One of my favorite things about crochet is how easy it is to improvise.  Once you know a few techniques - single and double crochet, how to make even rows, how to work in rounds, maybe some increases and decreases - you have all the skills you need to modify existing patterns and design your own projects.

Because you have only one "live" stitch on the hook, it's very easy to see exactly what's going on in the fabric you're making. No need to find a pattern for a simple pullover; just grab an existing sweater from your wardrobe and crochet pieces that are the same size as the ones in your current garment.   You can easily measure your crocheted piece up against the existing garment to make sure you're on the right track with shaping, drape, and overall size.  Try it on a kid's garment first - the investment in time and yarn isn't so great - and soon you'll be off to the races.

Sweaters aren't the only thing you can create as you go.  Amigurumi (a fancy Japanese word for "little stuffed toys") is a great way to play around and invent new things.  The basic body shape is usually round or oval, and things like arms, ears, and clothes can all be added or changed.  Check out these tutorials to start from scratch, or find a basic pattern and embellish it as you get more familiar with the craft.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easter-chicky-amigurumi

http://crochetcoralreef.org/Content/gallery/IFF_2-3.jpg

This art installation is an example of something called "hyperbolic crochet," The technique was developed in 1997 by Dr. Daina Taimina, a mathematician at Cornell, as a way to model a concept known as "hyperbolic space."  The resulting objects don't just look cool - they mimic the actual geometry that nature uses in things like kelps, corals, sponges, sea slugs, and nudibranchs.  A quick search of Ravelry for the term "hyperbolic" returns plenty of options for getting started with the basic shapes.  You'll still be following a loose "pattern," but the results are a lot more organic than your typical granny square.

And if that's still not wild enough for you ... how about Freeform Crochet?  I'm not all that familiar with this technique (yet), but the basic idea is that you mix and match colors, patterns, and stitches as much or as little as you want.  Pieces don't have to be worked in rows or rounds unless you want them to be - otherwise, you can make the stitches wherever your heart desires!  Frequently, individual pieces (called "scrumbles") are joined together to make a larger garment, blanket, bag, or other project.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2207/2080472811_3f815b6556_z.jpg

Here is a great round-up of tutorials to get you started.

Whichever technique you choose, you shouldn't be afraid to grab a hook and try something new.  After all, summer is a time to PLAY, right?

- Gretchen

Labels: 2016, amigurumi, crochet, freeform crochet, hyperbolic crochet, stashbuster, techniques

Hi everyone, I am Hana.
I'm a lifelong crafter. I've been knitting and crocheting since I was eight years old.    Over the years of exploring the fiber arts I have become increasingly passionate about it

Making gifts for family and friends has taken up the majority of my crafting time, but now that I'm a mom, I'm finding myself poring over patterns for little girl clothes and accessories. There are a million and one cute things to make for a little girl, so how do you choose? I had some Juniper Moon Farm Zooey left over from knitting a shirt from my mom and thought it would be wonderful for grandma and granddaughter to have matching shirts.   Because Zooey is a DK weight yarn  I knew I needed a pattern that called for that gauge. In my personal stash I had a bit of Berroco Linsey that I wanted to use for a nice color pop.  The Linsey was also going to be my back up in case I ran out of the main yarn. Excited to cast on, I headed over to Ravelry to find a pattern that fit my requirements.

My search ended when I found the All in One Sleeveless Baby Top by Marianna Mel. Knit in a DK weight yarn on size US 6 needles, there are options for sizes from six months all the way up to twelve months. It looks great in any color, so I knew I had found my pattern.

Photo credit: Marianna Mel

I loved that not only was it one piece, I had the right amount of buttons in the right size. The only thing I didn't particularly care for was how it was open all the way down. I had pictured more of an actual shirt, but since I was excited to make something I went ahead and cast on. It's a quick and fun knit, great for hanging out on the couch with your baby. I found myself working on the last button hole round before I knew it, while I kept admiring how cute it was, I still wasn't wild about leaving it open all the way down. What were my options? I didn't have enough buttons to continue that way, so that idea was out. What was my other option? The only other choice I could see was to join it in the round and go from there.

I took a good look at the construction of the top and what would happen if I joined it as it was. When I pulled it together it seemed a tiny bit bunched, so after joining I did a make one increase to the left. Increasing by one stitch was enough to allow it to lay correctly without puckering. From there it was a simple matter of knitting till I was happy with how long it was. Five easy rows of 1x1 ribbing completed the shirt. All in all it was a very simple modification yet, that one little change altered the entire look of the garment.


As you can see, little miss Rose is pleased with her new shirt. I am happy with the finished product and with the confidence I've gained. Now I feel like I can tackle more complex modifications without fear.

Thanks for joining us, now go make something!

