Dye-ing To Crochet – Part Three

September 14, 2013 by jd wolfe

While Rita typically begins with variegated yarns, requiring her to use only a single color of dye, splendid results can be achieved by using more than one color of dye on your yarn. Over at Adorn Anew Blog, Stacey describes how she attained the long color gradients she used to create the yarns used to make these lovely shawls. check out her kool-aid dye story here.

Then, there’s this beauty.

Stacey gives you more information, with great instructions, to dye your own yarn to achieve the wonderful colors she used in this shawl. Wouldn’t this look great with a pair of jeans and a turtleneck? I’m jealous! Get the details here.

Getting down to business, Stacey offers brief instructions – all you’ll need – to achieve the results she and Rita get. It’s so quick and easy you’ll be amazed. Stacey uses Ritz dyes rather than kool-aid in this article. The pot looks pretty yucky – but you can see the wonderful skein that resulted from the over-dying.

Whether you choose to start with a skein of yarn that’s a single color or one that’s variegated, you can use the information in these three articles. What I especially like about this is the opportunity to ‘rescue’ yarns that might not be just right for you. There are often orphan skeins for cheap at my LYS. One 50 gram skein of sock yarn will easily work up into a scarf or a pair of wristlets (fingerless mitts).

It’s also often the case that the plainest of yarns are those that stick around in the yarn shop long enough to be deeply discounted. A skein of off white may not be particularly appealing, especially if you had a pink or green in mind, but the price is right. Now you know how to take that really great discounted yarn and turn it into just the color you want.

The other plus here is that it’s just darn fun! Imagine the unique color combinations you could come up with! You can buy enough yarn to crochet a sweater from the discount bin and dye it into your perfect color for pennies. Now, let’s all go raid the discount bin at our favorite LYS!

PS – Today is my mom’s 91st birthday! She has been almost completely blind for about the past 10 years. But – she can still match colors in a way I cannot! Show her a sweater you want to match and take her to the mall, she can STILL pick out an exact match. Some people are just better with color than others. Rita and my mom are wizards with color. Then, there’s me……

Have you read?

Shock Wave Free Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.