Crochet

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PAMPER YOURSELF – or How To Spend Your Yarn Dollars

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Do you treat yourself to wonderful, yummy, exquisite yarns from time to time?  Do you wish you were an internationally known crochet artist who would receive yarn free to design with?  Do you have lots of $$ to spend on yarn?

Need Crochet supplies and Yarn? We highly recommend Lionbrand for quality yarn and ongoing yarn sales and discounts. Make sure to check out their free crochet patterns too.

What?  This isn’t you?  Well, maybe you should find out what you’re missing – what you might be worth to yourself if you won the lottery or just really want some pampering and don’t have to worry about next month’s grocery bill.

Here’s a luxury yarn for you.  I’ve held it in my own hands.  It’s definitely the stuff of crochet fantasy.  It’s priced at about $100 for approx 200 yards.  Oh, boy, does it feel good………..

http://www.carylldesigns.com/MOCO_qiviut.htm#What%20is%20Qiviut?

This is one of the most reasonably priced luxury yarns.  It comes in a wider range of colors than some of the natural fibers and is a pleasure to work with.  At $48 for 500 yards of laceweight yarn, one could crochet up a nice shawl with just one skein.

http://www.yarn.com/webs-knitting-crochet-yarns-fiber-cashmere/?gclid=CLiVqLCCjKgCFZFoKgodzU0CDw

Silk yarn comes in a variety of prices.  One particularly scrumptious silk yarn is this hand-dyed one that weighs in at 8 oz for $125.00:

http://www.stringyarns.com/yarnfiber.php

But, the world’s most expensive yarn is one I have yet to pet.  I’m not sure what exactly makes this the priciest yarn, but the description as ‘the golden fleece’ might give a hint.

http://www.yarnmarket.com/yarn/Windy_Valley_Muskox_Yarn-Vicuna_Yarn-4224.html?PPC=true&kw=goo:Vicuna+Yarn-p&s_kwcid=TC|8929|vicuna%20yarn||S|e|6661059493&gclid=CNfk1J2FjKgCFYS8KgodQSBnCw

At a whopping $300 per ounce, you better be absolutely certain that your pattern will work out.  No frogging this beauty.  What would you make with it?

Start saving the lunch money!

Comments

  1. WOW at $300 per ounce I really think I could not make up my mind what to use it on……it would probably sit on my shelf forever!!! I thought spending $20 something a skein was pricey lol!

  2. I guess this explains it!
    “The vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) or vicugna[2] is one of two wild South American camelids, along with the guanaco, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes. It is a relative of the llama, and is now believed to be the wild ancestor of domesticated alpacas, which are raised for their fibre. Vicuñas produce small amounts of extremely fine wool, which is very expensive because the animal can only be shorn every 3 years.”

  3. The priciest yarn I’ve used is Blue Heron Rayon Metallic (but there’s a lot of yardage). It’s gorgeous and feels lovely, too.

  4. I called a local yarn shop last week, and was asking about the price of Cashmere yarn. It was between $38 to $100. I think the lower priced yarn was that much because it was mixed in with some other yarn. It wasn’t pure cashmere.

    I understand why the call it “Cash”mere…this stuff is going to cost you alot of “cash”

  5. I would make something for me to keep my shoulders warm . My Dad always said if your shoulders were warm you were warm.

  6. Let’s see $300/oz-need about 8 oz for a little scarf-just for show-add some beads-gold of course-$2400 for yarn, about $100 for beads, and no frogging!!

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.