Hana & Rose

Labels: 2016, Baby Knits, Juniper Moon Zooey, knitting, Linen Cotton Blend, Modifications, Pullover

There are so many gadgets, hacks, and apps out there - how do you know which ones are worth trying, and which are just going to make your life more difficult?  Not to fear!  Let's follow the "life cycle" of a project and look at some tips to make things go more smoothly for you.

Find a pattern:


Ravelry.com is the place many of our customers start when they're looking for a new project.  They have powerful search functions - click on the "Patterns" tab, then select "pattern browser & advanced search" on the left side of the page.  This lets you filter the list of more than 600,000 knitting and crochet patterns.  By clicking on choices in the various categories - yarn weight, project type, number of yards, etc. - you can reduce an overwhelming variety of ideas to a handful that are easier to decide among.  Many choices are free, and others can be ordered and paid for directly through Ravelry.  New to the site?  Check out the resources on their wiki pages: http://www.ravelry.com/wiki/pages/GettingStartedGuide

Store your purchases:
     "I have seven balls of this yarn that I bought here two years ago, and I think I was going to make a sweater?  But I don't know what pattern I was going to use.  Do you remember which one I picked?"  Don't let this happen to you!  Erika's memory is good, but it's not infallible. When you find a pattern and yarn you like - STORE THEM TOGETHER IN THE SAME BAG.  It's such a small thing, but it will save you so many potential heartaches later on.  Another tip - when you match your yarn and pattern, add the project to your "queue" in Ravelry.  That way you can always go back and see what you'd planned to do, even if the physical objects get separated.

Corral your yarn:
     You're ready to start, and things are going well ... until your yarn ball rolls off and starts herding the dust bunnies that live under your couch.  There are lots of ways to keep runaway yarn from slowing you down.

1. Wind your yarn into center-pull balls whenever possible.  Many people prefer to wind their yarn just in time to use it.  If you're one of them, consider investing in a yarn winder and swift, the two items you'll need to wind yarn quickly and efficiently.




2. Center-pull balls and commercially wound skeins can be easily "unwound" as you work by storing them in something that keeps them contained when you pull on them.  This can be anything from a gallon-size plastic bag that's closed except for where the yarn comes out, to a colander, to a shoebox.  There are plenty of beautiful yarn bowls on etsy.com if you want something a little more official, and we've found the yarn butler to be a useful tool to hold yarn for our shop projects.


3. Project bags are useful, fun, and a little addictive.  They're essential for traveling with a project - nobody wants to chase a ball of yarn all over the floor of an airplane - and they make great gifts.

Keep track of where you are in your pattern:
     Stitch markers and Post-It notes, highlighters and pencils - all these things come in handy when you're trying to keep track of where you are in a complicated pattern.  But what do you do if you've joined the digital revolution and your pattern is on your iPad or tablet?  You use knitCompanion!  This app lets you "mark up" pdf patterns the same way you would highlight rows on a piece of paper.  Many of our customers swear by it.
     And while I'm thinking about it, I have a confession to make. Despite my collection of useful and cute stitch markers, I still end up using paper clips, hair bands, scraps of yarn, pieces of dental floss, twist ties, plastic baggie ties, and even pieces of paper jammed onto my needles.  Some days my projects look like they were assembled by a magpie.  Don't ask me why ... and don't be ashamed if you do the same thing!

Weave in ends as you go:



   There are few things more disheartening than finishing your beautiful afghan ... and then noticing the hundreds of yarn ends you now have to deal with. Crochet projects are no problem - it's easy to bury the yarn tails as you go, no darning needle required.  But knitters should consider taking a break every so often to weave in their ends, especially on projects with lots of color changes.  You'll do a neater job if you aren't in such a hurry to finish the project, and you probably won't end up hating the process as much.


Pay attention to yarn care requirements:
     The only thing worse than weaving in hundreds of yarn tails?  Finishing your project and having it radically change in size or shape the first time you wash it.  Ugh!  Prevent shrinkage (and bagginess) by paying attention to the care instructions provided by the yarn dyer or manufacturer.  These may not be in words - manufacturers have come up with a list of "universal care symbols" which are supposed to tell you all you need to know.  Of course, most of us can only remember a few of them, so here's a link to a cheat sheet that shows the meanings of the most common symbols.

So, what's your favorite hack for knitting or crochet?  The weirdest thing you've used as a stitch marker?  Ever used pencils or chopsticks to replace a lost needle?  Share your tips with us in the comments - let's see what you've got!

- Gretchen

Labels: 2016, apps, crochet, hacks, knitting, techniques, tips

Wait - don't run away in horror at the mention of gauge!  I promise, I can make this fun!

