Category: Blog

Staying Focused

During this trying time its hard to stay focused on your usual everyday tasks. If your home is anything like mine, its definitely a change to the routine.

I’m temporarily out of work, the kids are home (possibly for the rest of the school year) and my oldest has shifted to doing an online learning plan. With all these changes to our daily routine, I still have a business to stay on top of.

I’ve been a stay at home mom since becoming a mom, so I’m used to the kids being home when they aren’t in school. My son usually goes to prekindergarten for a few hours a day during the week.

Schooling

We were able to borrow a computer from our school department so my daughter could stay connected to her teachers. This has been a great asset for her to have, and it makes me think of what the less fortunate families are going through without access to technology.

Back when I was 18, my major in college was education. If I hadn’t had the three semesters of the education courses back then, I’d probably be up a creek without a paddle right now. I’ve even been able to give her real life applications of what she’s reading and doing in her lessons. Just the other day I had her adding fractions by filling up a measure cup with water, and helping me cook.

With my son, I’ve been having him stay on top of his numbers and letters of the alphabet so he’s ready for kindergarten in the fall. In all honesty, I haven’t been putting as much effort into his school work as I have been with my daughter’s.

  • A math worksheet I’ve made for my daughter.
  • Letters that I’ve been practicing with my son.

Schedule

Ideally, I try to get the bulk of business related work, school work, and household duties done before lunch. With this schedule it gives me (and the kids) a break to do our own things in the afternoon. Some days are easier than others.

We’re all still adjusting to what works best for all of us. The kids are also starting to see that I just don’t sit around and crochet all day and that a bulk of my work is on the computer and networking with other designers and crochet business owners.

We have a pretty lax schedule.

  • Wake up anywhere between 7:00/ 8:00 AM
  • Breakfast and morning reading
  • School work / Business Computer work 9:00 – 12:00
  • Lunch
  • Playtime/Screen time and any other work I need to do 1:00 – 3:30
  • Clean-up time and dinner prep 4:00 – 5:00
  • Dinner
  • Family movie time/showers/get ready for bed
  • Bed 8:30 PM

Outings

We’ve barely left the house in the three weeks that the schools here in Massachusetts have been closed. We might run errands such as going to their school to pick up learning packets, to the bank, or the pharmacy, but the kids don’t leave the car and we practice social distancing.

When the weather is nicer I try to get them to go outside and play. Its been raining (and even snowing) the last week so its been a little tough. I’m going to try to add in a daily walk into our routine when the weather is nice, keyword try. Maybe even get them nice and dirty while doing work out in the yard and garden.

My Business

I just did a review of my business goals from the last three months. I didn’t meet my initial goals but I came close. When planning out my goals for the next quarter, I took into consideration that my kids might not be going back to school for the remainder of the school year.

If we continue with our routine now, maybe with a few tweaks, I think we can make it the next six months until school starts again in September.

I still need to get my stuff done for my business. A lot goes into the designing process, so even though it doesn’t look like a lot on the calendar, trust me IT IS.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts, including my designing process.

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Lettuce Wrap – Premium Pattern

The Lettuce Wrap is perfect for spring or summer (or anytime of the year). Something that was lacy and lightweight but still warm. We’ve all gone for a walk in the park and its too hot long sleeves but too cool for short sleeves. I needed to make something that would work for that type of weather, but it needed to be fashionable.

****Post contains affiliate links – which means if you make a purchase from the links below, I will get a small percentage of the sales at no additional cost to you****

Spring Fashion Blog Hop

This pattern was featured in the E’Claire Makery Spring Fashion Blog Hop in March 2020. Each day a different designer offered a free PDF download of their pattern. There were shawls, wraps, scarves, earrings, cardigans, hats, and sweaters.

The Pattern

I love the look of the “double v-stitch” and wanted to use it in this design. I grabbed some yarn from my stash and after a few days work and a skein later, I didn’t like the results. First, I wouldn’t have enough yarn to finish the project. Second, the stitches were pulling on each other, so there wasn’t great drape and was wonky.

What did work?

The pattern was great and just what I was looking for, I just needed to make a slight adjustment. The results… AMAZING!!!!!

The "Lettuce Wrap" hanging from a pine tree.

The Yarn

After a trip to a local craft store and feeling and squishing all the yarn, I decided on Lion Brand’s Baby Soft in the colorway Sage/Sweetpea. The store has it listed as one color but the company has it listed as another, either way its the same.

