Correction on Magic Number for Tunisian Short Row Dishcloth

Back in March, I experimented with the original pattern for the Tunisian Short Row Dishcloth. I was looking for the largest number to use for the beginning chain so as to use up as much of a 2 ounce ball of cotton as possible without running out of yarn.

I thought 17 was it since there seemed to be so little left after my experiment that I was sure adding another stitch, which would mean 6 more long rows on the dishcloth, would surely cause me to run out of yarn. I was also quite satisfied with the size of the larger cloth compared to the original size cloth I had made at first.

But I decided to give it one more try, using this Sugar 'n Cream cotton called Baby Stripes. I love using the self-striping yarn on these cloths. The color patterns are always fun and different for each one.


Don't you just love how the color sections make the design on the cloth so much more interesting?


So here it is, the latest version of the Tunisian Short Row Dishcloth, made with a beginning chain of 18. This cloth is a full 11 inches across at its widest point which is a very generous size for a wash cloth.


I had enough yarn to work the first round of single crochet on the border, and then one round of reverse single crochet to finish off the edge nicely. When that was complete, there were only about 2 yards of yarn leftover. I'd say that is about as close as it gets for using up but not running out of a 2 ounce ball of yarn!

So now I stand corrected. 18 is the new magic number for me, using a size K hook and a 2 ounce ball of cotton. You may get different results because of your tension, hook size and choice of yarn. The solid colors are usually 1/2 ounce larger than the variegated or self-striping, and other brands may be different as well.

I think this one will be sent off to my niece who is expecting her first baby very shortly. Wouldn't this be lovely as part of a gift basket with all kinds of bath things for a new baby? Think about giving it a try for the next little bundle of joy coming into your life.

Happy Stitching!

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Magic Number for Tunisian Short Row Dishcloth

Using 15 stitches for the beginning chain of the Tunisian Short Row Dishcloth with a size K hook made a cloth that was just a bit on the small side, and left far too much leftover yarn, but not enough to make another whole cloth.

So I tried 16 stitches. That made the cloth just a bit bigger, but still did not achieve my goal of using up almost all of the ball of yarn. There was still too much leftover.

So I tried 17 stitches. You can see where this is going, I am sure! Here is the result...


A cloth noticeably larger than the original size, by about a whole inch and a half. And not enough yarn leftover from a 2 ounce ball to add another stitch to the beginning chain and be able to complete the cloth.

So 17 is the Magic Number! To work this pattern using 17 as the beginning chain, you follow the exact same instructions, except when the number 15 is mentioned, just change it to 17. Give it a try and see if you like the bigger size better.


Don't you love the soft blues in this Denim cotton yarn? A set of cloths in this color, or any color of your choice, could be yours if you win my 300th post giveaway! Click HERE and read the rules for this great giveaway, but don't wait too long. #300 is coming up fast!

Happy Stitching!

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Learn to Crochet - Changing Colors on Solid Granny Square Video Tutorial

Here's another video tutorial to help you expand your horizons when it comes to the very versatile Crocheted Granny Square. We've already covered the Traditional One-color Granny Square, the Traditional Multi-color Granny Square, and the Solid Granny Square. In this video I'll show you how to change yarn color on the solid granny square so that you can make each round a different color, or use more than one color on a round.



Spend some time browsing through FiddLeSticks and see the clever and creative ways that Dawn uses color changes in her granny squares. Don't miss this post and her other granny square posts if you want to see some truly gorgeous and inspiring work. I am not sure if Dawn uses the same method to change colors as I showed in the video, because I am sure there are many ways to accomplish the same thing, but her results are stunning. Check them out and let me know if you agree.

Happy Stitching!

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Learn to Crochet - Solid Granny Square Video Tutorial

The Traditional Granny Square that most people know is the one that has clusters of double crochets worked around the block, forming holes between each cluster. The Granny Square I am going to show you today only has holes at the corners, and one in the middle. The sides of the square are solid double crochets. This makes a much firmer and cozier blanket, and it is a square I prefer over the traditional granny with all the holes.


