Category: Blog

Lettuce Wrap

This pattern is part of the E’Claire Makery March Blog Hop. Each day a different designer offers a free PDF download of their pattern. There are shawls, wraps, scarves, earrings, cardigans, hats, and sweaters.

The Concept

I wanted a design that way perfect for the spring or summer. 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.

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.
"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.

Supplies:

Approximately 1100 yards of Lion Brand Baby Soft yarn, or comparable #3 weight yarn.
H – 5.00mm Crochet Hook
Scissors
Measuring Tape
Yarn Needle
Blocking Materials

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

Availability

Available in my Ravelry Shop.

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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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Crochetpreneur Business Academy – CBA

***** 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 *****

If you haven’t read it the few times I’ve mentioned it, I’m a proud member of the Crochetpreneur Business Academy. I’ve learned so much about myself and where I see my business since I joined.

I initially joined CBA because I wanted to start a crochet business and had no idea where to even start. I know that I don’t want to do craft fairs because it takes away from family time on the weekends. I did know that I wanted to start designing patterns and selling the patterns.

While everyone is going to have a different experience than I do, I want to let you know what I’ve gained from joining this great community.

Why?

As much as I love to crochet, I wanted to see if I could turn my hobby into successful business as a designer instead of just a maker. What do I really have to lose? The membership is only $30/month; so what, I can’t go get expensive coffee every week or I can’t buy yarn I’m never going to use. You find a way to save money when you want to.

I saw what many of my favorite designers had joined and that they’ve recommended joining. I thought “Hey, if its working for them maybe it will work for me.” And it has been working for me.

Since joining CBA, I’ve learned so many things about myself and that has helped in where I want my business to go. I learned what my strengths and weaknesses are, and how I can use them to build a business.

Join Us in cba

One thing I learned is that I accomplish more when I set a deadline on something. When testing patterns for designers, I needed to have the item finished, photographed, and have feedback sent back to them by a certain date. I ALWAYS had it done on time. If I can do it for other people why can’t I get it done for my own business?!?!

How

I began setting deadlines for myself. In fall of 2019, I laid out my plan. The plan was; January 2020, I’m going to officially register as business, start a website, etsy shop, ravelry storefront, and keep up on social media for my business.

GUESS WHAT?! I AM!!!!

You want to know what else I’ve been doing? Stepping out of my comfort zone completely. Today I did my first live video ever! Because we all need a starting point that isn’t going to ridicule us, I did it in our CBA community group.

I had to do it, how am I going to be able to reach my audience if I don’t practice? There isn’t a better community or family than CBA. This amazing group of people are so supportive. We’re there to walk beside you in the journey, push you when needed, and help you gain your footing if you’ve fallen.

Who

In CBA we have members that are:
Blogger
Makers
Designers
All of the above and everything in between.

Click here to learn the “7 Secrets Every Profitable Crochetpreneur Knows“

You have so much to gain, just by joining us. Pam Grise, The Crochetprenuer, just redid all the lessons within the academy. She decided to tweak a lot of the courses to make it more streamlined and easier to follow. What you get you get out of CBA is completely up to you but you can really SOAR with all that CBA has to offer you within the journey.

I hope I’ve convinced you enough to at the very least research CBA. I’d love to see what you can do with your crochet business!

Pam also has other courses for you to look into if you’re not quite sold on the CBA. Click here for the list.

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