Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Magic Ball Crochet (and Some Knit)

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http://upislandeggs.com/magicball.html

 

 

 

Some time back, I had written a bit about crochet using a Magic Ball.  I love the idea of creating and using a Magic Ball.  If you aren’t familiar with the term, you’re in for a treat!  A Magic Ball is simply one you create by tying together all your odd lengths of leftover yarns.  You can either make the ball totally random, combining differing weights, fibers, and lengths of yarn.  A more practical approach to creating a Magic Ball would be to combine lengths of related yarns – either all the same fiber or the same weight.  If you happen to crochet a lot of socks, it would make sense to build yourself a Magic Ball of all the leftover sock yarns you accrue.  If you have a penchant for babyghans in acrylic yarns, make a Magic Ball using only those strands.  A potholder fan?  It’s a cotton Magic Ball for you.

I’ve rounded up a few examples of Magic Balls and what you can do with them.  Enjoy!

This beauty is a rug made entirely of cotton scrap yarn.

Magic Ball Afghans

This blog gives all the ‘rules’ that turned out these two beautiful scrap afghans.  I am particularly fond of these pretty afghans since they show us how to make good use of those left over novelty yarns we all have stashed somewhere in a bin or basket.

There might even be a way to make a little money with your yarn scraps!  This creatively designed purse shows how a good eye for color and design can turn one into a bona fide designer!  It’s for sale on etsy.com and can be seen here .

And, just when you thought you had seen every iteration of Magic Ball Crochet, you come across real Magic Ball Crochet  – LOL.  Who’s gonna crochet me some of these??  You can see these and some even more interesting looking ones here .

Magic Balls

 

Stay tuned here for more on Magic Ball Crochet coming up soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  2. Hi! I’m just getting back into crochet. I used to do it long ago, but got out of it because it seemed like I was hurting my hands. Anyway, I’ve been seeing some things about Magic Ball crochet and didn’t know what it was until now. Seems interesting. I think I’ll try it. I also noticed that you mentioned you have an etsy store. I just started one and am trying to learn how to promote it. I bought a book by a man named Tim Adam of Tim Adam Designs. Its all about how to sell on etsy. Have you heard of him? I really like the book because I’m learning a lot. One of the things he said was that blogging would help me promote my etsy store, but although I have heard of blogging, I never really got into either reading or writing blogs until now so I’m a total blogging newbie. What a huge learning curve I have to overcome. Don’t hardly know where to begin. I think I will begin first of all by starting to follow your blog. My etsy shop is kdmarsh1. I don’t have much on sale yet. I’m working on trying to up my inventory. Would you visit my shop when you have time and let me know what you think?

  3. Thanks so much for this post about Magic Ball crocheting — it really is an awesome technique, and a great way to make sure you’re not wasting any yarn. 🙂

    I joke that I’m a Native American of yarn — none goes to waste! If I don’t have enough of a skein for a project, I’ll crochet flowers. If I don’t have enough for flowers, I use it for magic ball. If I have less than a foot, I save it to stuff amigurumi. Especially in this economic downturn, it’s imperative to make the most of all your yarn!

    I really appreciate your kind comments about my magic ball bag, and for linking to my Etsy shop. It made my day to find this post!

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.