Here is a picture of my sample square that you will see me making in the video below. It has 3 rounds of stitching and it begins the same way as the Traditional Granny Square. The difference starts at the second round when each double crochet from the previous round gets a double crochet stitched into it. You can see in the sample that the first round has 3 stitches on each side. The second round has 7 and the third round has 11. You can make this square as big as you want it, ending after only 3 or 4 rounds and stitching a border onto it, or continuing until it is as big as a full size blanket. It is a very versatile square.

Take a look at this video to see just how easy it is.




I must apologize if this video seemed to end abruptly. I cut off the last portion of what I had taped and saved it for a future post since it seemed to be a good topic on its own. Plus the video was getting a little too long with that last segment included! So I will show you how to change yarn colors on this square, either from row to row, or within the same row, on the next post. You can get some nice effects with color changes on this block, so you won't want to miss that.

If this Solid Granny Square block seems familiar to you, it should be if you've poked around Hooked On Needles a bit. It is the pattern I used for my Pastel Squares Baby Blanket. You can find the written pattern in that post, but I noticed one difference. In the video, I used two chain stitches in each corner, but in the written pattern there is only one. For the Pastel Baby Blanket I did use only one chain in the corners. That is why the holes in the corners of each round don't show up much at all. You can practice this pattern each way and see what you like better.

Joining your Granny Squares with single crochet is a nice way to achieve a sturdy seam, but you can also whip stitch them together which is a technique I will be showing you in a near future video.

Happy Stitching!

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Easy Crocheted Oddball Afghan

After working on many different knit and crocheted items over the past few years, I accumulated quite a few partial skeins of yarn. Any whole skeins, I return to the store. Any very small scraps, I throw away. But somewhere in between, I hang on to the remains and figure that someday I'll use it for something.

The other day my daughter was cleaning out her closet and found a crochet project she had started quite a long time ago out of some leftover variegated yarn. She started working on it again and quickly ran out of yarn. She wondered how she should continue the project without having to make a trip to the store to try and match the yarn and I suggested to her that she make an 'oddball' blanket using the remains of other yarns I had stashed in my sewing room, much like the blankets I have signed up for on the knitting forum I have mentioned here before. She thought that was a great idea, being as frugal as her mother, and this is what she has created so far...


She had started with Red Heart's Aspen Print variegated yarn which was leftover from the Ripple Stitch afghan I made for our bedroom. I showed some pictures of it at the end of the article on how to do the Ripple Stitch in crochet.

Then she picked up the variegated blues yarn also leftover from a Ripple Stitch afghan I had made for a friend.

After that is Red Heart's Painted Dessert variegated yarn, leftover from another Ripple Stitch afghan I had made for a wedding gift.

Then she decided she wanted bright colors alternating with the more neutral colors, and she bought the red, white and blue variegated yarn. She found a few more neutral yarns from my stash that she will use, and she bought a few more bright colors for in between.

Isn't this a great way to use up leftover yarn? Take a look at the way this afghan is made...


This is the center, started with a simple chain of 8, and worked in single crochet around in a continuous spiral, adding 2 chains at each corner. I'll write out the pattern at the end in case you want to try it.


This shows one of the corners made by the chain 2, and also clearly shows the nice ridge line that is made by working the single crochets in the back loop only. How to crochet in the back loop only is demonstrated towards the end of my video tutorial on single crochet if you would like to see how it is done.


Here's another close-up of a corner. Elizabeth does nice even work and her afghans always turn out cozy and warm.

The beauty of working an afghan in a spiral like this is that you can actually use up all of each yarn crocheting over the tails each time you join a new one, then when all your yarn is gone, simply pull the tail through the last loop and weave in the end and the afghan is finished. You don't have to worry about having enough yarn to work some kind of color pattern. You also don't have to figure out how wide to start the blanket and hope that you can get enough length on it before running out of yarn. This spiral pattern allows you to simply crochet until you run out, and then you have a square blanket and no leftover yarn.

This is also a very easy pattern which, once you get established, doesn't require much attention at all. You don't have to count stitches or worry about missing that last stitch at the end of the row, or how many chains you need to turn. So if you're looking for a very easy crochet afghan pattern to use up the yarn you have on hand, here's the pattern for you...

NOTE: Single crochet in back loop only if you want the ridge line on the front of the piece. If you don't want that ridge, then work each single crochet through both loops.