Gauge is just a way of saying "How big are your stitches supposed to be?"  It shows up in most patterns, right there near the comments about what size yarn to use and which size hook (or needles) you should try.  Not all of us work at the same gauge as the designer, though, so you can't just grab the same hook and yarn and expect it to turn out the same size.  Trust me - making a gauge swatch is important if you want the piece you're about to spend hours making to fit.  I once ended up with a "slouchy hat" that was more the size of a garbage can cozy.  Don't let this happen to you!

Gauge swatches aren't hard to make or interpret.  I found a nice tutorial which gives you all the details about how this works way better than I could describe it.  It's got videos and pictures and everything, and she made it for both knitters and crocheters.  Yay!

Three main things contribute to what gauge you get when you pick up some yarn and start a project: how you tension the yarn, what size yarn you are using, and what size hook or needles you are using.  Changing how you tension the yarn isn't real easy to do, and no, a couple of glasses of wine will NOT loosen up your gauge (but they will probably stain your project).  Most of the time, you're going to adjust the gauge of your project by changing the size of the hook or needles you're using.

• If your gauge swatch used MORE stitches to make up the 4" than the pattern suggested, it means your stitches are too small, and you'll want to go a size or two BIGGER and try again. 
• If your gauge swatch used FEWER stitches to make up the 4" than the pattern suggested, your stitches are too big, so grab a size or two SMALLER and make another swatch.

So, let's talk yarn weights.  Yarns come in seven official weights, but not all yarns fall squarely into one size or another.  What's worse, something that looks like a fingering weight yarn in the store may puff up when washed and end up more like a DK or even worsted weight - which is why washing your swatch before measuring it is important if you want to be CERTAIN that sweater is going to fit when you're done.  You may want to print out the standard yarn size chart put out by the Craft Yarn Council and stick it into your craft bag, just in case you need a reference when you're trying to substitute yarns for a project.  It can come in handy when you're trying to figure out whether a chunky yarn is bigger than a super bulky yarn ... or is it the other way around?  Meh, who can remember?  Let's check the chart: http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/weight.html

At River Colors Studio, one of the best parts of our job is helping you find the perfect combination of pattern, yarn, and tools to make the project you're envisioning.  So don't be afraid to ask for assistance or advice - that's why we're here!

- Gretchen

Labels: 2016, crochet, gauge, hook size, knitting, needle size, yarn weight

http://melodys-makings.com/free-beach-sun-hat-crochet-knit-pattern/

Labels: 2016, cotton, crochet, hat, lightweight, linen, Modern Cotton, Original Denim, quick, summer, sunhat

The influx of soft cotton- and linen-blend yarns into the shop over the past few weeks has piqued the interest of many of our customers, and lots of summer-weight projects have already been started.  Heck, some of our more dedicated knitters have even FINISHED them already!

But don't feel left out, crochet friends!  There are a ton of cool crochet patterns that would look great in our various new yarns.  For example, this shawl is perfect for taking the chill off on a summer night.  It would look lovely in any DK weight yarn, but especially so in Rowan Summerlite DK:

http://www.elkstudiohandcraftedcrochetdesigns.com/2014/06/23/dixie-charm-a-free-summer-crochet-shawl-pattern/

Pick a couple colors of Berocco's Modern Cotton and make this cute bag, which is perfect for carrying your projects (or your swimsuit!):

http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/crochet-bag.html

How about something you can dress up a bit?  We've got that covered, too, with this tank, which would be beautiful in the sophisticated colors of Rowan Summerlite 4ply:

https://www.freepatterns.com/detail.html?code=FC00982

Here's a pattern that's a little more off-beat, and it could be worn year-round if made in the proper fiber.  I was so excited about it that I immediately started one using a vibrant chartreuse ball of On-Line Supersocke Swing Color.  (And I finished it a week later - come see it in the shop!) It would also be beautiful in something more sedate, like the wonderfully textured Shibui Pebble:

https://makemydaycreative.com/2014/07/25/multiplicity-buttoned-shawl/

Labels: 2016, bag, cotton, crochet, fingering weight, lightweight, linen, shawl, shell, silk, skirt, sport weight, summer, tank

• You made a pair of socks and had almost 1/4 of the skein leftover
• You bought an extra ball of yarn when making a sweater
• You bought souvenir yarn ... in every town you've visited for the past decade

Even if you've gone through and organized your main stash (have you seen how the Yarn Harlot does it?), it's inevitable that you'll be left with a some orphans.  Sure, you can stick them in bowls and use them to decorate your house, but wouldn't it be nice to find a crafty use for them?


Crochet is the perfect way to use up those precious little bits I can't bear to throw away.  For example, you can make:

• Embellishments - sew them on a hat or bag, or attach to a pin and use as an accent on many different outfits.

Labels: 2016, afghans, amigurumi, crochet, easy, embellishments, quick, stashbuster