Category Archives: Crochet

Boy-Girl Baby Yarn Is For Girls

IMG_20151001_092543 This either gender baby yarn comes out effectively for girls.  The blue tie in the booties does not override the pink.  The pink overpowers any amount of blue, so the blue hat and the blue booty ties do not tell the world that this is a little boy.    If one does not know what gender the baby will be, it is better to go with a neutral, or green, or yellow.

Pincushions For Yarn Needles

Here are several of my pincushions.

DSC06657 The black, green and red folk design cushion was a gift.  It works well for regular pins and needles but not for thick yarn needles.  I crocheted the pastel pink, green and yellow one with size three acrylic yarn, and stuffed it with craft fiber fill.  It works well for thick yarn needles, but It is ugly.  I also crocheted the red cushion to try making a pin cushion out of a steel wool soap pad.  Somebody wrote that soap pads made great pincushions, because they sharpen and polish the needles.  After I made this cover, and tried it, I found it very difficult to use, even for regular pins and needles. which would not go into it easily.   My favorite is the multicolored cotton crocheted one with the fiber fill.  It works well for yarn needles, any pins and needles, and looks good.

  • Steel wool pads do not make good pincushions, though the covering looks good.  It is useless
  • Dense fabric does not accommodate yarn needles
  • Number three or four acrylic yarn, covering the pincushion, is useful for yarn needles, though it is ugly
  • Cotton number four yarn makes  a both beautiful and useful pincushion for holding yarn needles.

Mandala Type Crochet Projects

These I consider “art” crochet, where I get to make up the rules  for myself.  The common sense which I use to keep them flat is not  sufficient.    Stitching through the crochet from the back helps to remedy these problems, as does blocking, starching, and pressing from the back.

26JAN2015 005 My first mandala crochet.

DSC06504 Inspired by the card on the rightI began this unintentionally small tablecloth. DSC06505 Some detail of a work in progress.

DSC07481 Much effort at flattening produced this.  The edge of this is intentionally ruffly, because I liked the effect of the off-white motifs surrounded by green which ruffled into place.  Altogether the effort came together.

Ava's Garden at Sina's  1 rcd 26APR2015 My second mandala crochet in its home.