Chain 8. Single crochet (sc) in the 8th chain from the hook forming a loop and in the next chain. Chain 2. Sc in the next two chains. Chain 2. Sc in the next two chains. Chain 2. Sc in the next two chains. Chain 2.

Single crochet in each single crochet across, then in one chain. Chain 2.

*Single crochet in chain, then in each single crochet across, then in one chain. Chain 2. *

Repeat from * to * until your afghan is as big as you want it, or until you run out of yarn. Weave in ends and enjoy.

You may also add any type of border you like around the outside edge of this afghan. The Reverse Single Crochet border is one of my favorites for a blanket like this. Or you could use a simple scallop border you make up yourself or use this one I put onto a knitted blanket.

So there you have a simple pattern to use up leftover yarn, or even to make with freshly purchased yarn for a special gift.

Happy Stitching!

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Skein Half Full or Half Empty?

When I started the little project for my recent Yarn Over Increase knitting tutorial, I began with a new ball of Sugar 'n Cream worsted cotton which consists of 2 ounces of yarn. I wanted to knit as shown in the Increase tutorial until I had used up half of the yarn, and then start decreasing so I could make the next tutorial showing one method of decreasing in knitting. I did not want to have an odd length of yarn leftover which I would end up throwing away, nor did I want to come up short and have to start in on a new ball of yarn for the sake of just a few stitches at the end. So what was I to do?

Usually I just eyeball something like this and hope for the best, but I also wanted my project to be of such a size as to be useful, so I really needed to knit as far as possible before starting to decrease.

While I was knitting, I had a revelation. These don't happen often to me, so when they do, I pay attention! Here's what I thought was a brilliant idea...

I pulled out my trusty postage scale...

and put what was left of my yarn on top of it. As you can see, I had 1 1/2 ounces left! That could only mean that I had used up just 1/2 ounce so far and could continue knitting towards the middle. Genius! Pure Genius!

Well now, wait a minute...I should really hold off on patting myself on the back just yet since I have not finished the project so I can't say that the idea paid off, but in theory it should be pretty accurate, don't you think? I'll let you know how it comes out.

Another way to work up to the half-way point of your available yarn which I came across recently is to find the middle of your yarn and tie a loose knot at that point. When you've knitted or crocheted up to the knot, you know you have used up half. The only problem with this is that you have to unwind all your yarn to find the middle. This could be quite a mess for some of us!

This method is good however for when you are doing something with short rows like a scarf and you want to use up all your yarn but you are not sure you have enough to do two more rows. You find the middle of your remaining yarn and tie a loose knot, then knit or crochet one more row. If you get to the knot before you finish the row, you know you do not have enough to do one more row. If you do not make it to the knot, then you do have enough for one more row. Keep in mind though with knitting that you always have to leave some allowance for binding off.

Do you have any other clever ways to make sure you don't come up short at the end of a project? I'd love to hear about them.

Happy Stitching!

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Stitch Chart for Crochet -- Another Handy Helper

Continuing the Crochet theme, below you will see a handy reference chart which should help you in working the different crochet stitches properly. When I haven't crocheted in a while, sometimes I forget how many stitches to add to the beginning chain for the stitch I want to use, or how many chains to work before turning, or if I am supposed to start the next row in the first or second stitch. If you are making up a design as you go along instead of working from a pattern which would give you this information, sometimes it's hard to remember the details of each stitch. So here is all that information and more in a handy reference chart.

	# times to wrap yarn	YO, pull thru # loops, # of times	Chain plus #	Insert hook in # chain from hook	Chain # to turn	Insert hook in this stitch to start new row	Use turning chain as stitch?
Single	0	2, 1x	1	2nd	1	1st	no
Half Double	1	3, 1x	2	3rd	2	1st	no
Double	1	2, 2x	3	4th	3	2nd	yes
Triple	2	2, 3x	4	5th	4	2nd	yes
DoubleTriple	3	2, 4x	5	6th	5	2nd	yes
Triple Triple	4	2, 5x	6	7th	6	2nd	yes

The first column -- # times to wrap yarn -- tells the number of times to wrap the yarn around the hook when beginning the stitch and before putting the hook into the stitch or chain below.

The second column -- YO, pull thru # loops # times -- refers to the number of times you need to Yarn Over and pull the yarn through the number of loops to form the stitch. This is after you initially Yarn Over and pull the yarn through the stitch or chain below.

