5 – 9 balls of contrast colour – (total of 13-21 balls required)

Approximate Cost:  AUD$6.00 per ball – $78 to $126

I was so excited to receive the Winter 2009 issue of Interweave Crochet in the mail today!  I get 5 issues each season – one for me and one for the lucky winner of our yearly subscription prize (drawn January 1st, 2010).  That leaves 3 copies for you, my valued customers! This edition only came out in the US two days ago – so you guys are one of the first in Australia to see it (unless you have a subscription yourself of course!).  I’ll be uploading these shortly.

Interweave Crochet - Winter 2009

Anyway, I was doubly excited to see that the focus of this issue is Tunisian Crochet!  I teach an introduction to Tunisian crochet here at American Yarns and I thought I’d show you a Tunisian project of my own that I’m working on:

Tunisian Entrelac Crochet Bag - unfinished

It’s a Tunisian crochet Entrelac Bag, done with Noro Kureyon, Colour #184, Dyelot E.  I’m halfway through and have used 4 balls, so it’s going to end up being an expensive project.  The pattern was adapted from the Felted Entrelac bag pattern from Gourmet Crochet.  I doubled the number of starting chains so the bag is twice the size, but as I’ve progressed, I am not sure if I will felt it or not.  What do you think??  I’ve also relied on the self-patterning nature of the Kureyon, rather that using two colours as the original pattern has done

I’ve tried to do my best to continue the colours with the Kureyon, but if you’ve used Noro yarns, you’ll know how difficult this sometimes is!

I’ll post again when the bag is done.  Look out for my next post, when I’ll be discussing the patterns in Interweave’s Winter 2009 issue and suggesting subs for the yarns recommended in the patterns – yarns that I carry of course!  LOL!

I asked my knitting teacher Sue to knit a shop sample for me as I am a hopeless knitter (!).  And this is what she came up with!  Beautiful isn’t it?!

Knit Plymouth Baby Alpaca Shawl - Pattern #1141

The pattern is #1141, featuring Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca DK – a lovely 8 ply pure alpaca.  It takes about 7-8 balls.  I will be listing this yarn and pattern on my site ASAP.

Plymouth Baby Alpaca shawl - front view

Here's a closeup of the falling leaves design

Our new customised needle and hook gauges have arrived!

American Yarns new customised needle and hook gauge

The best needle gauge on the market. Has 24 needle sizes as well as metric, US, and crochet hook sizes. Metric and inch rulers are also included. Best of all, the gauge is the same size as our Knit-Kards and can be attached to the Knit-Kard set’s keyring. Made in the USA by CNC cutting equipment – very accurate.

Just wanted to share with you the lovely quilt my daughter received for Christmas.  My mother won it in a raffle.  Beautiful isn’t it?!

My daughter's quilt for Christmas

Close-up of a square from my daughter's quilt

I’m currently working on an Entrelac Tunisian Crochet bag as a shop sample.  So I was looking for free patterns for tunisian crochet (as there are not a lot of books on the subject), and found a great site:

Crochet Kim – has a great links page full of patterns in tunisian crochet.

Happy Crocheting!

Gabrielle

How was your Christmas??

Mine was pretty uneventful.  Spent it at my uncle’s place in Victoria Point, Brisbane.  My cousins and various children were in attendance.  It was nice to have us all together.

Received a lovely quilted table-runner from Mum – she made it -

Closeup of quilted Christmas table-runner

I crocheted Gran a teapot cosy.  the pattern is from Coats and Clark – Eco-Living featuring Red Heart Eco-Cotton and Eco-Ways yarn.  I subbed for a ball of Bernat Satin and some left-over Red Heart Plush (now discontinued).

Gran's Teapot Cosy

Found 5 balls of this colour:

Panda Zoomy - yellow

Only $1.75 at K-Mart Indooroopilly!

Thanks so much Chanti for helping me make my machine-knitted string bag!  We did it together on my Empisal KH680 using some 5 ply cotton with a metallic thread that I got from the bargain bin at Spotlight – and we only used 1.5 x 50g balls!  Wow!

I’m going to make some more using Lily Sugar ‘n Cream on my Bond Ultimate Sweater Machine.  I’ll let you know how that goes.  Merry Christmas!

I’ve been selling the Schacht Cricket Loom since earlier this year and FINALLY got around to making up the shop sample!  Yippee!!  I’m getting so much done these holidays so far.

I stuffed up while warping the loom and had half the warp threads under the warp beam and half over the top!  Doh!  After I did some video searching, found some help and then re-threaded so now it makes the shed properly.  (Forgive me if I’m losing you – non-weaver).  I’m using the Brown Sheep Nature-spun sport that came in the kit and the scarf pattern specified as well.  So far, so good, but not real happy with the edges – tension is a bit off – no matter – I’m sure will improve with practice!  Any suggestions from other weavers out there why it pulls in at the left??

This is my first weaving project after all – so if I can do it, I’m sure other absolute beginners can!  The Cricket is great for small projects and a fantastic loom to learn on before progressing to bigger ones such as a Flip loom or floor loom.