Baby Soft is a light worsted weight yarn, or baby weight. The fiber contents are 60% acrylic and 40% Nylon.

Trista from Crochets By Trista modeling the crocheted "Lettuce Wrap" in a wooden landscape
The “Lettuce Wrap” kept me warm during the photo shoot. It was chilly and breezy spring-like winter day in New England.

Supplies:

"Lettuce Wrap" displayed on a rock wall.
There is a beautiful rock wall at the state park just down the street from where I live.

Gauge:

15 Hdc x 12 Rows = 4″
Finished Dimensions – 24″ x 74″ (before blocking)
Blocking isn’t necessary, but will keep border and edges pretty.

Stitches

Ch – Chain
Dc – Double Crochet
Hdc – Half Double Crochet
Sk – Skip
Sp – Space
Tr – Treble Crochet

Pattern Notes:

  • Ch 3 counts as Dc
  • Odd numbered rows are Right Side (RS)
  • You can use Foundation HDC for the 1st row.
  • You don’t have to block the finished item, but it is suggested.

Availability

Purchase the Lettuce Wrap on Ravelry, Etsy, and Ribblr.

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Zoe’s Aquamarine Infinity Scarf

Birthstone Collection


Zoe’s Aquamarine Infinity Scarf is the third pattern available in the “Birthstone Collection.” The theme for 2020, where each month I have cowl, scarf, or shawl pattern in the color of that month’s birthstone.

Other patterns available in the Birthstone Collection:
Garnet Cowl – January
Amethyst Scarf – February
Diamond Shawl – April
Emerald Asymmetrical Shawl – May
Pearl Infinity Cowl – June
Ruby Shawl – July
Peridot Shawl– August
Sapphire Shawl – September
Opal Shawl – October
Citrine Scarf – November
Turquoise Scarf – December

The Yarn

My daughter Zoe’s birthstone is aquamarine. My husband has spoiled me over the years with jewelry that include the kids’ birthstones. When looking for a yarn, I wanted to find one that matched the stone in my ring. I had the hardest time finding one that would work, since its a different color blue.

I finally found a yarn that would work, at my local Hobby Lobby. Yarn Bee’s ‘Fresh Haven’ in colorway ‘Light Blue’ turned out to be the perfect shade of blue I was looking for. The yarn itself is 100% Tencel, which is made from wood pulp.

The Pattern

Zoe helped me design the scarf. I showed her so many pictures of scarves on Pinterest and Ravelry just to figure out what style she wanted. She obviously picked the infinity.

Next came the stitch pattern. This was the hardest part. We sat down with my “Crochet Stitch Dictionary” by Sarah Hazell and just started flipping through the pages. Zoe fell in love with the shell/scallop stitches. I then got to work.

I would ask her opinion on the scarf every step of the way. I’d finish a few rows, “Zoe, come look, what do you think?”
And this went on for the whole week until I got to a point where I felt I was almost done. She agreed! Can you imagine, my daughter (my mini-me in almost every way) finally agreed with me on something.

I still can’t get over how great this pattern came out. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Supplies

– Approximately 360 Yards of Yarn Bee – Fresh Haven or similar worsted weight yarn, such as Caron Simply Soft
– I/5.50mm crochet hook
– Scissors
– Measuring tape
– Yarn needle

Trista from Crochets By Trista wearing “Zoe’s Aquamarine Infinity Scarf”

Zoe’s Aquamarine Infinity Scarf Pattern is now available to purchase on Ravelry and Etsy.

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My Favorite: Yarns

I’m a big fan of yarns that I can purchase from my local craft stores, or local yarn shops, because I can squish and feel the yarn before it comes home with me. I don’t like to purchase yarn online without feeling it in person first, but I’ve also been known to splurge and just go for the pretty colors too.

Here are my top 5 favorite yarns in no particular order:

Caron Simply Soft

I enjoy working with Simply Soft because of how soft and squishy it is. It comes in so many colors. I designed my Winter Hills Coffee Cozie and my upcoming Winter Blues Scarf using Simply Soft.

A downfall to it is that it can be a little difficult to work with because the strands of the yarn tend to pull apart. I’ve been using it for years and have gotten used to it.

Another issue is that it tends to fuzz after a few washes. If you have a project that is very textured and want to show the stitch definition then Simply Soft probably isn’t the best choice.