The third column -- chain plus # -- gives you the number of chain stitches you have to add to the beginning chain in order to work that particular stitch. For example, if you want to work a piece in double crochet that will be 30 stitches wide, you would chain 30 then add 3 more chains before turning and working the first row of double crochet stitches.

The fourth column -- insert hook in # chain from hook -- refers to which chain stitch you insert your hook into after working the beginning chain and turning to begin the first row of stitches. In the example above, you would insert your hook in the 4th chain from your hook.

The fifth column -- chain # to turn -- gives you the number of chain stitches to work at the end of a row before you turn to begin the next row of the particular stitch. For example, if you are going to work triple crochet for your next row, you would chain 4 before turning.

The sixth column -- insert hook in this stitch to start new row -- tells you which stitch to put your hook into when you start a new row of the particular stitch. For example, if you are working a row of half double crochet stitches, you would first chain 2 to turn then insert your hook in the 1st stitch to begin the next row.

The last column -- use turning chain as stitch? -- tells you whether or not the turning chain will be considered a stitch. If you notice that for both single crochet and half double crochet stitches, the first stitch in a row is worked into the first stitch of the row below and the turning chain is not counted as a stitch, but in all others the first stitch is worked in the second stitch of the row below and the turning chain is counted as a stitch. This keeps the stitch count consistent throughout your work. This is the rule, but some patterns will indicate not to use the turning chain as a stitch in which case you simply follow the directions as given for the pattern.

I hope you will find this chart helpful when working your crochet projects. You might want to bookmark this page so you can find it quickly.

Happy Stitching!

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Crochet Stitch Height Comparison

I seem to be on a Crochet Kick lately, so I think I'll just continue a little longer and share this sample piece with you. It shows how the different crochet stitches compare to each other in height so you can have an easy reference when deciding what stitch you might want to use in a project.

Take a look...



Starting at the bottom, I crocheted 2 rows of single crochet, then 2 rows of half double, 2 rows of double, and ended at the top with 2 rows of triple crochet. You can click on the picture to see it bigger.

As the piece progresses upwards, the stitches get taller and looser. Single crochet is very compact and firm whereas triple crochet is very hole-y and loose. Depending on what you are making and what effect you want to achieve, one stitch might be a better choice than another.

For items like baby blankets or afghans, I much prefer a tighter, firmer stitch like single or half double, or a stitch pattern such as the Ripple Stitch or the Basketweave Stitch. I like afghans and blankets to be solid and not have holes in them where fingers and toes can get stuck.

For something like a scarf where you might want it loose and drape-y, triple crochet would work great.

Coming up this week, I will bring you a chart for working all the different basic crochet stitches that will also be an easy reference when working a project. In addition to that on my List of Things To Do are some new knit videos, an update on my Angel Swap projects, what I received from Connecting Threads, and a review of a neat new tool I recently acquired.

Happy Stitching!

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Oh No! What Have I Done? A Crochet Mistake

I've been diligently working on the Mitered Square Baby Blanket lately so I can get it done and move on to something else. Just the other day I started working on the last row of blocks. How exciting! Closer and closer to doing the border and finishing it up. A good feeling to be sure.

I have also been enjoying a little Olympics viewing in the evenings while working on this project ... Michael Phelps, USA Volleyball gold medals, all that exciting stuff. When I worked the first block of this last row, something wasn't quite right about it. I looked and looked at it trying to figure out just what was wrong, but couldn't, so I continued crocheting and enjoying the Olympics. The second block was finished and I started the third. After that only four more blocks and on to the border.

Well, last night I was about halfway finished with the third block and it was time to put my work down and go pick up my daughter from work. All this time I was still bothered by the feeling that something just wasn't right about this last row. I put my crochet hook down, spread out the blanket to see how it looked, and It Hit Me! Right that very moment, I realized what I had done wrong. I was working this row onto the side of the blanket instead of the top! So instead of working a seventh row of seven blocks, I was working an eighth row of six blocks. No wonder it didn't look right. Why hadn't I noticed that before?


So this is what it looked like at the Moment of Realization. Notice the row along the bottom now has eight blocks in it. The pattern calls for this blanket to be seven blocks square. I was pleased to see at least that the shading that makes the triangle shapes was still intact along the new row, but I was not happy with how the right edge of the new row was slightly different from the joining edges of the other rows.


