Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Six Must-Haves For Crocheters

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tulip etimo crochet hook

 

Good hooks – What’s your favorite hook – and why?  I have fallen in love with the newish Etimo Tulip Hooks.  They have really diminshed the amount of carpel tunnel pain I suffer.

Yarn/thread – I have rid myself of most of what I call mediocre yarn.  With thread, I use size 10 cotton almost exclusively.  Worsted weight cotton yarn has too much drag on it – does not slip smoothly enough on my hook – and taxes my wrist.  With yarn, I need there to be no drag across my wrist – no pulling or separating that requires extra effort.  That has ruled out a huge amount of my stash, some of which goes back to my beginning days as a crocheter about 15 years ago.  My newer requirements are that the yarn slide smoothly, effortlessly across my hook.  This is not necessarily a factor of price!  There are some really inexpensive yarns like Caron Simply Soft which fill the bill as well as many higher end yarns.

Tapestry needle – I prefer a blunt tipped, metal needle for weaving in all those dratted ends.

fiskars school scissors

Fiskars school scissors Best Value at $1

 

Scissors – Most any will do, but I have them all over the house!  The smallest ones, the folding variety, are the ones that earn their place in my crochet hook holder which goes everywhere my crochet goes.  Sharper is better.  One really good pair of scissors are Fiskars blunt point school scissors, the 5 inch long ones that usually sell for $1 during Back To School Sales in August.  Stock up!  They cut paper really well too.

ott light with magnifier

Ott Light With Magnifer, Floor Model, My Fave!

Light source – Lacking natural light, I have invested in Ott Lites that have the ‘true color’ bulbs.  These are essential for me.  But, I still won’t crochet a project in all black or navy.

Reference book/patterns – What’s your favorite reference book and pattern source?  I find myself going back again and again to the Crochet Stitch Bible, mostly for its ease in use (spiral binding), size (maybe 6X8 inches), and clarity of instructions.  Patterns come from a huge variety of sources – books, magazines, free tear offs at the yarn shop, and, of course, all those wonderful free online pattern sources.  Lately, Ravelry.com has been my go-to source.

Have I forgotten any essential?  Oh, a comfortable chair to sit in while crocheting.

 

Comments

  1. I think you forgot the trusty canine companion with accompanying fur embellishments for each project;-D

Have you read?

The Official Stardew Valley Crochet Book: That Rooster Had Me Hooked

Apparently, this is the year chickens took over my crafting attention. First came the emotional support chickens, then the pocket chickens, and now a rooster has managed to talk me into looking at another crochet book.

Honestly, put a crocheted chicken in front of me at this point and I’m going to stop scrolling.

That is exactly what happened with The Official Stardew Valley Crochet Book. The rooster sucked me in before I had even properly investigated what else was inside. After all the emotional support chicken crochet patterns we’ve been sharing, you would think I’d have had enough poultry. Apparently, there is still room in the imaginary yarn coop.

Now, a little honesty before we go any further: I haven’t read this book yet or tried its patterns. This is a look at why it has caught my attention ahead of publication. I have a very good feeling about this one, and I’m expecting it to be a lovely addition to the crochet bookshelf.

What’s Inside The Official Stardew Valley Crochet Book?

The publisher describes a collection of 25 crochet patterns with variations for more than 45 amigurumi projects, created by ConcernedApe, Megan Lapp and Ryan Novak.

The announced projects include Junimos, Slimes, chickens, a Junimo Hut and familiar game items. There are simpler projects such as Eggs alongside more challenging makes, including the Mermaid Pendant.

The chicken variations are particularly tempting, with different beaks, combs and tail feathers, plus White, Blue, Brown, Golden and Void varieties. You can probably see why my attention keeps wandering back to the coop.

It is scheduled for release on 26 January 2027 through Random House Worlds, with 240 pages in the hardcover edition.

Why This Crochet Book Is on My Radar

What appeals to me is the combination of recognisable characters and slightly ridiculous little objects. Those are often the crochet projects that make me smile most. A useful blanket is wonderful, but sometimes you simply want a tiny yarn creature keeping you company beside the sewing machine.

If you’ve enjoyed our emotional support pocket chicken crochet feature, you’ll understand the attraction. Small, characterful projects have a way of becoming much more tempting than the sensible project already waiting in your basket.

For Stardew Valley fans, there is also the pleasure of making something connected to a favourite game. We’ve previously shared a Junimo crochet pattern, so this feels like a lovely next book to explore for readers who enjoy that crossover between gaming and yarn.

Would I Add It to My Crochet Wishlist?

Absolutely. I can’t yet comment on the clarity of the instructions, the finishing details or how the patterns work up. Those are things I would want to assess with the book and a hook in hand.

But based on the announced collection, I know this is going to be a good one for my kind of crochet browsing: plenty of personality, playful projects and chickens I’m already mentally choosing yarn for.

You can take a closer look at The Official Stardew Valley Crochet Book on Amazon.

I came for the rooster. I suspect I’ll stay for the rest of the farm.