I used Caron Simply Soft for my Winter Hills Coffee Cozie

Loops & Threads Joy DK

One of my favorite yarns for garments is Joy Dk, by Loops & Threads, available at Michael’s. It is really sturdy and the finished item drapes beautifully. It works great for a light weight sweater to help you get through the cool mornings and warm afternoons of spring.

I used Joy Dk for many of the patterns that I tested for Two Brothers Blankets, including the Sarasota Cardi.

Sarasota Cardi by Two Brothers Blankets using Joy DK

Knit Picks – Brava Sport

Another great yarn for garments is Brava Sport, available through Knit Picks. I really enjoy working with this yarn. I don’t think its as sturdy as Joy Dk but is just as soft. The price for Brava is great too, currently $2.00 for approximately 273 yards. Its available in over 40 colors.

When I made the Calgary Cold Shoulder Top for Two Brothers Blankets using Brava Sport.

I made my Calgary Cold Shoulder Top by Two Brothers Blankets in Brava Sport

Loops & Threads Woolike

A great yarn to use that is super soft is Woolike by Loops & Threads. I originally designed my Amethyst Scarf using this yarn. This is probably my new favorite yarn too.

Its really light and has AMAZING drape, perfect for scarves and garments. It is a great substitute for fingering weight yarn that you would get from your local independent yarn dyer.

Amethyst Scarf completed in Woolike – Project and Photo by Rhune.co

Loops & Threads Charisma

Charisma is my go-to yarn when I have a thick and warm project. Years ago, before my son was born, I made a twin sized blanket using Charisma for my daughter. The blanket is so heavy but so nice and warm, perfect for the seemingly never-ending winters here in New England.

My C2C blanket that I made using Charisma.

New pattern release scheduled for March 4th!

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Amethyst Scarf

Birthstone Collection

The Amethyst Scarf is the second pattern available in the “Birthstone Collection.” The collection is the theme of 2020, where each month I have a cowl, scarf, or shawl pattern the color of that month’s birthstone.

Other patterns available in the Birthstone Collection:
Garnet Cowl – January
Zoe’s Aquamarine Infinity Scarf – March
Diamond Shawl – April
Emerald Asymmetrical Shawl – May
Pearl Infinity Cowl – June
Ruby Shawl – July
Peridot Shawl– August
Sapphire Shawl – September
Opal Shawl – October
Citrine Scarf – November
Turquoise Scarf – December

The Yarn

The amethyst stone, in my opinion, is the best one. Can you guess why? Yes, it is my birthstone. It’s probably why my favorite color is purple too. There are so many shades of purple and violet within the stones, and depending on how they are cut, they can reflect shades of pink.

In December of 2019, I went to SOWA Winter Festival in Boston. SOWA is a whole art district within the city of Boston. Local artisans have their studios and shops within the converted mills. I was completely overwhelmed with how all these artisans took their medium and expressed themselves in such a way that made them so individually unique. Click here to find out more about SOWA.

One of the artists at SOWA was Mary Mandarino, a weaver who hand-dyes yarn for her scarves, ponchos, and shawls. She had many of her completed pieces for sale and they were GORGEOUS!!!

But since I’m a yarn addict, I had to have this yarn. The blends of purples and pinks was just calling to me. It didn’t help that my cousin Madison was whispering in my ear “Treat Yo self,” so the beautiful yarn came home with me.

Supplies

– Approximately 800 yards of fingering/superfine weight yarn Loops and Threads Woolike or Red Heart It’s a Wrap
– E/4 (3.5 mm) crochet hook
– Measuring tape
– Scissors
– Yarn needle
– Blocking materials (optional)

The Pattern

I wanted a simple yet elegant scarf that could help showcase the colors within the yarn. This yarn isn’t just yarn, its more like thread so I was out of wheelhouse working with something so thin.

I knew I wanted a triangle scarf, but the thing I dislike about triangle scarves is that they are so bulky around the neck if you want it to sit a certain way. So I decided to just get rid of the middle neck section altogether and start with a large v-shape. After a few rows my hook just started flying and the results are SPECTACULAR!!!!

Model wearing the Amethyst Scarf
Add that touch of elegance to your wardrobe with the Amethyst Scarf

I hope you enjoy this design as much as I do!

The “Amethyst Scarf” is now available to purchase on
Etsy & Ravelry.

In May 2020, the kids and I dyed our own yarn using Kool-Aid. You can read how we did it HERE. I made my Amethyst Scarf using the yarn that we dyed. As you can see below, the results are gorgeous!

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