The partial block on the left is the new eighth row so you can see the joining edge of that block with the block in the center. Compare that edge to the right edge of the center block and perhaps you can tell the difference too. The new block begins with a valley and the center block begins on the right side with a peak. These valleys and peaks, or ridges, are formed as a result of crocheting only into the back loop of the stitch instead of into both loops of the stitch.

Hmmm...what a quandary. Now I am wondering a few things about this mistake I have made.

• Would anyone else besides me, and everyone who reads this post, even notice this mistake?
• If I rip out this eighth row, should I reuse the yarn to begin the proper seventh row and if not, will I have enough yarn to finish the project?
• Do I like the blanket as it is turning out, that is rectangular? Or would I prefer it to be square as the pattern calls for?
• Will it make a difference in the overall look of the finished blanket if I finish it as it is now?
• Will it bother me in the end that I noticed a mistake and didn't fix it?

These are all good questions to ask after discovering a mistake in a piece of work. In most projects, I would say definitely do what you can to repair your mistake so your work will be finished properly and will look just right. There is no sense in doing all that work and spending all that time to end up with a piece that isn't just right. However, in some kinds of projects, a little mistake can add to its charm or actually make it work out better in the end.

So to answer my questions, I would have to say:

• I doubt that anyone else would even notice the mistake.
• Since this project is crocheting and not something like needlepoint or embroidery, ripping out lots of stitches shouldn't do any damage to the yarn and it should be fine to reuse it, so I don't have to worry about running short on yarn to finish the project. Also since each row is worked with one continuous yarn instead of the yarn being cut after each block, I will not end up with several short pieces of yarn after ripping it out.
• I do actually prefer rectangular baby blankets, but this blanket is not for me and will most likely end up being a gift for the next niece or nephew who has a first baby.
  
• No, I don't think it will make a difference in the overall look of the piece, except to someone who is a very perceptive and detail oriented expert crocheter.
• Yes, it would bother me to know that I finished a piece without fixing a mistake. Unless I decided I liked what the mistake brought to the finished piece.

I think that last answer is the key to what I should do next. Do I like what the mistake has brought to the piece? I haven't decided. I'll have to think about it some more and see how I feel about this. When next I show you the blanket, I will be working on the border so that's when you can find out what I decide to do about this dilemma.

What do you think?

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Reverse Single Crochet Border - Video Tutorial

In the last few posts, I've been showing how to put together a crocheted block baby blanket. Every well made blanket or afghan should have some sort of border around it to finish it off neatly, to stabilize the edge and sometimes even to add a little more decoration to the blanket. Here's a video and some pictures of one of my favorite edges for a blanket or afghan. It's the Reverse Single Crochet stitch.

For baby blankets, I usually shy away from patterns with lots of holes for little toes to get stuck in and frilly borders to tickle little noses. I like a nice neat tight stitch throughout and a small compact border around the edge.

For this baby blanket, I stitched a white single crochet border around each colored block, joined the blocks with white, then stitched one round of white single crochet around the entire blanket before working the reverse single crochet border. This picture shows the last two rounds of a pink block, the round of white around that block, the round of white around the entire piece and the last round which is the reverse single crochet border.

I like the plain simple look of this border stitch. It's just enough to finish off a piece neatly.



This picture shows one of the corners of the blanket. When working the single crochet round, make sure to work the corners as you did the block corners. But when working the reverse single crochet border, just work a reverse single crochet into each stitch on the corners without any kind of increase. This will give you the nice rounded corner you see here.

In the following video you will see how to work the reverse single crochet stitch, but I mention to work the border into both loops which you can do and it will make a nice border. But in the baby blanket shown above, the border was actually worked into just the back loops so that little ridge which is around the blocks is also around the whole blanket.





I think this is one of those stitches that is hard to learn from looking in a book, but once you actually see it worked, it makes sense. I hope you find this video helpful in working the reverse single crochet stitch.

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How to Join Blocks -- Finished Pictures

In yesterday's post I showed you a sample of the crocheted square block used in the pastel baby blanket and how to join the blocks using single crochet, stitching into the back loops of each stitch. Today I will show you some details of the finished baby blanket and give you some tips for an efficient way to join squares.

The above picture shows the finished crocheted block baby blanket with squares and rows labeled to help explain a method of joining the squares and rows which is very similar to strip quilting and saves lots of time and makes for a neater finished product.

First you lay out your finished squares right side up in the desired pattern. Starting with squares 1 and 2 right sides together, join them with single crochet as shown in the previous post's video. The only difference is when you finish joining these two, don't finish off your yarn. Instead, pick up squares 3 and 4 with right sides together and continue your single crochet row across these two blocks in the same manner. Continue picking up two more blocks, next would be 5 and 6, then 7 and 8 and so on, until the first two rows are joined together in one direction.

Then start another row of single crochet, joining block 17 to block 1 and continuing across with 18 and 3, 19 and 5, and so on until the third row is joined.

Continuing joining rows until all blocks are joined together in one direction, in this example horizontally.

Then fold row A onto row B with right sides together and stitch a continuous row of single crochet, joining the rows as you joined the blocks.

At each corner, make sure you crochet into the back loop of the corner stitch of each block in each direction.

This is what the intersection should look like from the front with nice sharp corners.



And this is what the intersection looks like from the back. The horizontal stitching was done first. The vertical stitching goes over the horizontal forming a neat sturdy seam between the edges of the blocks and at each corner.



In this picture you can see the little ridge line of white formed around each block by the joining stitches picking up only the back loops of each stitch. If you do not want this detail in your blanket, simply pick up both loops of each stitch when joining and there will be no ridge on the front.

Coming up next will be tips on finishing the blanket with a border of reverse single crochet which just happens to be one of my favorite ways to wrap up a baby blanket project. Come back tomorrow and you'll see why.

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How to Join Blocks Using Single Crochet -- Video Tutorial

Not too long ago I posted a Crocheted Square Block Pattern which I had used for a pastel baby blanket. Now I am going to show you how I joined the blocks to each other using single crochet. This is a joining method that I prefer for blankets such as this which will be well used and washed frequently as it makes a very sturdy seam, besides making a decorative grid pattern on the back side of the blanket.

After crocheting the block in the color of choice, change yarn color to whatever color you will be using for the border of each block and also for the border of the blanket. Using this method for changing yarn color makes a very neat transition.

The above picture shows the point at which you would draw in the border color of yarn. The hook is in place here ready to complete the joining slip stitch for the last round of color.



Work 1 round of single crochet in the border color following the pattern and increasing at the corners just as you did for the previous rounds. Join with a slip stitch, cut yarn and pull through the loop to secure. Weave in ends.



Continue making all your blocks in this manner and then lay them out in whatever pattern you choose. This is the fun part where you can get really creative.

Now you can begin to join the blocks together using single crochet. Here's a little video showing the method I used on the pastel block baby blanket...





The blocks shown in this post and in the video are just samples made from yarn leftover from another afghan. Can you guess which one from the pictures in this post?

In the next post, I will show you a few detail pictures of the pastel block baby blanket so you can see how the crocheted seam looks on the back and the nice border each block has on the front from crocheting the seam through just the back loops of the stitches. Of course if you don't want that kind of detail on the front of your blanket, you can always crochet through both loops and you won't have the ridge detail.

Stay tuned!

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Mitered Squares Baby Blanket -- Crocheted

Do you ever run across a new pattern that looks intriguing and when you read it, you just can't seem to get how it is going to come together? Well, I came across this pattern through a recent email from Mary Maxim advertising a sale on Bernat's Organic Cotton yarn. If you want the pattern you just have to sign up at the Bernat website, which is easy and free and gives you access to a boatload of great patterns!

Anyway this pattern intrigued me so I just had to try it and here's how it works.


First you chain the given amount and, using the back loops only, single crochet the first row.

Easy enough, and here's how it looks.


For the next row, you single crochet in the back loops skipping two stitches in the middle of the row as indicated in the pattern. This is the beginning of the mitered corner.


Continue in the same manner, decreasing in the middle as indicated.


With each new row, the mitered corner becomes more pronounced.


Here is the first square almost finished.



Once you have gotten to the last three single crochets, you draw up a loop in each of the three stitches and then draw up a loop and pull it through all four loops on the hook to finish the first square.


Now here's the part that intrigued me. To start the next square without ending the yarn, you simply single crochet down one side of the square, then chain stitch enough for the second side of the next square. Then you continue as with the first square.


Again the mitered corner slowly takes shape.



The second square is finished off in the same manner as the first and the third square is begun.

I have so far finished four squares and started on the fifth. The blanket is seven squares by seven squares, but I suppose it could be made to any dimension you like.

Since my local yarn supplier did not carry Bernat's Organic Cotton, and I didn't want to wait a week to receive my yarn or pay shipping costs, I substituted Lion Brand's Cotton yarn instead. As it turned out, the Lion Brand cotton skeins were twice the size as the Bernat cotton for the same regular price, so I saved money all around.

Once I finish the blanket I'll be sure to show you how it turned out and let you know if this is a pattern I would make again. So far so good!

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How to Carry Yarn from row to row in Crochet

In a recent post, you saw how to change yarn color or add a new skein to a piece in progress. Now I will show you how to carry yarn up the side of a piece, such as an afghan you are crocheting in a striped pattern with two colors. Sometimes it's fun to mix it up a little and make something colorful instead of a solid color, so here's how to do it...


Stitch to the end of the first color row, purple in this example, where you want to start using your new color, blue in this example. Change yarn colors as described here. Do not cut your purple. Just leave it hanging loosely while you work two rows of your blue.



After working two rows of your blue, you will be back to the same place where your purple is waiting for you. With the last two loops of the last stitch of blue still on your hook, drop the blue yarn towards the front of your work, bring the purple yarn up behind the blue and draw the purple through the last two loops of blue to complete the row and the color change.



This is what your piece will look like with the purple yarn carried up the side and the blue yarn hanging loosely while you work two rows of purple.



Once you have completed two rows of purple and you have the last two loops of the last stitch still on your hook, drop the purple towards the front of your work, pick up the blue yarn from behind the purple and draw it through the purple loops, thus completing the last purple stitch and the color change.



This is what your piece will look like with the purple and blue yarns carried up the side and the purple yarn hanging loosely.



Repeat this same procedure for two more rows and this is what you will get.



And after another two rows, you can really start to see how the carried yarns make a little bit of a twist pattern along the side of the piece. This is because, with each color change, the old color is dropped to the front and the new color is picked up from behind the old color. This carried yarn will be covered up by the border being stitched over it so it will not show in the finished piece.



This is what the front of the piece looks like with the blue yarn hanging loosely along the side waiting to be drawn into the last stitch of the purple.

This method can be used no matter what stitch pattern you are using for your afghan. It can also be used with more than two colors. The method is exactly the same, but you will just have more colors to keep track of! Experiment with it and have fun.

If you like the stitch pattern used in this example, stay tuned for a lesson on the Ripple Stitch coming soon!

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Changing yarn color in Crochet

Have you ever needed to change yarn color in a crochet piece, but weren't sure just how to do it so that it would blend well and look nice? Here's the best way I have found to do just that.

If you are changing colors at the end of a row, for example on a striped afghan, you would work your way all the way to the last stitch. Work that last stitch until there are two loops left on your hook...


Drop the old color of yarn and pick up the new color, drawing it through the last two loops to finish the stitch.



See how this completes the last stitch with the old color, but brings in the new color to begin the next row?



Now you can tie the tail of the new yarn to the old yarn with a knot right on the side of your work and those ends can be woven into a few stitches of the same color later.

If you are simply adding a new skein of yarn to a piece, such as when working a solid color afghan or an afghan with all the same variegated yarn, you would use the same procedure, adding on the new yarn at the end of a row. This allows you to stitch over your loose ends when you work the border, and does not leave knots or loose ends in the middle of your piece.

My Auntie, who is 90 years old and has crocheted pieces probably numbering in the thousands over her lifetime, told me once how she NEVER NEVER adds a new skein of yarn in the middle of a row. I thought that was a little extravagant and maybe even more than a little wasteful considering that sometimes you have to rip out almost an entire row if you run out of yarn not quite at the end of the row. But recently, I have adopted her very practical method and have come to realize that it does indeed make for a much neater piece, having loose ends only at the edges to weave in at the end or stitch over when working the border. See, it pays to listen to those knowledgeable old folks! Thanks Auntie!

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